The Baby Name Wizard

Ralph = vomit.

Update on naming our Orange kitty! Thank you all for your suggestions.

I took them to the rest of the family and none of them took. The husband and the kids over ruled my suggestion of Oliver and have started calling him Dash. He keeps dashing off when we pick him up. :)

Too me though, he will be Oliver Dash.

Thanks!

No on Ralph for me unless you're in the UK. If you're in the US you're trying to get to the sound 'Rafe', you could always choose Raphael and call him Rafe for short, I have a cousin who goes by that.

My partner and I just have decided to open up discussion to all male names everywhere, not to restrict the search to M, B, and J (at least for the first name.) We figure can either retrofit a connection with the loved ones or get it in there with the middle or Hebrew names.

By the way, I met three 3 weeks old babies yesterday. Names: Osiris, Raphael, and Zadie.

Miriam and Coll, thank you for the pronunciation tips. I prefer the original French one, given that when I hear Dash'l, I think of the American politician Tom Daschle, and I'm not into celbrity naming associations of any kind.

Here're names I'd go with for Calvin (assuming the only criteria are the ones Calvin's ma listed: "I want it to be fairly familiar, easily spelled and pronounced, and not too out there, as well as have that something special... not to mention pass the DH test. It's a wonder our first son has a name at all.")

All of these names are familar but not common in the U.S., and sound well w/ Calvin

Seymour (love this one w/ Calvin)
Raymond (")
Harvey
Gerald
Francis (sorry for the "s")
Niles (")
Edmund
Roland
Randall
Guy
Willard
Willem/Wilhelm
Lawrence/Laurence (love this one with Calvin)
Leonard-- "
Roger-- "
Griffith
Jacoby
Raine
Dale
Hugo
Gunther/Gunter (this one's cool w/ Calvin)
Emory/Emery
Faust
Orlando
Alaric
Gunnar

I really like the suggestion above of Geoffrey. (Pronounced either the standard Jeffrey or JOFF-ry, as I've heard one man pronounce his name).

If you could stand a non-matchy --n name:

Damon
Anton
Vernon
Robin
Donovan

CELEBRITY-- arggggh

I remember reading somewhere that Levi had a jeans giveaway to anyone who came to a store on their birthday who could prove their name was "Jean".

Joff-rey??? No....

Here's a (entirely irrelevant) question- why isn't Nola more popular? It's short, sweetly old-fashioned, ends in "a", has an Irish pedigree and jazzy associations from New Orleans- and has the spunk (north american sense!) without the sultry of skyrocketing Lola. Yet it's not even in the top 1000 in the US. Does it have other associations that I'm missing? A weird meaning in Spanish?

(I quite like it as a sister name for Kingston, Nola and King sound wonderfully jazz-age :P)

I'm sorry to hear I've been mispronouncing Dashiell all these years, and yet I still prefer the mispronounced version.

A friend of mine's brother and his wife just named their baby girl Nola. I love it too!

I think Nola could really take off. It's got all the right elements.

Yes, Keren, I have heard Geoffrey pronounced Joff-rey in the US. It does sound odd when you're used to the pronunciation Jeffrey for both spellings.

Easternbetty--funny that we both thought of Roland and Roger as sibs for Calvin! Roger was actually the very first name that came into my head as a "perfect match". I wonder why?

re: Geoffrey--I also know an (American) Geoffrey whose name is pronounced JOFF-rey, and he goes by Geoff, pron. JOFF. It took me a while to get used to it. I prefer the "regular" pronunciation.

I have a friend whose name is Geoff, but his parents quite literally pronounce it,

"GEE-off"

I thought it was a nickname at first...but it's not.

I don't know why Nola hasn't taken off? I really haven't heard it before. Maybe because it sounds to negative because the first two letter spells NO. It would sound funny saying "No, Nola" over and over.

Just my thoughts...

Wow! I'm way behind. I wish I could justify my absence with tales of busy packing, but I've hardly started!

Thanks to all for the nickname suggestions! I'm still weighing my options, but just plain ol' Lauren is sounding more and more appealing every day. I adore "Elle," but as my sister is an Ellen (and frequently an Ellie), it's out of the question. Liesel/Liesl is actually one of my favourite names, (evoking many wonderful childhood afternoons spent watching The Sound of Music!) but I worry that's it's too far from Lauren. Pity Lauren doesn't have any natural, easy derivatives, beyond Laurie. Growing up, I always envied my sisters their easy, affectionate nicknames (Ellie and Maggie). Lola is gorgeous (and a definite guilty pleasure of mine), but I think I'm too bookish to pull off such a voluptuous name. Lowry is awesome, but probably unusable, forever associated in my family with the friend of my uncle's who met a tragic end (caused the crash that killed his best friend just weeks after graduation, never forgave himself, joined the Moonies, and disappeared).

Anon: Indeed I am going to Bryn Mawr. Maybe it's my wonky Yankee/Midwest accent, but I pronounce the "Brin" of Bryn Mawr almost the same as "Ren," with only a slight distinction between the i and the e.

sdh: Another Mawrtyr NE?

Sarah S: So, I guess Zwingli is out the question, eh? Luther too? :D On a more serious note, I love the name Calvin. Of course, my positive opinion is definitely aided by positive personal associations. The only Calvin I know is a intelligent and affable young man, liked by almost everyone. Although not one of the "in crowd," he was voted Prom King by a class enamored with his easy-going nature. Have you considered Arthur, Cedric (a C, I know, but lovely nonetheless), Felix (a bit out there, but still handsome), Gideon, Graham, Phineas, Peter, or Theo?

Steph P: I adore the combination of Juniper Frances. Frances is so brisk and classic is offsets any "floral" tendencies of Juniper. Juniper itself is very crisp and fresh (much like the plant) and therefore pairs well with Frances, at least to my ear. Juniper Anna doesn't flow or connect nearly as well, in my humble opinion. And for nicknames, there's always the (now omnipresent) Juno. (I loved it before the movie, and I'll keep loving it!)

With regards to Ralph I, and everyone I know pronounce it Ralf not Rafe. Im British btw.
The only two times Ive ever heard anyone be called Rafe was in a book I read where a boy's fellow theatre workers called him Rafe, but his parents called him Ralph, and in Pearl Harbour, where it is the name of Ben Afflecks character.

Yeah, Ralph as Rafe is really an upper class thing. Ralph "Rafe" Fiennes gets a bit of affectionate stick about it (well, probably not in his circles but in the media and amongst commoners like me!). Ralph pronounced as in Wiggum isn't overly common here either, I don't think. Can't think of any I've met, with either pronunciation. I think Rafe spelt like that makes a fine name, kind of, well, raffish...

Yeah, Ralph as Rafe is really an upper class thing. Ralph "Rafe" Fiennes gets a bit of affectionate stick about it (well, probably not in his circles but in the media and amongst commoners like me!). Ralph pronounced as in Wiggum isn't overly common here either, I don't think. Can't think of any I've met, with either pronunciation. I think Rafe spelt like that makes a fine name, kind of, well, raffish...

Yeah, Ralph as Rafe is really an upper class thing. Ralph "Rafe" Fiennes gets a bit of affectionate stick about it (well, probably not in his circles but in the media and amongst commoners like me!). Ralph pronounced as in Wiggum isn't overly common here either, I don't think. Can't think of any I've met, with either pronunciation. I think Rafe spelt like that makes a fine name, kind of, well, raffish...

Yeah, Ralph as Rafe is really an upper class thing. Ralph "Rafe" Fiennes gets a bit of affectionate stick about it (well, probably not in his circles but in the media and amongst commoners like me!). Ralph pronounced as in Wiggum isn't overly common here either, I don't think. Can't think of any I've met, with either pronunciation. I think Rafe spelt like that makes a fine name, kind of, well, raffish...

Yeah, Ralph as Rafe is really an upper class thing. Ralph "Rafe" Fiennes gets a bit of affectionate stick about it (well, probably not in his circles but in the media and amongst commoners like me!). Ralph pronounced as in Wiggum isn't overly common here either, I don't think. Can't think of any I've met, with either pronunciation. I think Rafe spelt like that makes a fine name, kind of, well, raffish...

Yeah, Ralph as Rafe is really an upper class thing. Ralph "Rafe" Fiennes gets a bit of affectionate stick about it (well, probably not in his circles but in the media and amongst commoners like me!). Ralph pronounced as in Wiggum isn't overly common here either, I don't think. Can't think of any I've met, with either pronunciation. I think Rafe spelt like that makes a fine name, kind of, well, raffish...

Yeah, Ralph as Rafe is really an upper class thing. Ralph "Rafe" Fiennes gets a bit of affectionate stick about it (well, probably not in his circles but in the media and amongst commoners like me!). Ralph pronounced as in Wiggum isn't overly common here either, I don't think. Can't think of any I've met, with either pronunciation. I think Rafe spelt like that makes a fine name, kind of, well, raffish...

Lauren -- indeed i went to BMC, class of '99. i LOVED it. good luck! where are you living? i was in denbigh my freshman year, also lived in rhoads, brecon and rock...you will love it, it's an amazing place.
i will probably be at my 10th reunion in may, so maybe i'll see you there. :)

my cousin Geoffrey pronounces it the same as Jeffrey, as does my neighbor...i've never heard the JOFFrey pronounciation, or GEE-off.

Oh dear, I think I came off much more negative about Juniper than I intended to sound. I like it a lot, and while it does seem a little hippie to me, that's not a bad thing at all! I also don't think the hippie implications overpower the name.

I see there's at least one other Ellen here, how unusual!

This is off topic, but some of you may remember that my husband has a strict wish that his son have the same initials as him, his father, and his grandfather, which means the first name must start with M.

I really like the nn Max, but I don't like any of the "full names" that go with Max and I don't want "just Max".

So I thought I'd ask what everyone thought of using Max as a nn for Mason. I really like Mason, too, and I think having the choice between Max and Mason as he grows up would be a really great one to have. I'm not really worried about it being too "out there", I just want to make sure I'm not off base and I trust your opinions.

EllenK--

I don't see any problem. A nickname can be anything at all and need have no discernible connection with the given name. When I was growing up, my neighbor lady was named Ethel Marie, but was universally known as Sue, and it was not a problem. And then there are nicknames like Buzz and Bud and Skip and Sparky and Rusty and on and on. After all, no one calls a kid Buzzard in order to get the nickname Buzz. :-)

So your plan seems fine to me. Don't be surprised though if your son nicknames himself when he starts to talk.

EllenK -- I like Max as a nn for Mason; like Miriam, I don't see any problem with that at all. And I like Max better than "Masy" (pronounced like Macey), which sounds feminine to me.

My brother is Jonathan but has always gone by Jeb (and those aren't his initials).

A handsome combination, if you haven't already picked a mn, that would make more sense of Max as a nn for Mason (if you're still worried) is Mason Xavier ...

Speaking of job-appropriate names, how about the fact that the current Secretary of Education is named Margaret Spellings?

Amanda-

Indeed, I was thinking of that one, too. I wonder if she purposely became Secretary of Education for that reason?

My brother's High School Math Teacher was named Mrs. Teachie. Teachie the Teacher, hmmm.

Sarah-I just don't care for Ralph.
It remind me of Archie, though, and I could get behind Archer/Archie, or even Arlo.
I also thought I'd suggest Russell. I think Russell is pretty perfect with Calvin.

On Juniper...I'm liking it more and more as I think about it. I do wonder about how well it will age, but as others have noted, June is certainly a plausible and sophisticated nn. As to its image, I definitely read it as more hip than hippie, But I think some of that may be from this blog. I do think non ne's will probably class it as a bit hippie-though I don't know that that should matter.

I love the name Nola, by the way, which is perhaps why we're going with Noa for a girl, since we don't have an Irish connection. I am also confused as to why Nola has not gained more traction in the US.

I also agree that you can use a nickname for anything you want. I knew someone growing up whose nickname was Beanie, but her real name was Carolyn.

Speaking of Nola, there was a girl in our preschool named Magnolia--I could see Nola as a nickname for that.

Growing up we had a frequent substitute teacher in school (also lived in my neighborhood) named Ms. Teach.

Regarding Nola, there are so many wonderful names that are not in the top 1000 and it does make one wonder. Over the years I've probably thought of at least 4 dozen of them, but the first that come to mind right now are Lachlan, June & Pearl. It's not as if any of those names are "out there".

Thanks for everyone's comments on Juniper and possible middle names. I wanted to check in with the NEs one more time before our baby girl is born. I must admit though, sometimes I end up even more conflicted after reading everyone's thoughts. My goal is to choose something I know I will love years from now. I realize how fickle I am and have a tendency to have a brief love affair with a name only to discard it a couple of years later. When my son August was born, I was absolutely set on Ivy for a girl and now am not considering (due to it's increase in popularity). I'm probably worrying about this too much. Hopefully whatever I pick, I will continue to love since it will only be associated with my DD.

Tirzah- We really like German names, thanks for the great ideas.

I'm weighing in a little late on this, but I just wanted to say how much I adore "Juniper Frances." It's got style, substance, strength, and sweetness. Great for a baby, child, teen, and adult. Other possible nns: Jif, Jance, or Jancy.

Oh, thank you, thank you! I so appreciate everyone's input for Calvin's brother!

Calvin's middle name is Russell - I'm glad someone thought that was a good match!

Good to hear the input on Ralph. My first thought is of Ralphie from A Christmas Story, which is cute, but the vomit, Wiggum, and Malph associations do put a bad spin on it. I do like Rafe but would probably spell it the way it sounds to avoid confusion (we're in the US).

Many of your suggestions have been high on my list, so it's good to know I'm headed in the right direction. Especially: Roger, Roland, Edmund, Leonard, Anton, Archer, Arthur, Gideon, Graham, Peter, and Theodore.

I love Harvey! I had thought of that a while ago but forgot about it. Thanks for the reminder.

Now here's a question: I am loving Anthony right now, but how can it be so popular (#7 in 2007)? I have met only one Anthony in all my life. I can't imagine using a name from the top ten list, but if all these little Anthonys are in a completely different part of the country (or society?), maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

Sarah S-

Maybe a lot of the Anthonys are Hispanic? It's close enough to Antonio to be a good crossover name.

Interesting that you were considering Ralph, as my grandfather's brothers were Calvin and Ralph (pronounced as spelled). He was Valentine. As I mentioned on another post, their parents must have liked the -al sound in a name!

Of your list, I'm particularly fond of Roland. I think it has a great pedigree, is easily pronounced ans spelled and not too popular. Edmund, Anton, Arthur and Theodore. Another 'A' name I like is Anatole! More often used in Continental Europe than Britain or the US.

All (every single one) of the Anthonys I have known have been Italian. And many have been juniors or thirds, so perhaps a lot of the Anthonys being named as such use their middle names to distinguish from their fathers. Maybe that's why we don't hear the name Anthony too often.

I was reading the name choices for Calvin's brother aloud to a friend (on the phone, no less), and while she & I both like Theodore a lot; Calvin & Theodore/Cal & Theo make great siblings; she repeated Calvin & Theodore to me, and then she said Alvin, Simon, Theodore, and started singing the Chipmunks song, lol. I think that's a pretty far stretch, myself, but I figured it was worth mentioning, just in case!

Cathy - I had originally ruled out Theodore for that very reason! I'm sure we'd get a few snickers. It's very much back in the running, though.

I really don't think it's something worth worrying about. Theodore is a great name. And if you do shorten Calvin to Cal, and Theodore to Theo, I think they sound absolutely perfect together.

It's good that it's back in the running. I just wanted to mention it, in case it would matter to you. It's no fun having a realization after the fact :-)

Please Help!! I have two boys age’s 10 years (Tyler Allan) and 21 months (Logan Christopher) and we are expecting our third boy in 6 weeks. I'm having a hard time making a match. I think that most of my prospects and my current boy's names are Bell Tone names - but I'm having a hard time deciding which makes the best match. I just cannot get inspired by any of them. I appreciate your thoughts!! This baby’s middle name will be William!! Thank you!

Avery
Brady
Grayson

Sue, did you read Laura's previous post? Grayson sounds a lot like Graden/Grayden!

I don't think we share naming styles, so I hesitate to give you advice, but I think Brady fits the best of your suggestions with your other sons' names.

Yup, beyond actors like Anthony Edwards and Anthony Hopkins, all the Anthonys I know IRL are Italian-Americans too. So if you live in, say, smalltown Minnesota, maybe you haven't known many. But if you live in city or suburb in a Northeastern state, they're everywhere, all ages. (My grandmother always pronounced it "Antny," btw, which more or less reflected the local informal pronunciation.)

Rachel - how about Miller for a boy in honor of Millie? Bertha could have a bert name - Bertrand Miller LN, Miller Robert Ln, etc

For Rachel--
Who is looking for a boy's name to honor Millie and Bertha--I just sliced and stitched and came up with Burley or Berley. I first encountered Burley as the character Burley Coulter in a novel by Wendell Berry, who is Kentucky's best-ever all-around writer. He's a fine poet, essayist, short story and novel writer who has been very prescient on environmental and small-farm issues for years, but goes way way beyond that too. He has a whole series of fiction set in rural Kentucky of the 40's and 50's and Burley is one of his strong male characters.

Later I knew a great energetic strong young woman named Berley, which fit her so well, much better than her full name of Kimberly or its usual nn.

If you wanted more formality, there's Burleigh. I have cousins with that as a last name.

Caveat: Burley is a type of tobacco, the main component of most cigarettes.

I recently discovered this site and just wanted to say how thrilled I was to know that there is a name for what I am (NE) and that there are others like me!

I have always sort of thought that my affinity for names was a bizarre quirk. Maybe it is, but at least I'm in good company.

I know one little Anthony, about two years old, who is not Italian and goes by his initials AJ. Otherwise, I agree that most Anthonys I know are Italian.