Alton

Alton Brown hosting Cutthroat Kitchen, courtesy of Food Network

A few months ago we started getting a new free-to-air TV channel from SBS called Food Network. From what I can tell, much of it's content is from the American cable channel of the same name, with a good helping of our own local cooking programs. It immediately became regular viewing in my house, and means we have only recently been introduced to some faces that have been familiar to Americans for years.

One such person is host Alton Brown, as seen on 'Cutthroat Kitchen', 'Good Eats' and 'Iron Chef America'. While I am familiar with similar sounding Elton, Alton was a new discovery. He was even missed when I did this mega list of names that Ton could be a nickname for!

Alton comes from the Old English word Aldtun, meaning 'old town'. Both Elton and Alston are thought to be related, although they actually seem to have different meanings which suggests they are separate names rather than different versions or variations of Alton. Like many "town" names, Alton would have been used as a surname to denote where a family was from before it became commonly used as a first name.

I hadn't heard Alton until recently but was very familiar with the name Elton (thanks to Elton John, Jane Austen's 'Emma' and the movie 'Clueless'). Therefore I kind of assumed that Elton must be the more popular choice, and Alton must be relatively rare. I was kind of right in one regard - Alton is a fairly rare name. Currently. Alton was actually a top 500 name in America for almost a century, dropping out of the top 1000 in 1999. I was wrong on the other count though - Alton is more popular than Elton, and in 2014 was given to almost 100 more boys than Elton was, ranking as the 1155th most popular name in the U.S. Seems Alton just needs better publicity ☺

Which seems silly to say considering there are a large number of towns named Alton in the U.S, U.K and Canada; and a number of famous faces with this name. Unfortunately one of those famous people includes Alton Coleman, who was executed in 2002 for a killing spree he committed in 1984. Possibly he is the reason why this name fell so far out of favour during this period. That shouldn't stop people from using it though.

I think Brown is the main reason I like this name. He's quite witty and intelligent with a wickedly fun sense of humour, so it's now hard for me not to associate these qualities with this name. It also feels somewhat "English" prep with a little hint of American Southern style, a combination I'm quite fond of. It may seem a bit quirky, but he's got the history to back him up. Alton could make a great off-beat  yet not strange choice for a modern boy.

Dakota

Dakota Johnson of 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

Recently the long-awaited 'Fifty Shades of Grey' movie opened at cinemas. When it was first announced that the books that became a phenomenon were to be made into a movie, there was much excited speculation on which actors would be cast in the two leading roles. The lucky lady to be cast as Anastasia Steele was Dakota Johnson, a decision which will surely make her a household name. Dakota herself comes from quite the acting pedigree - she's the daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, and the granddaughter of iconic 'The Birds' actress Tippi Hedren.

Dakota is a unisex name most commonly associated with the United States. It comes the Dakota people, a native American Indian tribe, and means 'ally'. The name has been given to multiple places in the United States, the most notable being the state names of North Dakota and South Dakota. Dakota has also been given to makes of aircraft, trucks, ships, a camera and even a cigarette brand; and in the musical world it is the name of more than one band plus the title of the 2005 hit by band Stereophonics.

It's easy to understand why Dakota is used as a name for both genders. Pronounced dah-KOH-tah, each syllable starts with a harder sound more commonly associated with male names. However the softer emphasis on the first syllable and A ending are also popular among female names. And since currently two of the most notable famous bearers are Dakota Johnson and Dakota Fanning, many people probably think Dakota leans feminine.

The history of the use of Dakota is a little more complicated than that though. Dakota first appeared on the US charts as a girl's name, given to more than five girls in 1915 and 1921. It appeared again for girls in the late 1950's and early 1960's, and it wasn't until then that it started charting for boys. The boys quickly claimed it and by 1993 Dakota had become a top 100 name for boys.

When Dakota Johnson was born in 1989 the name was just outside the top 1000 for girls, so was a slightly offbeat choice for a girl. Then Dakota rose sharply (almost 500 places!) for girls in the following year. But it has only been recently that the number of female Dakota's born started to outnumber the males again. This seems to concur with popular opinion in other countries - Dakota is overwhelmingly feminine in the U.K and Australia.

Whether you prefer it for a boy of a girl, Dakota has quite the quirky, indie-type charm to it. I've heard it labelled as a "bogan" name here in Australia, which I think is mainly because Australians see it as an American place name and not as a native, somewhat spiritual name. And maybe also because the work "daks" is slang for pants/underpants here.

Alternative spellings are Dakotah and Dacoda. I personally have very mixed feelings about the use of Dacoda. Optimistically I hope its' use is because people want a "legitimate" way to use the spunky and friendly nickname Cody, and not just because they have lazy pronunciation. Then again, other would argue that it isn't a great name for a person - full stop - but it makes for a great dog name.

I like to think that Dakota is a good example of a "modern" name that doesn't feel too over-used or tied to a particular year/decade. Good sibling choices include Levi, Indigo, Bodhi, Shiloh and Tru.

What do you think - is Dakota boy or girl? And would you use it? No matter your opinion, I have a feeling we'll be seeing plenty more Dakota's in the next few years.

Movie Name Quote

I was watching some girly rom-coms today and one of them was 'When in Rome'. It stars Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel, but also featured Dax Shepard (pictured above) as one of Beths (Kristen Bell's character) "suitors". Dax plays a narcissistic model named Gale who is magically attracted to Beth when she takes his coin out of a love/wishing fountain. He comes on quite strong when they first meet....

Gale: I'm Gale. Like a gale force wind. I took on that name because it's the most powerful force in the natural world. For shaping and eroding the earth. It's ahhh.....You can feel it
Beth: Actually I think that's water...
Gale: Mmmm....
Beth: ....eroding the earth.....
Gale: I don't think it's water, I think it's wind.
Beth: ...like the Grand Canyon
Gale: I'm gonna look that up

So lesson to us all - always double check if you are choosing a name for it's meaning or symbolism ☺

Many people deride Gale as a girls name, and a dated one at that. The latter is understandable as Gale and Gail peaked in the 1950's, however both Gale and Gail have been used for both genders for a long time, so is not just a girls name. Gale had recently been flagging in the US but returned to the charts for both boys and girls in 2013. This was likely inspired by the character Gale Hawthorne from 'The Hunger Games' movies, played by Aussie Liam Hemsworth.

There's a few explanations for the meaning of Gale. Possibly it comes from the Middle English 'gaile', meaning jovial. Or it comes from the Gaelic word Gael, meaning 'a Celt' or 'foreigner'. The most popular opinion though is that it comes from Abigail, a Hebrew name meaning 'my father is joyful'. And of course it is also a nature word meaning 'a very strong wind'. All things considered, this makes Gale a positive, strong name.

The other cute thing about this movie scene is that it is between Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard, who are now married with two beautifully named daughters - Lincoln Bell and Delta Bell.

Ashley and J.P Reveal Baby Name?

Was it just me, or does anyone else think that Ashley Rosenbaum may have accidentally let her preferred baby name slip on this weeks episode of 'The Bachelorette'?

Ashley and J.P Rosenbaum before the ultrasound on 'The Bachelorette'

This weeks' 'The Men Tell All' episode opened Bachelorette success story Ashley and J.P, who are currently expecting their first child. And because the viewers are so involved in their "love story", we get to see them have the ultrasound that will reveal their baby's gender. Live on stage. (Um.....really? I love this show, but this feels a little too personal to me).

Before we get to that though, there is some cute chit chat about how the pregnancy is going, and what baby names they are considering. No names are mentioned, but J.P admits that while he has his favourite and Ashley has hers, she'll probably get the final say. Awwww.

They wheel in the ultrasound machine and the image flashes up on the big screen - the baby has host Chris Harrisons face! After a quick joke between Chris and J.P we get down to business. They're expecting a boy!

And in a blink and you'll miss it moment, Ashley says "it's a Harrison after all!" (or something along those lines).

It's likely it was nothing more than a lighthearted quip in reference to the earlier joke. Or maybe, just maybe - are they considering Harrison as a name?

J.P and Ashley Rosenbaum
with Chris Harrison

It would be quite the sentimental choice for the couple, who have previously said that they think of Chris as more of a friend than host. They met on the show in when the then Ashley Herbert was herself 'The Bachelorette', and J.P was the man who received her final rose. To cement the significant role that Chris Harrison had played in their romance, he was then the officiant that performed their televised marriage in December 2012.

While successful marriages between "final" couples are rare, resulting babies are even rarer. Trista and Ryan Sutter have son Maxwell Alston and daughter Blakesley Grace, while Jason and Molly Mesnick have had daughter Riley Anne since marrying (Jason already had a son named Ty). So a little Harrison Rosenbaum would be the first to honour the role that the host of this long running show had in uniting the parents.

We'll find out for sure in early October if my theory is correct, or if this truly was an off-the-cuff quip. In the meantime, it sure is fun theorising!

The 2013 New Unisex Names - Chikamso, Harbour & Khymani

The Sydney Harbour Bridge lit up at dusk

It's an exciting time of the year for name enthusiasts - the time when the SSA releases the name data for the previous year. Sure, I'm an Australian, not an American, but the SSA lists still hold an immense attraction for me. So many more names, so much new data to get me pondering.....

Which then leads the name blogger to a massive conundrum - what to do with the new wealth of information at hand. And how to look at it in a way that hasn't already been done by my fellow bloggers? Abby at Appellation Mountain has given a great "highlights" overview, NameFreak has covered names new to the top 100, Name Candy the fastest rising names new to the top 1000, and Nancy's Baby Names the biggest debuts for both boys and girls in 2013. Names For Real has even managed to compile a top 10 list when you combine spellings - which is no easy task! All are interesting reads, and I'm sure we'll see many more over the next few weeks.

One of the posts I did last year that I really enjoyed was The New Unisex Names - a list of those names special enough to simultaneously debut for both girls and boys in 2012. There were just five, and it was interesting to learn about names from cultures I am largely unfamiliar with, plus word names, celebrity names, and spelling variations I hadn't considered. So I wanted to do the same for the 2013 names. And the three contenders for 2013 manage to deliver on all of those aspects.

CHIKAMSO - Given to 5 girls and 8 boys in 2013

Showing how much I still have to learn about the world of names, when I first saw Chikamso I thought it might be of Asian origin. I learnt however that Chikamso is a Nigerian name from the Igbo (or Ibo) people. For people looking for a strong Igbo name that honours God this could be a good choice, as it means 'God I follow' or 'I am following God'. Possible nicknames include Chi - which is also an Igbo name reportedly meaning 'God' or 'spiritual guardian' - or the more commonly suggested Kamso. Or dare I suggest Kamzo?Kamso itself has never charted, but seems like it would be a cool and spunky nickname for either gender.

HARBOUR - Given to 7 girls and 5 boys in 2013

At first I was surprised that this hadn't charted before. After all, I was sure I'd seen it in birth announcements. Then I realised what I had missed. Seeing Harbour on the U.S charts is a little strange because this is the British spelling (also used in Australia) of Harbor. Is it possible that these were all bestowed by parents from countries where Harbour is the accepted spelling? Possibly. Or maybe it's just a personal preference. For example, here in Australia we use the spelling Honour. But if I were using it as a name, I'd hands down choose the spelling Honor. For some reason I just think it looks more attractive. Like Harbor and now Harbour, both Honor and Honour have charted in the U.S, although Valour is yet to chart alongside Valor. Maybe next year.

Spelling intricacies aside, Harbour is of course a word name. Conceptually though, it can also be seen as something of a virtue name. It's a haven, a place to find protection from stormy weather. It's also a viable option if you want a name associated with water, or perhaps sailing. Or maybe there is a particular harbour location that holds a special meaning for you. While online it seems that many feel it is better suited for a boy, it's strong yet soft sound makes it an appealing option for either gender.

KHYMANI - Given to 5 girls and 5 boys in 2013

At one point last year I started making a list of the many names with a similar sound to this - and there are quite a few. Kymani is the most popular spelling, given to 58 girls and 253 boys in 2013. Others already charting are Kimani, Kamani, Kemani, Khamani, Keymani, Keimani, Camani, Kaimani, and Kmani; so it seems that this is simply a new variant. 

So, where did this name come from, assuming that Kymani as the most popular spelling is the "original" form? Well, the interesting thing about the SSA records it that punctuation such as hyphens are usually omitted from the records, so it's very possible that many Kymanis are actually Ky-Manis. As in Ky-Mani Marley, son of legendary reggae artist Bob Marley and successful reggae musician in his own right. Ky-Mani (and hence Kymani and Khymani) is said to be an East African name meaning 'adventurous traveler'. At which point I must admit I personally didn't see the attraction of the name until learning what a cool meaning it has. I love it - it strikes me as a modern day aspirational name, and I'm guessing I'm not the only one.

Kymani first charted for girls in 1995 and for boys in 1997, while Ky-Mani Marley released his first album 'Like Father Like Son' in 1996. I can't say I love this new Khymani variant, which feels as if parents may have been influenced by the 'Game of Thrones' nouveau title-come-name Khaleesi for the "KH" spelling. As they say though variety is the spice of life, and the additional "H" does seem to lend some additional exoticism to the name.

There we have it - three new worthy names to receive the honour of entering the charts for both genders in the same year. So how did the 2012 unisex entrants perform in 2013? 

• Ireoluwa climbed 733 places for girls in 2013 and 1972 places for boys 
• Kentlee fell 1583 places for boys, but climbed 2615 places for girls
• Mathai didn't chart at all for girls, and fell 3914 places for boys 
• Music is a one hit wonder to date, as it didn't chart for boys or girls in 2013; and
• Zikora also fell off the both charts (which I'm surprised by as I thought this one would be going places - it has such a great sound!)

Hopefully this years unisex entrants fare better in 2014 - do you think they have staying power?

Bodhi

Photo Courtesy of Mali Workman

If you're a celebrity baby name spotter, you may have noticed that a particular name popped up twice in the past week - Bodhi. On February 12th Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green welcomed second son Bodhi Ransom to the world, while on 17th February Australian actress Theresa Palmer and husband Mark Webber welcomed son Bodhi Rain.

While some may label Bodhi as just another "bizarre name of celebrity offspring", Bodhi has actually become a fairly popular name among celebrities, taking it from a strange once-off name to an on-trend baby name on the upswing. Other than Bodhi Ransom and Bodhi Rain, Oliver Hudson has given his mum Goldie Hawn a grandson named Bodhi Hawn, and actress Amy Brenneman and husband director Brad Silberling have a Bodhi Russell. Celebrity chef Tom Colicchio also chose Bodhi as a middle name for son Luka Bodhi. And Australian celebrity couple Cameron Daddo and Allison Brae bestowed it on their daughter, Bodhi Faith.

Those who have discussed their choice of Bodhi have said that they chose it for it's spiritual meaning. Bodhi (pronounced BO-dee) is best known in the context of Buddhism. although it is also a concept in other Indian philosophies and traditions. Bodhi is the understanding possessed by Buddha regarding the nature of things. The legend is that Buddha achieved enlightenment (or Bodhi) while sitting under a large and very old sacred fig tree located in Bodh Gaya, India. This tree came to be known as the Bodhi tree, a name that is also used for any current trees that are a direct descendant of the original tree. They are planted in close proximity to every Buddhist monastery and a Bodhi tree is recognisable in religious art by its' heart shaped leaves.

The word itself comes from the Sanskrit roots of budh, meaning 'to awake, become aware, notice, know or understand' and bodha meaning 'knowledge or intelligence'. Translated to English Bodhi means "enlightenment" or "awakened".

Bodhi is an interesting name to consider. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the way it sounds, although nickname Bo is quite handsome, and I love the sentiment and symbolism behind this name. It feels like a rather zen name, and I've seen quite a few people say it makes them think of a laid back skater or surfer type dude. This impression may have been influenced by the surfer character named Bodhi played by Patrick Swayze in the 1991 movie 'Point Break', and maybe the appearance of a character called Bodhi in 'The Simpsons', who is a fourth grader interested in surfing.

One thing is for sure, there is plenty of love out there for Bodhi. Nameberry named it as the third fastest rising boy name on their site in 2013. That's for page views, not actual use, although the U.S SSA charts tells us those numbers are reflected in actual use. In 1992 - one year after 'Point Break' - Bodhi appeared on the charts for boys in position #4124. By 2010 it had entered the top 1000, and in 2012 it was positioned at #894. It will be interesting to see how much further it rose in 2013 when those figures are released in May. It's likely that the two recent celebrity births will push it even further in 2014, and may also lead to increased use for girls, which is currently quite rare.

Buddha under the Bodhi Tree

Stellaluna and Soluna

This post was inspired by the credits of a movie I watched the other day. The name I spotted was Soluna, the artist of one of the songs used in the movie. At least I thought it was an artist, as I assumed that it must be a persons name that I just hadn't heard before.

Turns out though that I was on the wrong path. Soluna (pronounced SOL-une-ah) was a group of female Hispanic singers that were together from 1998 to 2004. I hadn't heard of them before so they mustn't have had much success in Australia, but it seems they were relatively successful in the US.

But back to their name. They invented Soluna by combining the Spanish words for sun (sol) and moon (luna). So simple yet such a romantic result. Which made me think about another Luna smoosh name that I first heard sometime over the past year - Stellaluna. Meaning 'stars and the moon'. But how can one decide between the sun and the moon or the stars and the moon?

Almost surprisingly, neither has ever charted. Luna itself has been experiencing an upsurge in recent years, yet it doesn't seem to have transferred to any other Luna names yet. It seems a little strange - a name that is heaven spelled backwards is a top 100 name, but these two pretty names with their lovely meanings and current sound haven't even gotten a foot in the door. What's with that?

Well, both have a less than flattering association with them. And when a name is rare, there's a higher chance that it will only be associated with the one other thing people have heard it for.

Apart from being a girl group, car manufacturer Toyota released a model in the 1990's called the Soluna in Asia. It was a great seller, but marketed as a family car or taxi, which aren't generally considered to be sexy. It also can sound a little like saloon, and no-one wants their child confused with a bar.

Stellaluna on the other hand is most closely associated with the childrens book of the same name. Written by Janell Cannon in 1993, 'Stellaluna' is is the story of a cute baby fruit bat who learns to recognise that her and her friends differences doesn't mean they can't still be great friends. It was featured in the 2001 movie 'I Am Sam' and released as an animation on DVD in 2004. But again, people don't generally find bats very attractive.

I think there's hope for these names yet though. Maybe the children who grow up loving the book 'Stellaluna' will one day give it to their daughters with fond memories and messages of coming together to embrace our differences. Maybe 2012 Eurovision contestant Soluna Somay will bring more attention to the name Soluna, showing that it is one that would work in many countries.

Then again, if these feel a little too frilly as one name for you, they could always be broken up and used as first and middle combinations. Sol (or even the attractive Soleil) Luna or Stella Luna are lovely too. 'Grey's Anatomy' star Ellen Pompeo agrees - she named her daughter Stella Luna in 2009.

For something just a touch exotic, just a touch soft and dreamy; with an almost heavenly meaning, why not consider Soluna or Stellaluna?

Shadow

In 1987 the name Shadow and it's alternative spelling Shadoe made a sudden impact on the SSA charts in the U.S. Prior to then, the spelling Shadow as a girls name had charted a handful of years in the 70's, and again in 1986. Then in 1987 both spellings charted for both girls and boys. So what happened in 1986/1987 that suddenly put this name on people's radars?

The answer appears to be Shadoe Stevens. Shadoe is well known for his voice work in television and radio (including hosting the 'American Top 40' radio show from 1988-1995) and various acting roles. These days you may recognise him as the announcer on 'The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson'.

By 1986 Shadoe was already well known after he created and produced 'Fred R. Rated for Federated', a series of commercials for United States chain The Federated Group that were so popular that 'Time Magazine' devoted a two page spread to them. 1986 saw Shadoe appear as a regular and announcer on 'The New Hollywood Squares', plus he hosted created and produced an episode of the comedy sci-fi 'The Cinemax Comedy Experiment', titled 'Shadoevision'. This would have given him nationwide exposure.

His name seems to have inspired a number of parents, but Shadoe Stevens was born Terry Ingstad. On his website he explains how the name was actually forced upon him when he was employed by WKRO radio station in Boston. Up until then he had been going by the name Jefferson Kaye, but it was deemed too similar to many other radio personalities at the time. He wasn't quite comfortable with Shadow, as he felt that Orson Welles was the original Shadow, hence the slightly different spelling. It certainly is a distinctive name though, and he created a personality to go with it.

The Shadoe spelling fell out of use by parents by 1998, but Shadow has continued to see use for both genders in small numbers. The only exception was in 2012, when it didn't quite chart for girls. Shadow is a word name meaning shade, and makes for an cool and mysterious sounding Halloween name. Shadows are often seen as spooky and eerie, something that may stem from a basic human fear of the dark. Other associations people have with the term shadow or shade is that it is sometimes used to refer to a ghost or spirit of a dead person, and in Jungian psychology the shadow or shadow aspect refers to the entirety of one's unconsciousness.

I think Shadow has a really great sound, and style wise it reminds me a lot of names like Orion, Griffin and Zephyr. It also has a bit of a super hero type feel to it. However it's possibly just a touch too "out-there" for most people to feel comfortable bestowing it on a child as a first name. On the upside, I think it would make a fantastically quirky and unexpected middle name for the adventurous namer.

It's fun to be a Shirley

Shirley - a fun name for a fun little girl

For many name nerds there are two things that are usually pretty high on their want list when choosing names. One is that the name isn't too "trendy" - that it won't seem too dated in yeas to come and instantly mark someone as a child of a particular decade. Another is that it's not "too" popular.

Around the 1930's, one name that completely broke both of these rules was Shirley, largely thanks to child mega-star Shirley Temple. The name was already very well recognised, positioned at #9 in America when Shirley Temple's first films were made. The attention this young girl brought to the name gave it such a boost that Nancy points out that Shirley had the second biggest jump (in numbers of girls given the name) ever from 1934 to 1935, which saw it go from #4 to #2 when 42,353 American girls were given the name. That's a lot of Shirley's.

In many other countries Shirley followed a similar pattern. Fast forward to 1996 in Western Australia. A woman named Shirley, inspired by some lunches with a couple of other Shirleys, thought it might be fun to meet more Shirleys and so put the word out via local media. 62 Shirleys showed up to the first gathering and the Shirley Club was born. The club has grown to include branches all over Australia, in New Zealand and even America, and this weekend they held their 2013 convention in our nations capital, Canberra.

This is a group of ladies whose name has given them a special bond, a common ground from which to form lasting friendships. The groups founding Shirley Brown (otherwise known as S1) says that "Shirleys everywhere have such a good time together, it seemed a logical idea to all of us that we should get together" and that Shirleys are "friendly, outgoing and fun people". They even wrote a Shirley song, which they sing at their conventions.

It's a great argument for not being afraid to choose a currently popular name if you love it. Maybe your child won't feel quite as "special" in a world where four other children at school has the same name. Or maybe it will give them a sense of belonging - a special connection with other children who share the same name, or a confidence to more easily form friendships with others.

Shirleys aren't the only ones who have formed a group to meet like-named friends. In America you will also find Betty Clubs, The Bob Club, The LINDA Club, The Jim Smith Society, and even The Phil Campbells, who meet in the town of Phil Campbell, Alabama.

Many of these names seem to be ones that were once very popular, but are now seen as antiquated and not-so-cool. American member Shirley Rose openly admits that their members have encouraged their children and grandchildren to pass on the name Shirley, but that "It seems the younger generation finds the name very old-fashioned sounding". It's fair to say that I don't think we'll see an upsurge in the name any time soon, although I love its meaning of 'bright meadow'.

For now though, The Shirley Club are definitely teaching us all a lesson about how to love and appreciate our name, and share that joy with the people who understand it the best.

Alliterative Names

Ever noticed that all four of HBO's 'Girls' characters - Jessa Johansson, Marnie Michaels,
Hannah Horvath and Shoshanna Shapiro - all have alliterative names?

Alliterative names - first/middle/last names starting with the same letter/sound – is a subject that many people have strong feelings about. Some people love them, some hate them with a passion.

For those that hate them, there really only seems to be one argument against them. They are just too cutesy and "matchy-matchy". They just make it too hard to take a person seriously. These people actively avoid giving this type of name to their children.

Others love them for almost the same reason they are hated - because they are cute and snazzy sounding. This makes them fun, easier to remember and hence more memorable.

Being more memorable makes them perfect for celebrities, superheroes, wrestlers and fictional characters. J.K. Rowlings world of 'Harry Potter' is full of alliterative names. Just look at examples such as Luna Lovegood, Severus Snape, Dudley Dursley and Minerva McGonagall. And have you ever paid much attention to the founders of the four houses at Hogwarts? All four of them have alliterative names. HBO show 'Girls' is another example that may have slipped most peoples notice. All four of the lead characters also have alliterative names.

Popular comic book author Stan Lee is another writer with a preference for alliterative names, mainly as a way to help him remember the names of his own characters (such as Peter Parker, Bruce Banner etc). He wrote about so many that he sometimes had trouble keeping track of all them. They also work well when paired with a descriptor - hence we have Green Goblin, Silver Surfer and Fantastic Four. Other creators also use this to great effect. Think Big Bird, Pink Panther and Mickey Mouse. Would Mickey be as memorable if he were named Harvey Mouse? Probably not.

The memorable factor is also why many celebrities use alliterative names. We may think that they choose this, and some deliberately do, but many more are actually given alliterative names. Does this make it easier for them to reach stardom? Who knows. But some are plainly happy with their alliterative names, as some alliterative celebrities (Sylvester Stallone, Robert Rodriguez, Steven Spielberg) have continued the tradition with their own children.

And why not? One of my husbands' friends has an alliterative name, and he loves it. When his first child was born last year, their number one rule was that they also had to be given an alliterative name. He felt it was lucky and had served him well. I found it a little surprising when I first heard this, but I guess I hadn't really thought about it myself.

When I thought about it some more, I realised that both my husband and one of my brothers actually have alliterative names, and my other brother likes to go by a nickname that is also alliterative. In their cases it's not deliberate. So I guess there is something behind the thought that alliterative names are often just naturally catchy and attractive sounding. Some would argue that certain letters work better than others for these types of names. But whatever you think of them, I can almost guarantee that there are plenty of them out there that you never even noticed.

What do you think - catchy and cool, only OK in some cases, or just not to your taste? And if you're still undecided, here are some lists of just some of the many examples you may or may not have already noticed in the world around you to get you thinking.


Famous "Stage" Names

Adam Ant		Joan Jett		Robert Reed
Alan Alda		Loretta Lynn		Roy Rogers
Anouk Aimee		Lucy Lawless		Simone Signoret
Claudia Cardinale		Malcolm McDowell		Sissy Spacek
Coco Chanel		Amanda “Mandy” Moore		Susan Sarandon
Cyd Charisse		Marilyn Monroe		Suzanne Somers
Erik Estrada		Marisa Miller		(Richard) William “Wil” Wheaton
Greta Garbo		Priscilla Presley		(Thomas) Woodrow Wilson
Hulk Hogan		(Charles) Robert Redford

Famous Faces

Alfie Allen		Janis Joplin		Nick Nolte
Amy Adams		January Jones		Parker Posey
Armand Assante		Jesse James		Piper Perabo
Asia Argento		Karolina Kurkova		Rebecca Romijn
Benjamin Bratt		Kevin Kline		Rob Reiner
Brigitte Bardot		Kim, Kourtney & Khloe Kardashian		Robert Rodriguez
Charisma Carpenter		Kris Kristofferson		Ron Rifkin
Charles “Charlie” Chaplin		Laura Linney		Ronald Reagan
Chris Columbus		Leona Louise Lewis		Ryan Rodney Reynolds
Colbie Caillat		Lindsay Lohan		Sarah Silverman
Courtney Cox		Logan Lerman		Scott Speedman
Daniel Day-Lewis		Lucy Liu		Sharon Stone
Danny DeVito		Matthew Morrison		Steven Seagal
Emilio Estevez		Maureen McCormick		Steven Spielberg
Farrah Fawcett		Melissa McCarthy		Steven Soderberg
Holly Hunter		Michael McMillian		Sylvester Stallone
Howard Hughes		Michelle Monaghan		William Wallace
Janet Jackson		Mike Myers		William Windsor

Famous Offspring

Archibald & Abel Arnett		Hannah & Harper Hader
Bear Blu Jarecki		Harper Harris
Benjamin Brady		Hayley Hasselhoff
Billie Beatrice & Georgia Geraldine Dane		Henry Hornsby
Bingham Bellamy		Jesse Johnson
Brooklyn Beckham		Liberty Lawrence
Buddy Bear Oliver		Maggie McGraw
Camden Cutler		Memphis Mosberg
Caroline Couric Monahan		Mitchell Murphy
Cayden Costner		Mosley Manning
Connor Cruise		Racer, Rebel & Rocket Rodriguez
Dallas Durst		Rocco & Rafael Ritchie
Dylan Douglas		Ryder Robinson
Exton Elias Downey		Sage, Seargeoh, Sophia, Sistine and Scarlet Stallone
Fiona Facinelli		Sasha & Sawyer Spielberg
Grace Gummer		Taj Tyler
Greer Grammer		Tennessee Toth

Fictional Figures

Artie Abrams		Helga Hufflepuff		Pepper Potts
Bastian Balthasar Bux		Honor Harrington		Peter Pan
Betty Boop		Horatio Hornblower		Peter Parker
Bilbo Baggins		Huckleberry Hound		Peter Petrelli
Bob “Bulldog” Briscoe		J. Jonah Jameson		Pink Panther
Bobby Brady		Jane & Judy Jetson		Reed Richards
Bruce Banner		Jessa Johansson		Ricky Ricardo
Bugs Bunny		Junie Jones		Roger Rabbit
Carl Conrad Coreander		Kathleen Kelly		Rowena Ravenclaw
Charlie Chan		King Kong		Salazar Slytherin
Cordelia Chase		Lex Luthor		Sansa Stark
Daffy Duck		Locke Lamora		Scott Summers
Donald Duck		Lois Lane		Severus Snape
Elizabeth Elliot		Luna Lovegood		Seymour Skinner
Fleur Forsyte		Mae Mobley		Shane “Scarecrow” Schofield
Franky Fitzgerald		Marnie Michaels		Shoshanna Shapiro
Fred Flintstone		Marty McFly		Steffan Salvatore
Gabriel Gray		Michael Myers		Strawberry Shortcake
Gil Grissom		Mickey & Minnie Mouse		Sue Sylvester
Godric Gryffindor		Ned Nickerson		Tom Tucker
Hank Hill		Olive Oyl		Tricia Takanawa
Hannah Horvath		Peppa Pig		Willy Wonka

Model Names

I quite often have a bit of a trawl through the Internet looking for photos to use here on Baby Name Pondering. Usually I end up at a lot of baby photographers blogs. And may I say there are plenty of gorgeous ones out there! But the other day for a bit of a change I was having a look at the website for Women Management, an agency that has offices in New York, Paris and Milan and has had models such as Kate Moss on their books.

Any time I get a chance to see a lot of girls of different nationalities together (such as with the Miss Universe pageant), it's always interesting to look at the vast variety of names you end up with. Names that may be quite common in their country of origin often sound exotic and mysterious when heard in another part of the world. And this was definitely the case with the names of the models currently represented by Women Management, which I have listed below (first names only). Which ones strike your fancy?

Addison

Agnete

Alek
Alex (x2)
Alexa
Alina (x2)
Aline (x2)
Alla
Alyona
Amanda (x2)
Amra
Amy (x2)
Ana
Anais
Anastasia (x2)
Andreea
Angela
Anja
Ann (x2)
Anna (x6)
Annabelle
Annaleise
Anne (x2)
Anne Marie

Anu
Anzhela
Auguste
Auste
Ava
Aygul
Aymeline
Azul
Barbara (x2)
Barbora
Beegee
Behati
Belen
Bregje
Britt
Brittany
Brooke
Bruna
Camilla
Carla
Carmen
Caroline (x2)
Charlotte (x3)
Chelsey
Chiara
Chiharu
Chloe
Chrishell
Clara
Coco
Corinna
Daiane
Dana (x2)
Daphne
Daria
Dasha
Deimante
Denija
Dewi
Diana (x2)
Dioni
Dolores
Donata
Dorte
Doutzen
Edda
Edit
Eeke
Ekaterina
Elcee
Eleanor
Elena (x3)
Eline
Elise
Eliza (x2)
Emely
Emma'Eve
Ewelina
Fabiana
Fei Fei
Felien
Feline
Feruza
Flavia

Fleurance
Frida
Friederike
Gabriela
Geiza
Georgia
Georgina (x2)
Giedre (x2)
Ginta
Guinevere
Hanna
Hannah
Hartje
Heather
Helena
Heloise
Herieth
Hermione
Hirschy
Hristina
Hyun Yi
Ida

Iekeliene
Ieva
Ilda
Ilva
Inga Marie
Inguna
Irina (x4)
Iris (x3)
Isa
Isabel
Isabeli
Isabella (x2)
Isabelle
Iselin
Izabel
Jana
Janneke
Jefimija
Jenna
Jess
Jessica
Jiang Xiao
Jing
Joanna

Johanne
Jordan
Josefien
Jourdan
Julia (x6)
Julie (x2)
Julier
Kadri
Kadriana
Karina
Karolin
Karolina (x2)
Karoline
Kasia
Katarina
Kate
Katharina (x2)
Kati
Katie
Katja
Katrin
Katya (x3)
Kel
Kely

Kika
Kirsi
Klaudia (x2)
Kristina
Kristine (x2)
Kristy
Ksenia
Laia
Lais (x2)
Lakshmi
Lara
Laura (x2)
Lauren
Lea
Leila
Lela
Lian
Liisi
Lina
Line
Lisa
Liwia
Liza (x2)
Lourdes

Luca
Lucie
Lucija
Maaike
Maartje
Maja (x4)
Malaika
Malu
Marcela Boaventura
Mari
Maria (x3)
Mariacarla
Marieke
Marina (x2)
Marique
Marpessa
Marta
Maryana
Masha (x2)
Maxine
Megan
Melissa

Melodie
Merethe
Merie
Michelle
Milagros
Milana
Milica
Milly
Mina
Mirte
Nastya (x3)
Natalia (x4)
Nataliya
Natalya
Natasa
Natasha
Naty
Nikola
Nina
Nyok
Oktawia
Olga
Olja
Paulina (x2)

Pernille
Qiwen
Rachel (x2)
Raniely
Regina
Rezi
Rianne
Ronja
Rosa
Rozanne
Sabina
Sabine
Sabrina
Sam
Sand
Sara (x2)
Sarah (x2)
Sarka
Sasha (x2)
Sheila
Simone
Snejana
Solange

Sophia
Stefanie
Stephanie
Sterling
Stina
Tacie
Talis
Taya
Teresa
Tessa
Thea
Thelma
Timea
Tine Fremo
Toni
Trine
Unni
Vala
Valentina
Valeria (x3)
Valerie (x3)
Valerija
Vanessa

Vendela
Vera
Veranika
Veroni
Veronika
Viivi
Vika (x2)
Viktoria
Viktoriya
Vita
Vlada
Yaya
Ymre
Yulia (x3)
Zamfira
Zhenya
Zo
Zuzanna