Blush

Photo courtesy of Sandra Bianco Photography

West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle was in the headlines this week for announcing that he had named his new baby daughter Blush.

The reason this has caused such a stir is two fold. Firstly, there is the name itself. As with almost any time someone in the public eye dares to use a name not deemed "normal" there are plenty of people declaring it to be wrong. They say things like "that's not a name!", "surely that's not right!" and the inevitable "is this a joke?".

Except in this case the context of this particular person naming his baby Blush gives people extra cause to wonder if it is a joke. Which brings us to the second reason it has caused such a stir. In January this year Gayle caused controversy for his sexism towards a female sports reporter. He had been flirting with her in a post game interview and made the comment "don't blush, baby" as she tried to ignore his unwanted flirtations. He tried to brush it off as being a joke, but was fined for his unprofessional conduct.

Reportedly this name is also a joke though, and his child is instead a boy (not named Blush). Which would mean that while Gayle may think that his tweets of "We would like to welcome the arrival of our beautiful daughter 'Blush'" and "Thank you all for the sweet and kind messages. Blush won't Blush, my baby" are funny, he has sadly learned very little from the whole incident. Which makes sense as "don't blush, baby" has basically become his signature catchphrase.

The overpoweringly negative reaction to the name Blush is interesting though. Let's take a step back for a minute. If someone had actually named their daughter Blush, and didn't have the background with the word that Gayle does, is it really that bad as a name?

I saw a discussion about the story on morning TV where one person used the extreme insult of "It's akin to child abuse" (I hate it when people use that phrase as an argument against a particular name. Seriously, a ridiculous - in your opinion - name does not automatically equal abuse. Such statements just trivialise the very serious subject of child abuse. But that's a discussion for another place and time).

The more considered argument I heard against naming your baby Blush was that as it's a word commonly associated with shy, young, awkward girls it would be belittling to give a female this name. Furthermore, it would be hard for an adult woman to be taken seriously with a name for an involuntary physical reaction, especially within a professional environment.

Which I understand and agree with. And is why I feel kinda bad for saying that I think Blush would actually be quite pretty as a name. It has a sweetly romantic feel, and makes me think of other soft pink flowery names like Bloom, Blossom or Posey. I could totally see it as a possible name should Jules and Jamie Oliver's next child be a girl.

But I think this is one that is best left for a surprising and demure middle name. And listening to the general reaction when Gayle announced the name (be it the real name or not), it's safe to say that most people would also prefer not to see Blush as a first name.

Sable

Photo Courtesy of Lisa Visser Fine Art

When we think of Halloween, we think of nighttime and shadows. It's black bats, black cats, black birds and black spiders. And while I wouldn't necessarily recommend calling your child Black, names with dark meanings are a great way to give a nod to Halloween without being cheesy.

Sable fits the bill perfectly. It's dark and mysterious; attractive and strong - great for a boy or a girl. Sable is just that little bit different enough to get people's attention, but not weird enough to make them screw up their faces. And if you're looking for rare, look no further.

Pronounced SAY-bel, this name started as many names did, as a word name. Of Slavic origin, it comes from a small animal that was originally found in Russia, Poland and Scandinavia. It's fur has been highly valued since the early Middle Ages due to it's rich colour and glossy appearance. It is also a unique fur as it retains it's smoothness however it is stroked. The fur is how the word came to England, where it was a favourite among royalty. Henry VII was said to be a particular fan, decreeing that sable fur was only allowed to be worn by nobles.

It's unclear whether Sable originally meant black and was the name given to the animal because of the colour of their fur, or vice versa. It continued to be used as a name for black though, particularly in French and English heraldry.

Although I could see this as a name for either gender, so far it's usage has been mainly female. In the U.S. she charted sporadically until becoming a regular in 1984. It was further boosted by it's appearance as character Sable Scott Colby on 'Dynasty' spin-off 'The Colby's'. She was played by Stephanie Beacham, and in 1986 she boosted Sable to her highest position and one and only appearance in the US top 1000 to date. Other famous Sables include American jazz artist Sable Winters (love this name!) and American model and professional wrestler Sable.

It's not a name without it's problems - I could see a Sable being mistaken for Isabel a lot. And it rhymes with a lot of words, luckily most of them fairly innocuous though, such as table and cable. And hope that they don't have a long face, or kids could get quite creative with some stable jokes. But none of these are major red flags that should prevent a Sable from being quite happy with their name.

I have to admit to being strangely attracted to the intriguing Sable. Possibly it's due to its' sleek simplicity, or maybe its' noble mystique. Most likely it's both. What do you think?

One Syllable Nature Word Names - Colt, Sage & Onyx

There's something undeniably attractive about one syllable names. They're a good option if you want an (almost) nickname proof first name, or want to balance out a long and complicated last name. They can also work some magic in the middle position when you want to create a particular flow between multi-syllable first and last names.

Nature word names are among the most popular single syllable names, especially in the middle. Lee and Rose are two in particular that are perennial middle name favourites. Disney Baby also pegged nature names - and word names - as trends for middle names in 2013.

Choices range from the tried and true to the quirky and rare - and there is definitely a very wide range of them to choose from. My below list is restricted just to nature words, and still comes in at an impressive 160 names long! There are sure to be other great choices that could be added, and if you widen the scope even further to include names with nature related meaning, this list doubles.

One thing is for sure though - even with just one syllable, nature names do not have to be boring!

Orchid

Last year it was Emerald, but this year Pantone have declared Radiant Orchid to be the colour of 2014. Pantone describe this colour as being "captivating, magical and enigmatic", which I think would also be a good description for the name Orchid.

It's definitely one of the more exotic blooms, which has perhaps made it feel a little too distinctive and elaborate to use as a name. Particularly when it tends to be the more common, cheerful blooms such as Rose, Lily or Daisy that people think of for flower inspired names. Orchid saw some rare use in the U.S in the 20's, 30's and 40's. However since 1997 it has started appearing regularly on the SSA charts, just in very small numbers. This may have been influenced by American group 'Wild Orchid', which featured Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson before she became a member of 'The Black Eyed Peas'. They released their debut single in 1996 and first album in 1997.

The orchid family is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, and includes vanilla. They can be found pretty much everywhere except glaciers. The name comes from the Greek word Orchis, which has neither a flattering meaning or tale behind it. The Greek myth of Orchis tells us that he was the son of a nymph and a satyr who came upon a festival of Dionysus (also known as Bacchus) in the forest. He drank too much and tried to rape a priestess, so was torn apart as punishment. His father prayed for him to be restored but the gods instead changed him into a flower. The word Orchis literally means 'testicles' so named for the shape of their root.

If you can overlook this, take comfort in the fact that orchids are some of the most beautiful, intricate blooms to be found. Cattleya is a particularly pretty South American variety, thought to be the inspiration behind the name Cataleya made popular by Zoe Saldana in the movie 'Colombiana'. Local varieties are the national symbols of Venezuala, Colombia and Singapore; and the Chinese city of Shaoxing. In ancient Greece orchids were associated with fertility and virility, but after the rise of their popularity in Victorian England they became symbolic of luxury and rare and delicate beauty. Purple orchids, such as the ones that inspired the Pantone colour Radiant Orchid, are thought to be the true queen of flowers, symbolising royalty, admiration and respect.

Of their choice of Radiant Orchid, Pantone have said that:

"Radiant Orchid reaches across the color wheel to intrigue the eye and spark the imagination"

"An invitation to innovation, Radiant Orchid encourages expanded creativity and originality, which is increasingly valued in today's society"

"Radiant Orchid inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health. It is a captivating purple, one that draws you in with its beguiling charm".

Exotic, rare, beautiful, intriguing, captivating, joyful, beguiling and charming. All could be used to describe the name Orchid. A girl with this name would be just as special as this name suggests.

Ginger

Gingerbread Tutu Dress
from Mya Papaya Boutique

"On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, nine ladies dancing"

I was watching a recent episode of 'Glee' tonight where Mr Schue has a discussion with Sue about what a great dancer Ginger Rogers was. She was able to lead her dance partner backwards in high heels. I don't know how true that actually is, but her dancing made her a star overnight and a screen legend. It also seemed very fitting as a Christmas name. Gingerbread men, houses and even villages are a popular treat at this time of the year, so this spicy name could be a cute seasonal name.

It is the ginger (pronounced JIN-jer) root that is used as a spice for culinary and medicinal purposes. It's a hot, fragrant spice, and  ginger is often a term used in English that means 'spirit, spunk or temper'. This was probably the meaning that Geri Halliwell had in mind when she adopted the name Ginger Spice while in the group The Spice Girls. It may have also been a reference to her red hair, as people with red hair are often called "gingers" in reference to the red colour that some types of ginger has.

This reference is what leads most red heads to advise against calling a red-headed child Ginger. There are a lot of jokes out there about red-heads (there's even a website dedicated to them), and the colloquial term "red headed stepchild" refers to someone who is treated less favourably than others. So calling a red-haired child Ginger can seem like a double whammy.

This also leads to another comment that Gingers say they hear a lot - many people call their cats, dogs or even horses Ginger, in reference to their red coat. Not great, but at least it means that people think of the name fondly if they associate it with their beloved pets.

There is indeed plenty of love for the name Ginger out there. It was actually a top 1000 name for girls in the U.S from 1933 to 1989, peaking in 1971 at position #187. The popularity of Ginger Rogers (birth name Virginia) would have helped with this. Another famous Ginger during this period was the movie star character that was shipwrecked with Gilligan on the 60's TV show 'Gilligan's Island'.

Together with Ginger Roberts, they gave this name a glamorous air. This impression endures, although the before-mentioned Spice Girl updates this image with an added  feeling of fun and spunk. Main characters named Ginger in the childrens' shows 'As Told By Ginger' (2000-2009) and 'Zeke and Luther' (2009-2012) give it some freshness and youth. And if your first thought when you hear the name is of Gingerbread, you may also feel this name has a certain sweetness to it. Cute nicknames Ginny or Gigi also work well with Ginger.

Ginger may have taken on some negative connotations since the hey day of Ginger Rogers, but it would be nice to see this dancing ladies' name on the rise again.

Golda

"On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, five gold rings"

This line of  'The Twelve Days of Christmas' is special for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the melody and the time signature of this line is different - it's twice as many beats as the other lines and offers carolers a slight chance to catch their breath when they are getting to the last few verses of the song. The other is that it is possibly the only gift that is an inanimate object (well, objects to be precise).

I say possibly, because there are a couple of claims that this line actually refers to birds too, which would make the first seven gifts all birds. Some say that the five gold rings really represent the gold rings found on the neck of the ringed pheasant bird. Others say it is a mis-interpretation and that the line was originally "five goldspinks", which is an old name for a Goldfinch. Others argue though that an illustration from the first known 1780 English publication clearly shows the rings as jewellery. The song most likely pre-dates that and had French rather than English origins, so a lost in translation interpretation is possible, but is something that may never be able to be proven definitively.

Whichever interpretation you use, all have the gold in common. This song isn't the only connection that Gold has to Christmas and Jesus either - one of the gifts from the wise men is gold, and Jesus is often depicted with a gold halo. Christmas carol 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' contains the lines "Here we are as in olden days, happy golden days of yore". And the colour is often dominant in Christmas decorations. So the pretty name Golda would make for a lovely festive season baby name.

Golda is thought to be both an English name (derived from the word Gold) and Yiddish. Its most famous bearer is Golda Meir, who became Israels' fourth Prime Minister in 1969.  It's one of those names that people have very divided opinions on. For some it is a family name that is generations old. This can make it seem dated and homely, or maybe familiar and charming. For other, some will see it as a simple, understated and elegant name, while others will find it garish and flashy, akin to people naming their children Diamond or Precious, for example.

I tend to fall more on the side of understated and stylish. Many of the precious metals and gemstone names are very "sparkly" by nature, such as Sapphire and Emerald. Both of which I also really like. But Golda feels like it sits more comfortably with vintage beauties such as Pearl, Opal and Ruby. It's not overly surprising then that Golda and Pearl peaked in usage in the U.S. in the 1890's, Opal and Ruby in the 1910's and Emerald, Sapphire, Diamond and Precious in the 1990's. From that point of view, it is a name from a different era.

Yet that is not a bad thing. Clearly there is still love out there for gemstone and precious metal names. It does mean that at the moment a young girl with this name is rare. However, Ruby is on the way up again - it's super popular here in Australia - and Pearl has recent celebrity baby endorsement. So it's not crazy to think that Golda may also be in for a revival soon.

If you're in agreement with those who find it sweet, elegant and understated, then Golda could be the Christmas name for your shining little girl that you've been looking for.

Rise of The Golden Girls

'The Golden Girls' - Blanche, Dorothy, Sophia and Rose
played by Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur, Estelle Getty and Betty White

You probably remember a show from the eighties called 'The Golden Girls'. 'The Golden Girls' was about four “previously married” women living together in Miami. While they often seemed mismatched, the success of the show lied in the strong bonds of friendship these ladies shared, epitomised by the shows iconic theme song 'Thank You for Being a Friend'.

The show struck a chord with many people, and was extremely popular. The dynamic between the four ladies has often been replicated in movies and shows, and is thought to be the inspiration behind 'Sex and the City' and 'Girls'.

Although the ladies had some great names (on and off screen), while 'The Golden Girls' was airing from 1985 to 1992 people were rather unlikely to want to name their sweet babies after characters in a show about mature ladies, or the actors that played them. They would have seemed a little fusty in a world of Jennifers and Ashleys; Jessicas and Amandas.

But you know a show has started picking up some retro cool cred when you hear teen characters Summer and Anna on hit teen show 'The O.C.' bonding in a bathroom over the fact that one of them has always felt like a Blanche and the other has always identified with Rose. And since retro vintage names are now rising again, there's every reason to believe that the names of both the actors and the characters they played will soon be big on the name charts.

Sophia

Sophia was Dorothy's mother, the oldest of the group and the usually funny voice of reason that could often be relied upon to offer advice. Sophia is a Greek name meaning (quite aptly) 'wisdom'. It's a friendly feeling name that has just that bit more exotic sophistication than it's counterpart Sophie.

Pronounced soh-FEE-ah, this is undeniably the most successful name (currently) on this list. While the show aired she was hardly an unpopular name, and was ranked in the 200's in America. But in 2006 Sophia hit the top 10, and was the number one name for girls in America in 2011 and 2012. She's also a top 100 name if Canada, Austria, Germany, New Zealand, Australia and England, so she has a lot of international appeal.

Estelle

Sophia was played by actress Estelle Getty, Estelle coming from the Latin stella, meaning 'star'. Pronounced eh-STEHL it is most popular in Quebec and has a real charm to it – an almost French feel. Is also has some cute nicknames, such as Telly, Essie, Elle or of course Stella.

Stella itself has been a top 100 name in America since 2010, and E names in general have been getting a lot of attention in recent years. The signs are good that Estelle is a possibility to enter the top 100 itself in coming years. Indeed, in 2012 Estelle re-entered the American top 1000 for the first time since the 60's, as did variant Estella.

Rose

Rose was the bubbly, sweet, naïve optimist of the group. While the others often found her inexperience and outlook on life to be juvenile, they were very protective of her and valued her ability to help them see the good in the world.

Rose has had a long reputation of being a go-to middle name, but it's actually had more use as a first name than this reputation might suggest. Since America started keeping name records in 1880 the lowest it has ever ranked was #391 in 1997. A simple, elegantly beautiful name, Rose has been rising again in recent years.

Betty

While Betty White has had a long and busy career, her portrayal of Rose has earned her a soft spot in many people's hearts. And because she is still quite busy starring in 'Hot in Cleveland', she is arguably the first person people think of when they hear the name Betty. There are of course many other Betty's in pop culture, such as cartoon Betty's from 'The Flintstones', 'Betty Boop' and 'Betty & Veronica', TV's 'Ugly Betty' or pin-up legend Betty Grable to name a few. A little girl named Betty would have plenty of role models to look up to.

The name Betty started as a diminutive of Elizabeth, meaning 'God is my Oath'. She was hugely popular about a century ago – in America she was ranked 2^nd most popular name from 1928 to 1934. I find it hard to imagine her reaching such heights again though – in 2012 she was dropping, ranked at #1578. She might need just a bit longer to gain the same kind of cool factor as her counterparts.

But my favourite thing about Betty, apart from it's cute as a button sound? If you're a fan of the movie 'Clueless', Betty was slang for an attractive stylish and confident girl – or to put it another way, a hot chick.

Dorothy

Dorothy was the dry witted, realistic teacher looking for love. Dorothy has a lot in common with Betty – there are tons of Dorothy;s both fictional and real, and she was also the number 2 name in America for several years. From 1920 to 1927 to be precise – she actually lost her position to Betty.

Unlike Betty though, Dorothy has been on the rise again in recent years, climbing slowly to #922 in 2012. Dorothy is a Greek name meaning 'gift of God' and comes with a slew of possible nicknames such as Dot, Dolly, Dora, Doro, Dodie, Thea, Tia and Dory/Dori which help to give this name a fresher image for todays' parents.

Bea

Bea (born Bernice) Arthur had a very distinctive look, and like her character Dorothy was very witty.

Bea feels like it is often overlooked as a given name, and despite being a fairly consistent presence in the American charts it hasn't been in the top 1000 since 1910. Pronounced Bee, it's much more likely to be used as a nickname for Bernadette, Beatrix or Beatrice. All of these names increased in popularity in 2012 in America, taking Bea with them.

Bea itself derives from Beatrice and hence Beatrix, a Latin name meaning 'she who brings happiness'. It's a short spunky name for people who love one syllable names that you don't hear everyday.

Blanche

Blanche is another great one syllable name that has long been overlooked. It's an old French name meaning 'white', but because it was often used as a nickname for a person with blond hair it is sometimes thought to mean 'blonde'. Pronounced BLANCH, it's most popular in Quebec, where it is ranked #339.

Blanche in 'The Golden Girls' owned the house they lived in, and was the sexually adventurous, man-hungry socialite of the group. She was also somewhat of a southern lady, and together with the character Blanche from Tennessee Williams' 'A Streetcar Named Desire' has given the name a southern belle image.

In America Blanche was a top 100 name until 1920, and a top 1000 name until 1965. In 2012 it was ranked just #11350, which was actually a rise on 2011. How much this name will rise over coming years remains to be seen, but it's perfectly poised to rise with the current love for vintage beauties.

Rue

Rue McClanahan (born Eddi-Rue) plays Blanche. Despite the fact that she was pretty much a household name, her name didn't really catch on and was almost forgotten about. Then came something called 'The Hunger Games', which featured a young heroine named Rue. And we all thought “wow, that's different” forgetting that it was actually a name we were all familiar with.

There is a subtle charm to Rue. In English it is a word meaning 'regret', in French it means 'street' and it's also a herb. So it's equal parts word name, French flavour and calming nature reference.

'The Hunger Games' put Rue back on the American charts in 2010 after a 30 year absence. It was most popular in the first half on the 1900's, but never made it anywhere near the top 1000. In 2012 it was given to 32 girls, the most ever in one year. This might be the highest it gets, but hopefully not. It'd be great to see this sweet name get more use.

I'm going to call these names the “Golden” eight. All of them are great names poised to increase in popularity in 2013. Well, except for Sophia – it's hard to get much higher than #1! Which one is your favourite?

Nivea

OK, so I'll admit that todays inspiration came from a not-quite-glamorous source. I was looking at a bottle of toner (made by Nivea) while I was in the bathroom and thought to myself "Nivea is nice, that's not one you hear often". As you do.

It's pretty easy to guess why you don't see it very often. Googling Nivea will get you two main results. One is the singer Nivea, best known for her debut 2001 single "Don't Mess With The Radio" and her Debut Album (and second single) "Don't Mess With My Man".

The other is of course the skincare company. Founded in 1911 in Germany, the name Nivea was inspired by the snowy white colour of their cosmetic skin cream. Creator Dr Troplowitz based the name on the words nix and nivis, both of which mean 'snow' in Latin.

While many may not be too keen for their name to be related to just these two things, when we consider that Nivea comes from a Latin word for snow, we can start to appreciate the potential beauty in this name. In looks it's similar to recent favourite Nevaeh, it sounds a lot like top 10 name Olivia, and is on trend with wintry names Snow, Frost and Winter (but is much subtler). It's like a more traditionally feminine sounding version of Neve, a name which also means 'snow' in Italian.

Nivea, while rare, is not a complete stranger from the US top 1000. Since entering in 1975 it has appeared in the charts more years than not. But if you're truly hesitant to use a name that was basically invented for a skincare company, maybe this one is better left as a surprising but pretty middle. Nivea is a name that is definitely worth a second look.

Inspiring Names - 'Nashville'

The Cast of 'Nashville'

I'm starting to think I have a real thing for these southern shows. The first for me was 'True Blood', sultry, sassy and the supernatural in Louisiana. Then I fell in love with 'Hart of Dixie', loaded with sweet charm and quirkiness and set in a small town called Bluebell in Alabama. And now it's 'Nashville', a portrayal of the drama and politics it takes to rise to the top and stay there in the competitive country music capital, in Tennessee.

'Nashville' didn't pull me in as immediately as the other two, but I'm addicted now none the less. And like any good scripted TV show, there is a multitude of great character names to mull over in this one. My favourites (and I'll admit up front that I may be strongly influenced by how much I also like the characters here) are:

Nash
The title and city gives us the cool cowboy name possibility of Nash. The city was founded and named for Francis Nash, but his surname has now become a hot given name. It entered the American charts for boys in 1910, but not the top 1000 until 1997, when the show 'Nash Bridges' firmly cemented Nash in our minds as a first name possibility. Fast forward to 2011, and Nash is positioned at #519. Ash and Ash names have long been hugely popular. The addition of the N gives it a fresh sound, and fits right in with other current favourites Dash and Cash. Plus short, "manly" names are looking hot for 2013.

Rayna
Rayna Jaymes (played by Connie Britton) is a superstar on the 'Nashville' country music circuit, and one of the leading ladies of the show. Whoever named this character did a good job - in Hebrew Rayna means 'song of the lord' and in Latin or Russian Rayna means 'queen', both of which fit this character. Rayna has been present in the American charts since the 1930's, but only became a regular in the top #1000 in the late 90's. It peaked at #756 in 2008, so is a familiar but not common name. Alternative spelling Raina is only slightly more popular. I feel like the Rayna spelling looks more "namey", whereas Raina looks more like rain and less regal. But then again Rayna could be mistaken for a feminine version of Ray, which might not appeal to some. Either way, I quite like the sound of Rayna, and think the name was well chosen for the show.

Juliette (Hayden Panettiere) and Rayna (Connie Britton)

Juliette
While Rayna is the veteran of the industry, Juliette Barnes (played by Hayden Panettiere) is the new comer to the scene. I think she's meant to have a Taylor Swift-esque career, but with more of a nasty, jaded attitude behind the scenes (and it's great to see Hayden playing a darker character than her cheerleader days). Juliette comes from Juliet, a Latin name meaning 'youthful'. The "ette" makes it feel even younger, as it is generally used to mean 'smaller'. Since one of the main themes of the show is that Juliette's youth makes her both a inexperienced in the industry (and prone to making some unwise career decisions), her youth and quick success is also a threat to Rayna. And just like Shakespeare's Juliet, this Juliette is somewhat of a tragic but vulnerable character, who also flirts with a marriage into a family who deem her "unsuitable" due to her own family background. This makes it another successfully chosen name.

Deacon
Deacon Claybourne (played by Charles Esten) is Rayna's long term guitar player, ex-flame and ex-alcoholic. He is almost as legendary in the country music world as Rayna is. Deacon has Greek origins, and means 'dusty one, servant, messenger'. It's also a title for a church officer or cleric. Again, these things could be said to apply to 'Nashville's Deacon. He's been around a long time, backing up Rayna, and now helps other reformed alcoholics as well as occasionally providing some wise, much needed advice to others in the show. Like Nash, Deacon has that cowboy feel to it, but also feels almost Irish/Scottish, possibly due to it's similarity to names such as Declan and Duncan. Deacon has charted in America since the late 60's/early 70's,  but really started leaping up the charts since the year 2000. In 2011 is was #66, and possibly still rising. I think the cowboy/ honest church official associations makes for a wholesome sounding name with just a touch of bad boy to it.

Scarlett
Scarlett is a name that that has been shooting up the American charts in the past decade, entering the top 100 at position #80 in 2011. Scarlett O'Connor is played by young Aussie actress Clare Bowen, and her wide eyed innocence and modesty makes for a great contrast against the similar age Juliette. Scarlett is Deacon's niece, and her O'Connor surname further hints at an Irish/Scottish connection for this family. Or maybe the writers were just aiming for some similarity to famous southern belle, Scarlett O'Hara. Like O'Hara, this Scarlett is passionate about her man, before realising she is naive. It takes a different man who really believes in her to give her the strength to assert herself and realise there is more potential to her than supporting a man.

While these are my favourites, the show is full of other great names, many or which are currently gaining in popularity. As an aside, looks like "ie"/y endings are quite popular in 'Nashville'!

Boys

Gunnar, played by Brit actor
Sam Palladio

Albert
Avery
Bo
Brock
Bucky
Coleman
Cy
Dominic
Glenn
Gunnar
JT
Kent
Lamar
Liam
Marshall
Mitch
Randy
Sean
Steve
Teddy

Watty

Girls
Audrey
Carmen
Daphne
Deb
Emily
Hailey
Jeanne
Jolene
Maddie
Makena
Marilyn
Peggy
Tandy

Emeralda

For the designers, decorators and artists among you, you may already be aware that Emerald is the Pantone colour of the year for 2013. If you're not sure what that means, basically it means that the colour Emerald will feature strongly in most designs, decorating schemes, soft furnishings, clothing, products and whatever else you can think of this year. Pantone usually pick a colour that they feel connects with the current spirit of society. Or maybe with two 'Wizard of Oz' movies coming out this year, they simply thought that when audiences saw those gorgeous images of the Emerald City they would have a renewed love of all things Emerald.

Of Emerald, Pantone says that it is "Lively. Radiant. Lush. A color of elegance and beauty that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony". And also that "Most often associated with brilliant, precious gemstones, the perception of Emerald is sophisticated and luxurious. Since antiquity, this luminous, magnificent hue has been the color of beauty and new life in many cultures and religions. Also the color of growth, renewal and prosperity, no other color conveys regeneration more than green."

This reminded me of a name I heard a little while back that I had been keeping note of - Emeralda. What I love about Emeralda is that it is so similar to Emerald, the gemstone, but sounds a little more "namey", like Esmeralda. And at the same time it manages to sound just that bit fresher and spunkier than either of those. Esmeralda and Emeralda are in fact different versions of Emerald, which is a Persian word for the gemstone, meaning 'green'.

All three are pretty rarely used. Emerald appeared in the American top 1000 for girls from 1991 to 2001, peaking at #766 in 1994. It has also occasionally been used for boys. Esmeralda has also been used a similar amount of times for boys, but has been more popular than Emerald for the girls. It's been in the top 1000 since the fifties, and in 2011 was #332. By contrast, Emeralda has only shown in the charts in 1991, when it was given to just 5 girls.

 A few other reasons why you might want to choose an Emerald themed name include:

• wanting to honour an Irish background (as in the Emerald Isles)
• for a child born in May, under the sign of cancer, or on a Tuesday or Friday (as the Emerald is the birthstone for these times)
• to honour someone else born at those times
• to honour someone whose favourite gemstone is/was Emerald, or favourite colour is/was green
• to honour someone with an "Em" name, such as Emma or Emory.

Emeralda would be a rare, exotic choice, with the benefits of not sounding too strange. And it's easy to associate all of those great things that people think about Emerald with Emeralda. With so many great reasons to use Emeralda, it would be a very fashionable name to use in 2013.

Tutu dress from Little Dreamers on Etsy

True Blue

While things are cooling down in the northern hemisphere, things are warming up down here in Australia. Today we've had a beautiful blue sky, so I've been inspired to write a follow up to my previous post about the colour purple with one about blue names.

Blue is one of my favourite colours, and shot to stardom as  a baby name option when Beyonce and Jay-Z bestowed in on their little girl earlier this year. It caused some controversy, and I have to admit I was one of those people that thought the media had gotten the name wrong - surely it was Ivy Blue, not Blue Ivy right? But when you think about it, Blue is quite an attractive option for a name. It has many positive meanings and associations.

BLUE
Blue symbolises youth, spirituality,inspiration, sincerity and peace
Dark blue is the colour of truth and moderation
Turquoise blue provides protection, health, confidence and strength
Blue has a soothing, calming effect and encourages feeling of communication and peace
Blue represents heaven, and is the colour of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven

So many things are associated with blue that a list of them all could be incredibly long, so like I did with purple I've again just listed "official" shades. Enjoy, and feel free to add your suggestions for blue names in the comments!

Amparo                                          Cyan                                     Nile

Alice                                              Danube                                  Oxford

Azure                                             Delphinium                             Patriot

Bluebell                                          Denim                                    Periwinkle

Blueberry                                        Dodger                                  Phthalo

Bluebird                                          Duke                                     Royal

Bluejay                                           Dusk                                      Sapphire

Bondi                                             Eton                                       Saxony

Brandeis                                         French                                   Sky

Cambridge                                      Ink                                         Steel

Carolina                                          Iris                                         Teal

Celeste                                           Klein                                     Tiffany

Cendre                                            Lake                                     True

Cerulean                                         Majorelle                               Turquoise

Clematis                                         Maya                                     Ultramarine

Cobalt                                            Mazarine                               Vallarta

Columbia                                        Midnight                                Xenon

Cornflower                                      Monaco                                Yale

Corydalis                                        Navy                                      Zaffre

Azura

The Shrine of Azura in 'The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim'

Azura is one of my favourite names. It is an elegant and understated name, without being snobbish or trashy. It also has a slightly exotic feel, which is largely thanks to its' "z". Azura is pronounced ah-ZYUR-ah, and is a form of the word French Azure, meaning 'blue'.

Azura may be a colour name, but could also be considered to be a gemstone inspired name. Have you ever seem some of the ancient jewellery from any Ancient civilisations, such as the Egyptians? You may have noticed a beautiful blue stone used for a lot of inlay work on various items, and in some of their most intricate jewellery. That blue stone is called Lapis Lazuli, which translates to 'stone of azure'. There is also a carbon mineral called Azurite, named for its similar clear, deep blue colour. Azurite has been used as a pigment in dyes and paints for centuries.

Both Azura and Azure are fairly rarely seen as given names, which seems strange considering it seems most people find them both to be very pretty names. I first became aware of it on actress Azura Skye. Yes, this combination literally means 'blue sky', a somewhat "hippy" sounding name, but the use of Azura makes it subtle and somehow magical. I'm not the only one who must think so, as at least one other parent gave this combination to their daughter according to one For Real Baby Names post last year.

The other variation of this name I've seen is Azhure, a major character in the fantasy novel series' "The Axis Trilogy" and "The Wayfarer Redemption". In fact, Azura has quite some presence in the fantasy world. She is The Lady of Twilight in the game 'The Elder Scrolls', a superhero in the Marvel comics universe (also known as Thena), a character in a Canadian fantasy animated TV show called 'Di-Gata Defenders'; and an island fortress in the game 'Gears of War 3'. This is great for people like me who love their fantasy and sci-fi names. But if fantasy isn't your thing, the name Azura also appears in the bible, as the wife of Seth.

Most Azuras love their name, and it's hard to find a lot of teasing potential for young girls named Azura. Possible nicknames if you're looking for one could be Az, Zuzu or Zulie. I'd be tempted to go with the simple but lovely Blue though (despite the possible Blue Ivy connection). As people are often looking for the next almost-fantasy-inspired but little-known "established" name,  Azura could possibly become a lot more popular once it is "discovered". My advice is, if you love it get in early before others cotton on to just what a gorgeous name it is and Azura becomes the next Aria/Arya or even Zelda.

Saffron

Today's name was in part inspired by a post on 100 Best Fall Baby Names. Yes, I'm on the other side of the hemisphere and therefore it's more timely for me to be thinking about Spring names right about now. But when I noticed this gem at the number 14 position on the girl's list, I was reminded of how much I have liked Saffron for a long time.

There were two main reasons that Saffron popped onto my radar as a teenager in the 90's. The first inspiration came in the form of the long suffering daughter on the British comedy classic 'Absolutely Fabulous'. Saffron - often better known as Saffy or "Saffy Darling" - was the daughter of PR maven Edina (played by Jennifer Saunders). Edina was crazy, outrageous and incredibly selfish. She liked to overindulge in drugs and booze, and I think it was always assumed that the name Saffron was a result of her drug induced, hazy hippy days. Saffron herself however was anything but dippy. She was the calm, sensible one attempting to bring normalcy to their lives and counterbalance the effects of Edina's crazy friend Patsy (played by Joanna Lumley). Saffron was played by Julia Sawalha, who I already loved from her days in the show 'Press Gang'. At the time Saffron seemed like such a far out, 'hippy' name and at such contrast to the sensible on-screen character that I was intrigued.

And then not long after 'Absolutely Fabulous' hit the screens, I fell in love with a movie called 'Circle of Friends'. Well worth a watch if you haven't already seen it - I love to pull this off the DVD shelf from time to time. But without going too off-track here, one of the stars of this gem was the then relatively unknown Saffron Burrows. And suddenly Saffron went from being an 'interesting but a bit of a strange, hippy name' to being a beautiful, sophisticated and unique name for me.

Saffron still strikes me as an elegant name, and slightly quirky in-a-good-way. As a spice name, it feels like a more modern alternative to other spice names such as Rosemary and Thyme. Saffron is arguably the rarest and most expensive spice (it can only be collected by hand), making it feel very special and unique. It is also a colour name - this bright yellow spice is used to dye the robes that monks of some eastern religions such as Buddhism a bright yellow orange colour. And Saffron is a flower name, as the spice Saffron comes from the purple crocus flower.

While I think the nickname Saffy used in 'Absolutely Fabulous' is cute, I understand that actual Saffrons don't necessarily feel the same way. Real life Saffrons have also reported that people seem to associate this name with India, possibly due to the prevalent of the spice in Indian food, despite it being a name that seems to have originated in England.

However I think one person who commented on the babyname wizard website summed up my feelings on the name Saffron most eloquently with this insightful comment: "I think this is a perfect name to give a baby if you believe your child is worth her weight in gold (or even more than her weight in gold)". Ditto from me.

The Colour Purple

Our team had lunch at Purple Cafe today, and I love this little blurb on the back of their menus:

PURPLE
Uplifts
Calms the mind
Encourages creativity
Creates a sense of spirituality
Blend the stability of blue and the energy of red
Symbolises power, nobility, luxury, wisdom, dignity and magic

I love the colour purple! When you think of it in terms of the above it's easy to see why so many others love it too. But while Blue, Grey and even Pink are colours that are now accepted as names, Purple seems just a little too quirky to use on its own yet. Luckily there are plenty of other options for purple inspired names that can be used to still convey the feelings and qualities people associate with purple.

While flowers tend to be the most popular source of purple names, below is a list of some "official" shades of purple to draw some inspiration from. By no means do I suggest these would all be great names (Eggplant? For dinner, yes; a person, no), but you may find some potential winners here.

Amethyst
Byzantium
Cerise
Eggplant
Fandango
Fuchsia
Han
Heliotrope
Indigo
Lavender
Magenta
Mulberry
Orchid
Pansy
Phlox
Pizazz
Plum
Rose
Thistle
Tyrian
Veronica
Violet
Wisteria

Midori

I'll just start this post by saying that I really do recognise it's not the best idea to name your child after an alcoholic beverage. But I have to admit that Midori is one of my guilty pleasure names. If I ever were to temporarily lose my sanity, I could very well end up with a daughter named Midori.

As alcohol names go, Midori (pronounced mi-DOHR-ee) is one of the better ones, maybe because it is actually an established name in Japan where Midori means 'green'. It's been used for generations in Japan without becoming super popular, and is the name of Japanese figure skater Midori Ito and Violinist Midori Goto. Both ladies are extremely accomplished in their fields - Midori Ito was the world champion in her sport in 1989, and a silver medallist at the 1992 Albertville Olympics. Midori Goto is an internationally renowned violinist who was seleceted to be a UN Messenger for Peace in 2007.

For those unfamiliar with the drink, Midori is a brand of melon liqueur, and was named for it's bright green colour. It is also the key ingredient in my favourite cocktail, the Japanese Slipper. For the uninitiated, a Japanese Slipper consisits of 1 measure of Midori, 1 measure of Cointreau and 1 measure of lemon juice. Although I personally prefer cranberry juice, which ruins the lovely green colour but makes for a less sour drink. I digress though.

The main problem generally with alcohol inspired names is that they are viewed as 'lower class' or more succinctly - 'stripper names' (Brandy anyone?). This has not been helped with the rise of names such as Chablis, Moet and Tequila, which often can't be associated with anything but alcohol. Recently I read a heartbreaking story from Britain on how names such as Chardonnay and Champagne are not only branding children as coming from a lower socioeconomic background, but are also preventing them from being adopted due to laws prohibiting adoptive parents from changing childrens names. If you're interested, you should check it out at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2140586/Scandal-babies-parents-wont-adopt-theyre-called-Chrystal-Chardonnay.html

But not all alcoholic drinks are off limits for names - Bailey is a top 100 name for girls in the US, and also a common boys name here in Australia, despite being a very popular liqueur. Not to mention main ingredient of a shooter with a somewhat racy name.

As a name Midori sounds fresh and slightly exotic to many people. With the meaning 'green' it is a great name for people looking for subtle colour names, or a name associated with my favourite season - Spring - a time of year when the world is lovely, green, and starting to bloom.

I think Midori is just a popular TV character away from shaking off it's alcoholic associations and become a widely acceptable name. Those brave enough to get on board early may soon find themselves congratulated for being ahead of a trend, rather than having a flight of fancy after having a couple too many at the cocktail bar on a Friday night.