Friendly Happ-"BY" Names

There are a few names ending in BY that I quite like, so I thought I'd make a list of them. I found there's actually quite a few more names ending in BY than I realised! And I also found that they seem to fall mainly into one of two different categories.

There are those that I consider to be "Quirky Vintage". Think Bartleby, Gatsby, Maeby, Quimby, Willoughby and the likes. They tend to feel like (and often are) literary gems, and have a classic charm that is quite appealing.

The names I had in mind though tend to be more of the "Friendly and Perky" variety. Also very charming and appealing, they sound like they belong to people who are open and approachable. People you could easily become good friends with.

Maybe it's because a number of them are nicknames, and hence designed to be more familiar and friendly from the get go.

Personally though I think it's the "bee" sound itself. It brings to mind a little bumblebee, happily buzzing around flowers on a warm sunny day. You can't help but smile with that image in your mind (unless you're allergic to bees. In which case you might be filled with anxious dread instead). Some people even prefer to change the BY to a BEE or BIE spelling instead to enhance this happy friendly feeling, and add a hint of youthfulness to the name.

I don't think it's necessary though - the names below are all likable enough already.

Abby - Name your daughter Abby and chances are she'll forever be asked if it's short for Abigail. Abigail may be a very popular name in most Western countries, but Abby is a lovable name in it's own right. She's a top 500 name in the U.S and appears on many of our favourite on screen characters. My personal pick - the effervescent Abby Cadabby, the magical fairy Muppet of "Sesame Street" fame.

Alby - Archie is gaining steam in Australia, and Alfie is receiving lots of love in the U.K. Could these be leading the way for Alby? Quite possibly, as Albert is also on the rise. Alby also makes an appearance in "The Maze Runner" as the leader of the Gladers, showing that this name may sound light but has plenty of substance.

Ashby - With hints of Ashley and Aubrey, Ashby is definitely my pick for the next big "Ash" name. But probably not for another 20 years or so, making it a solid ahead-of-the trend pick. With nickname options of Ash for boys and Bea for girls, what's not to love about Ashby.

Bobby Brady

Bobby - Ahhh Bobby. Am I the only one who immediately thinks "The Brady Bunch" when I hear this? Bobby may have started as a nickname for Robert, but this name is quite the powerhouse and has been in the U.S. top 1000 for about 100 years now. He feels like a great Americana choice for a boy, but would be a refreshing (and rare!) choice for a girl.

Coby - It's a sound we're not unfamiliar with, thanks to basketballer Kobe Bryant and "How I Met Your Mother" actress Cobie Smulders (which in her case is short for Jacoba!). Yet this spelling is not very popular at all, perhaps lacking the energetic vibe of Kobe.

Colby - It may be a type of cheese, but it's not a cheesy name. Ever since season two of "Survivor" I've been a fan of Colby. I suspect I'm not the only one. On a boy it has cowboy swagger. On a girl it's cute and tomboyish (and rare!).

Darby - I had a Great Uncle Darby (Darb) so to me this name is straight from the era that we are borrowing so heavily from at the moment. In the U.S it was used fairly evenly for boys and girls until a Julia Roberts played Darby Shaw in the 1994 movie "The Pelican Brief". It's a great gender neutral pick, and currently largely undiscovered as it is no where near cracking the top 1000.

Debby - Before the popularity of Jennifer and her nicknames Jenny and Jen in the 70's, there was Deborah and her nicknames Debby/Debbie and Deb in the 50's. Deborah has never left the top 1000 in the U.S, but Debby was not the most well-liked of her nicknames and currently feels very unfashionable.

Digby - I really 'dig' this name! And another pun - I think it's very 'dig'nified ☺ This is actually true though. Digby is just the right combination of stylish and Old English sounding, yet down-to-earth and approachable. It's super rare currently but definitely deserves more love.

Gabby - As a child I had a book about a little creature named Gabby because they talked too much
and needed to learn how to listen. If you don't mind the association with being overly talkative, this cute little nickname for Gabrielle/Gabriella would be very sweet for a girl.

Kirby - Confession time - I've had a soft spot for the name Kirby ever since seeing the 1985 movie "St Elmo's Fire". That particular Kirby was male, but it was TV sensation "Dynasty" that put Kirby on the map for girls in the 80's. These both make Kirby feel like an 80's pick, but in an offbeat cool and retro way.

Korby - This name will be long tainted in Australia due to the Shapelle Corby drug smuggling associations. But I feel that the Korby spelling is a lot funkier, despite looking like it has been hijacked by the Kardashians. Almost no one is using this name right now, making Korby a great different-bot-not-too-different choice.

Libby - She may not be the trendiest or most popular nickname for the classic Elizabeth, but Libby has a that undeniable girl-next-door vibe. Whether that girl is sweet, quiet, outgoing, popular, mischievous or tomboyish doesn't matter - Libby feels like she could be any or all of these.

Rigby - Beatles tune "Eleanor Rigby" makes this one a great choice for lovers of their music. It only made it onto the radar in the U.S in the past decade and so far seems to belong to the boys, but I could see this going either way. One of the two main characters in the cartoon "Regular Show" is a raccoon named Rigby, and I have a feeling that this name will be very popular when viewers start having children.

Robby - For most of the 1900's Robert was a top 10 name in the U.S (and is still a top 100 name), and he spawned many nicknames. Robby is one of the more popular ones. I'm torn on Robby - on one hand he feels like a high school sweetheart, but on the other hand I recently saw "Dirty Dancing" again so he currently seems like a villain. Either way, when I think of Robby I picture a child or teenager rather than a mature adult, which is probably why Robert is far more popular as it gives the wearer the freedom of choice as they age.

Ruby - Ruby may feel like a vintage rarity, but she's actually very popular in many parts of the world. She's been a top 10 staple in Australia for a while now, top 20 in the UK and recently moved into the U.S top 100. Ruby has a winning combination of the "oo" sound that's trending right now, plus the friendly "bee", and she's a precious jewel to boot. What's not to love?

Shelby Eatenton Latcherie

Shelby - It may be a go-to name for turtles, tortoises and snails, but I can't help but love the preppy and perky Shelby. Shelby has a longer history of use as a boys name, but rocketed to popularity as a girls name in 1936 after Barbara Stanwick played a Shelby in the movie "The Woman in Red". Another onscreen Shelby - Julia Roberts (again!) in "Steel Magnolias" in 1989 - helped push Shelby to a top 100 girls name in the 1990's. Most people now consider it to be "a girls name".

Tibby - In 2005 Amber Tamblyn introduced many of us to the name Tibby in the movie adaptation of 'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants'. For her character it was a nickname for Tabitha, and she managed to make a name that possibly seemed overly cutesy feel cool and spunky.

Toby - Interestingly, the longer Tobias is currently far more popular than Toby in the U.S, but here in Australia (and the U.K and New Zealand) Toby is a top 100 name. I have a real soft spot for Toby. Toby feels like your best friend, and a fun, cheeky one at that. Call me crazy but I also think it's super cute on a girl.

Zibby - Looking for a truly unusual nickname for Elizabeth? Try Zibby. She's cute, unusual and rare. Great if you have a family full of Elizabeths and want a distinctive version with loads of personality.

Andie

Model Andi Muise

She's cute and peppy, a tomboy nickname that still manages to feel feminine and intelligent. Andie seems to blend in almost effortlessly. You possibly know a few and haven't given it much thought as a name. But if you take a step back and consider it for a moment, you appreciate just how pretty and stylish it is in it's simplicity.

When I think of Andie, my mind immediately goes to Molly Ringwald in 'Pretty In Pink', or the sweet popular cheerleader in 80's favourite 'The Goonies' (OK, the second is actually Andy, but the sound is still there). That leaves me feeling that Andie and her variants are 80's names, but this isn't actually true.

In the U.S, Andi "peaked" recently in 2012 at #1436; Andie in 1995 at #1330; Andee in 1995 at #3423; and Andy in 1959 at #2345. In comparison, for boys Andee has never charted; and Andi and Andie have regularly charted for boys but not as highly as it does for girls. And then of course Andy remains super popular for boys - it hasn't ranked less than #381 since the SSA started reporting on names in 1880.

Let's chalk her popularity in 1995 up to actress Andie MacDowell. Born Rosalie Anderson MacDowell, she was extremely busy in the mid 90's. Perhaps her most memorable role was as Hugh Grants' enchanting love interest in 'Four Weddings and a Funeral'. You don't have to look very far to find plenty more examples since then. On TV we saw character Andie McPhee on 'Dawson's Creek' from 1998 to 2003, played by Meredith Monroe; and from 2007 to 2009 Missy Peregrim played Andi Prendergast on 'Reaper'. In movies Kate Hudson played main character Andie Anderson in 2003's 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days'; 2008 saw Briana Evigan play lead Andie in 'Step Up 2: The Streets'; and Emma Roberts starred as Andi in the family movie 'Hotel for Dogs' in 2009. Real life examples include Phillipine actress Andi Eigenmann, model Andie Arthur, and Victoria Secret model Andi Muise. And the latest Andi to make headlines is Andi Dorfman, current star of 'The Bachelorette' who famously walked out on 'The Bachelor' Juan Pablo Galavis for being selfish, sexist and boring.

Coming from the Greek word Andros, Andie means 'strong, man, manly or warrior'. But really, this could possibly change if you are using Andie as a nickname for a different longer name. So in case you love Andie (or my personal preference, Andi) but want something a little more "substantial" to fall back on, here are some options for you to consider:


The Familiar
Addison
Adrienne
Alexandra/Alessandra/Alexandria
Amanda
Andrea
Brandy
Candace
Candy
Cassandra
Chandler
Chandra
Fernanda
Mandy
Miranda
Randi
Sandra

The Path Less Traveled
Alandra
Amandine

Andie MacDowell

Andelyn
Andina
Andorra
Andra
Andretta
Andromeda
Briandra
Calandra
Celandine
Corisande
Deandra
England
Garland
Holland
Iolande
Ireland
Jacaranda
Jolanda / Yolanda
Landrey
Lavender
Leandra
Liliandil
Lysandra
Mandala
Melisande
Nanda
Orlanda
Pandora
Randa
Ruxandra
Sandira
Scotland
Shanandoah
Thandie
Xandie


What do you think - is Andie able to stand on her own, or would you use a longer name? What impressions do you have of Andie? Or even Andi?

Jinx

Elodie Yung as Jinx in 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation'.

I've been debating whether to do Jinx as a name or not. Maybe it's just a little bit too gimmicky as a Halloween name, not really usable as a baby name.

Jinx is a word name - as a verb it means to cast an evil spell on someone or bring bad luck, as a noun it means a person or thing that brings bad luck. It's also one of the seven different types of spells in the 'Harry Potter' series. It's because of the idea that a Jinx is a negative thing that I wonder if it would be too much of a negative experience for a child to grow up with this name.

Then I had a conversation with my husband the other day that gave me second thoughts. It seems there is a new female champion in the video game 'League of Legends' and her name just so happens to be Jinx. He thinks it would be a great name. To which I posed the question "Do you think it would work as a name on it's own, or only as a nickname?'  For the above reason I'm pretty firmly in the nickname only headspace, but he gave it a moments thought and replied that he actually likes it just fine as a given name, and in fact thinks it'd be really cool.

I have to admit I do love the sound of Jinx, I think it's really cute. It reminds me a little of the saying "Jinkies!", the catchphrase of Velma in 'Scooby-Doo'. And maybe it's because I think it's cute that I feel it's more of a "girly" name.

Turns out other people tend to think it's more of a girls name too, and that it can be used as a given name. Jinx has charted a few times intermittently for girls in the U.S. The first was in 1926, most likely inspired by the 1925 silent movie 'Galloping Jinx'. In then charted through much of the '40's, '50's and into the '60's primarily thanks to actress and model Eugenia "Jinx" Falkenburg. Besides acting and modelling, she also entertained troops during World War 2 and hosted a popular talk show with her husband called 'Tex and Jinx'.

These days when I think of the name Jinx there are a few female characters that come to mind, and they all give this name a strong, sexy, feminine appeal. The new 'League of Legends' character is one - you can check out her music video below. Another comes in the form of Bond girl Giacinta "Jinx" Johnson, brought to life by Halle Berry in 'Die Another Day' (and who doesn't remember that scene as she steps out of ocean in her orange bikini). I thought her nickname came from the Gi/Ji sound in her name Giacinta, but it actually comes from the fact that she was born on Friday 13th. And then there's Jinx from the G.I. Joe universe, who appeared in this years' 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation', played by Elodie Yung.

At the other end of the spectrum - and with a slightly different spelling - you get Mr Jinks though. Best known as Robert de Niro's toilet flushing cat in the 'Meet The Parents' movies, he is also a Hanna-Barbera cartoon cat from the 'Pixie and Dixie and Mr Jinks' segment that used to play during 'The Huckleberry Hound Show'. This particular spelling brings to mind mischief and hi-jinks rather than bad luck and curses, which helps to give the name Jinx more of a fun image.

Sexy tough girls and crafty cats aside, I still personally think it's best as a nickname, so a child isn't permanently labelled as "bad luck". In which case it could probably be used for pretty much any child with a name starting with J or G, or containing a "Ji" sound. And of course, it's the perfect nickname for a child born on Halloween.

Vienna

With the current popularity of place names, it's somewhat surprising that this gem hasn't yet made a mark upon the American top 1000. Vienna (pronounced vee-EN-ah) originates from Latin, although it's meaning is often disputed. I've seen theories that it means 'chosen one', 'white', 'from wine country' or 'forest stream', but the one thing that is not disputed is that it comes from the city of Vienna in Austria.

The city of Vienna is the capital of Austria. It has an extremely rich history, and it's thought that the site was first settled by the Celts in 500BC. Vienna has a reputation as the "City of Music" due to it's rich history in theatre, opera, classical music and the arts. Not only is it the birth place of some musical notables such as Schubert and Strauss, but others such as Mozart, Brahms and Beethoven also spent time working in Vienna. Psychologist Sigmund Freud is another Famous Austrian from Vienna, giving rise to the city's other pseudonym, the "City of Dreams".

Vienna is also a classically beautiful city. It features rich architecture, including Baroque castles and gardens, the Romanesque St Rupert's church and some of the best examples of Art Nouveau in the world. Adding to the romanticism of the city are it's extravagant balls (the dancing kind, not the bouncy kind), which can go all night.

With these images in mind, I would think that Vienna would be a romantic name to give to a girl. It's dreamy, classical and elegant, yet has sound that appeals to modern parents, if the popularity of sound-alike name Sienna is anything to go by.

Sienna has been a top 1000 name since 1995, peaking at #170 in 2007 in America. It also enjoys popularity in Australia, New Zealand, England Scotland, Norway and Canada. However, while Sienna has been a success, Vienna has been largely neglected. It looked like it might become a top 1000 contender when it shot from position #1668 in 2009 to #11103 in 2010, but it then stalled and in 2012 began to drop again.

So why the difference? Maybe because it reminds people of Vienna sausages. Or possibly it has something to do with the famous bearers of the name. Actress, model and fashion designer Sienna Miller was the darling of the fashion world a few years ago when it seemed you couldn't open a magazine without seeing pictures of her latest outing. By contrast, 'The Bachelor' contestant and winner Vienna Girardi was a woman hated almost universally by viewers when her season was on the air. Coincidence? Maybe. But then again, you just need to look at the sudden spike in popularity of the name Tenley after contestant Tenley Molzhan was on the show (incidentally, the same season as Vienna) to see that the effect that 'The Bachelor' has on baby naming choices can be significant.

This was a couple of years ago now though, and since place names are going strong and V names are gaining more favour, people may once again turn to Vienna. Or maybe the French version Vienne - ranked only #9622 in 2012 in the US - will start to gain some traction. Both come with some mighty cute nicknames, such as Vie (which means 'life' in French when pronounced VEE), Nen, Nina, Nenna or Via.

Vienna is a pretty, romantic name indeed that deserves some more attention.

Vienna City Hall by Night

Ralph

Wreck-It Ralph

A couple of different paths of thought led me to profile Ralph today. One is that I recently saw 'Wreck-It Ralph' again for the second time, and I am still just as in love with it as I was the first time I saw it. And the second is a recent post I did on the name Barney.

Not only could Barney and Ralph be brothers, it also strikes me that these two names have a lot of similarities. Both are well recognised names that have long been popular. Both have often appeared on characters that while lovable, tend not to be the hunkiest or most heroic. But just as the character Barney Stinson is helping to make Barney cool and likable again, 'Wreck-It Ralph' could also have a positive impact in the way we view the name Ralph.

Ralph has historically been quite a popular name. In the US it was a top 100 name from 1880 until 1963, but has slowly been moving down. In 2011 it was raked at #953, dangerously close to slipping out of the top 1000. The name Ralph evolved from Old Norse, Norman and Germanic roots. In each case it is a compound of two words meaning counsel and wolf, hence it has the meaning 'wolf counsel'.

It's meaning coveys a somewhat sophisticated and clever image, and several real life Ralphs also help to lend some class and substance to the name. Think fashion designer Ralph Lauren, American activist Ralph Nader, or Transcendentalism leader Ralph Waldo Emerson. British Ralphs - actor Ralph Fiennes and composer Ralph Vaughan Williams - take it up yet another level by pronouncing Ralph as Rafe, rather than Ralf, which has a sexier sound and feel.

However it is the pop culture and colloquial Ralph's that have most likely been leading to the drop in popularity for this name. Unfortunately, "to ralph" is a slang term for vomiting (something which is not as much of an issue if you use the British Rafe pronunciation) which is not a likable association. And fictional Ralphs have often portrayed an image of well meaning but not too bright. Some of the most recognised fictional Ralphs include 'Happy Days' funny but silly sidekick Ralph Malph, American slob turned heir to the throne 'King Ralph', played by John Goodman, sweet but clueless Ralph Wiggum of 'The Simpsons' and Ralph Kramden, the blustery short tempered main character in the classic TV show 'The Honeymooners'.

'Wreck-It Ralph' introduces people to a Ralph who it still sweet and well meaning, but a bit smarter and less of a comedic caricature. If you haven't seen the movie, Ralph's job is to continuously wreck a building so the hero Fix-It Felix can save the day for the people that live in the building. Ralph feels that even though he has a job that other people don't like, it's an important job and doesn't mean that he is a bad guy. So he sets out to win a medal to prove that he to can be a hero and a good guy that people should want to be friends with. Of course, things don't go quite according to plan, but along the way Ralph learns to like himself and makes his first friends. This movie is also a good lesson not to judge (and exclude) people without getting to know them first.

Maybe the movie won't help Ralph's image as much with adults, but I think it will definitely increase it's cool factor amongst children. Rather than being seen as someone possibly not very bright whose name means vomit, Ralph's could now be seen as strong and heroic. I also think this is a name that could grow well - I love the nickname Ralphie for a young child! And Ralph is a good solid name to have. There is the option to use the Rafe pronunciation, but despite the popularity of actor Ralph Fiennes I'm not sure how well this would go outside Britain. Most likely you'd either be constantly correcting people on their pronunciation if they say it written, or saying "no, that's not short for Raphael/Rafael" when introduced verbally.

However you prefer to pronounce it, I think signs are good that Ralph is due for a comeback.

Clover

Looking for a subtler Valentines Day name than - well - Valentine? Then how about a sneaky love related name - Clover. In case this question has left you a little baffled (what does Clover have to do with Valentine's Day?), let me spell it out for you. C - L - O - V - E - R. Yes, Clover contains the words love and lover, making it a romantic but not soppy choice.

Clover is a name you might have been hearing a bit of buzz about lately. In 2012 it famously got some celebrity endorsement when Barry Watson and Natasha Gregson Wagner named their daughter Clover Clementyne. They were inspired by one of Natasha's mother's most iconic films, 'Inside Daisy Clover'. Neal McDonough has also used it for his daughter, and skater Tony Hawk used it as a middle name for his daughter Kadence Clover. 

Almost surprisingly, Clover has quite a history of use, appearing on the American charts for girls sporadically since 1897, and occasionally appearing for boys too. It has made the rare appearance in classic books too, such as Katy's younger sister in 'What Katy Did' by Susan Coolidge. However it has also appeared as an animals name in both George Orwells 'Animal Farm' (as a horse) and Richard Adams' 'Watership Down' (as a rabbit).

In fact, it does seem like it was not that long ago that the idea of Clover on a person would have seemed like a silly suggestion, feeling more like a name given to a pet than your daughter. But as quirky nature names have been rising in popularity, Clover now seems sweet, friendly and super cute. 

It's an English nature word meaning 'meadow flower', and seems a much more humble, earthy choice than exotic bloom names like Orchid, a far less popular one than Lily, and a fresher alternative to Rose or Daisy. Clover is also traditionally recognised as a symbol of luck, wealth and comfort. I like to think a girl would be delighted to be told that her name is associated with love and luck. 

Clover - definitely worth more than a second look. Happy Valentines Day everyone!

Thomas Sabo Clover Charm

Boo!

Kaitlyn Jenkins plays "Boo" on Bunheads

Boo would be such a fun Halloween name! It's what ghosts (supposedly) say to scare people, and what kids - and some adults - yell out to surprise people when they jump out from behind a corner.

But surely no one would actually give their child the name Boo, I hear you say. Not so. There are a few examples, such as Boo Cook, a (male) British comic artist. But perhaps more famously known is the example of Jamie and Jools Oliver's second daughter, Daisy Boo. Jools Oliver supports creative naming, so would probably love to hear that one New York couple loved the nickname they gave their growing baby so much that it stuck. Yes, they called their child Boo! - exclamation point and all! Boo! was due on Halloween, and they left the exclamation point because they wanted people to know that the reference to Halloween was fully intentional. Brave or silly? You be the judge.

Clearly these parents are in the minority. Most people see Boo as really cute - for a nickname. The cute factor is probably helped a lot by the small girl character Boo from 'Monsters Inc', or Yogi Bears sidekick Boo Boo, or even Boo the maniacally giggling ghost in the 'Mario Brothers' video games. Plus peek-a-boo is a cutesy game played with young children. And of course there is the fact that Boo is commonly used as a term of endearment.

Funnily enough, famous people with the nickname Boo tend to be male. I say funnily enough because my first instinct is that it would be more of a girl's name. However, famous male Boo's include:

• Character Arthur "Boo" Radley from the book "To Kill A Mockingbird";
• American professional golfer Thomas Brent "Boo" Weekley;
• American football player Kevin "Boo" McLee Jr; and
• English singer-songwriter Mark "Boo" Hewerdine.

Perhaps the reason I see Boo as more of a girl's nickname is because I've recently seen Boo pop up as a nickname for the character Bettina in the ABC family TV show 'Bunheads'. A lovely, vintage revival given name with a cute as a button nickname. This show has helped to bring both Bettina and Boo back onto the radar for a lot of baby name lovers.

And then there is that other TV show - the steam train that is the reality show 'Here Comes Honey Boo Boo'. Honey Boo Boo's real name is Alana. She is currently the talk of America, although not necessarily for good reasons. But even if her show is controversial, her cute nickname is well suited to her extremely bubbly personality.

What do you think? Would you use Boo as a name? Would you use it as a nickname? As we can see from the above examples, Boo could be a nickname for pretty much any name under the sun. For parents who love Halloween but want a to use a birth name that won't hamper a possible future professional career , Boo as a nickname or second name could be a nod to one of their favourite times of the year.

One Syllable "AY" Names

One syllable names are great things. They can be cute and spunky. They can be simple and lovely on girls, or abrupt and strong on boys. As first names, they can balance out a long, complicated surname. Or as middle names they have help tone down a long or "frilly" first name, and often they help to create that highly desired "flow" between a first name and a surname. And they're perfect for parent hoping to head off undesirable nicknames.

If you're after a one syllable name, a great resource is the e-book '1-Syllable Baby Names', written by Nancy Mann and available at Nancy's Baby Names. In it she outlines the 100 most popular one syllable baby names (for girls and boys) in America in 2011. I was reading through it the other day when I was struck by how many of these names contain an "AY" sound. I shouldn't really be surprised, because when I think about it most of my own favourite one syllable names contain this sound, such as Paige, Sage and Dane. Even my husband's name falls into this category. I like the sound of these names, so I can understand why so many others do too.

So listed here are the names that meet this criteria that appeared in the top 1000 last year, as per Nancy's book. I've changed the order slightly to include various spellings of the same name as one entry. Where a name does have various spelling, they are written in order of popularity.

                    GIRLS                                                      BOYS
                    Grace/Grayce                                            James
                    Faith/Fayth                                               Chase
                    Jade/Jayde/Jaide                                       Jace/Jayce/Jase
                    Paige                                                         Blake
                    Kate/Cate                                                  Jake
                    Jane/Jayne                                                Gage
                    Sage/Saige                                                Lane/Layne
                    Rayne/Rain/Raine/Reign                             Shane
                    Maeve                                                       Drake
                    Mae/May/Mai                                            Zane
                    Shea/Shay/Shae                                        Cade/Kade
                    Blake                                                        Frank
                    Layne/Laine/Lane                                      Trey
                    Faye                                                          Tate
                    Chase                                                        Jay
                    Rae                                                           Kane
                                                                                     Wade
                                                                                     Ace
                                                                                     Blaine
                                                                                     Trace
                                                                                     Kale
                                                                                     Case
                                                                                     Dane

At this point there are a couple of observations I'd like to make. Firstly, only three names on this list were used for both girls and boys - Chase, Blake and Lane. In all three cases, more males were given the name than females were.

the next is that there were fewer girls names, but they varied the most, as almost all names were used with more than one spelling. Comparatively, only three of the boys names had more than one spelling, and only one name - Blaine - used the "ai" combination that is so popular with the girls. Do we see "ai" as more feminine? Are we more open to experimenting with our girls names than boys names? And for those who think there are more "good" girls names than boys, it seems this would be one category where that is not the case, judging from the length of the boys list.

If this has whet your appetite, but you prefer names that are a little less commonly used, then here are some more for you to think about:

Babe                              Haig                        Pace                         Thane
Bay/Bai                          Hale                       Payne/Paine               Trail
Blaise                             Haze                       Praise                       Twain
Craig                              Kane                       Quade/Quaid             Vale
Dale                               Kay                         Rafe                           Wales
Day                               Lake                        Slade                          Wray
Flame                            Mace                       Slate                           Yale
Gale/Gail                      Maine                      Swain                         Zade/Zaid/Zayd
Gray/Grey                     Nate                        Taye/Tay                    Zale
   

Florinda

I saw this name - Florinda - in the paper today as the name of a French model. Having never heard it before, I was intrigued. It sounded like a great smoosh of Florence (which is so hot right now) and Linda. Exotic yet familiar at the same time, and different enough to stand out in a crowd.

So I have to admit I was surprised when a quick Google showed me that this is far from a new, invented name. Florinda is a Latin/French name, a variant of Flora, who was the Roman Goddess of Flowers. Like Flora, it means flower, flowering or in bloom. It has been used more years than not in the US but never given to more than a couple of dozen girls in any one year. When used used in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands it is pronounced flo-RIN-dah (which is how I automatically thought of it), when used in Spain and Portugal it is said flo-REEN-dah.

Florinda could be a great, little used alternative for popular favourites Flora and Florence, and better yet, another way to get to the cute nicknames Flo and Florrie. It's also a subtle nature name, for those like myself who like names with nature meanings. Still not quite convinced? Here are a few other similar choices and their meanings to get you thinking:

Florine (flower)

Florina (flower)

Florissa (flower-like)

Florencia (blooming flower)

Florentina (blooming flower)

Floressa (flower)

Floretta (flower)

Floria (blooming flower)

Floriana (flower)

Florinia (blooming flower)

Florita (flower)

Fleur (flower)

Fleurette (little flower)

section of the painting 'Florinda' (1852) by Franz Xaver Winterhalter