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.

Jemima

Actress Jemima Rooper

I was watching an episode of 'Atlantis' today, which features actress Jemima Rooper. I really like Jemima Rooper. I first saw her in the supernaturally themed series 'Hex', but if you're a Jane Austen fan you must check out a mini series called 'Lost in Austen', where she plays a current day avid Jane Austen reader who gets transported into a Jane Austen novel. Seeing her in 'Atlantis' today reminded me just how much I like the name Jemima.

Jemima - pronounced jeh-MYE-mah - is one of those underused names that most people recognise but few people know one. She's a biblical name, the eldest daughter of Job, sister to Keziah and Keren, and considered to be very beautiful. Jemima (or Jemimah) is a Hebrew name meaning 'dove'. I've read online that it technically means warm or affectionate and also accepted to mean dove because the Hebrew word for dove comes from the same origins, but as I'm not Hebrew myself I can't honestly say just how accurate that is.

It is however a very pretty sounding name, with a dash little "olde worlde" charm and a certain warmth to it. It also fits into a nice middle ground between vintage and current - nickname possibilities such as Jem, Jemma, Mima or Mimi certainly help to give it a fun and popular feel. I can't help but feel that she would be a great sister to a Tess, Arabella, Bethany or Abigail; Max, Wesley, Charles or Thaddeus.

Unfortunately though many people consider the name unusable. It's rarely heard here in Australia and languishes at the lower end of the SSA charts in the US, positioned at #3850 in 2012. It fares much better in England, where it rose to position #196 last year. It seems to depend heavily on the most common pop culture association each country has with Jemima:

• In Australia, Jemima is entrenched in many people's hearts as a rag doll from children's TV show 'Play School', which has been essential viewing for Australian children since 1966. When I Googled Jemima, she was the number one result I received. She's beloved, yes, but it's kind of like naming your child Elmo. 
• In the U.S. the immediate association is with Aunt Jemima pancake mix and syrup. The products debuted in 1889 and the trademark character derives from a stereotypical African American character that was often used in minstrel shows at the time, usually portrayed by black face performers. It's synonymous with Mammy type characters and considered to be a racist, derogatory and therefore offensive character. Hence why parents aren't flocking towards using it.
• In England, Jemima was popular during the Puritan era (16th and 17th century). They favoured biblical and virtuous names, and Jemima with her biblical connections and symbolical meaning of 'dove' fit the bill well. Since then the best known Jemima is arguably Beatrix Potter's Jemima Puddle-Duck. While a Puddle-Duck may not be considered an exciting image to be associated with, it's not as immediately off-putting and in many ways is an endearing image. 

If after knowing about these you're still keen, keep in mind that there are also positive associations with this name. Besides the beautiful biblical Jemima, there are the real life examples of the before mentioned Jemima Rooper, writer and campaigner Jemima Khan and HBO's 'Girls' star Jemima Kirke, all London born. She's an innocent kitten character in the musical 'Cats' (interesting fact - the character was renamed Syllabub when the show went from London the Broadway to avoid the Aunt Jemima association) and a sweetly innocent Victorian era girl in 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'. Authors such as Dickens, Trollope and Thackeray have all used the name for characters, giving it some literary cred, too. It's generally considered to be a more upper-class name.

Like many names, Jemima has it's positive and negative connotations. It's just a shame that the one negative one is so strong that it makes it unusable for a large portion of people. Jemima is a gem (pardon the pun) that deserves to be rescued, but I can understand why parents would be reluctant to try that with their child. Otherwise it's a pretty, charming name with a great balance of fun and elegance.

Astley

If you're a fan of 80's music, you probably recognise this name as the surname of singer Rick Astley. His biggest hit was the pop smash 'Never Gonna Give You Up', which was a hit song in 1987. It again made a resurgence in 2007 when the video clip became a You Tube sensation, the subject of an Internet meme known as "Rickrolling". The concept of Rickrolling is that someone would send you a link to a You Tube video reportedly about one subject, but when you clicked on the link it would instead take you to the Rick Astley video clip.

Whether you're a fan of Rick Astley or not though, I find the idea if the name Astley intriguing. It's so similar to perennial favourite Ashley that I'm surprised it hasn't caught on yet. Maybe people have avoided it because it is so closely linked to Rick Astley, or maybe of surname names had been as popular in the 80's as they currently are it would be a different story. But for whatever reason, the only year it has charted in America was in 1993 (the year Rick retired from the music industry) when it was given to just 5 boys.

As it is rare as a first name there is little information about the meaning of Astley. As a surname, it originated as an English place name. Several towns carried this name, which derives from the English words 'est leah' meaning 'east leigh' or 'east meadow'. It came into use as a surname back in the times when people first adopted surnames and it was common practice to identify oneself in relation to where they lived.

Other sources cite an alternative meaning for Astley, saying it is Greek for starry field. This seems less likely than the Old English origin and meaning, simply because although 'asteri' is the Greek work for star, in Greek the word for meadow is 'livadi' and the word for field is 'pedio'. And most names ending in 'Ley' tend to have Old English origins. It's a sweet notion though.

I love the sound of Astley. So far it has only charted for boys, and I can understand why it would be a great name for boys. It's a good alternative for those who like Ashley but baulk at the idea that it has "gone to the girls". I also love it for a girl though - it has that preppy kind of feel that I love in a name, but still retains an almost romantic image. 'Never Gonna Give You Up' would also make a great lullaby to sing to a little Astley to let them know how much they are loved ☺

If you're worried that it is a little too connected to the 80's icon, then perhaps one of its variants such as Astlee, Astlie, Astly, Atley, Asterleigh, Asterley or even Estleia would be more to your taste. I personally love the idea of a little Astley on the playground though. And the 80's are retro cool now - Astley could be a super cool name to have.

Fiora

Musical Artist Fiora

Like Fiona or Flora, but want something a little different and a lot rarer? Then how about Fiora.

Fiora (pronounced fee-OR-ah) is one of those names that no one is 100% sure where it came from, but there seem to be two main theories. The first - which seems to be the correct one - is that Fiora comes from the Latin fiore, meaning 'flower'. Fiore was used as a unisex name in Medieval Italian, and related names include Fiorella (feminine form) and Fiorello (masculine form), both meaning 'little flower'.

Another often quoted theory is that Fiora is a variant of the Gaelic name Fiona, which means 'fair' or 'pale'. From what I can find though, this seems to be entirely based on a character called Fiora Flynn, from a mystery series written by A.E Maxwell (husband and wife team Ann and Evan). In this series, main character Fiora receives her name after a nurse at the hospital where she is born mistakenly writes Fiora rather than her intended name, Fiona. As the first book in the series was published in 1985, I'd go with the Medieval Italian source if you want a "legitimate" origin.

Fiora suddenly popped up on the American charts quite recently in 2003. That year it was given to just 5 girls, ranking it at #16566. In 2012 it had risen to position #6917, so this is one name on the move. Besides character Fiora Finn, there are a few examples out there that people may be taking their inspiration from:

• Tasmanian born singer & musician Fiora, best known for dance music collaborations with other prominent dance artists
• Italian charm bracelet and jewellery brand Fiora
• Italian river the Fiora
• Fiora Laurent, a.k.a. The Grand Duellist, champion in the online video game 'League of Legends'
• Playable character Fiora in video game 'Xenoblade Chronicles', whose skills are courage, daring, zeal, rashness and innocence.

The thing I like about Fiora is that the image I get in my mind when I think of a Fiora is so at odds with the meaning of the name. It's a pretty, feminine name, and when you think of flowers you tend to think soft and delicate. Yet when I think of Fiora it makes me think of fire, of someone who is confident, assertive and strong, and I love a girls name that could mean any or all of those things to anyone who hears it. I also like that you could use the spunky nickname Fia, although Fifi or just Fi would also be perfectly cute options.

A Fiora may often get confused for a Fiona or Flora, but if you don't mind that then this is one beautiful, exotic rarity. It could be a way to honour an Italian heritage, or a floral name from your family tree such as Lily or Rose. It would be a surprising name, but one that I think you'll find others will like more than you think.

Delta

For many Americans, the name Delta probably feels a little stale, bringing to mind images of actress Delta Burke of the 80's TV series 'Designing Women'. But for Australians, Delta is fresh, synonymous with the young, talented judge of the Australian series of 'The Voice', Delta Goodrem.

Delta Goodrem first became an Australian household name appearing on 'Neighbours' as young aspiring singer Nina in her late teens. The show was a springboard for Delta to release her debut album 'Innocent Eyes', which became the highest selling Australian album ever and gave Delta the record of having five singles from her debut album to reach number 1 on the Australian charts.

Since then Delta has released three more albums and has been the only female judge on both of the Australian seasons of 'The Voice'. And while her personal life has often attracted just as much attention as her professional career, this has never been more true than while she has been on 'The Voice'. A simple change in her hairstyle was the main story in the gossip pages of the 'Herald Sun' Melbourne newspaper two days in a row last week.

But all this does bring a lot of attention to the name Delta. Delta (pronounced DEHL-tah) originates from the Greek alphabet - it is the equivalent of the letter D. It also represents the letter D in the NATO phonetic alphabet, and the symbol for Delta is also a mathematical symbol. But perhaps the closet you can get to a meaning is when it is used as a place name - a delta is a land form at the mouth of a river, which I guess makes Delta and place and a nature name.

Delta is a pretty common word. It appears on cars, companies, sororities, computer games, a radio station, an airline, special police operations in America and Norway, and multiple towns and other locations. The Delta Blues music style also got its name from the Mississippi Delta region it originated from. And yet Delta is by no means a common name. It's not in the top 100 anywhere in the world,and in America in 2012 it was given to just 16 girls, giving it a position of #7486. It was much more popular at the beginning of the 1900's, peaking at #723 in 1893. It is perhaps because of this and the iconic, southern style of the Delta Blues that can leave people feeling that Delta is a laid back, old school southern charm type of name.

Yet Delta has quite a chameleon-like feel to it. I don't think that it will ever be a super popular name. But it's somewhat of an alternative modern classic - a name that could weather the test of time and still look fresh in the future. As Delta Goodrems' popularity increases, people will definitely be giving Delta a second look.

The New Unisex Names

Both Mathai (pictured above) and Music entered the charts in 2012

Every year names move up and down, on and off the US Social Security Administration (SSA) charts of popular names. A name will appear on the charts if it has been given to more than five babies of one gender in that year. Usually when a name enters the lists, it enters for one gender first and takes some time to chart for the other gender (if it ever does). 

Take the now unisex name Cameo for example. Cameo first entered the girls charts in 1957. But it wasn't until 1979 – more than 20 years later - that it started to chart for boys too. It also charts much more irregularly for boys than it does for girls.

So it's fair to say that it takes quite a special name to simultaneously enter both the boys and the girls charts for the first time in the same year. There is something about it that has captured the imagination of parents, who think it has a sound and feel that could work for either gender.

In 2012 there were five such names to enter the charts, which are:

IREOLUWA - Given to 11 girls and 8 boys in 2012

Also written IreOluwa, apparently it is pronounced ee-ray-o-LOO-wah. I've never actually heard it in person though, so if this is wrong feel free to correct me in the comments below!

Ireolewa comes from the Nigerian language of the Yoruba people, consisting of Ire, meaning a 'blessing or positive thing' and Oluwa meaning 'God', hence this name most likely means 'blessing from God'. Many Yoruba names contain the element Oluwa, and Ireoluwa is quite similar to Oreoluwa, which means 'gift of God'.

This is quite an appealing sounding name with a beautiful meaning – but may seem disrespectful if your family/child is not of Nigerian or even African descent. A great option if you are though.

KENTLEE - Given to 5 girls and 6 boys in 2012

In recent years we've seen almost every spelling of Kinley, Kinsley, Kenley, and Kensley imaginable. Then came Kentley and Kentleigh. I guess it was only a matter of time before people branched out a little more and came up with Kentlee. Another smoosh, Kent means 'edge' and 'Lee' means 'meadow', so Kentlee would mean 'meadow's edge'.

As a name, this is not quite as soft sounding as it's predecessors. It does however have quite a modern, surname-y feel to it that is quite popular at the moment. However it is likely to get slightly lost in this group of similar sounding names. Interestingly, Kentley has also charted for the both genders in the last couple of years, but the Kentleigh spelling has so far been reserved for girls only.

MATHAI - Given to 10 girls and 8 boys in 2012

If you missed the second season of 'The Voice' in America, you may not know where the inspiration for the name Mathai comes from. Sharon Mathai – known only as Mathai – is a singer from Texas who was born in Queens to Indian parents. She made it to the top ten on 'The Voice' as a member of Adam Levine's team after a strong performance of Adele's 'Rumour Has It' in the blind auditions , and has recently released her debut single 'Once Again'.

Mathai is pronounced mah-TIE, and it's easy to see why parents are attracted to it for both boys and girls. Nickname Matty is popular for both genders, as is the name Tye/Ty/Thai. It's quite an attractive sounding name. If Mathai's career takes off the way the judges on 'The Voice' think it will, we could be seeing a lot more of this name.

MUSIC - Given to 6 girls and 6 boys in 2012

I find it fairly amusing that with all the time I've spent pondering about musically related names, I missed the most obvious one – Music. It's fabulous in it's simplicity, and I'm surprised it hasn't appeared on the charts before now considering the popularity of word names. Could be a very cool name to have.

ZIKORA - Given to 6 girls and 10 boys in 2012

The last name on this list is also a Nigerian name, this time from the Igbo people. Zikora is actually an abbreviated form (or nickname) for the longer names Zikoranachidimma, Zikoranachukwudimma or Zikoranaudodimma. The first two of these mean 'show the world that God is great', while the third means 'show the world that peace is great', so Zikora would have both of these meanings.

I'm not sure how this one is pronounced, although it's likely zi-KOR-ah, which is quite spunky sounding. Especially with that Z sound. Since it's more of a nickname than a “traditional” African name, it's one that could possibly also work well for people without an African background.

Overall it's a pretty cool list of new entrants – I can see why they appealed to parents of both boys and girls. Now only time will tell if these name will be a flash in the pan or will have real staying power.

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.

Charlotte

British Songwriter Charlotte O'Connor

In the year I was born, Charlotte was not exactly a hugely common name. It wasn't near the top 100 in Australia, and in America it was also firmly outside the top 100, ranked at #285. Yet I remember loving the name Charlotte as a child, and apparently I wasn't alone. Fast forward to 2011 and Charlotte is placed #7 in Australia, #27 in America, #5 in New Zealand, and #21 in the UK. It's also a top 100 name in Belgium, Canada, Germany, Scotland and Ireland. It's been caught up in the wave of names that were once felt to be too "old-fashioned", but are now being embraced by parents (for more examples of these types of name, check out this article at babysitting.net).

So what is it about Charlotte that has caused people to fall in love with it all over again? Well, a lot actually.

Great Literary References
A good friend of mine is in love with Charlotte. She has been for a long time, and despairs when she hears of people she knows using it before she has the chance to. Her inspiration comes from Charlotte Lucas - not the actor, but the best friend of Elizabeth Bennett in 'Pride and Prejudice'. Charlotte's character is practical and logical, in contrast to the daring Elizabeth.

Other popular literary references include Charlotte the ingenious spider who finds a way to save the life of her pig friend Wilbur in 'Charlotte's Web'; and author of 'Jane Eyre', Charlotte Bronte. In these examples we see Charlotte as gentle, clever, strong willed, caring, practical, restrained and lady like.

And Musical References
Charlotte has appeared in songs, on songwriters and singers. Rock band 'Good Charlotte''s name was reportedly inspired by the book 'Charlotte's Web'.

A Regal Namesake
Queen Charlotte was the wife of British King George III. Admittedly, from a the couple of portraits I've seen she is not a dazzling beauty. But she bore the King 15 children (13 of which made it to adulthood) which would have been a sign of supreme womanhood and success in a time when a Queen's main "job" was to provide the King with heirs. She was a famous patron of the arts and her love of botany helped enrich and expand Kew Gardens. She was a friend to Marie Antoinette, and the beautiful Bird of Paradise flower was named in her honour.

Prefer your royals to be a little more currently relevant? Princess Caroline of Monaco's second daughter is Charlotte Marie Pomeline Casiraghi. She's 26, an equestrian and journalist, and Grace Kelly's granddaughter.

A Treasured Location
Many places were named in honour of Queen Charlotte, including the cities of Charlottesville (in Virginia), Charlotteton (Prince Edward Island) and Charlotte (in North Carolina). This last one in particular gives Charlotte a "southern belle" feel to it.

Christa B Allen as
Charlotte Grayson in 'Revenge'

Influential Screen Characters
Much more "belle" than southern, in 1998 the character Charlotte York hit our TV screens in 'Sex and the City', capturing many hearts. Charlotte was sweet, romantic, optimistic, practical and traditional. She was possibly intended to be a cross between Austen's Charlotte Lucas and Elizabeth Bennett.

At the time that the show started the name was experiencing a slight down slide in the American charts, but a year later the name was given forward momentum again, and Charlotte has climbed the charts every year since 1999. Other Charlotte's on the screen since have been mainly teenagers (or teenage vampires), appearing in 'Twilight: Breaking Dawn part 2', 'The Vampire Diaries', 'Revenge' and 'The Lying Game'.

A Way To Remember Loved Ones
You may not have a Charlotte in your family tree, but chances are higher you have a Charles. Charlotte is the French feminine diminutive of Charles (with the same meaning of 'free man'), making it a great way to honour great aunt Charlotte, Grandpa Charles or Uncle Charlie. Or all three at once.

And Nicknames Galore 
In it's entirety Charlotte is ladylike, feminine, classic, beautiful and elegant. But many Charlotte's have felt it was a hard name to grow into as a child, it was hard for others to spell, and that younger siblings struggled to say it. And nicknames can be the perfect answer to such problems. Charlie (or Charli) has become so popular as a nickname that girls are now being called Charlie as their formal name, but the are plenty of other options, both "girly" and not. Possibilities include Lottie, Lotta, Lolly, Char, Charl, Carrie, Carlie, Charles or Arly, to name a few.

Whatever it is that attracts you to a name, Charlotte is one name with plenty to love. Rather than "old", it currently screams "timeless". And no matter how popular a name is, there's nothing wrong with not being the only Charlotte you know when you have such a highly regarded name that is more often seen in a positive light than not.

Charlotte blocks available from Three Button Designs

Calliope

Calliope is one of the prettiest (in my opinion) names from Greek Mythology. Pronounced kah-LY-oh-pee, she was one of the nine Muses that were the inspiration of poetry, music and dance. Specifically, Calliope was the muse of epic poetry, and was thought to be the muse of Homer, the author of "The Odyssey" and "The Iliad". The meaning of Calliope is 'beautiful voiced', which is possibly why the musical instrument you hear when on a merry go round was given the same name.

Some may find Calliope slightly hard to say - I've heard of people confusing it with Cauliflower or Cantaloupe. Which makes me think they weren't really making any effort to understand it. Strange. This problem should lessen as we see more characters in television and books with this name. In the 80's, 'Days of Our Lives' had a quirky character named Calliope. In current times, Dr Calliope Torres on 'Grey's Anatomy' goes by the more familiar Callie. There are also central characters in Jeffrey Eugenides' novel "Middlesex", Amy Carter's "Goddess Test" and Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler's "Scrambled Eggs at Midnight" with this name.

I feel that Calliope has a magical, musical quality to it. Some might say it is a big, fanciful name that would be hard for a girl to wear if she wasn't particularly talented in the creative arts. But not everyone will be immediately aware of the musical and creative connections with this name. For me, Calliope actually falls into the category of beautiful, feminine names with spunkier nicknames that make it easier to wear in everyday life. Cute nicknames of Poppy, Calli and Calla spring to mind. Or another option is to spell Kalliope with a K, which gives the longer version a slightly less classic, more modern feel. I think this is one name we'll slowly start seeing more of in the future.

Xyla

I recently stumbled across the beautiful name Xyla mentioned on an old Nameberry.com thread, and it stuck with me. I love how lyrical it sounds.

People may think this is a made up name, but Xyla is actually a variant of the Old Greek name Xylia, and means 'woodland' or 'of the wooded land'.

One super cute Xyla - courtesy of
oliverbluephotography.blogspot.com.au

Like all names, there are both pros and cons to naming your daughter Xyla.

Con - immediate association with Xylophone. But if you're into music, you might not mind this.
Pro - your daughter would have a unique initial - not many girls names start with X
Con - if you ever plan on having a boy named Xavier it could be too matchy-matchy. And if you had more children and wanted to keep a "starts-with-X-pattern" you could really struggle
Pro - it's a fresh alternative to the now super trendy Isla. Isla was #18 here in Australia in 2011, which is a bit too popular for my liking. Besides, I was never a huge fan of Isla anyway, I much prefer Xyla.
Con - a quick Google tells me there is a brand of weight loss foods called Xyla, due to its use of a sweetener called Xylitol. I've never heard of it here in the merry old land of Aus, but doesn't mean it will never come here.
Pro - did I mention how pretty it is?


Xyla is a pretty but spunky name that sounds modern but has historic roots. Whether you feel that the pros outweigh the cons for this name is up to you. I'm definitely leaning towards yes.

Melodious Names

Word names are very cool right now, but one type of word names has long been popular - musical names. No, not characters from musical theatre, but those names based on music and musical terms. This includes as classics Carol and Viola right through to new kids on the block such as Rhapsody and Sonnet.

Musical names have what I like to think of as the smile factor. People love music; and when they hear a name that makes them think of music or a certain piece of music that they adore, it brings a smile to their face. To have the smile factor a name needs to be instantly recognisable, and related to something joyous and positive. Musical names in particular also sound melodious, making them even more attractive.

There are many to choose from, but here are my top picks. Please excuse the fact that they are mainly girls names, I just feel that the softer, lyrical feel of these names tend to work best as girls names.

Aria - I first saw Aria (spelt this way) when it appeared as the name of one of the main characters on 'Pretty Little Liars'. I was immediately captivated by it, and it seems I was not alone. Aria was virtually unheard of until the 1990's, but since 'Pretty Little Liars' started airing in 2010 the name has skyrocketed. Aria is Italian in origin and means 'little melody'. Which leads me to.....

Melody - this is one of my favourite for the beautiful sound of the name. Melody is Greek and means 'song'. Melody is a huge hit now, but was last spiked in the 60's, when it was possibly favoured by "hippie" parents due to it's soft, gentle nature. It even has geek cred! In 'Doctor Who' it is the given name of Amy Pond's daughter, who grew up to be - spoilers - the enchanting River Song.

Cadence - Cadence sounds full of olde world charm, but has enjoyed it's biggest popularity only recently. Cadence has a few of the 'buzz' sounds for modern parents - the "kay" sound at the start (think Kayley, Kayla) the "aden" sound in the middle (think Aidan, Jayden, Brayden) and an "e" at the end. Never mind that it has the work dense in it, people will just notice the cute nickname of Cady. Cadence is Latin and means 'beat or rythm'.

Harmony - almost seems old fashioned these days, and while is less popular than my above examples, it has still enjoyed the same recent spike in popularity that the other musical names above are experiencing. I have to admit, most of my love for this name came from the ditsy, usually horrible but often well meaning character in the 'Buffy' and 'Angel' TV series'. And many will associate the name with her, but this is still a lovely choice if you love the trend but don't want one of the most common ones.

Lyric - Also experiencing a recent jump in popularity, this is one that works well on boys and girls, although is much more popular for girls. I'd be tempted to use Lyric for a boy, as it has the stronger "ric" ending, but Lyrical on a girl to make it a bit more melodious.

Love the idea of a musical name but want one that isn't quite as popular, or one of these just isn't your style? Here's a few more suggestions to get your imagination working - make your own mind up whether you'd use them for a boy or a girl!
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Musidora

"My Musidora" by Vanitas Mori

I was watching the first episode of a 1997 TV show called 'The Hunger' when the name of one of the characters caught my attention - Musidora (pronounced mews-EE-dora). It has a lovely musical sound to it, and I hadn't heard it before.

At first, I thought maybe this was a made-up name, a cross between Muse (as in the mythical Greek muses that provided great artists with inspiration); and Dora (meaning gift). Turns out that I was on the right track - Musidora is a Greek name meaning "gift of the Muses".

Musidora is a rarely used name, with the best known namesake being the French silent movie actress. Her real name was Jean Roques, but she adopted the name Musidora to convey a more mysterious and exotic image to suit the vampy persona she portrayed on film. Her on screen presence was often compared to the likes of Theda Bara. There is also a lesser known Harry Potter character (one of the famous witches on the Chocolate Frog cards); a town in Alberta Canada; a British Group 3 Horse race (known as the Musidora stakes); and a song by Isidore that share the name Musidora.

Like Jean Roques, I feel that this name is beautifully exotic. I tend to like Dora names - especially since Dora itself has such a lovely meaning - and this is one of the rarer ones, which I also like. I've seen Musidora mentioned a couple of times in various forums, and it seems that people feel this name is dark, odd and interesting. Some people would see this as a negative, but if you find these qualities attractive in a name then this could be a great option worth considering!