Cereza

Vanessa Hudgens plays Cereza in 'Machete Kills'

I spotted this gem in the movie 'Machete Kills' recently. Yes, strange place for some naming inspiration. But not quite so strange when you consider the large impact that 'Columbiana' had on the name Cataleya in 2012.

Cereza is a rare one indeed. Pronounced seh-RAY-zuh it is the Spanish word for cherry. I'm not sure how popular it is as a name in Spain or Mexico, but in the U.S. it has never charted. It's kind of surprising when you consider that the name Cherry has been used for girls almost every year since 1880, and Cerise (French for cherry, pronounced seh-REESE) since 1951. Maybe there's a less than flattering association with this word in the U.S. that I'm not aware of that has prevented parents from using it, or maybe it just hasn't gotten enough exposure to turn it mainstream.

This is one of those names that has two contrasting images. For one, the Aji Cereza (cherry pepper) is a small red pepper that is native to Peru, which makes one think of things being spicy and fiery. On the other hand, when people think of cherries they tend to think of something that is small, cute and sweet. A girl with this name could be either, or both at once, which is maybe what writers were thinking when they named this character for 'Machete Kills'. In this movie the character of Cereza is played by the young and beautiful Vanessa Hudgens - so it's likely that the casting choice alone will get people noticing this name.

Besides 'Machete Kills', there is also a character called Cereza in the video game 'Bayonetta'. This Cereza is a young girl who is raised to be a witch. Also known as the forbidden child, she too is a girl of contrasts because she is the daughter of both light and dark.

Another positive point for Cereza for me is that it seems like a great not-too-obvious Christmas related name. Here in Australia Christmas is of course in Summer, and it's rare for many Australian families to have a Christmas Day without some fresh, juicy cherries on the table.

Cereza could be a sweet, exotic and very unexpected choice for your baby girl, and one we may see make it's first appearance on the SSA lists in the next couple of years.

The New Covens of Witch Names

It's that time of year again - when new shows hit our screens, and old favourites return with a fresh new season. In recent years you can count on there being a few new shows that feature some of the most popular supernatural beings - vampires, werewolves and witches - and this season does not disappoint. It's always interesting to see how these types of characters are named. Do the writers give them little known, "exotic" names to emphasise their mysterious natures? Or old and sometimes antiquated names to emphasise just how old they are? Or "everyday" names to instill in viewers the fear that these types could be living amongst us and we wouldn't even realise it?

Well, often that depends on the era the show is set in. And usually a show will employ more than one of the above tactics. Out of interest though, I thought I'd look a this years batch of witch names, as seen in four new series to feature witch covens in their storyline.

'American Horror Story: Coven'
I love how this show refreshes itself, with each season an encapsulated storyline with different characters but employing a similar cast of actors. This season the show gets away from murder houses ad lunatic asylums and heads to New Orleans and a house that hides and nurtures young witches. This means there should be plenty of young witches (and names) to look at, but these are the main players.

Cordelia - I have to admit to finding this to be perhaps the "witchiest" name of this season. I love Cordelia, and have been seeing this name mentioned a lot over on the Nameberry forums. She feels kind of magical, almost regal, filled with feminine strength. Cordelia is a Latin name meaning 'heart' and has literary and Shakespeare connections.

Delphine - Pretty and delicate, I love Delphine. Kathy Bates, who is playing the character, doesn't really make me think 'delicate' though. And apparently her character is very nasty, very quickly, so it's unlikely to give this name much of a boost. It hasn't been in the U.S. top 1000 since 1962. and ranked just #4293 in 2012. Delphine is a French name that comes from the Greek town Delphi, means 'dolphin' and is also associated with the delphinium flower.

Fiona - Fiona is probably not the first name to come to mind for most people when picturing a Supreme witch. I guess that's about to change. Pronounced fee-OH-nah, it's a Gaelic name that is quite popular in Scotland but no quite as much in the U.S., although it has been steadily climbing in recent years. It was ranked 209 in 2012. Meaning 'fair, white', it's a pretty, understated name, which will probably feel at odds with this character if Jessica Langes' past roles on 'American Horror Story' are anything to go by.

Madison - Madison is one of the young "pupils" in the series. I like that they have chosen typical, modern names for the younger generation, rather than going out of their way to find outlandish, mystical sounding names. Used for a long time for boys, it came into sudden use for girls after it was infamously given to mermaid Daryl Hannah in 'Splash' in 1984, quickly peaking at #2 in the U.S. in 2001/2002. Swift peaks like this almost guarantee it will fade just as swiftly, but as of 2012 it was still a top 10 name.

Misty - Dare I say it, many would probably call this pretty nature name a "stripper name". Which is a shame as I think it's quite pretty. It does however require that care is taken with the middle name to avoid it becoming a pun name (avoid Dawn at all costs, as this one is already taken by a porn star). Misty peaked in the 1970's at #40, but has declined fast and in 2012 was positioned at just 2741 in the U.S. Which unfortunately also means it feels a little dated these days.

Myrtle - I have a feeling this might be one of those "fusty" names on the brink of being seen as a "vintage chic" name. She peaked in the 1890's and has only charted once since 1997, but a recent appearance of Myrtle on the gorgeous Isla Fisher in 'The Great Gatsby' earlier this year may see her chart again in 2013. It's a Greek/nature name based on the evergreen shrub that has star like flowers and little berries.

Queenie - An English name that means 'queen' (duh), this is also one of the younger characters. I'm not a fan personally as it lacks subtlety, but it has charted in the U.S. almost every year since 1880. It's a rare but not totally unheard of name.

Zoe - another of the younger pupils, Zoe is right on trend, peaking at #30 in the U.S. in 2012. Alternative spelling Zoey has fared even better, also peaking in 2012 but at number 20. Zoe is a Greek name meaning 'life', and I wonder if it's a hint as to what this characters mysterious "ability" is. This pretty name is a firm favourite of mine - along with many other people.

'Sleepy Hollow'
This show is oh-so-very-loosely-based on the legend of Ichabod Crane and the headless horseman. Turns out that the horseman is one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse - go figure - and that Ichabods' wife was a witch (of the good variety of course) who managed to do something that preserved Ichabod so he could rise again to defeat the horseman when he re-appeared in Sleepy Hollow. Which just so happens to be in current times. It's all a bit silly, but I've enjoyed the first few episodes enough. So far we haven't met many witches, but I'm sure there will be more to come as the "good" versus "bad" witch mythology is very prevalent here. And I'm also pretty sure we'll find that Abbie turns out to be a "good" witch and her sister Jenny a "bad" witch. Just saying.

Katrina - Ichabod's wife. Katrina is an Old German name meaning 'pure'. It's a variant of Catherine/Katherine and has long been considered a classic name in many countries. The devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005 led to a dramatic drop in the popularity of this name in the U.S., but 2012 saw it starting to rise again.

Serilda - does the "eril" sound make you think of "evil"? That's probably the point. That said, I quite like Serilda. It's a little like Serena, a little like Matilda. She's also an Old German name, meaning 'armed warrior woman' - making it a strong name if you're looking for something rare and a little mysterious sounding. It has never charted in the U.S.

'The Originals'
Technically about vampires, this show also mixes in werewolves, werewolf/vampire hybrids and an uneasy pact with a coven of witches. It's also set in New Orleans and is a spin off of the highly popular 'The Vampire Diaries', centred around the family of "the original" vampires.

Davina - pronounced dah-VEE-nah, this is a feminine version of David and means 'beloved'. It's definitely not a name you hear everyday - it's well outside the U.S. top 1000 - but it has quite an understated, classy feel to it. Nickname Vina is an interesting option too.

Esther - Biblical Esther (pronounced ESS-ter) has enjoyed quite a steady popularity in the U.S., never ranking outside the top 400. It's thought to have Persian origins and mean 'star'. If this spelling looks a little dated, maybe Esta is more to your liking. Either way, I have to admit to not being a fan of Esther. Which I think is mainly due to the 2009 movie 'Orphan'. It's just a creepy movie. If you love creepy movies and haven't seen it yet, I recommend that you watch it.

Jane Ann - technically not a character, because she has already died in the first episode. But I found this pairing as a first name quite charming so I thought I'd include it.

Katie - Katie is often thought to be an endearment for Kate or Katherine, but Katie is one nickname that has long been used as the name on the birth certificate. It has the same roots as the above Katrina, and hence also means 'pure'. It's a sweet, happy, friendly feeling name that due to it's long popularity feels almost timeless.

Sabine - This is one of those names that makes many name nerds swoon. It's sophisticated and internationally appealing yet charmingly simple. Pronounced sah-BEEN in English and French but sah-BEEN-eh in German, Sabine is a Latin name. It comes from the ancient Sabine people of central Italy and remains quite underused in the U.S.

Sophie - It's not quite as popular as U.S. number 1 Sophia, but it's not too far off at position 52. This is another, friendly, happy feeling name to me, which makes me think that this particular coven are meant to be "good" witches. Sophie (pronounced SOH-fee) is a Greek name meaning wisdom. It's a pretty name for a girl to wear.

'Witches of East End'
This show is based on a novel of the same name by Melissa de la Cruz, which I have to admit I haven't heard of before let alone read. And it seems the show is aimed at readers, as information about the show is relatively light on, except to say that witch sisters Joanna and Wendy are reunited after a long time apart and something happens that means that Joanna must reveal to her two adult daughters that not only is she and their aunt witches, but her daughters are too.

Joanna - Joanna is a Hebrew name meaning 'God is gracious'. It's a pretty well known name in many countries, peaking at #88 in the US in 1984. One benefit to this name is that although everyone has heard it and is familiar with it, plenty of Joanna's say they have rarely met another one. That makes it a great standing-out-yet-fitting-in name option. It's also a multi-syllable girls name that doesn't feel overly frilly, a middle ground which is sometimes hard to find.

Freya - Pronounced FRAY-uh, Freya is a Scandinavian name meaning 'noble lady'. In Norse mythology she was also the goddess of fertility and love. It's starting to get a little more attention in the U.S., where it has never breached the top 1000, but in other countries such as Scotland, Ireland and England/Wales it's a top 100 name. I was a little surprised to see this name on a show about American witches but it makes for a fresh, different name and might give it a bit more exposure.

Ingrid - They may be surprising choices, but a sibset of Freya and Ingrid is truly lovely. Ingrid is also a Scandinavian name with Norse mythology ties. It means 'Ing's beauty', coming from the Norse God of earth's fertility Ing who was said to ride the land every year to prepare it for spring planting. It's more widely known in the U.S. than Freya, but is also yet to reach high levels of popularity.

Wendy - Talking about surprising name choices, to me Wendy felt a little out of step with the other main characters names. And it made me think of Casper the Friendly Ghosts pal, Wendy the Witch. Wendy is a literary name, famously created by 'Peter Pan' author J.M. Barrie and means 'friend'. It feels slightly dated now as it peaked in the U.S. in 1970 at position 28, but still has somewhat of a happy-go-lucky feel to it.


Well there you have it - 20 new witches that will be gracing our screens this month. Which ones do you think are winners? Will the shows, characters and actors they are attached to give them a boost in popularity, or turn people off?

Morgana

Katie McGrath portrays Morgana in TV's 'Merlin'

Morgana has often been shunned as an "evil" and "witchy" name, due to it's common association with legendary witch Morgana Le Fay. In many versions of the Merlin, Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table tales, Morgana is an antagonist, working against Arthur and Guinevere and usually trying to orchestrate their (particularly Arthurs') deaths. Usually she is said to be a half sister to Arthur, the daughter of Arthur's mother from her first marriage.

You often hear "not like Morgana Le Fay!" when someone discusses the merits of the name Morgana. It's possibly  this reaction that has kept Morgana a rarity - in the US, she's never been bestowed on more than 19 girls in any one year. In 2011, she was positioned at just #10127. And I'm not sure she has fared any better in other countries.

However Morgana Le Fay was known by several different variations of this name, with the other well known (and many would say better known) one being Morgan. Unlike Morgana, Morgan's popularity has not suffered very much at all by its association to the Morgan Le Fay character, and continues to be well used for both boys and girls. In fact for boys the lowest position Morgan has held on the US charts since 1888 was #636, and for girls it has been a top 100 name since 1987. So what is it about Morgan than makes it more user-friendly?

Morgan is a Welsh name meaning 'circle; sea; bright'. It is thought that the use of Morgan for the Morgan Le Fay character was inspired by the mythical Welsh water spirits known as Morgens. Perhaps for this reason, Morgan is also often used in modern supernatural fiction for magically inclined characters. For example, 'The Dresden Files' series by Jim Butcher had a wizard character named Morgan (full name Donald Morgan); and the main character of 'The Hollows' series by Kim Harrison is named Rachel Morgan. Perhaps it is due to this more general use - and the fact that it sounds like a "regular" surname name - that it is more readily accepted. Actors Morgan Fairchild and Morgan Freeman probably helped a lot to make Morgan more familiar and usable. It also sounds friendlier due to it's similarity in sound to the German word "morgen" meaning 'tomorrow'.

Morgan Le Fay
by Frederick Sandys

Morgana, by contrast, is almost exclusively thought of in relation to this one figure. She sounds darker; more exotic and mysterious. She also sounds like she fits right in alongside Disney villain names such as Cruella and Ursula. Disney must have thought so too, because they actually did name the villain of 'The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea' Morgana. It was also the name of a villain in 'Power Rangers: SPD', and a pretty bad-ass looking champion in the video game 'League of Legends'.  For some, Morgana will only ever be dark and nasty.

I prefer to focus on the exotic and mysterious aspect to the name Morgana. She may not be conventionally pretty, but she's interesting.

We seem to be fascinated with supernatural beings these days, so it seems that it is not inconceivable that popular movies such as 'Beautiful Creatures' will spark a renewed interest in traditionally magical names. Who knows - Morgana may yet have her day in the sun. Just don't use it with the middle names Lee or Fay........

Evanora

Rachel Weiss gets her evil on!

If you've been to the movies in the past couple of weeks (and if you haven't, I highly recommend 'Wreck It Ralph'!) you've probably seen the trailer for the latest Wizard of Oz movie, 'Oz: The Great and Powerful'. The movie is due out in March and looks like it is going to be a visually sumptuous event. The fabulous Sam Raimi directs, James Franco stars as Oz, and the story is a prequel of sorts - the background story for Oz before Dorothy Gale lands on the scene.

All the hype aside, one of the things that caught my attention was the three enchantresses of the movie. We all know Glinda, this time around played by Michelle Williams, who we recognise as the good witch of the South. However traditionally Glinda was the only witch named by the author Frank L Baum (I think), meaning that people creating adaptations have been able to name the other witches as they please. And this time around the writers have gone with Theodora (played by Mila Kunis) and Evanora (Rachel Weiss). Some may be a little disappointed that they are not, well, "glitzier" names, but I think they both strike a good balance between fanciful and classical. After all, the original story was first published in 1900.

Theodora is an existing name meaning 'gift of god'. It's probably my favourite of the many "Dora" names, and Bewitching Names did a great profile of it over a year ago when she first heard the movie was going to be made.

But it was Evanora that I found the more interesting of the two, as I have never seen or heard it before. For this reason, it already makes the character more mysterious than the others. As the trailer tries to make it ambiguous as to whether these two will ultimately be good or bad witches, a bit of mystery is a good thing. I've heard though that Evanora ultimately becomes the Wicked Witch of the East, which makes me think that the "Ev" start to her name is a hint at the evil that is to come from this character.

We could make a few guesses at where Evanora came from, and what it means. My main thoughts are:

• A combination of Eva and Nora (well, duh) producing a possible meaning of 'light and life'
• A combination of Evan and Nora, producing a possible meaning of 'the lord is gracious with life'
• Ev for evil combined with Annora, producing a meaning of 'evil honour'

I have to say that the third is my favourite explanation for a witch. It's also a lot subtler than the names given to the wicked witches in 'The Wiz' - Evamene and Evilene. If I were ever to name a child Evanora though, I'd go with one of the first two explanations!

Unfortunately I don't think that being associated with witches is going to help either Theodora's or Evanora's popularity, which is a shame as they are both lovely and rarely used names. It looks like it's going to be a fantastic movie though - both Rachel Weiss and Mila Kunis are usually fantastic, as are James Franco and Michelle Williams. Here's hoping it's as good as the trailer makes it look!

Hermione

Emma Watson as talented witch Hermione Granger in the 'Harry Potter' movies

One of the great things about the 'Harry Potter' franchise is that it introduced the world to a lot of exotic sounding names that either hadn't been heard much, or had come to be considered as "fusty". J.K. Rowling gave many of these names a new vibrancy and made people think that maybe they could work on an actual person after all.

One of the witchy names that has caught people's imagination like no other is Hermione. Personally, 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' was the first time I had ever seen the name, and at first I thought it was made up. By the time the first movie was released in 2001 I had read the first four books, and having only seen the name in print I had been pronouncing it 'her-MEE-oh-nee'. Of course, when the movie came out I found that it is actually 'her-MY-oh-nee', which sounds more like 'her-MINE-ee' when said fast.

Pronunciation lesson aside, Hermione is a Greek name, a feminine form of the Greek messenger god Hermes. There seems to be a little confusion over what it means though, with definitions ranging from 'messenger, earthly' to 'travel' to 'stone'. There was also a Hermione in Greek mythology, the daughter of Helen of Troy and Menelaus. She lived with her aunt Clymenestra, and married Neoptolemus after the Trojan war, which is mentioned 'The Odyssey'. She later left her husband after a dispute with Andromache, one of her husband's concubines, who Hermione blamed for her inability to fall pregnant because she claimed that Andromache was casting spells on her.

Other famous Hermione's (besides 'Harry Potter's' Granger) include:

• English actresses Hermione Baddeley, Gingold, Hannen, Hammond, Norris and Gulliford
• British radio and TV personality Hermione Cockburn
• Painter Hermione Harris
• Christian martyr and prophetess Hermione of Ephesus
• Veronica Lodge's mother in the 'Archie' comics
• Queen Hermione from Shakespeare's 'The Winter's Tale'.

David Bowie's album 'Space Oddity' also includes a song titled 'Letter to Hermione', although the name is never mentioned in the lyrics. And if you like names with a bit of an astronomical flair, there is a great dark main belt asteroid named Hermione.

In the US, Hermione was only sporadically used until 2001 when the first 'Harry Potter' movie was released. It peaked in 2006 at position #2489 when it was given to 74 girls, so the name is hardly common. It has appeared in the top 1000 in Belgium, but is the most popular in the UK. There it peaked in 2003/2004 when it was ranked #265. In 2010 it was sitting at #398, given to 111 babies.

While some people think the name is ugly and would be constantly mispronounced and mis-spelled, the huge benefit of 'Harry Potter' is that this is much less likely to happen these days. The name is now recognisable rather than strange, so girls with this name should have fewer causes to fear being called Herman or Hermy-own. Hermione Granger is a great role model, as she is brave, intelligent and strong. Yes, a girl with this name would be compared to her these days, but with such great attributes that is hardly the worst thing a child could hear. If it does concern you though, variations such as Hermia, Hermina, Hermine, Herminie, Herminia, Hermalina, Harmione, or Harmonia could be more to your taste.

Hermione - a modern day witch with a not-so-modern name. Greek names have been getting a lot of attention lately with the rise of Penelope, so why not be a little different and give Hermione a chance.

Dresden

Paul Blackthorne as Harry Dresden in 'The Dresden Files' TV show

Most fans of the sci-fi/fantasy genre will immediately know why Dresden has made the list. One of my favourite book series is 'The Dresden Files', written by Jim Butcher (the new book 'Cold Days' is due out November 27!). 'The Dresden Files' also had a short run as a TV series adaptation on the SciFi channel in 2007. As a fan of the books, I can understand why it only lasted one season - there were too many differentiations from the books to win over the established readers, and those concessions meant the show lost a lot of the charm the books had that the show needed to win new fans.

'The Dresden Files' are about the adventures of Harry Dresden, a wizard living in modern day Chicago who makes a living as a private investigator, specialising in the paranormal. Because he does a lot of work with the police department, he is often referred to as Dresden rather than Harry. I also love the back story behind his full name. Dresden was born on Halloween (another Halloween link for this name!), and his father was a magician. Not so much a bonafide wizard, but a Las Vegas style stage magician, and he chose his sons names for other magicians that he admired. His full name is Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden - Harry for Harry Houdini, Blackstone for Harry Blackstone Sr. and Copperfield for David Copperfield.

The character of Dresden is a bit smart mouthed, very brave and daring, and often makes rash decisions due to his need to protect others, especially those he loves or those who cannot protect themselves. One of the most appealing things about him is that he is not an infallible character who runs around saving people easily. He sometimes gets it wrong - he makes mistakes and often gets beat up physically and mentally, but he keeps trying. He's an admirable and relatable character, and because of the associations with the books and the character Dresden is starting to get a lot more attention as a name.

Obviously I fall into the camp of people who think this is a cool name because of the Harry Dresden association, however not everyone feels this way because of the history of the most famous Dresden. The German city of Dresden was once an extremely beautiful city, sometimes called the Jewel box. However towards the end of World War 2 the city was bombed by Allied forces, which resulted in the destruction of the beautiful baroque and rococo city centre.

While it may be hard for some to get past this tragic connection, the city has been recovering, so it could be said that there is no reason why the name Dresden can't be reclaimed for more positive meanings now - such as for naming beautiful babies.

Dresden is a German name and means 'people of the riverside forest', a meaning that conjures images of serenity. While I think of it as a boys name because of Harry Dresden, it is a name that people are discussing as a possible boys or girls name. Most place names are fairly unisex, so I don't see why Dresden wouldn't be either. It's also a refreshing option for people wanting to honor a German heritage or connection.

What do you think? Maybe you are secretly considering the name and just aren't sure it's actually usable. I think it is, and could be a real winner.

Thackery



Kathy Najimy, Bette Midler & Sarah Jessica Parker in Hocus Pocus

I recently watched the movie 'Hocus Pocus' again and was charmed by the name of one of the characters, Thackery. Thackery Binx (another cool name!) is the young boy who was turned into a cat by the three witches in this movie when he tries to rescue his sister from their wicked clutches (cackle cackle). He then helps a trio of young children to end the witches reign of terror forever when they are resurrected unintentionally 300 years later.

Thackery originated as a surname, and while there are many people with this surname it is rarely used as a given name. Apart from Thackery Binx, there is one other famous character with this name - Thackery Earwicket, the March Hare from 'Alice in Wonderland'. So it would seem that this is one surname crossover that has been reserved for mystical, talking animals in fantasy tales. Thackery is also the name of a town in the US state of Ohio, and the alternative spelling of Thackeray is the surname of the author of the classic novel 'Vanity Fair'.

It's a little difficult to pin down the meaning of Thackery, but assuming it's the same as the meaning for Thackeray it means 'place with thatching' or possibly 'dweller by the nook where the reeds for thatching grow'.

I like the sound of Thackery, it has a very upper crust British feel to it. People who remember the name from the movie think it is cute and unique. The main drawback seems to be that many people comment that it sounds like someone with a lisp trying to say Zachary. Maybe. And I guess the common nickname for Zachary is Zack, but I'm not so sure Thack would be considered a desirable nickname!

If you're a bit put off by the idea of people thinking your child's name is Zachary and you can't pronounce it correctly, Thatcher and Thayer are two alternatives with a similar look, feeling and meaning. I think I personally would lean towards Thayer as it is a little softer, but I don't think I'd need an alternative as I much prefer Thackery. Maybe as a middle name though :-)


Thackery Binx in cat form

Great Sibsets - The Halliwells

No, not Gerri Halliwell aka Ginger Spice. The other Halliwells - Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Paige, the magical sisters from the TV series 'Charmed'.

Prue (Shannen Doherty), Piper (Holly Marie Combes), Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) and Paige (Rose McGowan)

For those who haven't heard of this, sibset is baby naming speak for sets of siblings. It seems that these days not only do we want the 'perfect' names for our children, but we want our childrens names to sound like they 'go together' when we do the family roll call :-) I think this combo was one of the first that ever made me think about having an element that links brothers and sisters names together.

Originally, Prue (short for Prudence) Piper and Phoebe were the 'charmed' ones - three sisters destined to be the greatest witches of all time, most powerful when they were together. After Prue's death, it was found that the girls had another half sister, conveniently also with a P name - Paige. So Piper didn't have to change the name of her nightclub (it was called P3). There are three main reasons why I think this worked so well in this instance:

• The show started before the "matching-first-initials" craze was made famous (and let's face it, slightly trashy) by the Duggars and Kardashians.
• There are only four few of them, so it wasn't an overkill and they didn't have to start having similar sounding names (Joshua, Josiah, Johannah and Josie in the same family?!)
• They are all beautiful, 'proper' names. No changing letters to fit a theme (Kortney, Khloe, Jinger?). Here's a closer look at each of them.

Prue - This short form is the only thing that made me notice the beauty of the name Prudence. It's a lovely, old fashioned virtue name, with a cute, spunky nickname. It's not on the rise yet, but might be as the huge success of 'The Hunger Games' has put names such as Rue and Prim (short for Primrose) on the radar for many people. Prue has a similar feel and sound, so may be up for people who love these but want to steer clear of any obvious connections to the franchise.

Piper - Piper is an occupational name which leaped up the charts thanks mainly to this show. It was virtually unheard of at the start of the 1990's, but started to chart a year after the show started. It has steadily climbed since then, with Pyper now seeing some use as a variation. Piper is a fun, happy sounding and spunky name, while still sounding classy, which has likely contributed to it's popularity.

Phoebe - In the 90's, this name was seen on both 'Charmed' and the hugely popular 'Friends'. Already on the rise before this, these shows helped to push Phoebe up the charts. Phoebe has Greek origins - she was once known as the goddess of the moon - and has the beautiful meaning of 'radiant, shining one'. It's one of those names that nothing else sounds similar to. Phoebe is unique and makes people think of a fun loving, warm and caring individual.

Paige - an occupational name, the 'i' makes this an appealing looking name and less like the traditional word page, which conjures up entirely different images. Classy but not snotty sounding, I have a lot of love for Paige. Which I've mentioned before, so I won't bang on about it :-)

Matching first initials may still seem like a bad idea to many - I guess there could be problems with having 3 or 4 different B Smiths at the same school for example. But past those school days, it's a nice link that your children will always have with each other, something special that they share beyond the joy of simply being brothers and sisters.