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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