Gore

I have looked at many, many lists of Halloween and "spooky, scary" type name lists and I have to say I'm surprised I haven't come across this one on any lists! You see plenty of word names such as Shadow, Shade, Raven, Tempest, Thorn and more, but no Gore.

Gore is well qualified to make it onto any list of Halloween baby names. The dictionary lists a few different definitions for the word gore, two in particular which are gruesome enough to earn Gore a place on any list of scary names. One is "blood that has been shed, especially as the result of violence", as in horror movies featuring blood and gore. Another is "to pierce of stab with a horn or tusk", i.e. to be gored by a bull. Which if you've ever seen the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona you'll know is a sort of horror itself.

Grisly meanings aside, Gore came into use as a name in much the same way many names have come into use - firstly as a surname, taken from the place name or landmarks which identified where a family lived. Gore came to use in Britain during the Middle Ages, derived from the old English word 'gara' meaning "a small, usually triangular piece of land". These days people bearing the last name Gore can be found worldwide, with some well known bearers being American footballer Frank Gore, 'It's My Party' singer Leslie Gore; and former US vice-president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore.

Gore is very rare as a first name, although at least one famous bearer was inspired by their family tree. American writer and intellectual Gore Vidal was born Eugene Louis Vidal but became Eugene Louis Gore Vidal when baptised as it was his mothers maiden name. At the age of fourteen he reportedly dropped Eugene Louis because he "wanted a sharp, distinctive name, appropriate for an aspiring author, or a national political leader". His father already went by Gene, and so he decided to become Gore. It certainly is sharp and distinctive.

The other famous Gore - director Gore Verbinski - wasn't originally named Gore either. The director of 'The Ring' and the first three 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movies is actually a Gregor, choosing to go by Gore.

Despite having worthy namesakes to serve as inspiration, I think Gore really is most usable as a nickname. It is a bold and sharp name, and most people would immediately associate it with blood and horror; so you'd need to be a strong, charismatic character to do it justice. Choosing a name with Gore as a nickname means you could choose to use it if or when you felt comfortable to do so. Or if your child is a Halloween baby it could be a nickname that is only used at that time of the year, in much the same way 'The Simpsons' changes the names in their credits for their Halloween specials.

On that note, I'll end with a list of boys names that lend themselves to the use of Gore as a nickname:

		Goran		Gregorio
		Gordon		Gregory
		Gordy		Grigori
		Goren		Igor
		Gregor		Macgregor

Jessabelle

Australian Actress Sarah Snook, who plays Jessabelle in the movie 'Jessabelle'

I did have a different post in mind but then I realised that - lo and behold – it’s October already! And the tradition here at Baby Name Pondering is that only names with a Halloween-ish connection be featured during the month of December, and so I bring you Jessabelle.

'Jessabelle' is a horror/thriller movie released in 2014 about a woman (named Jessabelle, of course) who, after losing her husband and unborn child in a car accident that has also left her temporarily wheelchair bound, returns to her childhood home to be cared for by her estranged father. She feels ill at ease in the old Louisiana home though, and soon realises that she is being targeted by an evil spirit. I won’t say much more than that in case anyone hasn’t seen it and would like to, but it’s worth checking out if you are a fan of supernatural horror movies.

About the name though. Jessabelle suffers from the same problem that I feel Annaleigh (and Auraleigh for that matter) does. It’s quite a pretty name, which could easily be mistaken for a modern mash-up of two fairly popular names to create a lovely feminine-but-not-too-frilly result. But given more than five minutes consideration, a major drawback appears. For Annaleigh and Auraleigh it’s the resemblance to other words with sexual connotations when spoken aloud and fast. For Jessabelle it’s because she sounds so much like the name Jezebel when said aloud – a name that has negative sexual connotations of its’ own.

In fact, many websites say that Jessabelle is a variant of Jezebel. I’m not so sure how true that actually is though. It's very possible it's simply a modern invention which has resulted from people smooshing Jessica and Isabelle together without noticing it’s similarity to Jezebel at all. The data supports this too. Jessabelle first shows on the US charts in 2011 (given to just 5 girls that year), which comes at a time when people would have been looking for less common alternatives to the wildly popular Isabella, which was #1 in 2009 and 2010, and Isabelle, which peaked at #79 in the US in 2007. So this definitely seems like the more likely explanation.

If we were to say it is a variant of Jezebel though, then let’s consider why popular opinion is against naming your daughter anything resembling Jezebel. Jezebel is a Hebrew name, said to mean ‘not exalted’ in most sources; or ‘wicked, impure’ by others. It is the Biblical Jezebel that gives this name her bad reputation. She was a Queen of Israel who turned her husband King Ahab away from the worship of God and towards other deities. For this (and other many other things she did in the pursuit of this) she was thrown out of a window to her death. Although she was at first simply associated with false prophets, she later became synonymous with the image of ‘fallen women’. It is said that when she knew men were coming to put her to death, she dressed in her finest clothes, adorned herself in jewels and painted herself in makeup to symbolise her royal, queenly status. However this image of Jezebel in her finery is now associated with ‘painted women’ - women who seduce men into immoral acts. Even the dictionary now gives the meaning for Jezebel as “a woman who is regarded as evil and scheming” or “a wicked, shameless woman”.

However the tide may be staring to turn somewhat for Jezebel. Some see her instead as a symbol of female strength and power, particularly helped by feminist pop-culture blog Jezebel.com. Unfortunately going into the ways in which patriarchal structures are perpetuated by portraying strong, feminine women as evil and leading to the downfall of “good” men merely by virtue of their sexuality is not a discussion I can really do justice to within a blog about baby names. Let’s just say that personally, I can see merit to reclaiming the name and rewriting its' common association with more positive ones.

Which leads me to an interesting little fact – despite seeing people online providing well meaning advice to people considering the name Jessabelle to avoid it because of it’s similarity to Jezebel, the name Jezebel is actually used more than Jessabelle. Jezebel first charted in the US in 1980. It is definitely not popular by any means, but in 2015 was given to 24 girls, as opposed to Jessabelle, which was given to 19 girls, or even Jessabel, given to just 5 girls (and entering the charts for the first time in 2015). Personally I think Jessabelle is much prettier, and that small step away spelling-wise makes it an attractive alternative.

Jessabelle reads like a sweet southern belle, and just slightly princess-y, which often delights young girls. If anything the Jezebel association helps give it a little edge, something of a Southern Gothic feel (which is also a good way to describe the movie). The movie character goes by the nickname Jessie, but the more streamlined Jess or Belle/Bella are also options. My personal pick would be Jessa though. Jessa feels so girly and sunny to me, which I think is also a big part of the reason why I find Jessabelle so appealing. 


If you're brave and willing to ignore (or embrace) the similarity in sound to Jezebel, Jessabelle could be a winner. Combining the much loved elements that have made the names Jessica and Isabelle extremely popular, a young Jessabelle would fit in with her peers yet stand out as just that little bit different.

Blade

There's Blaine if you want an 80's preppy feel; Blake if you want a masculine, soap opera-esque feel. But if you want edgy and uber-macho, then Blade is the choice for you.

Blade first appeared on the U.S charts the year that Ridley Scott's cult sci-fi thriller 'Blade Runner' was released. It must have been a sound that people found very appealing, as a Blade Runner is a type of law enforcement role, not the name of a main character. Apart from 1984, Blade has charted every year since.

The movie had a dark, apocalyptic feel, which is a good fit with the menacing and almost threatening nature of the name Blade. This isn't overly surprising for a name the comes from the Old English word for a knife or sword.

Blade took on even more horror-cool cred when it became the name of the main character in the 'Blade' movies. Played by Wesley Snipes, Blade is a half-vampire-half-human vampire killer, determined to take revenge on all vampires for killing his mother. This was back when vampires were still vicious, dramatic and sexy, rather than sparkly, broody and introspective. Blade in particular exuded cool; treading the thin line between monster and good guy. This struggle made him all the more engaging and Blade remains an iconic movie character for many.

The three movies in this trilogy were released in 1998 ('Blade'), 2002 ('Blade II') and 2004 ('Blade: Trinity'). Although they helped increase the popularity of the name - and are credited for inspiring UK parents - it was not enough to push Blade into the top 1000, and it has been slowly decreasing in popularity since.

With vampire, sci-fi and sword/knife connections, it's easy to see why Blade would make for a suitably Halloween inspired name. Although one could always argue that it also makes for a nature inspired name if you look at it from the perspective of a blade of grass. Almost no-one would believe that this was the intention when you choose to name your little tough boy Blade though.

Six Spooky Doll Names For Halloween

With the release of the movie 'Annabelle' this month, it seemed like a good time to look at the names of some of the spookiest real and fictional dolls. They're a surprising mix of classic names and familiar nicknames, with some very non-scary meanings! So do their spooky namesakes make these names un-usable? You decide.

Annabelle

Think of Annabelle in the same way as Amity – a very pretty, feminine name that just happens to be associated with a scary story made into a horror movie. 'Annabelle' is based on the true story of a doll possessed by an evil spirit who terrorises her owners until being locked away by paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. In the movie, Annabelle is a menacing looking blonde doll, however the real Annabelle is actually a Raggedy Ann doll. Annabelle is her real name though, likely chosen because of the type of doll she is.

The origin of the name Annabelle is not clear. It's possible she is an elaboration of French name Amabel, meaning 'lovable'. Or perhaps it is a combination of Anna (meaning 'grace') and Belle (meaning 'beautiful'). Annabelle has been rocketing up the US charts – breaking into the top 1000 in 1995 and reaching #81 in 2013. Let's see if the movie does anything to stall this.

Billy

You may not be familiar with the 2007 horror 'Dead Silence' starring Ryan Kwanten and directed by the man behind 'The Conjuring', James Wan. The evil entity in this movie was the ghost of a ventriloquist named Mary Shaw. She had no children, but her love for her collection of 101 dolls (mainly ventriloquist dummies) was well known. Billy was her favourite, and in death she uses him to carry out some pretty grisly murders.

Billy is one of the original nickname-come-given names, starting as a nickname for William (meaning 'resolute protector') but becoming very popular in his own right. He may not be the height of fashion, but he is never out of style, being a constant entry in the top 1000. Variant spelling Billie is the preferred option for girls.

Chucky

Mention the term “evil doll” and this famous movie doll is bound to be the first on everyone's lips. Chucky is the iconic bad guy of the 'Child's Play' movies – a talking doll given to a boy for his birthday who just happens to be possessed by the soul of a serial killer. The character was reportedly inspired by Hasbro's My Buddy dolls, and his full name – Charles Lee Ray – derived from famous killers Charles Manson, Lee Harvey Oswald and James Earl Ray.

Chucky is a form of Chuck, a nickname for the classic and popular Charles, and all mean 'free man'. Chucky is the least popular of the three, managing to sound immature and threatening at the same time.

Joliet

This is another real-life scary doll. Joliet has been passed down through four generations within the one family. She is said to be cursed, causing the sons born to the female owners to die when they are three days old. The family also claims to have heard giggles, screams and cries coming from the doll.

Joliet (pronounced JHOW-lee-eht) comes from the French word jolie, meaning 'pretty'. It's only been getting use in the U.S in the last 15 years, and only for very few girls. This seems almost surprising for a name so close to the classic Juliet, and with such a positive meaning. But the word takes on a very different meaning for most Americans, primarily associated with Joliet Prison in Joliet, Illinois.

Mandy

It may be hard to hear the name Mandy without thinking of the Barry Manilow song, but Mandy is also the name of a porcelain baby doll who resides in the Quesnel Museum in British Columbia. She is said to be the cause of the mysterious disapperances and reappearances of lunches and stationery and footsteps when no one is around. Mandy can't be placed with other dolls as she hurts them. She also likes to cause trouble with cameras when people try to photograph her.

Mandy has been a constant presence in the U.S girls charts, although in 2013 was at her lowest rank ever; #2234. It originated as a nickname for Amanda, meaning 'worthy of love' or 'lovable'. She has a friendly, popular girl vibe, but has gotten a reputation among many as a “trashy” name. Mandy is the first name mentioned in the 2012 movie 'Ted' when Mark Wahlbergs' character is trying to guess the “white trash name” of Ted's new girlfriend.

Robert

Another haunted doll that causes trouble with photographic equipment is perhaps America's most famous scary doll, Robert. He can be seen at the Fort East Martello Museum in Key West. People must ask his permission before photographing or filming Robert (which he grants by tilting his head) or he will curse them. The curse can however be lifted by begging Robert for forgiveness.

The doll himself was a cursed gift from a disgruntled maid to a boy named Robert. He caused the family a lot of trouble, moving furniture and scaring his owner during the night. Reportedly Robert moved on his own, could be heard talking and giggling, and even changed expressions.

Robert is a well known name of German origin, meaning 'famed; bright and shining'. It was introduced to England by the Normans and has been in use ever since. Robert is also quite popular – it has never been out of the U.S top 100 since 1880. Some may say this makes for a boring and over-used name, but to others it is simply classic and handsome.

Sable

Photo Courtesy of Lisa Visser Fine Art

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mythical Creature Names for Halloween Babies

A Cerberus doesn't have to be scary - fantastic artwork by Evolvana

It's October again, which means another month of Halloween themed names! To ease into it, I thought I'd run a list that I wrote for Nameberry last October, but haven't posted yet on here.

Initially they may seem a little strange and outlandish, but when you look closer at these names inspired by mythical creatures you might feel that they're not quite as unlikely (or unlikable) as they first seem.

Cerberus
This three headed dog (or hell-hound) seemed a lot less intimidating in 'Harry Potter' when named Fluffy and guarding a trapdoor rather than the gates of the Underworld. The most commonly accepted pronunciation is SUR-ber-uss, meaning 'formidable guard' or some variation of this. Cerberus has never charted in the U.S, but it would be a very cool name for a boy.

Chimera
Pronounced ky-MEER-ah, this one sounds like a smoosh of girls names Chiara and Mira. Thought to be a creature composed of lion, snake and goat parts that breathes fire, it's also used as a generic term to describe creatures that are composed of various animal parts. Despite the grim creature association, it has a pretty sound and could make a good girl's name.

Dragon
Dragons capture our imagination like few other creatures, with depictions ranging from fiery vengeful beasts to wise advisors and companions. Dragon has only ever charted as a boys name, maybe this is because on a boy it comes across as a compliment, conjuring images of strength and might, whereas calling a female a dragon is generally meant to be slight, that her anger and “fiery” nature are uncontrollable.

Faun
Fauns generally aren't thought of as dangerous or malevolent creatures. But they embody the Halloween tradition of trick or treat, as they're thought to help or hinder people depending on their mood. Fauns are half human, half goat, with famous Fauns being the Greek God Pan and Mr Tumnus of Narnia. Spelling Fawn (meaning 'young deer') is more popular, but there is a history of this version being given to girls too.

Griffin
Griffin has been charting regularly for both genders for over 30 years, but remains far more popular for boys. The Griffin was thought to be a very powerful, majestic creature as it is composed of the body, tail and rear legs of a lion (king of the beasts) and the head, wings and talons of an eagle (king of the birds).  In heraldry they denote strength, courage and leadership.

Lamia
Lamia is the name of a queen from Greek mythology who became a child-eating demon. It was used as the name of the evil character played by Michelle Pfeiffer in the 2007 movie adaptation of Neil Gaiman's 'Stardust'. Pronounced lah-MEE-ah it has a pretty sound despite a far from pretty inspiration.

Leviathan
Those looking for a formal name for a young Levi that aren't keen on Leviticus may instead be interested in Leviathan. In the Bible the Leviathan is a sea monster, but in Modern Hebrew it has come to simply mean 'whale'. Their appearance in season 7 of 'Supernatural' has helped a lot to give this name a more sexy, dangerous image.

Lycan
A type of “wolf man” originating from Transylvania, Lycans can choose when to shift into wolf form rather than be controlled by the cycles of the moon as a werewolf is. Lycan has a similar look to Lucian and Lorcan, and the super hot “an” ending for boys which should make it a winner. But it's scary meaning and unfortunate similarity in sound to lichen (fungus) may be what has stopped this name from really taking off. The 'Underworld' movies have helped to overcome this and put Lycan on the SSA charts in recent years.

Phoenix
The Phoenix is a bird renowned for dying by spontaneous combustion, only to rise again from it's own ashes, hence it is a symbol of rebirth and immortality. 30 years ago this name was an exotic rarity, but these days it is a top 1000 name for both genders in the U.S. It still carries a high cool factor, and has been getting recent use by celebrities such as Tammin Sursok and ex-Spice girl Mel B.

Roc
Not to be confused with Rock, a Roc is a giant mythical bird that terrorized sailors and could carry an elephant. The streamlined Roc feels like he has the ability to make it to the top 1000 eventually, alongside other modern looking, masculine three letter choices such as Max, Jex and Zac.

Brannon

Photo courtesy of Kristen Privett Photography

"On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me, four colly birds"

Like many other people, I always thought this line of the carol 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' was four calling birds. Don't ask me what I thought calling birds were, maybe I just thought they were particularly loud and vocal birds. Anyway, a colly bird is a European blackbird, which were considered a delicacy in Medieval times. Which helps to make a little more sense of why a king would want four-and-twenty blackbirds baked into a pie in the nursery rhyme 'Sing A Song of Sixpence'.

People usually associate blackbirds such as crows and ravens with Halloween more so than Christmas. For example, Rook was one of the names I profiled just this October. So I thought that since people often think calling birds rather than colly birds, a name that is also not instantly recognisable as a blackbird - such as Brannon - would be fitting.

Brannon (pronounced BRAN-un) is thought to be a variation of the name Brandon, which means 'gorse hill' in Old English or 'sorrow' in Irish. It's also possibly a variant of Bran. There's an old 8th century Irish legend called 'The Voyage of Bran', and since Brannon was the name of Brans son it's thought the name could simply mean 'son of Bran'. Another meaning (Possibly Gaelic or Celtic) given to Bran though is 'raven'. It's also a name from Welsh mythology in the form of Bran the Blessed. It would be this origin that George R.R. Martin had in mind when he named one of the younger Stark sons Bran (Brandon) in his 'Song of Ice and Fire' series (a.k.a. 'Game of Thrones' on television). Without spoiling too much, this Bran has the gift of sight, and is thought to be the foretold three eyed crow. The crow reference makes Bran a very fitting name for the character.

Long form Brannon is one of those names that grows on you the more you say it (well, at least that's true for myself). It's more often heard as a surname - chances are you've never met a Brannon, but they're out there. It's charted in the U.S every year since 1960, just in small numbers. In 2012, it was given to just 35 boys.

One of my favourite things about Brannon is that it is familiar sounding but different, and has a similar feel to some other rising Irish/Gaelic names such as Ronan, Declan, Callan and Cillian. It also has a bit of a tough guy feel to it if you like that in a name, maybe due to its similarity in sound to Cannon. But without the weapon/name word appearance, which is a plus.

Brannon would be a fresh way to honour a Brandon or similar in your family tree, if Brandon feels a little dated for you or you just want to put your own stamp on it. It's also worth considering if you like Bram but want a more substantial name on the certificate - and you're not keen on options such as Bramwell. For that fact, it's a great alternative if you like Bran but want to minimise the cereal references, which tend to make Bran a little undesirable by itself (even though I love the sound of Bran as a name).

A couple of warnings though - be prepared for a Brannon to be mistaken for Brandon. A lot. And while some girls were given this name from the seventies though to the nineties, they do tend to be mistaken for boys when people first hear their name. Probably a lot more so that a Riley or Bailey would, which can be very annoying.

But if these things don't deter you, Brannon has all the makings of a good name. It could even be a way for you to bridge the gap between your love of Halloween and your love of Christmas. Brannon definitely deserves a place on more peoples' short lists.

Mythical Halloween Names at Nameberry Today!

My next Halloween post has gone up on Nameberry instead today!

It's a list of names inspired by some pretty nasty (and some not-so-nasty) mythical creatures. Phoenix and Griffin are already long established names, and with the current interest in animal like names such as Bear, Fox and Wolf, I thought it might be fun to look a little further afield for some fresh and unusual creature names. But don't just take my word for it - check out the post at Nameberry and let me know what you think.

Shadow

In 1987 the name Shadow and it's alternative spelling Shadoe made a sudden impact on the SSA charts in the U.S. Prior to then, the spelling Shadow as a girls name had charted a handful of years in the 70's, and again in 1986. Then in 1987 both spellings charted for both girls and boys. So what happened in 1986/1987 that suddenly put this name on people's radars?

The answer appears to be Shadoe Stevens. Shadoe is well known for his voice work in television and radio (including hosting the 'American Top 40' radio show from 1988-1995) and various acting roles. These days you may recognise him as the announcer on 'The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson'.

By 1986 Shadoe was already well known after he created and produced 'Fred R. Rated for Federated', a series of commercials for United States chain The Federated Group that were so popular that 'Time Magazine' devoted a two page spread to them. 1986 saw Shadoe appear as a regular and announcer on 'The New Hollywood Squares', plus he hosted created and produced an episode of the comedy sci-fi 'The Cinemax Comedy Experiment', titled 'Shadoevision'. This would have given him nationwide exposure.

His name seems to have inspired a number of parents, but Shadoe Stevens was born Terry Ingstad. On his website he explains how the name was actually forced upon him when he was employed by WKRO radio station in Boston. Up until then he had been going by the name Jefferson Kaye, but it was deemed too similar to many other radio personalities at the time. He wasn't quite comfortable with Shadow, as he felt that Orson Welles was the original Shadow, hence the slightly different spelling. It certainly is a distinctive name though, and he created a personality to go with it.

The Shadoe spelling fell out of use by parents by 1998, but Shadow has continued to see use for both genders in small numbers. The only exception was in 2012, when it didn't quite chart for girls. Shadow is a word name meaning shade, and makes for an cool and mysterious sounding Halloween name. Shadows are often seen as spooky and eerie, something that may stem from a basic human fear of the dark. Other associations people have with the term shadow or shade is that it is sometimes used to refer to a ghost or spirit of a dead person, and in Jungian psychology the shadow or shadow aspect refers to the entirety of one's unconsciousness.

I think Shadow has a really great sound, and style wise it reminds me a lot of names like Orion, Griffin and Zephyr. It also has a bit of a super hero type feel to it. However it's possibly just a touch too "out-there" for most people to feel comfortable bestowing it on a child as a first name. On the upside, I think it would make a fantastically quirky and unexpected middle name for the adventurous namer.

Rook

Photo courtesy of Tumblr

From one bird related name to an actual bird name. This is one I first noticed in a birth announcement in February this year at Waltzing More Than Matilda. It caught my eye as interesting at the time, but I didn't really think much more than that. But for some reason it has slowly been growing on me, and I'm starting to think there is more to this powerful little nature name than meets the eye.

As a bird, Rooks are related to Ravens and Crows, both of which have a history of being associated with Halloween. Ravens in particular are popular in Halloween iconography. It's thought in many cultures that because these birds feed on carrion, they are a link between life and death. Some think they contain lost souls, others say ghosts of murdered people and some say they were messengers from the gods. To see one was considered a good omen by some, but an ill omen by many others.

The benefit of using Rook rather than Raven or Crow/Crowe as a name though is that its' connection is much subtler, a little less "dark" than the other two, possibly because it has plenty of other meanings. The Rook is also a chess piece (named from the Persian work rukh meaning 'chariot'), a card game, a piercing in the antihelix of the ear, a cheat or swindler, a type of rocket and a shortened slang term for a rookie (someone who is new to a job or activity). In pop culture he is a moving castle character in the video game 'Demigod', and a character in 'Ben 10' - sure to make a young Rook happy.

I've seen Rook described by various people as cool, modern, strong, fierce, fresh, unique, romantic and adventurous. It certainly is rare - it first charted in the U.S just over a decade ago, and in 2012 was given to only 24 boys. If you like the idea of Rook but think the K ending is a bit abrupt, Rooker is a possible alternative, or Roderick with the nickname Rook is a distinguished choice.

I also have to admit to having a more personal reason for liking Rook - my name is Brooke, and I adore the idea of using Rook as a middle for a son because it contains elements of my name. It could also work to honour any Brooks' or Brooklyns, or of course and Ravens or Crow/Crowes in the family. And of course I love a nature name.

If you like your boys names to be short, spunky and unexpected, Rook is definitely worth a second look.

Mavis

Mavis in 'Hotel Transylvania', voiced by Selena Gomez

When I told my husband that I was doing a post about Mavis, his response was "Isn't that a grandma name?" Indeed, this is how this name would be seen by many people. After all, Mavis peaked in the 1920's and 30's, at which time it was in the top 300 in the U.S. It was also used for boys occasionally in those days. These days, Mavis can now be considered to be a "vintage gem", and that usually means hot property.

As character Johnathan says when introduced to Mavis in the 2012 movie 'Hotel Transylvania', "Mavis? That's a neat name!". Of course in this movie, Mavis is a 118 year old vampire, Dracula's "teenage" daughter to be exact. This Mavis has suddenly given the name some cool cred - when I went looking for pictures the suggested Google searches included "Mavis hot" and "Mavis sexy". The words hot and sexy, paired with Mavis? Who would've thought it.

There's a few mixed ideas as to where Mavis originated. Some sources say it is Scottish, some English and some French. From what I've read, it started as the Old French word mauvis meaning 'redwing', also known as a thrush or song bird. It's thought that it was first used as a name by English author Marie Corelli in her 1895 novel 'The Sorrows of Satan' for her character Mavis Clare. She must have been inspired by its' meaning, as the character was said to sing "quite as sweetly as any thrush". As this was the reportedly the first use of Mavis as a name (I say reportedly as it first appeared on the SSA charts in 1893, two years before the publication date), it's often said to be an English name. However as the word mavis was almost obsolete by the 19th century it is thought that Marie Corelli was inspired by one of two other sources.

One possibility is the 1850 love song 'Mary of Argyle' by Charles Jeffrey. The other speculated source is the Robert Burns' 1794 poem 'Ca' the Yowes'. As the Robert Burns poem came first and he is Scottish, mavis seems to have been in common use in Scotland - the song thrush migrates to Scotland in spring and hence is known as a harbinger of Spring in Scotland - and  has led to some sources saying it is a Scottish name.

Regardless of its' origin, Mavis has the potential to experience a resurgence soon. Mavis and similar names Maeve, Mae and Mabel all increased in use in 2012. Maeve and Mae are already in the top 1000 on the SSA charts, and Mabel will most likely join them there in 2013. Positioned at #3667 in 2012, Mavis has a long way to go to join them, but this only means it has a fresher feel. In fact, Mae or Maeve would be cute nicknames for Mavis, meaning you get the cool name and more popular nickname in one fell swoop (bird pun unintended ☺).

Yes, there will still be people out there who think it is a fusty name. But then there are others who think Mavis is stunning, sweet, pretty, adorable, spunky, classic, smart, adventurous and strong. She's a literary, poetic, nature/bird, and now vampire inspired choice. Thanks to 'Hotel Transylvania' she feels youthful again, and with a 'Hotel Transylvania 2' said to be in the works for 2015, she'll be relevant for a little while yet. It's very likely that todays' children will be more likely to think of Mavis as fun and clever rather than old and fusty. Mavis is definitely a name to watch.

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.

Raimi

A younger Sam Raimi at work on set

If you like action, superhero and horror movies and TV shows, I'd be pretty shocked if you haven't heard of Sam Raimi. He's a producer, writer, director and actor, has worked on TV shows such as 'Hercules', 'Xena: Warrior Princess', 'Spartacus' and 'American Gothic'; and has directed big blockbusters such as the 'Spider-Man' trilogy (the Tobey Maguire versions) and 'Oz: The Great And Powerful'.

But it was the cult horror film 'The Evil Dead' that first brought him attention, back in 1981. Since then he has continued to make great horror movies. He's been involved in the follow ups to 'The Evil Dead', 'Evil Dead 2' and 'Army of Darkness' and other horror movies 'The Grudge', 'Boogeyman', 'The Messengers', '30 Days of Night', 'Drag Me To Hell', and 'The Possession'. 2013 saw him involved in the production of the remake of 'The Evil Dead', 'Evil Dead' and he's currently working as a producer on the remake of classic horror favourite 'Poltergeist', expected to be released in 2014.

There's no doubt that Raimi is a big name when it comes to horror. And this makes Raimi a prime candidate for a good Halloween inspired name.

If you want to know the meaning of the name Raimi, you'll come across some mixed messages. Some say it is a Native American/Quechua name meaning 'sun celebration'. Others say it's an African name meaning 'compassion'. And others agree that it's meaning is 'compassion', but that it is instead a Hebrew name derived from the Arabic/Persian boys name Rahim. It's likely that it has origins in each. I personally like that both meanings are positive and inspiring.

Pronounced RAY-mee, there's also something very likable about the sound of Raimi. It sounds similar enough to Amy to work for girls, similar enough to Ray and Remy to work for boys. Just as there's a little confusion surrounding it's origins, reports are mixed as to whether it is "traditionally" considered to be a boy or girl name. In the U.S. it has only ever charted (rarely) as a girls name. But if used as a tribute to a surname, there's no reason it couldn't work for either gender. I'd originally pictured it as a boys name. mainly because the person I was inspired by is a male, but the more I think about it the more I realise what potential it has as a girls name too.

Personally, I'm a little surprised more people haven't used Raimi, considering the cult-like following that Sam Raimi has and a rising trend for "modern hero" names. With names such as Monroe, Presley, Lennon, Bowie and Jagger on our radars, maybe Raimi won't be far behind.

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?

Lambert

The Lambert Family at the heart of the 'Insidious' movies

I found it so much fun finding "Halloween inspired" names that wouldn't necessarily stand out as Halloween names last October that I've decided to do it again this October. This year's first name is Lambert, inspired by the family in the movie 'Insidious' and it's current sequel 'Insidious: Chapter 2'. It's already been released in America (on the suitable spooky Friday 13th September), but is due for a Halloween release here in Australia and so far reviews have been quite positive. If you like horror movies ☺

I love a good surname name, and Lambert fits the bill quite well. Most sources have this as a German name, although I have also seen it attributed as Scandinavian and French. All seem to agree though that Lambert means 'bright land', 'brilliant land', 'famous land' or some variant of these themes, as it comes from the words 'lant' meaning 'land, territory or homeland' and 'berht' meaning 'bright, famous or great'. It seems it was quite popular as a first name in England during the middle ages thanks to a combination of the arrival of Saint Lambert (otherwise known as the Bishop of Maastricht) in England with the Norman conquest, and the number of Dutch immigrants arriving in England during that time.

In the U.S. it has been in almost constant use, appearing on the SSA charts for boys almost every year since 1880. However it has never been very popular at all. The highest number of boys to ever receive this name in a single year was 98 boys in 1919, which in that year positioned it as the 623rd most popular boys name. By contrast, in 2012 only 6 boys were named Lambert, putting it way, way outside the top 1000 at #11,554. It's highly unlikely that a modern day Lambert would meet another one.

What I find interesting is that before I knew of it's origin, I would have mistakenly thought it could be a Scottish name, as it reminds me a lot of names such as Campbell or Coburn. To find out that it's not makes it seem more intriguing, more chameleon like to me. The most often used pronunciation is lam-BERT, although the French pronunciation drops the T so it sounds more like lam-BERR, which also brings quite a different flair to the name.

One potential downside to the name Lambert is a 1952 Disney short cartoon titled 'Lambert the Sheepish Lion'. The cartoon is actually super cute, and Lambert ends up saving the day, but once seen it's really, really hard to get the the song where the little lambs tease him out of your head. I'm sure a young Lambert would hear this song a few times in the schoolyard. Then again, he may like being compared to a lion, especially one who grows up to become a hero. Another cool reference could be singer Adam Lambert. Or if you need more convincing of Lambert's Halloween cred, there's also the 'Highlander' himself, Christopher Lambert; or a female character named Lambert in the original 'Alien' movie.

Lambert could be a great choice, with multi-national roots, a current surname feel and a rarity that is hard to beat - especially if you chose to use it on a girl. Fingers crossed that a child with this name would have an easier childhood than the family in the 'Insidious' movies though!

Cooper & Mason

Occupational names don't have to mean a child has big shoes to fill.
Photo courtesy of GreatInspire.com

A good friend of mine gave birth to her second son last week! Baby Mason joins big brother Cooper, and Cooper looks just as proud as mum and dad - it's so sweet :)

As far as sibsets go, I love Cooper and Mason together. They are very well matched for a few reasons. Both are currently popular in Australia. Cooper is more popular here than in the US, while Mason is a less popular than the US, but here they are both top 20 names. Then of course they are both occupational names. And when so many occupational names end with "er", it's great to see two that match so well for style and popularity, but sound so individual.

Cooper means 'barrel maker' and as mentioned, Cooper is quite popular here in Australia. In 2011 it was positioned #6, which is fairly stable compared to the #7 position it held when this particular Cooper was born a few years ago. It enjoys a similar popularity in our close neighbour New Zealand (#12 in 2012), but is slightly less popular in the US, where it was #82 in 2011. It's also highly popular in Canada and Scotland.

I had a theory for a while that Cooper was getting popular as a name in the southern hemisphere because it is also the name of a popular brewery based in Adelaide South Australia, and it felt that as their beer started selling in the other states it started rising as a baby name. But I now think that is more like a coincidence - it's most likely it just gave it some extra exposure just as occupational names were on the rise (although it possibly helped to get approvals from fathers!). Cooper has also gotten a lot of exposure from other sources such as the Mario Brothers video games (remember the Koopas?), TV and movie characters (both as a last name and a first), singers, NFL players and actors (with Bradley Cooper being my favourite).

I think another aspect that has helped Cooper's popularity is the cool nickname Coop. Coop fits well with  the current rising trend of one syllable, strong sounding boys names. And then there's the super cute "super Cooper". These can more than make up for any "pooper scooper" references you may come across.

Mason has been a little less popular in Australia than Cooper has. He was #27 in 2011, and based on reports from their members, website babycenter.com is predicting that Mason rose in 2012. This was the case for New Zealand, where Mason rose from #15 in 2011 to #5 in 2012. In America, Mason entered the top 100 in 1997 and was already steadily rising when Kourtney Kardashian gave the name Mason to her first born in 2009. This gave the name an extra boost, sending it to #2 in America in 2011. It's also a top 100 name in Canada, England and Scotland.

Like Cooper, it has a great, strong sounding one syllable nickname in Mace. And also like Cooper, we are seeing it crop up in plenty of pop culture references. In particular, there are werewolf characters named Mason on both 'Wizards of Waverly Place' and 'The Vampire Diaries'.

Mason means 'worker in stone' and while it has a fairly unique sound for an occupational name, it has a very similar sound to past favourite Jason. People tend to love the meaning as they equate it with great strength and being a hard worker. It's thought by many to be a caring, smart, strong name for a handsome but modest guy.

It's a little hard to imagine at this point what name you could choose for subsequent children if you wanted to keep an occupational names with different sounds theme. Possible options could include Shepherd, Abbott, Bishop, Page/Paige, Reeve, Smith, Pilot, Poet, or even Wainwright. But then again, I'm not sure any of them have quite the same "current" feel as Cooper and Mason, so a third child might be the time to go down a "currently cool" path rather than surnames.

But that may be getting ahead of things a little bit. Cooper and Mason - a great sibset for any family :)

UPDATE - 15th Feb 2015

It seems we have an answer to the question of what would you name further siblings for Cooper and Mason. The friend that inspired this post gave birth to her third son this week, welcoming Archer into the world!

It's kind of nice to see them sticking with the theme, aptly labelled "medieval job names" by one of their other friends on Facebook. I remember Archer was actually one of the names being considered when she was pregnant with Cooper, so her and her husband have a very consistent taste and style. And they'll definitely have their hands full with three boys!

Carrie

Chloe Grace Moretz as telekinetic teen Carrie in the 2013 remake of Stephen Kings 'Carrie'

The posters for the new 'Carrie' movie sport the tagline "You Will Know Her Name". And indeed they are right. 2013 will likely be a big year for Carrie, with two of the most famous fictional Carries returning to the screen.

This week saw the first episode of 'The Carrie Diaries' air on CW. For those unaware, this show is the prequel to the much loved 'Sex and The City'. It follows the life of a teenage Carrie Bradshaw (played by Anna-Sophia Robb) as she deals with the death of her mother, the perils of high school and becoming....well....Carrie Bradshaw.

And then in October this year Chloe Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore star in the remake of Stephen King's 'Carrie', the chilling tale of a mousy teen whose telekinetic powers take on a hellish turn when high school bullying and her oppressive mother become too much for her.

Despite the well recognised "scary" Carrie - first portrayed by Sissy Spacek in 1976 - the popularity of Carrie does not seem to have suffered. When America started keeping SSA records in 1880, Carrie sat at a high #20 on the charts. In 1915 she slipped out of the top 100, and slowly declined for a number of years before re-entering the top 100 in 1968.

In 1976 when the original 'Carrie' came out, she was at a peak for that decade of #28, a position that remained steady in 1977 when Carrie Fisher made Princess Leia a cult figure in the first (now technically the fourth) Star Wars movie, 'Star Wars:A New Hope'. Her popularity waned again after that, and in 2009 fell out of the top #1000 for the first time.

But I don't think this is because Carrie has lost any of it's charm. Maybe we have just become a little Carrie-wary. Carrie Bradshaw graced our screens for 6 seasons (over 7 years), to be followed by 2 movies. Stephen King's 'Carrie' remains a Halloween favourite, and Carrie Fisher has become an almost legendary figure for Star Wars fans. In addition to that, we also have:

• American Idol winner Carrie Underwood
• Carrie Brownstein, singer, writer and actor in 'Portlandia'
• 'The Matrix' actress Carrie-Anne Moss
• American dancer, choreographer and 'Dancing With The Stars' judge Carrie Ann Inaba
• 'King of Queens' main character Carrie, played by Leah Rimini
• Actress Carrie Preston, who plays Arlene on 'True Blood'
• Lead character of 'Homeland', Carrie Mathison, portrayed by Claire Danes
• plus many, many more notable Carries!

So many Carries could mean we feel it's overused, but a big positive is that it also means that society doesn't have a particular stereotype for this name. You could be a fashionista, a writer, a dancer, a musician, a political activist and a powerful force to be reckoned with. People wouldn't necessarily see Carrie on a resume and think "dumb blonde", "sound's like a snob" or "that's a stripper name". Carrie is familiar, but by no means boring.

Carrie - like so many names ending in "ie" - started as a pet name, most notably for Caroline (Stephen Kings Carrie was actually short for Carietta, which has never appeared in the US charts). This gives it an Old German origin, and a meaning of 'free man'. Many names with this "ie" ending are being polished off and are making an appearance on today's birth certificates.

Carrie may be one of the few that was too recently popular to fall into the "vintage charm" category that characterises most of these re-discovered names. But with two fresh, beautiful young women playing teenage Carries this year, we are once again reminded that Carrie can be youthful, vibrant and strong. And that can be a powerful combination. One way or another, we'll be seeing a lot of Carrie in 2013.

Anna Sophia Robb as a youthful Carrie Bradshaw in 'The Carrie Diaries'