Frances

Just because it's winter and she's super cute!

FRANCES Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: FRANT-səs [key]
Meaning & History: Feminine form of FRANCIS. The distinction between Francis as a masculine name and Frances as a feminine name did not arise until the 17th century. A notable bearer was Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917), a social worker and the first American to be canonized.
Diminutives (Nicknames): Fanny, Fran, Frankie, Frannie, Franny, Sissy, Cissy, Fannie, Sissie
Other Languages: Frantziska (Basque), Franseza (Breton), Francesca (Catalan), Františka (Czech), Françoise, France, Francette, Francine (French), Franziska, Fränze, Franzi, Ziska (German), Franciska, Fanni, Franci (Hungarian), Franca, Francesca (Italian), Francisca (Late Roman), Franciszka (Polish), Francisca, Chica (Portuguese), Frangag (Scottish), Frančiška, Francka (Slovene), Francisca, Paca, Paquita (Spanish)
{Entry from Behind The Name database}

I've always like Frances because it is a family name for me - a great-grandmother on my dad's side was Mary Frances - and I've considered using it as a middle name. But recently I've grown even more fond of it as the image of the name has changed from decrepit to youthful.

There's a young lady at a Bible study I go to named Frances - she's African-American, about 19 years old, sweet, friendly, encouraging and very cute.

A pretty college student at the same Bible study, named Susan, has a younger sister named Frances. If her sister looks anything like her the name would be so very sweet.

Another red-haired young lady (a longtime friend) gets called Frances by her family quite a bit because it's one of her two middle names and honors someone on her family tree.

The old-fashioned literary connections also make Frances more appealing to me. In Jane Austen novels there's sweet Fanny Price of Mansfield Park, Fanny Harville - the deceased young fiancee of Captain Benwick in Persuasion, smart but selfish Fanny Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility and Fanny Knight - the a favorite niece of Jane Austen herself. So using Frances would have the double charm of honoring family and my favorite author!

I do like the nickname Fanny, mostly because of the old-fashioned and Jane Austen connections, but it's also used as a slang word (do not on any account Google it) which gives the nickname unpleasant associations. But if I were to use Frances as a first name then the nicknames Fran, Frannie / Franny and even Frankie would be alright too. Also I've wondered if Fancy Day from Under The Greenwood Tree had the first name Frances. Francie or Francy would probably work too.

I've found myself falling for this name in the past few months and what's more my sister, who prefers more trendy names, said Frances was cute too!

What do you think of the name Frances?
Do you know any younger people with this name?

My Top 25 Favorite Boys Names

As I said in my last post I recently rebuilt my favorite names list from the ground up and discovered several new favorites along the way. 

In this post I'll be talking about my new top 25 favorite boys combos and why I like them. 

My Top 25 for Boys 

1. Edmund Laurence - Edmund has been a favorite of mine for a while and I wrote a whole post on it once. Laurence honors my paternal grandfather who I was named after so it's a very special name to me. Recently I've loved this combo more and more, it just seems so handsome to me. I don't like the nicknames Ed or Eddie but recently I've been liking the nicknames Mund / Mundy and a guilty pleasure of mine now is the nickname Mud / Mudd, silly I know but I still think it's rather cute. 
2. Ciaran Michael - Ciaran has been at the top of my favorites list for many years and although I put it further down on my list I find I cannot give it up altogether. Michael is my surname and although it's a bit common to use as a first name I really like the idea of using it as a middle name.
3. Nathaniel Welcome - Nathaniel is a family name that I've come to love quite a lot in recent years, I like this spelling because it is the one used on my family tree and fairly easy for most people to remember. Welcome Shippee is the name of my dad's four time great-grandfather who was a Quaker during the time of the Civil War - the story goes that although his faith kept him from actual fighting he joined his local Infantry and tended their horses. Anyway, I like the story and the name is a unique one that my parents and sister seem to like as well so I'm proud and happy to add it as a middle name for further consideration. 
4. Silas Matteson - I had Simon toward the top of my favorites list for quite a while but I've recently started to think it sounds a little too posh and less of a favorite but I find that Silas is growing on me more and more lately. Matteson is a family surname that I like rather a lot.  
5. Mark Douglas - Not too long ago my parents and I were discussing names and my dad mentioned that he liked short and strong names for boys like Mark and since that discussion I haven't been able to get Mark out of my head so I'm trying it in my top five combos and finding I'm starting to love it. Douglas is my mom's stepfather's name and he's such a special part of our family and makes me like the name more and more.
6. Emmett Simon - Emmett is one of those names that I've liked for quite a while, probably longer than Edmund (what a thought!), I find it quite handsome and thankfully it's not very popular in the USA although it does seem to be in the UK and Ireland. Simon honors a family member and I can't get rid of it altogether so I'm using it as a middle name which seems to work well.  
7. Pearce Colin - Pearce is a family surname (sometimes pronounced like "purse" but I prefer the "Pierce" pronunciation) which has been growing on me lately. I usually put Pearce as a middle name but I'm liking it more and more as a first name so I paired it with my father's name Colin and although the name don't quite flow together perfectly I am rather liking it.
8. Elias Matthew - Another E name that has slipped into my top 10. I'm not a huge fan of Elijah but so like Elias which is the Greek version, and I've noticed that this is one of seven names that end with -s that I've added this time around. I love Matthew but because of some associations I probably won't use it as a first name, it does make a handsome middle name though!
9. Aidan Stone - I know similar sounding names are quite popular right now (aka Hayden, Caden, Brayden) but to me Aidan is different, it's such a handsome Irish name and with my grandmother's middle name / family surname Stone the meaning of combo is "fiery stone" which has always been quite handsome to me. 
10. Henry Tilney - Okay, yes this combo is a bit cheesy but I recently realized that the real reason why I love Henry is because of my favorite Jane Austen hero, plus I couldn't quite come up with a clever middle name for Henry so I just went with the full on Northanger Abbey reference. 
11. Eamon Matthias - Yes, another E name! I love Eamon because it's the Irish Gaelic form of Edmund and it's just so handsome. I usually pronounce it EE-mon instead of generally accepted AY-mon pronunciation. I can never decide whether I like Matthew or Matthias better so I've included both on my list as middle name. 
12. Gideon Levi - I love Biblical names and Gideon is one of those that always feels fresh, youthful and handsome to me. Pairing it with Levi might be too many Biblical associations but I do love the sound of the names together.
13. Benjamin Asa "Ben" - I've known a few Bens but recently I've been (haha!) thinking about what a dependable sounding name it is, it's wonderful historical connections (like Benjamin Franklin) and how I haven't heard it used for younger kids as much lately so I've added it to my top 25 to try it on for size. Asa is one of my mom's favorite Biblical names so I always enjoy including it and it makes this combo unique.  
14. Ian Kenneth - In the discussion on names where Mark was talked about I mentioned Ian and my dad sort of shrugged and said it was pretty much just "John by any other name". While that's true I'm realizing that I do like most of the John related names (Ian, Evan, Owen, Hans, Ewan, Eoghan, Sean, Jack, Hugh, Ioan, Johann and even Jacques) but this Scottish version is still my favorite. Kenneth is not only a Scottish name but it honors uncles and grandfathers or great-grandfathers on both parents families.
15. Roderick Theodore "Roddy" - Roderick honors the last name of the first elderly lady I cared for so I like the idea of using the name to honor her, but I've also started liking Roddy more and more recently. Theodore has also been growing on me but it also honors the elderly lady's first name. 
16. Kieran Dermot - As much as I love Ciaran I do have this thought in the back of my mind that the original Irish spelling might be too difficult for most people so I've added the Kieran spelling to my favorites list. Dermot is just another favorite Irish name. 
17. Ezekiel Peleg "Zeke" - Another E name that has really been growing on me lately, especially with the nickname Zeke. Peleg is an obscure Biblical family name that I've always liked and enjoy including on my list. 
18. Titus Abel - Titus is almost as much a favorite as Silas but it does seem to have a tad harsher sound to it. Abel is another Biblical family name that I just love. 
19. Callum Neil - I love Callum because it has a similar sound to my other favorites Ciaran and Colin and means "dove". Neil is another Irish name that has been growing on me more so I paired the two together.
20. Sebastian Luke - Sebastian is so handsome and I've always liked it with Luke as a middle name.  
21. Garrett Keagan - I like Garrett a lot and it reminds me of Emmett - Irish and incredibly handsome. Keagan is another favorite Irish name so I've paired them together this time and while it's not my favorite combo I do like it. 
22. Declan Miles - Declan is one of those Irish names that I've always liked but some times seems a little too posh but I'm giving it a try paired with Miles which I also like but not really as a first name. 
23. Jack Willoughby - Again I love me my forms of John and although Jack was originally a nickname I really like it as a full first name. Willoughby is such a charming name and it makes the combo so cute. The similarity of this name to the villain of Sense and Sensibility is purely unintentional (well, almost). 
24. Crispin David - Crispin has the same meaning as my mom's maiden name and I've liked it ever since I read a book whose hero was a boy with this name. David is my dad's middle name and it's also a name on our family tree. C names and E names - my list is full of them! :)
25. Tiernan Rhys - I like Ciaran / Kieran / Kiernan but Tiernan recently caught my eye and I've been liking Rhys too so added it to the list and it seems to make a nice pairing. 

Do you like any of these first name / middle name combos?

Are there any of these names you might consider using for a son?

Do Edmund and Ciaran sound good for brother's names?

My Top 25 Favorite Girls Names

My goodness it's been a long time since I've posted on here! I'm very sorry for that but it's been a very busy few months which I'm sure you know if you follow my other blog. Names are never very far from my mind though wherever I go because of course I'm such a name nerd! :)

Over the last few weeks I've torn down my favorite names list and rebuilt it from the ground up. I worked on this project with my sister Bea who had never compiled a list of her favorites before so it was lots of fun! 

Of course even though I rebuilt my list many of the names are still names I've loved for years and years. This process has actually cemented my two favorite girls names and given me courage to add more family names that I love to my top favorite combos. 

So without further ado here are my top 25 favorite name combos for both girls and boys. Most of the names in the top 10 are ones that I'd very seriously consider and probably want to use for a daughter or son.

Because I want to give explanations I'm starting with just girls first then I'll do another post for my favorite boys names.

My Top 25 for Girls

1. Amy Irene - Amy honors my dad's great-grandmother. Irene honors my maternal grandma who passed away. I do like Amelia nickname "Amy" but I also just adore Amy.
2. Lena Pearl - Lena honors my dad's other great-grandma on his mom's side, she was always called "Dinny". Pearl is a middle name I'd always liked and it also honors a great-aunt of my mom's. If I could only have one daughter I might name her Lena Sally Irene because I'm loving Lena so much lately, almost more than my longtime favorite Amy. 
3. Sally Stone - This was my paternal grandma's first and middle name and she was named after a great-grandma on her mother's side. Sally has really been growing on my lately, it still seems a bit dated sometimes but I really want to honor her since she passed away from cancer when I was age 13. I might use Sally as a middle name but as a first name I can't get away from using Stone.
4. Mercy Ann - Dinny's grandmother was named this and my love for Mercy has been renewed since reading Amy Dashwood's Only A Novel. 
5. Nora Catherine - Nora has been growing on me lately and I just like the sound of it with Catherine. Nora sounds like a good sister for Amy and Lena too.
6. Eleanor Amelia - I wouldn't use these if I used Amy and Lena or Nora but I still love Eleanor so much and grown very fond of Amelia lately. I've considered naming two daughters Amelia nickname "Amy" and Eleanor nickname "Lena" but am not quite sure. These names do sound nice together though.
7. Sadie Eliza - I love Sadie especially because it was originally a nickname for Sarah just like Sally was. I like Sadie Elizabeth but Eliza has been growing on me lately.
8. Lydia Faith - I love Lydia, it's just so pretty and then Faith seems to suit it very nicely.
9. Julia Hope - I've always loved Julia and it's on my family tree and Hope is such a great virtue and I do like the names together.
10. Jane Adelaide - Jane is such a classic and of course honors dear Jane Austen. Adelaide is so pretty and fits Jane nicely with such elegance. 
11. Clara Joyce - Clara is so pretty and has been a favorite for a while. Joyce honors my maternal grandma but I don't like it as well as her other name Irene.
12. Petra Felicity - Petra is a name that I've always liked but have never had on my favorites list before so I'm trying it out to see if it grows on me more. It took me a while to find a middle name I like but Felicity seems to add a bit more spunk to it.
13. Mary Frances - My dad's maternal grandmother's first and middle name, I have very fond memories of her and know she was as important to my dad as his mom was. I love Mary but usually use it was a middle name but wanted to consider it more as a first name.
14. Beatrice Elena - Mary Frances's older sister and my sister is named after her. I like Beatrice a lot, it's so elegant and Elena is very pretty too. I'd use "Bea" as a nickname but might not actually use this name because my sister would have first pick to use it because it's her name.
15. Phoebe Evangeline - just two I've liked for a while. 
16. Anna Melody - I've been rethinking Anne and Anna lately, they really are so pretty even though a bit plain. I wouldn't mind having a daughter or a niece named Anna (my sister is considering this too). Melody honors my very dear friend and she has made the name really stand out as absolutely gorgeous to me. :)
17. Margaret Ruth "Maggie" - I really like Margaret but am not brave enough to put it up there with Eleanor because my mom had a friend with this name and she'd probably think it was odd is I used it. Ruth honors mom's great-grandma who is a very special lady. I like the nickname Maggie or Maggie Ruth.
18. Emma Cecily - I love Emma even though it's so very popular right now. I've always had Emma Claire on my favorites list but I'm trying Cecily this time because it's pretty and so lovely old-fashioned sounding!
19. Jocelyn Opal - Jocelyn is a name my parents have always liked and especially because it's similar to Joyce my grandma's name. Opal is a name I like but it's also the birthstone for October when my parent's wedding anniversary is. I've been liking Jocelyn more lately since I've started pronouncing it joss-lynn instead of joss-eh-lynn. I do like the idea of "Joss" as a nickname. Probably won't use this name because my sister has already claimed it.
20. Cassandra Isolde "Cassie" - I love Cassandra and it honors Jane Austen't sweet sister. Isolde is so pretty and the names together are a bit over-romantic sounding but I do like it. My cousin is Kassondra so I probably won't use this but I do like it. 
21. Rosa Camille - I've been really liking Rosa lately and Camille is growing on me more and more.
22. Grace Arabella - I love Grace as a first name and Arabella is so elegant.
23. Laura Dorothy - Laura has been growing on me lately and I do like it but it's always seemed odd to me to name a daughter after myself (Laurie). I do want to use Laurence to honor my grandfather who I was named after and if I don't have a son I might use Laura as a girls middle name or maybe Laurie if it fits. Dorothy was the first older lady I ever cared for but it is a bit dated. 
24. Charity Esther - I've been liking Charity more and more lately and Esther honors my first employer who is such a good friend to me.
25. Eloise Margot - I always like El- names especially for girls and this combo still is so cute to me.

So this is the girls. I'm going to post the boys combos soon.

Do you like any of these first name / middle name combos? 

Are there any of these names you might consider using for a daughter?

Which names sound bests as sisters for Amy and Lena?

Create-A-Family Name Game

I love playing Name Games and making up families and name combos. The Create-A-Family name game below is one that I made recently. 

To Play: Choose one of the name combinations (first & middle name sets separated by commas) for each family member below. On any of the combos you may switch the first and middle name in you think that sounds better.

Key:
LN = last name
DH = dear husband
DW = dear wife
DS = dear son
DD = dear daughter
DD/DD and DS/DS = twins

Game:
LNs: Zimmerman, Powers, Harrington, Armstrong, Dawson, Hale, Coleman, Fletcher, Hodges, Sutton, Fitzgerald, Mclaughlin, Mccarthy

DH: Jimmy Dale, Leonard Rodney, Frank Clifton, Andre Parsons, Gregg Mcguire
DW: Ruby Eula, Luna Tara, Sheri Angelina, Rachael Margarita, Rita Irma

DS: Emilio Joseph, Evan Griffin, Van Obrien, Luke Ruben, Gilberto Henry
DD: Jan Camille, Desiree Bernice, Elsie Henrietta, Elisa Jeannie, Donna Janis
DS/DS: Antonio Hugh, Hamilton Lamar, Edwin Shaw, Jensen Terrence, Patton Bradley / Kenneth Terry, Oscar Cecil, Elliott Myron, Frazier Clyde, Brendan Ross
DD: Sophie Ellis, Annie Rosemarie, Misty Rochelle, Marlene Jo, Sadie Rosa
DD: Teresa Quinn, Marian Lola, Lillie Mona, Maureen Norma, Carrie Danielle
DS: Louis Francis, Griffith Leslie, Jackson Timothy, Alan Burns, Robert Bailey
DD: Meghan Rosie, Raquel Antoinette, Pauline Elsa, Hannah Blair, Estelle Cynthia
DS: Alvin Hawkins, Corey Parker, Lee Randall, David Nichols, Robin Doyle
DD: Charlene Padilla, Bobbie Wanda, Lynda Jane, Lynette Essie, Jasmine Darla
DS: Vernon Harvey, Erik Rufus, Bryant Reid, Neil Randolph, Howard Tomas
DS: Geoffrey Lewis, Drew Stewart, Phillip Glenn, Justin Hunter, Stanley Gustave
DD/DD: Madeline Della, Alice Myra, Lydia Maggie, Allison Patty, Parker Victoria / Nina Dolores, Tasha Hope, Rhonda Gail, Annette Iris, Renee Frances


My Family Example:
LN: Mclaughlin
DH: Frank Clifton Mclaughlin
DW: Ruby Eula (nee Fitzgerald) Mclaughlin
DS: Evan Griffin Mclaughlin
DD: Desiree Bernice Mclaughlin
DS/DS: Jensen Terrence Mclaughlin / Elliott Myron Mclaughlin
DD: Sadie Rosa Mclaughlin
DD: Marian Lola Mclaughlin
DS: Timothy Jackson Mclaughlin
DD: Hannah Blair Mclaughlin
DS: David Nichols Mclaughlin
DD: Lynette Essie Mclaughlin
DS: Bryant Reid Mclaughlin
DS: Justin Hunter Mclaughlin
DD/DD: Lydia Maggie Mclaughlin / Tasha Hope Mclaughlin


Frank & Ruby Mclaughlin
Evan, Desiree, Jensen, Elliott, Sadie, Marian, Timothy, Hannah, David, Lynette, Bryant, Justin, Lydia and Tasha



Have fun! I look forward to seeing your family! :)

Names I've Been Liking - Spring

Wow! It's been quite a while since I posted here! My interest in names is always there but sometimes I take a break from talking about them. I usually always play name games at Behind the Name which often brings up names that become new favorites.

Below are some names that I've been liking more lately or just been thinking about recently.

Boys Names:
-- Alan / Allan - Sometimes I like the sound and sometimes I don't but I've been liking more and more recently. Since watching the Robin Hood TV series my favorite character is Allan A Dale so I like that spelling best.

-- Benjamin "Ben" - I grew up with several Bens so the name was fairly common sounding to me but recently I've liked it a bit more and sort of added it to my list of "would use if I couldn't use my favorites" or "would use if my spouse liked it". The name has a wholesome sound to it that I like.

-- Declan - I've heard this used more recently in films and I'm really starting to like it. It's Irish and cute, I'm only worried that it sounds a bit stuck up. What do you think?

-- Edgar & Edwin - Because I love Edmund I'm starting to like other Ed- names with the nickname "Ned". I like both of these a lot more than the very popular Edward but still a lot less than my favorite Edmund. I dislike "Eddie" as a nickname but am starting to like "Ned" and "Ted".

-- Elliott - I love the double TT ending on boys names like Emmett and Garrett so even though this name is a bit more popular it's definitely on my extended favorites list.

-- Fiachra - pronounced FEE-akh-ra, it's an Irish Gaelic name that means "raven". I've considered it from time to time and I rather like it mostly because it's Gaelic but it is a bit tricky to pronounce. I like the look of it though.

-- Guy - Watching Robin Hood has put this name in my mind too. I've only ever met one Guy and he was a nice guy (hehe). I don't think I'd ever use it but I like it a bit more now.

-- Lennox - I like this as a surname but I'm also starting to like this as a boys first name. To me it has definite Scottish connections but also a bit posh British. I've also seen it as a girls name which is okay but not a favorite.

-- Philip - This is another more common name that has started to grow on me. I don't mind it now and even like the nickname "Phil" a bit, but "Pip" would be even better!

-- Piers - I've seen this a few times recently on TV personalities and I rather like it. Pierce and Pearce are favorites so I'm liking Piers too.

-- Solomon "Sol" - This I like because it's a family name and a Biblical name but recently I've liked the sound of "Sol" so it's held more interest recently. I don't really like Saul though.

-- Tiernan - This another name I heard on Robin Hood and it reminded me how interesting it is. I love Ciaran, Kieran and Kiernan so Tiernan isn't too far of a stretch. It's been added to my extended list of favorites but is creeping it's way into my top 20. :)

Girls Names:
-- Amelia "Amy" - I've heard of Amy being used as a nickname for Amelia but recently I've seen it used twice, once on my friend and again for Amy Pond in the newer Doctor Who series. I've really been starting to love this combination! I adore Amy as a first name so I'm not sure I'd want it to be just a nickname but I'm having a fun time considering it because I like Amelia and it's kind of sad that I wouldn't be able to use it too if I used Amy. I sort of like the idea of naming two daughters Amelia "Amy" and Eleanor "Lena". What do you think of that?

-- Breezy - I've seen this recently and thought it was lovely that parents would give their daughter such a sweet name.

-- Camille - Usually I find Camille and Camilla very stuck up but recently I've found Camille to be a very beautiful name! I like the nickname "Cammie" too.

-- Elaine - The lady I would for is named this and I've seen it on a little girl before too so I'm liking it a lot more recently. Ellie or Ella would make nice nickname. Does it sound too old to you?

-- Hester - I like the name Esther but the H in Hester has always seemed a bit harsh but recently I've been liking it a lot more. I like the nickname "Hes" too which is a bit odd for me.

-- Kindred - I heard this used recently on Behind the Name and immediately liked it. I love Virtue names and this one is quite similar. I've never met anyone named Kindred but I'm still liking it. What do you think?

-- Laura - Because my name is Laurie I've never really wanted to name a girl after myself so I haven't liked similar names such as Lauren, Laurel, Lori or Laura. But I do love Laurence for a boy because it's my grandfather's name and recently I've been liking Laura a lot more for a girl. I find it to have a lovely old-fashioned sound which I love and the connections to Laura Ingalls Wilder doesn't hurt. Laura has moved to my extended list of favorites and is definitely one I'd consider using now.

-- Loveday - I watched The Secret of Moonacre recently and rather liked this name. It's a bit strange if you think about it literary "love" and "day" but when put together it has a lovely sound. Do you think it's too strange?

-- Martha - This name has always sounded boring to me but after watching Doctor Who recently I started liking the name more. There's also Marty from the Love Comes Softly series and her full name was Martha. I don't really like the nickname "Marty" very much but "Mari" which be nice or "Mattie".

-- Melody - I have a dear friend with this name and I've really been liking it a lot lately. So pretty!

-- Rhiannon - This Welsh name has actually always stumped me with the pronunciation because I've never seen or heard of anyone with the name before. Recently I watched a film set in Wales and the heroine had this  name and it was nice to actually hear how they pronounced it: REE-awn-uhn. I can pronounce it every time now and I this it's beautiful!

-- Rosa - The heroine of Charles Dickens' The Mystery of Edwin Drood is named Rosa Bud and since finding out more about the story I've been liking the name Rosa a lot more now. I think it's very pretty!

-- Rose - I've always liked this but it's so popular as a middle name that I've steered clear of putting it on my favorites list. But watching Doctor Who made Rose a good candidate for a first name to add to my extended favorites list. Right now I can't decide whether I like it better or less than Rosa but I do like the nickname "Rosie" for both of them.

-- Ruth - I love this because it's Biblical and my mom's step-grandma has this name so it would honor her. Usually I prefer it as a middle name but recently I've started liking it more as a first name. Too plain?

-- Temperance - In the detective show I've been watching recently the main character is named Temperance and I was reminded how much I like it, especially with nickname "Tempy"! Since it's not used as much as a word lately I'm starting to think it's more usable. What to you think?


Do you like any of these? 
Which would you consider using for a son or daughter?


What names have you been liking lately?

Two Names: Elliette & Oliver

Elliette
A friend of my parents sent them a Christmas card and I was quite interested to see that their daughter is named Elliette. I've never seen the name before but think it looks lovely! My guess is that it would be pronounced similar to Elliott only with the "ette" sound at the end.

What do you think of the name? Pretty or too masculine?
Is it too similar to Elliott?
Have you heard the name before?
What do you think of the names Joshua, Jacob and Elliette for siblings?

What middle names would you pair with it? I rather like Elliette Ruby, Elliette Marie or Elliette Margot (I like the M name and the French sound).

Oliver
Also, a friend recently had a baby boy and named him Oliver. Through most of the pregnancy she called him "Ollie" so I'd assume that's what he's going to be called most of the time. I've always rather liked the name but it does sound stuck up to me.

What do you think? Pretentious sounding or handsome?