Girls Name: Margaret

Derived from Latin Margarita, which was from Greek μαργαριτης (margarites) meaning "pearl", probably ultimately a borrowing from Sanskrit मञ्यरी (manyari). Saint Margaret, the patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century. Later legends told of her escape from a dragon, with which she was often depicted in medieval art. The saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and her name has been widely used in the Christian world.

Other saints by this name include a queen of Scotland and a princess of Hungary. It was also borne by Queen Margaret I of Denmark, who united Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in the 14th century. Famous literary bearers include American writer Margaret Mitchell (1900-1949), the author of 'Gone with the Wind', and Canadian writer Margaret Atwood (1939-).

Margaret has been a very popular name, ranking in the top 10 from 1880-1939 in the USA. Today it ranks #169 in the USA and is still common in many countries. Most of the ladies I know named Margaret go by their full name (one is Maggie, another is Mags) and are in their 50s or 60s. 

I quite like the name Margaret, although I do like the French form Margot / Margaux, a bit better. I might consider using Margaret for a daughter, especially if it honored someone, but I like it as a middle name better. The heroine of one of the stories I'm writing is named Margaret Lesley, but her Scottish father calls her Peggy. I like the combos Margaret Ruth, Margaret Jean, Anna Margaret, Sadie Margaret and Helena Margaret.

What do you think of the name Margaret? 

Do you know anyone with this name? 

What other names would you pair it with?  

Girls Name: Beatrice

Italian form of Beatrix which is probably from Viatrix, a feminine form of the Late Latin name Viator which meant "voyager, traveller". Beatrix was a common name amongst early Christians, and the spelling was altered by association with Latin beatus "blessed". Beatrice Portinari was the woman who was loved by the Italian poet Dante Alighieri. She served as Dante's guide through paradise in his epic poem 'The Divine Comedy' (1321). This was also the name of a character in Shakespeare's play 'Much Ado About Nothing' (1599). - quoted from Behind the Name

Beatrice was quite popular in the early 1900's, ranking as high as #53 in the USA during 1901. Today it ranks #20 in Italy, #45 in Romania, #91 in England and Wales, and #601 in the USA. 

Beatrice was the name of my father's fun-loving great-aunt who he called "Auntie Bea" and my sister's middle name is Beatrix after her. I love Beatrice and Beatrix and would definitely consider using them as middle names. "Auntie Bea" was Beatrice Elena and her mother was Lena Viola so I would consider using Eleanor Beatrice, Elena Beatrice or Lena Beatrice. 

What do you think of the name Beatrice? 

Do you know anyone with this name? 

What other names would you pair it with?  

Girls Name: Eleanor

From the Old French form of the Occitan name Aliénor. It was first borne by the influential Eleanor of Aquitaine (12th century), who was the queen of Louis VII, the king of France, and later Henry II, the king of England. She was named Aenor after her mother, and was called by the Occitan phrase alia Aenor "the other AENOR" in order to distinguish her from her mother. Aenor is probably a Latinized form of a Germanic name of unknown meaning. This was the name of the mother of Eleanor of Aquitaine. May also be related to Helen, the English form of the Greek ‘Ελενη (Helene), probably from Greek ‘ελενη (helene) "torch" or "corposant", or possibly related to σεληνη (selene) "moon". 

The popularity of the name Eleanor in England during the Middle Ages was due to the fame of Eleanor of Aquitaine, as well as two queens of the following century: Eleanor of Provence, the wife of Henry III, and Eleanor of Castile, the wife of Edward I. More recently, it was borne by first lady Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), the wife of American president Franklin Roosevelt. - quoted from Behind The Name

Eleanor started being more popular in the late 1890's and reached #25 in 1920 in the USA, then by the 1940's it went back to being out of the top 100 in the USA. Today Eleanor rates #60 in England and Wales, #78 in the USA, #82 in Australia and #88 in Canada. 

Eleanor is unfortunately not on my family tree but I do love it so much! One of my favorite Jane Austen characters is Eleanor Tilney from Northanger Abbey and I also love Elinor Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility. I also like Eleanor with nickname Lena or Ellie. My favorite combos are Eleanor Mary, Eleanor Sally and Eleanor Amelia. 

What do you think of the name Eleanor? 

Do you know anyone with this name? 

What other names would you pair it with? 

Girls Name: Amy

English form of the Old French name Amée meaning "beloved" (modern French aimée), a vernacular form of the Latin Amata. As an English name, it was in use in the Middle Ages (though not common) and was revived in the 19th century. - quoted from Behind The Name

Amy has always been fairly common and in the 1970's-1980's it stayed in the top 10 in the USA, ranking as high as #2! Currently it ranks #30 in Ireland, #31 in Netherlands, #40 in Northern Ireland, #42 in Scotland, #77 in Switzerland, #82 in England and Wales and #148 in the USA.

Amy Wilbur Pearce was a great-grandmother on my father's side of the family and I would love to use the name to honor her. Another family spelling of the name was Amey, which I also like. I have a friend who is Amelia, nickname Amy and I'm also a Doctor Who fan so Amelia Pond, often called Amy, is another favorite of mine. So I go back and forth between using Amy as a full name or as a nickname for Amelia.

My favorite Amy combo is Amy Irene but I also like Amy Joyce, Amy Eleanor and Amy Ruth. And as for Amelia combos I like Amelia Joy, Amelia Eleanor, Amelia Ruth and Amelia Irene.

What do you think of the name Amy? 

Do you know anyone with this name? 

What other names would you pair it with?

Girls Name: Lucy

Lucy is the English form of Lucia, in use since the Middle Ages. Lucia is the feminine form of Lucius. Saint Lucia was a 4th-century martyr from Syracuse. It has been used in the England since the 12th century, usually in the spellings Lucy or Luce. Lucius is a Roman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin lux "light".  - quoted from Behind The Name

Lucy has always been fairly commonly used and currently rated #8 in Scotland, #8 in Northern Ireland, #9 in Ireland, #19 in New Zealand, #30 in England and Wales, #33 in Canada and #62 in the USA. 

I really like the name Lucy, it has great literary connections such as Lucy Pevensie (Narnia books), Lucy Maud Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables author), Lucy Snow (Villette by Charlotte Bronte) and Lucy Steele (Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen) among others.

Currently I only know one little girl named Lucie, and that's a nickname for Luciana (pronounced Loo-see-ann-uh). My father also has a cousin who named her daughter Luciana after an Italian grandmother so her name is pronounced loo-chan-uh and she's also called "Lucie". 

I would definitely consider using Lucy as a girls name and would probably pair it with a longer middle name such as Lucy Arabella, Lucy Adelaide, Lucy Margaret or Lucy Emilia. 

What do you think of the name Lucy? 

Do you know anyone with this name? 

What other names would you pair it with?

Girls Name: Lena

Scandinavian, German and Polish short form of Helena the Latinate form of Helen, English form of the Greek ‘Ελενη (Helene), probably from Greek ‘ελενη (helene) "torch" or "corposant", or possibly related to σεληνη (selene) "moon". In Greek mythology Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War. The name was also borne by the 4th-century Saint Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, who supposedly found the True Cross during a trip to Jerusalem. - quoted from Behind The Name

Lena hasn't ever been super popular in the USA, but in the late 1800's it rated as high as #41, and it is much more popular in other countries. It ranked #1 in Poland, #8 in Austria, #13 in France, #13 in Switzerland and #18 in Belgium. 

I've only heard of one modern Lena, one time when I was a craft store a mom was calling her little girl "Lee-nuh!" and it was quite cute, not sure if it was just a nickname or a full name. 

On my dad's family tree he has a great-grandmother named Lena Viola and she named her daughter Beatrice Elena - lovely names! 

Lena is at the top of my favorites list, right below Amy. I go back and forth trying to decide whether to use it as a full first name or just a nickname for Eleanor. I also can't decide whether to pronounce it LEE-nuh or LAY-nuh. My favorite combos are Lena Sally, Lena Mary, Lena Mercy, Lena Ruth and Lena Viola. I also like Eleanor Sally "Lena", Eleanor Mary "Lena" and Eleanor Joyce "Lena".

What do you think of the name Lena? 

Do you know anyone with this name? 

What other names would you pair it with?

Girls Name: Mary

Usual English form of Maria, the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Μαριαμ (Mariam) and Μαρια (Maria) - the spellings are interchangeable - which were from Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam), a name borne by the sister of Moses in the Old Testament. The meaning is not known for certain, but there are several theories including "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from mry "beloved" or mr "love".

This is the name of several New Testament characters, most importantly Mary the virgin mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene. Due to the Virgin Mary this name has been very popular in the Christian world, though at certain times in some cultures it has been considered too holy for everyday use. In England it has been used since the 12th century, and it has been among the most common feminine names since the 16th century. The Latinized form Maria is also used in English as well as in several other languages.

This name has been borne by two queens of England, as well as a Queen of Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots. Another notable bearer was Mary Shelley (1797-1851), the author of 'Frankenstein'. A famous fictional character by this name is Mary Poppins from the children's books by P. L. Travers. - quoted from Behind The Name

Mary has been hugely popular in past years by today it only ranks #120 in USA, #225 in England and Wales and #77 in Ireland. Most of the Marys I have known have been in their 90s or 80s, then there's some peppered through at my parent's age and I know one girl age 21 with the name. 

My father's grandmother was Mary Frances and I've always loved the name. I really like Mary as a middle name in combos like Julia Mary, Eleanor Mary or Catherine Mary. I also like it as a first name in combos like Mary Frances, Mary Amelia or Mary Joyce. I'd definitely use it to honor my great-grandmother.

What do you think of the name Mary?  

Do you know anyone with this name?   

What other names would you pair it with?

Girls Name: Bethany

From the name of a biblical town, possibly derived from Hebrew בֵּית־תְּאֵנָה (beit-te'enah) meaning "house of figs". In the New Testament the town of Bethany was the home of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. It has been in use as a rare given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, used primarily by Catholics in honour of Mary of Bethany. In America it became moderately common after the 1950s. - quoted from Behind The Name

In the 1980's it ranked in the late #80s and early #90s in the USA. More recently it has become less popular, ranking #393 in the USA, #89 in England and Wales, #99 in Northern Ireland and #88 in Scotland. 

I've known several Bethanys over the years, most of them are my age or slightly older. One of my good friends is named Bethany and she often gets called Beth which I love! A co-worker recently had a daughter and named her Bethany, her hair is red and that's the first red-haired Bethany that I've known. 

Bethany isn't at the top of my favorites list but it is sweet and I might consider using it for a daughter if my husband liked it, but I'd use the nickname Beth. I actually like Beth as a nickname for Bethany better than as a nickname for Elizabeth. I like the combos Bethany Rose, Bethany Ruth, Bethany Claire, Bethany Leah or Bethany Christine.

What do you think of the name Bethany? 

Do you know anyone with this name? 

What other names would you pair it with?

Girls Name: Greta

Short form of Margareta a cognate of Margaret. A famous bearer of the name Greta was Swedish actress Greta Garbo (1905-1990).
Margaret is derived from Latin Margarita, which was from Greek μαργαριτης (margarites) meaning "pearl", probably ultimately a borrowing from Sanskrit मञ्यरी (manyari). Saint Margaret, the patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century. Later legends told of her escape from a dragon, with which she was often depicted in medieval art. The saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and her name has been widely used in the Christian world. Other saints by this name include a queen of Scotland and a princess of Hungary. It was also borne by Queen Margaret I of Denmark, who united Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in the 14th century. Famous literary bearers include American writer Margaret Mitchell (1900-1949), the author of 'Gone with the Wind', and Canadian writer Margaret Atwood (1939-). - quoted from Behind The Name entry

Old-fashioned sounding names have revived in recent days but Greta hasn't been as popular as I think it could become. In recent years it has ranked #594 in the USA, #11 in Italy, #22 in Hungary and #68 in Sweden.

Not too long ago I met two little sisters named Greta and Cora. I loved their names and their sweet blond curly heads! Since then Greta has been a favorite of mine. I've loved Gretchen and Gretel and similar sounding names such as Petra for awhile so loving Greta wasn't hard!

I like the combo Greta Lucy and also Greta Lucille, Greta Frances, Greta Ruth, Greta Louise and Greta Irene. Anyway, I love the name Greta and would definitely consider using it for a daughter.


What do you think of the name Greta? 

Do you know anyone with this name? 

What other names would you pair it with?

Girls Name: Sophia

Means "wisdom" in Greek. This was the name of an early, probably mythical, saint who died of grief after her three daughters were martyred. Legends about her probably arose as a result of a medieval misunderstanding of the phrase Hagia Sophia "Holy Wisdom", which was the name of a large basilica in Constantinople. This name was common among continental European royalty during the Middle Ages, and it was popularized in Britain by the German House of Hanover when they inherited the British throne in the 18th century. It was the name of characters in the novels 'Tom Jones' (1749) by Henry Fielding and 'The Vicar of Wakefield' (1766) by Oliver Goldsmith. - quoted from Behind The Name entry

Sophia, Sophie, Sofia and Sofie have been super popular in recent years but I still really love it. In recent years Sophia ranked #3 in the USA and Canada, #6 in Austria, #9 in Northern Ireland and New Zealand and #10 in Scotland.

I've known a few little girls named Sophia. Jane Austen used the name Sophia for a few minor characters in her novels and in film adaptations and audiobook readings it is often pronounced so-FIE-uh which seems to be the British English pronunciation. In Jane Austen's Persuasion the character Sophia Croft is called "Sophy" by her brother.

Because it's so popular I like Sophia better as a middle name as in Eleanor Sophia, Catherine Sophia or Adelaide Sophia. But I do also like the combos Sophia Rose, Sophia Maeve and Sophia Eleanor.

What do you think of the name Sophia? 

Do you know anyone with this name? 

What other names would you pair it with?

Girls Name: Anna

Form of Channah (or Hannah) used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament. In the Bible Hannah is the Biblical From the Hebrew name חַנָּה (Channah) meaning "favour" or "grace". Hannah is the mother of the prophet Samuel in the Old Testament. As an English name, Hannah was not regularly used until after the Protestant Reformation. The Greek and Latin version Anna, which is used in the New Testament, has traditionally been more common as a Christian name.
Many later Old Testament translations, including the English, use the Hannah spelling instead of Anna. The name appears briefly in the New Testament belonging to a prophetess who recognized Jesus as the Messiah. It was a popular name in the Byzantine Empire from an early date, and in the Middle Ages it became common among Western Christians due to veneration of Saint Anna (usually known as Saint Anne in English), the name traditionally assigned to the mother of the Virgin Mary. In the English-speaking world, this form came into general use in the 18th century, joining Ann and Anne. The name was borne by several Russian royals, including an 18th-century empress of Russia. It was also the name of the main character in Leo Tolstoy's novel 'Anna Karenina' (1877), a woman forced to choose between her son and her lover. - quoted from Behind The Name entry

Anna has always been popular and in recent years it has ranked #35 in the USA, #1 in Austria, #2 in Hungary, #3 in Czech Republic and #5 in Norway. Other forms such as Annie, Anne, Ann and Ana are still super popular. In the Disney film Frozen one of the main characters is Princess Anna, sister of Queen Elsa and in the film her name is pronounced AHN-nah.

I've always liked the name Anna and I've known a few ladies and girls with this name. I once knew a sweet little girl with bright red hair and freckles named Anna and that helped me to really fall in love with it. I like the combo Anna Grace but that would really be like naming a girl "grace, grace". I also like Anna Joy, Anna Margaret, Anna Claire, Anna Ruth, Anna Ruby and Anna Felicity. I do really like the pronunciation AHN-nah but I usually think of that sound as more associated with the Ana spelling.

What do you think of the name Anna? 

 Do you know anyone with this name? 

 What other names would you pair it with?

Jane Austen Names & Surnames

[click to enlarge]

Jane Austen is my favorite authoress and I've been working on a website about the names she uses in her novels and short stories. The photo above is one I made and it has all the first names she used. 

Jane Austen Girls Names: Alice Alicia Amelia Amy Anna Anna-Maria Anne Arabella Augusta Bella Betsy Betty Biddy Caroline Cassandra Catherine Cecilia Charlotte Chlo Clara Cloe Diana Dorothy Eleanor Elfrida Elinor Eliza Elizabeth Eloisa Emma Emily Esther Fanny Flora Frances Frederica Georgiana Hannah Harriet Henrietta Hetty Isabel Isabella Jane Janet Janetta Jemima Jezalinda Julia Kitty Laura Laurina Letitia Lizzy Louisa Lucy Margaret Maria Marianne Marina Martha Mary Matilda Maud Melissa Nancy Nanny Patty Pen Penelope Pistoletta Polly Rebecca Rosa Rose Sally Sarah Selina Sophia Sophy Sukey Susan Susanna

Jane Austen Boys Names: Archibald Arthur Augustus Basil Benjamin Charles Christopher David Dick Edgar Edmund Edward Fitzwilliam Frank Frederic Frederick George Godfrey Gregory Gustavus Harry Henry Humphrey Jack James Jebb Jem John Lewis Ned Peter Philip Rakehelly Ralph Reginald Richard Robert Rodolphus Sam Sidney Stephen Thomas Tom Walter Will William

Jane Austen Surnames: 
Abbot Adams Adby Allen Amyatt Anderson Andrews Arundel Atkinson Aylmer
Baddeley Baldwin Bar Barlow Bates Beard Beaufort Beckford Bennet Benwick Bertram Best Beverley Bickerton Bingley Bird Blake Bragge Braithwaite Brand Brandon Brereton Brigden Brown Brudnell Burgess Burnaby Burton
Campbell Capper Carey Carr Carter Carteret Cartwright Cecil Chamberlayne Chapman Churchill Clarke Clay Clayton Cleveland Clifton Cole Collins Cooper Corydon Courtland Courtenay Coxe Crawford Croft Curtis
Dalrymple Daphne Danvers Darcy Darling Dashwood Davenport Davies Davis Dawson de Bourgh DeCourcy Denham Dennison Denny Devereux Dishonour Dixon Donavan Dowkins Drew Drummond Dudley Dupuis Durrand Dutton
Edgecumbe Edwards Elliot Elliott Ellis Ellison Elton
Fairfax Falknor Ferrars Fisher Fitzgerald Fitzroy Fitzwilliam Flambeau Fletcher Ford Forster Frankland Fraser Frederic Freeman
Gardiner Gibson Gilbert Gill Goddard Goulding Gower Graham Grant Grantley Green Gregory Grey Grierson Griffiths Groom
Haggerston Halifax Hamilton Hampton Hanking Harcourt Harding Harley Harrington Harris Harrison Harville Hawkins Hayter Heely Hemmings Henshawe Hervey Heywood Hill Hillier Hodges Holford Howard Hughes Humbug Hunter Hurst Hutchinson
Ibbotson
Jackson Jefferies Jeffereys Jenkinson Jennings Johnson Jones
Kennet Kickabout King Knightley
Lambe Larkins Lascelles Lee Lesley Lindsay Little Lloyd Long Longtown Lucas Lutterell
Macbeth MacDonald Macduff Mackenzie Maclean Maddison Maddox Manwaring Marlow Marlowe Marshall Martin Matthews Maxwell M'Cartney M'donald Merryweather Metcalfe Middleton Milar Milman Mitchell M'Kay M'Kenzie M'lellan M'Leod Molland Montague Morgan Morland Morley Morris Morton M'Pherson Mullins Musgrove
Nash Newnham Nicholls Norris Norton Noyce
O'Brien Oliver Osborne Otway Owen
Palmer Parker Parry Partridge Percival Perry Philander Phillips Polydore Poole Pope Popgun Postilion Pratt Prescott Price Prince Purvis
Ravenshaw Repton Reynolds Richards Richardson Robertus Robinson Roger Rooke Rose Ross Rushworth Russell
Saddler Sanderson Saunders Scholey Scroggs Serle Sharpe Shaw Sheldon Shepherd Shirley Simpson Skinner Smallridge Smith Smythe Sneyd Spangle Sparks Speed Spicer Stanhope Stanly Staves Steele St.Ives Stokes Stone Stornaway Strephon Stringer Styles Suckling Summers Swithin
Taylor Thorpe Tilney Tomlinson Trent Tupman Turner
Vernon
Walker Wallis Walsh Watson Watts Webb Webster Wentworth Weston Whitaker Whitakers Whitby Wickham Wilcox Wilhelminus Williams Williamson Willis Willoughby Wilmot Wilson Wingfield Woodcock Wright Wykeham
Yates Younge

I've also been working on a list of place names she used but those are harder to gather.

This list is handy for me when I'm trying to decide on a name for a character in a story I'm writing especially since the stories I'm writing now are based in Regency England. I love many of these names and would used names such as Eleanor, Elinor, Jane, Henry and Edmund for a future child. I've also considered naming pets after them and can see myself one day having a cat named Tilney or Willoughby.



Which of these names are your favorites?

Would you consider naming a child or even a pet after a favorite book character?

Girls Name: Priscilla

Priscilla is a Roman name, a diminutive of Prisca which is a feminine form of Priscus, a Roman family name which meant "ancient" in Latin. This name appears in the epistles in the New Testament, referring to Priscilla the wife of Aquila.. In Acts in the New Testament Paul lived with Priscilla and her husband Aquila in Corinth for a while. It has been used as an English given name since the Protestant Reformation, being popular with the Puritans. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow used it in his poem 'The Courtship of Miles Standish' (1858). - Quoted from Behind The Name entry

I've known a few people named Priscilla. One young lady I grew up with is called Priscilla (some times called "Priss" by her siblings), my good friend is Priscilla but always goes by Cilla, and an elderly patient I knew was always called Prissy.

I'm not sure I'd use Priscilla for a daughter's name but I do enjoy the combos Priscilla Ruth, Priscilla Miriam and Priscilla Rose.


What do you think of the name Priscilla? 

 Do you know anyone with this name? 

 What other names would you pair it with?

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 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?

My Alphabet Favorites - December 2011

At this end of the year I'll just take a few minutes to review some of my favorite names by playing the alphabet favorites game that I've always enjoyed since I was a girl.

I'd love if all of you would play along and post some of your favorites by alphabet too!

Girls:
A - Amy, Adelaide, Amelia, Anna, Anneliese, Arabella, Aurelia
B - Beatrice, Beatrix
C - Clara, Catherine, Cora, Cassandra
D - Dorothy, Dorothea, Delyth
E - Eleanor, Emma, Ella, Evangeline, Evelyn, Emmeline, Eloise
F - Felicity, Frances, Florence
G - Grace, Gretchen
H - Hope, Helena
I - Irene, Isabella, Isolde
J - Julia, Juliet, Jane, Jocelyn, Juliana, Jeanette
K - Kathryn, Karis
L - Lena, Lydia, Leah, Laura,
M - Mary, Margot, Margaret, Marjorie
N - Niamh, Niobe, Naomi, Nora
O - Olivia, Opal
P - Phoebe, Priscilla, Phyllis
Q - Quinn
R - Rosalie, Rosemary, Ruby
S - Sadie, Sally, Sophia, Susannah
T - Tabitha, Tamara, Tessa
U - Unity, Ursula
V - Violet, Victoria, Vanessa, Verity
W - Willa, Winifred, Wilhelmina
X - Xandra
Y - Yelena, Yvonne
Z - Zoe, Zinnia

Current Top 10 Girls Names: Lena, Amy, Sadie, Eleanor, Clara, Lydia, Emma, Jane, Phoebe, Julia

Boys:

A - Aidan, Alexander, Alec, Alistair, Abel, Asa
B - Brody, Benjamin, Bryce, Bartholomew
C - Callum, Colin, Ciaran, Crispin, Caspian
D - David, Dermot, Declan, Duncan
E - Edmund, Emmett, Ezekiel, Ezra, Ewan, Eamon
F - Finbar, Frederick, Francis "Frank", Fletcher, Finley, Fabian
G - Garrett, Gilbert, Gideon, Gethin
H - Henry, Hugh, Hugo, Harry, Humphrey
I - Ian, Iain, Isaiah, Israel
J - Jack, Jonathan, Jasper, Jubal
K - Kenneth, Kieran, Keegan
L - Laurence, Liam, Luke, Lucius, Levi
M - Matthias, Matthew, Miles, Michael, Maxwell
N - Nathaniel, Nathan, Noah, Noble
O - Owen, Oliver
P - Patrick, Philip, Peter, Pearce
Q - Quinlan, Quincy
R - Roderick, Rhys, Robert
S - Simon, Silas, Sebastian
T - Titus, Theodore, Thomas, Tristan
U - Uriah, Uilliam
V - Vaughn, Vance, Victor
W - Welcome, William, Walter, Willoughby
X - Xander, Xavier
Y - Yoan, Yosef
Z - Zachariah, Zacharias, Zebulon

Current Top 10 Boys Names: Edmund, Simon, Nathaniel, Henry, Colin, Ciaran, Emmett, Aidan, Ian, Jack


Can you think of a favorite name for each letter of the alphabet?
Are any of my favorites your favorites too?

What Would You Name Your Child? - Letter D

Fluffy Cuteness!

The votes for letter C so far are:
Catherine with 4 votes
Caleb with 5 votes

Also the votes for the surname polls are at present:
Hamilton & Sullivan both with 4 votes

The question is: Which of these names starting with the Letter D would you actually consider naming your son or daughter?

Polls: Happy voting!

Letter D - What would you name your daughter?
	Daisy
	Danielle
	Dorothy
	Delaney
	Destiny
	Dagmar
	Desiree
	Danika
pollcode.com free polls

Letter D - What would you name your son?
	Daniel
	David
	Dylan
	Declan
	Douglas
	Donovan
	Demetrius
	Dustin
pollcode.com free polls

Questions:
-Which name did you choose in each poll?
-Why did you choose those names? (e.i. do you like it best? does it honor someone?)
-Are there any other names starting with D that you'd be more likely to use for a real child?