Boys Name: Edmund

From the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and mund "protection". This was the name of two Anglo-Saxon kings of England. It was also borne by two saints, including a 9th-century king of East Anglia who, according to tradition, was shot to death with arrows after refusing to divide his Christian kingdom with an invading pagan Danish leader. This Old English name remained in use after the Norman conquest (even being used by king Henry III for one of his sons), though it became less common after the 15th century.

Famous bearers of the name include the English poet Edmund Spenser (1552-1599), the German-Czech philosopher Edmund Husserl (1859-1938) and New Zealand mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary (1919-2008), the first person to climb Mount Everest. - quoted from Behind The Name

In the late 1800's the name Edmund was rated in the top 100 in the USA, France and England and Wales but since then it hasn't been popular at all. I've only known one or two Edmunds, older men, both called Ed. 

Quite awhile ago I wrote a post all about the reasons why Edmund is my favorite boys name. Since then Edmund is still a favorite but Emmett has started to rival it. My favorite Edmund combo is still Edmund Laurence, but I also like Edmund Henry and Edmund Oliver.

What do you think of the name Edmund? 

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?

Boys Name: Arthur

The meaning of this name is unknown. It could be derived from the Celtic elements artos "bear" combined with viros "man" or rigos "king". Alternatively it could be related to an obscure Roman family name Artorius. Arthur is the name of the central character in Arthurian legend, a 6th-century king of the Britons who resisted Saxon invaders. He may or may not have been a real person. He first appears in Welsh poems and chronicles (some possibly as early as the 7th century) but his character was not developed until the chronicles of the 12th-century Geoffrey of Monmouth.

The name came into general use in England in the Middle Ages due to the prevalence of Arthurian romances, and it enjoyed a surge of popularity in the 19th century. Famous bearers include German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), mystery author and Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), and science-fiction author Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008).

- quoted from Behind The Name

In recent years Arthur ranked #3 in Belgium, #12 in France, #41 in England and Wales, #41 in Denmark, #72 in Switzerland, #98 in New Zealand, and #306 in the USA. It was much more popular in the 1800's often ranking at #20 or higher. 

My love of this name mostly started with watching the BBC show Merlin where the cast are all younger folks and King Arthur is played by actor Bradley James. 

I'm not sure I would use the name Arthur for a son but I do like it a lot, especially combos Arthur William, Arthur Henry, Arthur Humphrey, Arthur James and Arthur Philip. 

What do you think of the name Arthur? 

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?

Boys Name: Colin

There's two thoughts on the origin of the name Colin. 

Colin (1) - Anglicized form of Cailean or Coilean, both name meaning "whelp, young dog" or "child" in Gaelic. This name is also used as a Scottish form of Columba which means "dove".

Colin (2) - A Medieval English diminutive of Col, a short form of Nicholas a Greek name that means "victory of the people".

- quoted from Behind the Name

The name Colin has become increasingly more popular over the last few years. It ranked #140 in the USA, #65 in Sweden and #60 in Switzerland. It has always been common in England, Scotland and Ireland. 

I have a real love for this name because my father is named Colin. My grandmother (his mother) chose his name because growing up her favorite book was The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgdon Burnett and she loved all things Scottish so all three of her kids were given Scottish names (Colin, Bonnie Jean and Kenneth). It's a name that my parents weren't over fond of but they did name my brother Colin Andrew (he goes by Andy). It's a name I'd love to use one day provided that my brother doesn't use it first (he has first dibs anyway). I like the combos Colin Laurence, Colin Stone, Colin Michael or Colin David. 

What do you think of the name Colin? 

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?

Boys Name: Jasper

Means "treasurer" in Persian. This name was traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who were said to have visited the newborn Jesus. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since the Middle Ages. The name can also be given in reference to the English word for the gemstone. - quoted from Behind The Name entry

I like that Jasper isn't that popular but it does seem more popular in recent years than it was in the past. In recent years it ranked #218 in the USA, #107 in England and Wales, and it has ranked in the 70's for Canada, Australia and the Netherlands.

My mom really likes this name, and I do like the sound of it. I like it as a middle name or as a first name but I might not use it because I don't have as much attachment to it as I do to other names. Some combos I like are: Elias Jasper, Jasper Michael, Owen Jasper, Henry Jasper and Jasper Thomas.


What do you think of the name Jasper? 

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?

Boys Name: Jack

Derived from Jackin (earlier Jankin), a medieval diminutive of John, the Biblical English form of Iohannes, the Latin form of the Greek name Ιωαννης (Ioannes), itself derived from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan) meaning "YAHWEH is gracious" or "God is gracious". This name owes its popularity to two New Testament characters, both highly revered saints. The first is John the Baptist, a Jewish ascetic who was considered the forerunner of Jesus Christ. The second is the apostle John, who is traditionally regarded as the author of the fourth Gospel and Revelation. 
Jack is often regarded as an independent name. During the Middle Ages it was very common, and it became a slang word meaning "man". It was frequently used in fairy tales and nursery rhymes, such as 'Jack and the Beanstalk', 'Little Jack Horner', and 'Jack Sprat'. American writers Jack London (1876-1916) and Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) were two famous bearers of this name. It is also borne by American actor Jack Nicholson (1937-). - quoted from Behind The Name entry

Jack has been popular as an independent first name and in recent years it has ranked #1 in Ireland, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It has also ranked #2 in England and Wales, #2 in New Zealand, #4 in Australia and #41 in the USA.

I prefer it as a full name since John isn't a favorite of mine. I like the combos Jack Kenneth, Jack Alexander, Jack Miles and Jack Oliver.


What do you think of the name Jack? 

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?