In Defense of Aidan

"You must hate Aidan!" I've had that reaction from more than one person after I told them that I write a blog about baby names and trends.

But I don't. I actually love the name Aidan. It's Irish, it has a good meaning and it's a strong name without being an overused classic (I know, James is an overused classic, I admit it).

Aidan didn't appear over night, in the 1990s it was at 311, with Aiden at 860. However by 1996 Aidan had shot up to 166 with Aiden trudging along at 474. By 2007 Aidan had peaked at 54 and Aiden surpassed it by landing at 27 on the Social Security baby names list. I won't even start with the Adans/Aydans/Aidyns. If you put them together it's still only at 40.5 on the chart, right between Evan and Isaac.

I used to think that Aidan only exploded after Sex and the City's Aidan but the charts don't back up my theory. My new theory is pretty simple: people like Irish names. With the mini explosion of Conners and Ryans in the '90s people looked for similar names that weren't as popular with their playgroup. The 2000s have been more open to foreign and unique names. Ava is a far cry from Amanda, which was the sixth most popular name of the 1990s.

I've belonged to several playgroups and messageboards in the last few years (Michigan, Florida, Alabama) and the majority of the members are +/- five years from me. I also have at least 15 friends with sons named Aidan/Aiden. I have no data other than my opinion but it seems to me that the under 30 year old moms tend to go for Aidan while the 40+ moms tend to go for George.

So I don't hate Aidan. If anything I think Aidan has helped jumpstart a new era of babynaming--we hardly bat an eye when we hear about baby Finn, Isla or Kieran. How could anyone hate Aidan after listening to the name said with an Irish accent?

Ashley's List

Ashley emailed me a couple weeks ago, our mutual friend Kimm hooked us up--at least if it's Kimm from Michigan, otherwise I have no idea.

Ashley has two children, Reileigh Marie and Reece Gavin. They are expecting baby in early fall. She likes the idea of another R name but they can't seem to find or agree on any R boy names. Her girl names are Reaghan and Reanna and she likes Dixon and Mason for boy names. I really like Dixon (it's not in the top 1000! Bonus!).

I tried to look for R girl names that were of English/Irish/Welsh origin to mesh with Reileigh and Reece but I only found a couple. I liked a ton of R boy names though.

Girl suggestions:
Raina
Rhiannon (good song by Fleetwood Mac, too)
Romy
Rowan
Ryanne

Adair
Ainsley
Bailey
Caitlin
Carrigan
Claire
Darby
Darcy
Delaney
Ellery
Finley
Kennedy
Madigan
Maeve
McKenna
Sloane

Boy suggestions:

Ralston
Remington
Rhett
Roland
Rollin
Ronan
Rory
Rourke
Ryder

Archer
Ardan
Carter
Declan
Donavon
Keane
Killian
Owen
Meade
Sullivan

I think baby #3 needs a strong 1 or 2 syllable name. It all depends if you like the sounds of all the names together, I suggest yelling "Reileigh, Reece and Seraphina!" and compare it to "Reileigh, Reece and Maeve!" :) Let me know if I came up with any names you may work with.

It's a girl!

Update--Rebecca H. and her husband welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world yesterday. I did a list for her back in January.

MOLLY LOUISE

Love the name!

Krystal's name list

Krystal is expecting a little boy this spring, she has a little guy named Hugh scampering around with her in Michigan. (Michigan people love my babynaming skillz...)

She wanted a name that sounded well with Hugh but wasn't common or popular. Hugh has been floating in the bottom of the top 1000 for the past decade, according to the Social Security site. It peaked in the 1890s at #80 but has fallen out of fashion, which ironically, is now in fashion, since uncommon baby names are quite the rage. The middle name will be Samuel. The names I found are definitely old fashioned but nothing that is obsolete or too wonky.

August (Augie, Gus for nicknames)
Baxter
Calvin
Chester
Dexter
Duncan
Ellis
Elton
Everett
Felix
Fletcher
Foster
Forrest
Gerard
Gilbert
Harlan
Jasper
Judson
Kent/Kenton
Lewis
Merritt
Murray
Olin
Otto
Palmer
Pax
Rufus
Rupert
Sander
Stuart
Theo
Vance
Willis (Will)

Any winners?

**UPDATE**
Krystal and her hubby have decided on DEXTER!! YES! I actually helped name a baby!! I can't wait to see pictures of little Dexter Samuel. <3

Obscure Names that I Love

I had some time this afternoon and I made a master list of names that I think are cool that are not really on the current naming radar. The first set of numbers is when they peaked and the second number is where it is now. I used the voyager site for most of this project.

Ada (1880s at 46, 646)
Adele (1910s at 202, n/a) I wonder if Adele will make a comeback due to the singer Adele, who is awesome--listen to Chasing Pavements
Agnes (1890s at 39, n/a) We seem to love Maggie, why not Aggie?
Aileen (1920s at 304, 500) There is an Aileen in my son's preschool class, she's adorable and the name has really grown on me.
Alma (1890s at 54, 713)
Antonia (1920s at 307, 996). My Antonia anyone?
Audra (randomly peaked in the 1910s, 1970s, currently n/a)

Beatrice (1910s at 30, n/a)

Cleo (1910s at 30, n/a) My BFF Brooke has a daughter named with this name and it perfectly suits a spunky, cute, feisty little girl.
Cordelia (1880s at 269, n/a)

Dara (not in the top 1000, ever)
Della (1880s at 68, n/a)
Dora (1880s at 5, n/a) If you can get Dora the Explorer out of your head, it's a great name.

Estella (1880s at 115, n/a)
Evangeline (1920s at 430, 459 currently!) Evangeline came out of nowhere in 2007, I blame Lost.

Fern (1900s at 180, n/a)
Flora (1880s at 155, n/a)
Frieda (1890s at 155, n/a)

Gemma (not in the top 1000 ever) I LOVE this name, it's popular across the pond and a great alternative to Emma, Emily, etc.
Gilda (1920s at 469, n/a)

Harriett (1880s at 194, n/a)

Imogen (never in the top 1000)
Iola (1910s at 345, n/a) My husband's great aunt (a spry 92) is Iola V. (no middle name, just the letter V)

June (1920s at 45, n/a) Juno, Junebug, Junie, all super cute.

Laurel (1950s at 203, 942 today)
Leona (1900s at 16, n/a)
Louisa (1880s at 151, n/a)

Matilda (1880s at 110, n/a)
Millie (1880s at 143, n/a)
Mona (1950s at 240, n/a)

Neva (1900s at 277, n/a)
Nola (1900s at 289, n/a)

Olive (1890s at 88, n/a)

Polly (1930s at 326, n/a)

Rosalie (1930s at 153, n/a) My money says Twilight boosts this name up quite a bit in the next five years.
Rosalind (1940s at 346, n/a)

Susanna (1880s at 344, n/a)

Terese (1950s at 643, n/a)

Viola (1920s at 301, n/a)

Willa (1920s at 301, n/a) If my married name didn't start with a W, I'd be all over this lovely name.

Zelda (1900 at 441, n/a)
Zora (1900 at 408, n/a)

There are so many cool baby girl names in this list. I am 2-2 for boys and I feel that even if we go for three I'll just end up growing yet another penis.

Michele's name list

This request was sent in by a reader in Grand Rapids, Michigan (my home state!). She found the link through my friend Willo's earth friendly site.

Michele has a little girl named Avery Roselea and it due with a surprise this summer. The new baby's middle name will be Michael for either sex so she wants a feminine girl name to balance it out. Names she likes are Lillian (Lily), Adeline (Addie), Carter and Everett.

Girl name suggestions:
Alia
Amelia
Annalise
Audrey
Carolina
Cecilia
Clara
Eleanor
Ellery
Eve
Gemma
Georgia
Hazel
Ivy
Juliana
Juliet
Lena
Lila
Nora
Olivia
Stella
Vivian
Willa

Boy names:
Anderson
Atticus
August
Blake
Camden
Carson
Chandler
Cooper
Dawson
Declan
Eli
Harrison (Harry)
Hunter
Merritt
Owen
Parker
Preston
Prescott
Sloane
Travis
Trenton
Xavier

Any winners?

Twilight Names

I have a confession to make; I didn't like it. I'll admit that I was biased going into it as I had read a million reviews and I knew the plot from hearing people talk about it. I kept waiting for my mind to be blown and I kept waiting to care about the characters. Edward bothered me with his PMS, Bella acted a fool and has self-esteem issues (I am so clumsy, I'm not pretty, I'm not good enough, etc). Maybe it gets better in the next three books.

I liked the vampire names though--Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie are all great names.I liked how the modern kids had names like Jacob, Jessica and Mike.

Is it true that Bella and Edward name their vampire baby Renesme? I know it's a combo of Renee and Esme but that doesn't make it right.

Flame away.

New lists coming soon--one for a reader in GR, an US Weekly compilation and names that I predict will make their way back onto the lists.