British Baby Names

UK Birth Announcements 17/10/16 - 30/10/16

A round-up of names from birth announcements announced in British newspapers in the last two weeks.

Sources include a national paper (The Telegraph) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sibling names are in brackets. 

 

Boys:

Alexander James

Anthony James

Arthur Robert William

Austin Scott (Ruby Emmeline)

Barnaby Beau (Hubert Balthazar "Bertie" & Beatrice)

Björn Georg Stig

Daniel Shaun (Thomas Joseph & Reuben Henry)

Dominic Robert Randall

Felix Charles David (Alice Katharine Elisabeth)

Fergus Henry Richard (Eliza Caroline Irene)

Finley Joseph (Aimée & Eleanor)

Freddie Hamlet

Freddie Wyn

George Andrew (Matthew)

Hugo Stanley

Ivo Rex (Noah Thomas)

Jack William

Jacob Stephen (Elena Maria & Mila Suzanne)

Johnnie Francis (Isla Elizabeth)

Joshua Henry Jonathan (Hepzibah Lavinia Rose)

Leo James David (Noah James William)

Louis Peter (Nina Elena)

Mason Alexander

Montague Anthony Rory

Oliver Norman Alan

Rory Mitchell

Rowan Sydney (Finley Joe)

Rupert Benjamin (Bella Violet)

Samuel Augustus Joseph

Sebastian Atticus

Theo Alexander (Aiden James)

Theodore James

Tiago Aneirin (Liam Keir & Lena Jasmine)

William Mete Ohannes (Ralph Atlas Varouge & Caspar Cem Raffi)

 

Girls:

Abigail Iris Grace

Anya Jane (Rio)

Beatrice Alice

Clara Ingrid Sienna (Archie Richard Oldham)

Connie Eliza Hedderwick

Constance Agusta

Daphne Islay

Eliza Olivia Anstice

Emily Florence Rose (Charlie William Gregory)

Hannah Rose

Hollie Emma

Hollie Evie (Benjamin & Layla-Mae)

Isla Paige (Megan, Skye Louise, Dylan Mason & Millie-Mai)

Isobel Molly

Libby Margaret

Liliana Elizabeth Kathleen

Lorna Wren (Martha Rose & Dougal Ewan Macleod)

Nancy Olive (Heidi Grace)

Ottilie Constance Campbell

Primrose Margaret

Rose Elizabeth Mary

Savannah Clare (Ludwik Walter)

Siobhan Ethel

Summer Amélie

Tabitha Lindsay Elizabeth (Baxter Thomas James & Monty Edward George)

Thea Alexandra (Madison Ashley)

 

Twins:

Fergus Alastair Coleridge & Alfie Alexander Nelson (Ivo Thomas Argyll)

James William & Iona Catherine

Martha Barbie & Phoebe Jane

  

I was unable to post the birth announcements last weekend as I was staying in a B&B with very very limited internet access. So, this week's roundup is a fortnight's worth. 

Name of the Week: Rowan

 

 

Origin:

Rowan is a name that derives from several sources: The rowan tree (or 'mountain ash') are small deciduous trees native to the temperate northern hemisphere which bear small red berries. For thousands of years rowans have been regarded as sacred and protective trees against harm or evil. The name Rowan comes from Scandinavian influence -- Norwegian rogn, Danish røn, Swedish rönn -- ultimately from the ancient Norse rėyðni-r. The likely source is the Proto-Indo-European *reudh- "red" in reference to the tree's berries, probably via the Germanic verb *raud-inan "to make red" thanks to the use of the berries and bark to dye cloth.  Rowan is also found as a surname: The English surname Rowan, Rowen, Roan, Rone derive from Rouen in France, brought over to Britain by the Normans.  The Scottish surname derives from places named Roan (Ayr, Berwick, Roxburgh), derived from the Middle English rone "thicket, undergrowth." The Irish surname is an anglicised form of O'Ruadhain, meaning "descendant of Ruadhán." Ruadhán itself (also anglicised as Rowan) derives from the Old Irish ruad "red, red-haired" with the diminutive suffix -án. St. Ruadhán / St. Rowan (d.584) is considered one of the "Twelve Apostles of Ireland".

Usage:

Rowan has been used as a given name since the 16th century thanks to the adoption of the surname as a given name. As such, it was most used for boys, though there are a handful of examples of it in use for girls, which increased in the 19th century thanks to the use of Rowena.  Data from the 1881 census shows that Rowan, Rowen and Roan were used as given names in the same areas where the corresponding surnames were in the highest use, particularly in Lanarkshire and the surrounding counties in West Scotland.  Births in England and Wales demonstrate the name's rare usage in the 19th century, but surged in use by the 1940s. It was initially predominantly masculine in use, but was used almost as much for girls as boys by the 1970s, sometimes in the feminised form Rowanne.  Registered births per decade in England and Wales: 1840s: 1850s:  1860s: 1870s: 1880s: 1890s: 1900s: 1910s: 1920s: 1930s: 1940s: 1950s: 1960s: 1970s:  0 birth 1 birth 1 birth 2 births 3 births 7 births 9 births 10 births 21 births 27 births 121 births 213 births 324 births 543 births Since 1996, Rowan for girls has remained very steady in use in England and Wales, ranking between #450-#700 with 50-100 births per year. For boys, Rowan has been steadily rising in use up the top 200 over in the last two decades, having ranked #188 (172 births) in 1996, reaching #143 (322 births) in 2007, and #127 (502 births) by 2014.  In Scotland, since 1974, Rowan has been more common for girls in general. Initially, up until 1995, more girls were given the name each year, though it often ranked higher for boys due to the wider number of girls' names registered. For example:   Rowan Rowan 1974: 1979:  1983: 1988:  1992: 1996: #271 (4 births) #296 (3 births) #369 (2 births) #295 (4 births) #256 (7 births) #207 (12 births) #444 (4 births) #335 (8 births) #323 (8 births) #511 (4 births) #257 (16 births) #206 (20 births) Since 1997, Rowan has ranked consistently within the top 200, though popularity fluctuates. For boys, usage has been more sporadic, ranging from #364 (9 births) in 2011 to #148 (28 births) in 1998.  In 2015, Rowan for boys ranked #111 (572 births) in England and Wales and #213 (23 births) in Scotland. Rowan for girls ranked #625 (66 births) in E&W and #109 (43 births) in Scotland.

Famous Bearers:

History: * St. Ruadhán  (d.584), one of the "Twelve Apostles of Ireland". Contemporary: * Rowan Williams (b. 1950), Archbishop of Canterbury. * Rowan Atkinson (b. 1955), English actor, comedian, and screenwriter. * Rowan Blanchard (b. 2001), American actress. Literature and Other Media: * Rowan Mayfair, principle character in the Mayfair Chronicles by Anne Rice

Variants:

Rowen, Roan, Ruadhán

Pronunciation:

RŌ-ən [key]

Possible diminutives:

Row, Ron

Sibling Names:

Freya     Carys     Autumn     Eloise     Seren     Pippa  Flynn     Noah     Theodore     Finlay     Jasper     Lucas

Name Lists:

Slim Softies  Arboreal Names

 

If you like Rowan you may also like:    Roman, Jowan, Ruben, Asher, Soren, Willem, Dominic, Lachlan, Wesley, Silas

 

Thanks to Sam for requesting this post.

Name Help: A sister for Elodie

 

Zoe and Niall are expecting their second daughter, a sister for their daughter Elodie. 

Zoe writes: "Our first daughter is called Elodie Isobel. We chose Elodie because it means “foreign riches” which we felt to be apt as we live abroad, and so she is our foreign treasure after 5 years of IVF! We tend to shorten her name to Edie, day to day, which suits her very much. Her middle name is in honour of my maternal grandmother, who is still with us at the grand old age of 97. Elodie has another living great grandparent, Margaret (but we aren’t so keen on that name!).

We found out about our second on my father’s birthday (his name is Peter) and would love to honour this in some way with a name that reflects the joy and happiness of the day.

So far the names that we’ve shortlisted:

Amber – will be her birthstone and we like the associations of the stone – healing, luck, happiness and optimism.
Tessa – we just like, but it means “the reaper” which we find a little…..grim?!
Evangeline – (“bearer of good news”) but we don’t like the nickname Evie (Evie and Edie)
Freya – goddess of fertility!
Theodora
Francesca – we love that it means "free" and love Chessie as a nickname- not so keen on Frankie or Fran though which is what holds me back
Flora – my other half isn’t keen. I love that it suggests growth, spring, abundance etc.
Viola – pronounced as “Veeola”
Imogen
Jocelin
Ava – I’ve always loved the name but its way too popular now
Claudia – means “lame” 
Cassia

For a middle name we would love a female version of Peter, or perhaps a variant of Margaret, to honour these special people in our lives. We particularly like Pierette and Petra for example, and Margaux which we know is popular but has less of our hearts in it. 

※    ※    ※    ※

 

Elodie "Edie" Isobel is a beautifully elegant and versatile name -- familiar yet uncommon and with lovely a nod to family. I can see why you want to capture the same magic for your younger daughter. 

Meaning is clearly important to you, and you have a great selection of names already, however it is worth considering that meanings given for names are often reduced and simplified so much, that the whole rich heritage and etymology behind the name is ignored. Tessa, for example, comes from Theresa which may derive from the Greek θεριζω therizo "to harvest, reap, mow, collect the crops," or from the  Greek island Therasia (possibly from therao "to hunt"). It may not be Greek at all. Given that it is known to us through the Spanish wife of St Paulinus, it quite possibly derives from the Celtic taratro "augur." No matter the etymology, it is known to us through the works of Saint Teresa of Ávila and later through European royalty which give it a far richer meaning than "reaper."

 

Ottilie – A gracefully chic name which derives either from the Old German uod "wealth, riches, prosperity" -- sharing the same element as Elodie -- or uodal "inheritance, homeland, heritage, ancestral home". If Elodie is your foreign treasure, it seems apt that Ottilie reflects a complimentary meaning to Elodie of 'riches' as well as invoking the opposite idea to foreign with 'ancestral home. One foreign treasure; one ancestral home treasure. Tilly, Lottie, Lily, Ottie and Ollie could be used as nicknames. 

Jemima – A sweet Biblical name borne by the beautiful daughter of Job and invoking the image of rosy-cheeked Victorian girls in crinoline and taffeta thanks to Beatrix Potter. The name is traditionally said to mean "dove" or "bright as the day." Its origins are complex but it could actually be derived from both at the same time. 

Paloma – Speaking of "dove," Paloma is a graceful and stylish Spanish name meaning "dove." Both Polly and Molly make for great everyday names. 

Verity – A gentle virtue name meaning "truth". For an even more unique choice there is also the related name Verily. 

Alethea – Another name meaning "truth" is this ancient Greek name, pronounced either 'a-LEE-thee-a' or 'a-le-THEE-a' depending on which you prefer.

Clementine / Clemency – Also virtue names are ladylike Clementine and Clemency deriving from the Latin clemens meaning "merciful, gentle."

Adelaide – An ancient Germanic name meaning "noble kind," borne by saints and queens. A more exotic variant is Adeliza (both the name of a daughter of William the Conqueror and later a queen of England) and Adelise. 

Beatrix – Appropriately, given your situation, Beatrix derives from the Latin Viatrix "voyager, traveller." The spelling was adopted deliberately to reflect the Latin beatus "happy, blessed" giving the approximate meaning "she who makes us happy."

Atarah – A Biblical name which means "crown" in Hebrew. It can also be spelled Atara, and feels both substantial and historic and fresh and modern at the same time. 

Linnea – Pronounced lin-AY-a, Linnea is a popular name in Scandinavia but a striking, exotic choice in English-speaking countries. The Linnaea borealis, commonly called the twinflower, is a sweet botanical namesake (resembling bluebells) which was named after Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus (it was his favourite flower). His name is also botanical as it comes from the Swedish name for the linden tree. In Germanic tradition, the linden tree was associated with peace and justice, and in many European cultures it was regarded as a tree of protection. 

Mattea – The stylish Italian feminine form of Matthew (pronounced mat-AY-a) therefore meaning "gift of god."

Sarai  – The original Hebrew form of Sarah which means "princess." This lends the traditional name an exotic twist. 

Leilani – A beautiful Hawaiian name meaning "heavenly flower garland." Children are often poetically referred to as lei so it could also be taken to mean "heavenly child."

Mirabel / Mirabelle – A medieval name which was revived by the Victorians. It derives from the Latin mirabilis "wonderful, marvelous, amazing."

Madelief – This pretty Dutch name (similar sounding to popular Madeleine) means "daisy" and would double-up as a way to honour Margaret (see Daisy below). 

 

Margaret's Sisters:

Marit / Merit – The Swedish forms of Margaret which are chic and streamlined. 

Mairead – The Gaelic form of Margaret which feels ladylike and exotic at the same time. 

Marsaili – The Scottish form of Margery, which is itself a medieval variant of Margaret. 

Mererid – With the stress on the second syllable, Mererid is a prettily different Welsh form.

Maisie – The Scottish petform of Mairead which is now used as a standalone name. 

Daisy – For centuries, Daisy has been associated with, and used as a nickname for, Margaret thanks to the French Marguerite being used as a name for the little flower. 

Margalit– The Hebrew cognate of Margaret, both of which derive from the Greek margarites. Margalit is the full name of actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. 

Perla – Given that Margaret means 'pearl', this Italian and Spanish form makes for a great honour-name, especially as it also doubles up as a nod to Peter. 

 

Peter's Girls:

Peta – Pronounced the same, Peta is the feminine spelling of Peter, which feels perfectly chic and stylish. 

Piera – This lovely Italian form (pee-AIR-a) looks elegant and exotic at the same time. 

Perrine – The feminine form of the French Perrin, a diminutive of Pierre (Peter). 

 

I hope this has been helpful. Please keep in touch. 

 

 

Name of the Week: Ottilie

 

 

Origin:

Ottilie is the modern German form of Odilia, itself the feminine form of Odo (Otto) which derives from either the Old German uod "wealth, riches, prosperity" or uodal "homeland, heritage, homestead". In Germany, the name is pronounced o-TEE-lee-ə but in Britain has long been used in the anglicised pronunciation OT-i-lee. The homophone surname Ottely is a variant of Otley derived from places of the same name in West Yorkshire and Suffolk meaning "Otta's clearing." Otta itself was a short form of the Anglo-Saxon Othere (cognate with the Old Norse Ottar) composed of otti "fear, dread, danger" and herr "army."

Usage:

The masculine form Odo was a common name in Medieval Europe, borne by several kings and nobles, and was brought over to Britain by the Normans, giving us surnames like Oddie and Oates.  Odilia was born by two notable early medieval saints, both patronesses of good eyesight. Saint Odilia of Cologne was one of the maiden companions of St Ursula, and Saint Odilia of Alsace (c. 662 - c. 720) was the blind daughter of the Duke of Alsace whose sight was miraculously recovered during her baptism. The latter in particular was popularly venerated in France, Germany and Switzerland with many places dedicated to her.  Ottilie was a fairly common name in Germany from the early medieval period, through the Protestant Reformation, into the modern era. In Britain, however, the name never took off, despite masculine form Otto getting some moderate use by the 19th century.  Immigration into Britain from lowland countries, starting with Flemish weavers in the reign of Edward III, to the influx of miners, tapestry makers and glass makers in the 16th and 17th centuries are the major reason for Ottilie getting any use in Britain at this time.  By 1881, Ottilie was still rare in Britain, as data from that year's census shows, with fewer than forty instances. The masculine form Otto was in far more prevalent use, and it is interesting to note that the areas where Ottilie was most common correspond to places where Otto was most popular: in Yorkshire, Lancashire and London. This perhaps shows that Ottilie was used in places high in German-immigrant communities, though it is curious to note that these are also areas where surnames Otley, Ottley and Otteley where most prevalent.  Births for Ottilie in England and Wales: 1840s: 0 births 1850s: 1 birth 1860s: 1 birth 1870s: 5 births 1880s: 8 births 1890s: 11 births 1900s: 15 births 1910s: 2 births 1920s: 0 births 1930s: 2 births 1940s: 1 birth 1950s: 1 birth 1960s: 2 births 1970s: 5 births 1980s: 25 births Most Ottilies born in England and Wales up until 1910 have German surnames, but after this point it seems to have been adopted more as an anglicised name, particularly among the upper classes, and increasingly over the last few years. The variant Ottoline was marginally more common in Britain in the 19th century among the aristocracy and bolstered by the fame of Lady Ottoline Morrell (1873-1938), a society hostess and patron of the arts.  From 1996 to 2007, Ottilie consistently ranked below the top 100 with between 10 and 25 births each year. Since 2010 however, the name has been gradually increasing, moving into the top 1000 and finally reaching the top 500 in 2015.  Demonstrating its disproportionately higher use among the well-heeled, Ottilie generally ranks within the top 50 names in either The Times or The Telegraph newspaper announcements each year. The Times: #18 in 2011, #33 in 2012 and #23 in 2013. The Telegraph: #44 in 2010, #23 in 2011, #11 in 2014, and #13 in 2015.  In 2015, Ottilie ranked #411 (109 births) in England and Wales and #653 (4 births) in Scotland.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Saint Odilia of Cologne (c. 4th century), a saint of the Roman Catholic Church; patroness of good eyesight. * Saint Odilia of Alsace (c. 662 - c. 720), a saint of the Roman Catholic Church; patroness of good eyesight. * Ottilie of Katzenelnbogen (ca. 1451–1517), Margravine of Baden-Baden. * Ottilie Wildermuth (1817-1877), a German writer, particularly notable for her children's books. * Ottilie Assing (1819– 1884) , a German feminist, freethinker, and abolitionist. * Ottilie Roederstein (1859-1937), a German-Swiss painter. * Ottilie Bistram (1859–1931, a Latvian writer and teacher. She was also a pioneer in the struggle for female access to education. * Ottilie Metzger-Lattermann (1878–1943), a German contralto. * Ottilie Herbert, Countess of Carnarvon aka "Tilly Losch" (1903–1975) an Austrian-born dancer, choreographer, actress and painter * Ottilie "Tilly" Fleischer (1911-2005), a German Olympic athlete. Contemporary: * Ottilie Patterson (1932–2011), a Northern Irish blues singer Literature and Other Media: * "To Ottilie,"a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson. * Ottilie Harshom, the female protagonist in John Wyndham's science fiction romance "Random Quest" later made into a film "Quest for Love".

Variants:

Ottilia, Odilia, Odile, Otelia, Otylia, Odila, Ottolie, Ettilie

Pronunciation:

OT-i-lee (English) o-TEE-lee-ə (German) [key]

Possible  diminutives:

Tilly, Ottie, Ollie, Lottie, Tolly

Sibling Names:

Henrietta     Clementine     Emmeline    Genevieve     Vivienne     Beatrix  Maximilian     Benedict     Magnus     Lucian     Atticus     Barnaby

Name Lists:

Upright Elegance    Vintage Names

  

If you like Ottilie you may also like:   Sylvie, Philippa, Aurelia, Evangeline, Margot, Juliet, Hermione, Cecily, Verity, Elodie

 

 Thanks to Kate for requesting this name. 

Combined spellings top 100 in 2015

For the forth year running Amelia, bolstered by homonym Emilia, took the number one spot in 2014 when spellings are combined, followed again by Lily.

Muhammad claimed the top spot again for sixth time in the last seven years for the boys, followed by Oliver though the gap has been closing between the two. This is not surprising, given that many Muslim parents give their sons the name (in various spellings) as a first name, often honourifically and symbolically, even if they are most often known by their middle name.

With spellings combined, the following names all move into the Top 100:
Aiden, Kayden, Zac, Rowan, Dominic, Yusuf, Rayan, Ayaan, Cody, Owen
Anaya, Niamh, Lyla, Aaliyah, Skyla, Alicia, Keira, Ariana, Caitlin, Fatima, Amy, Amina

Most notably, Arabic names perform well in the combined spellings rankings, as their are many different ways of transliterating Arabic script into English. Similarly, Irish names Aiden, Keira, Caitlin and Niamh benefitted from the combining of the native Irish forms with the anglicised spellings. 

 

Notable names which made big leaps into the top 200 include Coby, Harris, Kieran, Eesa, Amira, Alana, Emmie, Talia, Catherine, Casey, Sumayyah, and Safiyyah.

Here is a rundown of the combined spellings Top 100 (the second number denotes the most popular spelling's original, individual, ONS rank):

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

MUHAMMAD  OLIVER  HARRY  JACK  JACOB  CHARLIE  GEORGE  THOMAS  OSCAR  NOAH  WILLIAM  JAMES  ALFIE  HENRY  FREDDIE  LEO  JOSHUA  ALEXANDER  ISAAC  ETHAN  ARCHIE  JOSEPH  DANIEL  SAMUEL  LUCAS  FINLEY  EDWARD  LOGAN  MAX  MASON  BENJAMIN  HARRISON  THEO  ADAM  DYLAN  SEBASTIAN  JAKE  JAXON  ARTHUR  RILEY  LOUIE  ELLIOTT  ZACHARY  REUBEN  TEDDY  JAYDEN  JENSON  DAVID  TOBY  MICHAEL  LUCA  MATTHEW  THEODORE  AIDEN  ELIJAH  LEWIS  HARLEY  OLLIE  KAYDEN  TOMMY  HARVEY  FRANKIE  HUGO  LUKE  RYAN  AARON  STANLEY  BOBBY  ZAC  KIAN  TYLER  JUDE  BLAKE  GABRIEL  NATHAN  RORY  CHARLES  KAI  CALLUM  FREDERICK  ALBERT  ALEX  RONNIE  ROWAN  DOMINIC  YUSUF  DEXTER  LIAM  CONNOR  CALEB  IBRAHIM  AUSTIN  LEON  ELLIS  RAYAN  AYAAN  ROMAN  CARTER  CODY  OWEN

12 1 3 2 5 6 4 9 10 7 8 11 14 13 17 15 16 22 20 18 19 21 24 23 27 36 26 25 28 31 30 32 33 38 38 35 34 80 37 40 63 71 41 51 42 49 48 43 44 54 53 47 45 112 46 56 52 77 134 60 50 57 55 58 69 87 59 67 177 98 70 61 62 65 64 74 66 86 83 76 72 75 83 111 103 115 79 81 100 99 96 89 85 90 184 125 88 94 116 101

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

AMELIA  LILY  OLIVIA  SOPHIA  ISLA  EMILY  AVA  ELLA  ISABELLE  ISABELLA  POPPY  MIA  JESSICA  EVIE  MAYA  SOPHIE  SCARLETT  GRACE  RUBY  LAYLA  ESME  DAISY  DARCIE  CHLOE  FREYA  SIENNA  PHOEBE  ALICE  FLORENCE  MILLIE  CHARLOTTE  EVELYN  EVA  MATILDA  HOLLY  MOLLY  LUCY  ELSIE  HANNAH  ELLIE  MAISIE  LOLA  ANNABELLE  IMOGEN  ROSIE  ANAYA  IVY  ELIZABETH  JASMINE  ERIN  WILLOW  SARA  ZARA  GRACIE  ELIZA  GEORGIA  AISHA  ELEANOR  BELLA  LEXI  HARRIET  AMBER  ABIGAIL  MADDISON  LACEY  THEA  HARPER  EMMA  AMELIE  MARYAM  ANNA  ARIA  SUMMER  NIAMH  LYLA  AALIYAH  SKYLA  ROSE  MARIA  NANCY  VIOLET  MARTHA  PENELOPE  ALICIA  LEAH  LOTTIE  KEIRA  MEGAN  MILA  ARIANA  FATIMA  CAITLIN  AMY  ROBYN  AMINA  HEIDI  JULIA  FRANCESCA  VICTORIA  ZOE

1 13 2 12 4 3 5 6 19 8 10 9 7 15 37 11 16 14 17 35 38 20 74 18 21 26 22 24 23 30 25 28 29 27 44 46 32 33 55 47 53 40 60 34 36 127 42 39 48 43 41 87 72 64 49 52 88 54 58 81 56 57 51 97 82 58 63 60 62 75 70 100 66 109 121 133 139 65 73 71 68 67 69 179 98 78 159 76 79 123 118 160 117 84 187 80 86 83 92 89

 The full top 200 for both boys and girls complete with a break down of all the different spellings will be posted on the blog shortly. Stay tuned!

 

 

UK Birth Announcements 10/10/16 - 16/10/16

A round-up of names from birth announcements announced in British newspapers in the last week.

Sources include a national paper (The Telegraph) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sibling names are in brackets. 

 

Boys:

Albie Ralph (Harley)

Angus George (Isla Mary)

Bradley David (Charlie Jack)

Buddy Robert (Tillie-Marie)

Eric Robert (Cameron & Charlie)

Finley Colin

Jack Wilfred Albert (Arthur Frederick George & Eliza Beatrice Rose)

Joseph Hendrix (Grace)

Leo James (Lillie Jane)

Lewis James (Eamonn Ian & Chloe Caitlyn)

Louis Georges (Iona Marine)

Oliver Thomas David

Sebastian Laurence Georg

 

Girls:

Charlotte Peggy "Lottie" (Freya May)

Delilah Grace Nicola (Frederick Michael Charles "Freddie" & Alexander David Benjamin "Xander")

Elise Daphne

Ellie Anne

Esmé Ada Mabel (Alfred Stanley)

Georgia Emma (Harry James)

Iyla Marie

Lola May

Lucia Amelie (Rosa Sophia Lin & Sophia)

Margot Wren (Celeste Naomi)

Mina Leonie

Nancie Rae (Jack, Libby & Lucas)

Nyla Victoria

Olivia Alexandra Hope

Olivia Jayne

Perrie (Kalvin & Sydoni)

Poppy Lucia

Portcia Poppy (William Stephen)

Sophie Mary

 

Twins:

Margot Alice & Beatrix Elizabeth

Minerva & Stella (Alexander)

Poppy Elizabeth Beatrice & Xander Ned Felix (Digby Benedict Anthony)

  

No Frills Feminine: Rateable -'r' Endings

 

Names ending in '-r' (or -re with an 'r' sound) are an interesting mix of medieval heritage choices, nature names, surnames and exotic global picks. 

All have a common thread of being quite strong and fuss-free choices with a ladylike steel running through them. 


Familiar Top 1000 Choices:

Amber Claire Eleanor Elinor Esther

Fleur Harper Heather Honor

Jennifer Mahnoor Noor Piper

River Sapphire Skylar  Skyler

Star Summer Taylor Winter

Nature/Word/Surname Inspired:

Amor Aster Astor Blair Briar Bryher

Cedar Clover Demeter Dior Easter Eilir

Ember Ever Fflur Flower Ginger Greer

Harbor Hesper Hester Juniper Lavender Miller

Parker Pepper Rumer Silver Vesper Zennor

Exotic:

Aallotar Abrar Annemor Annvor Aurore Avnoor Azar Azenor Bahar Brittvor

Cessair Cher Dagmar Dottir Eimear Eir Eistir Elvire Flore Gaynor

Gerdur Golbahar Golzar Guinevere Hagar Hiranur Icíar Inger Isamar Isaure

Ishtar Itziar Jesminder Laure Leonor Lidvor Lillemor Lior Majvor Melyor

Niloufar Pilar Pinar Rigmor Safir Solvor Sahar Tamar Tündér Victoire

N.B. This is not an exhaustive list of every name that ends in a -r.

UK Birth Announcements 3/10/16 - 9/10/16

A round-up of names from birth announcements announced in British newspapers in the last week.

Sources include a national paper (The Telegraph) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sibling names are in brackets. 

 

Boys:

Archibald Donald "Archie" 

Arran David (Craig, Alissa, Abbie & Adele)

Benjamin David Fitzwalter (Jessica Joy & Heidi)

Brodie Alistair Harris

Charles James Thomas (Penelope Isabella "Penny")

Dylan John (Mila Jean)

Eric

Finn Barrie

Francis Anthony Robert (Martha Mary Valerie)

Frederick Arthur Leo (Eloise Charlotte Rose)

Harry Edin Robert

Hartley

Jacob David (Samuel Christopher)

Leo Edward Krassimirov

Lucian William Patrick (Jemima Nisset)

Luke Leopold Augustus Clement (Thalia Louise Caroline)

Matthew Thomas (Eve & Daniel)

Maxwell Atticus

Oliver John (Lewis Thomas)

Oscar Thomas

Reuben Horatio Vijayan (Theodore Hugo Terence)

Ruairidh Thomas Adam

Zachary Beau Anthony (Theodore Christopher Peter)

 

Girls:

Alix Olivia (Lois & Chloe)

Amaia (Leila)

Eve Elizabeth

Everly Martha

Florence Alice Elizabeth (Wilbur James Macmillan & Bibiana Rose Sophia)

Imogen Ella (James Benjamin)

Lucy Isabel

Marla Bea

Olivia Jayne

Penny Louise (Phoebe Grace)

Sophie Grace (Samuel George Roy)

Thea Ellen

 

  

Name of the Week: River

 

 

Origin:

River is a name adopted directly from nature. The word river has been used in English since the 13th century, adopted from the Anglo-French rivere, Old French riviere "river, riverside, river bank" and ultimately the Latin riparius "of a riverbank." The similar Rivers comes from the surname, which ultimately derives from places in France called La Rivière. In some cases, it may have referred (in English) to someone who dwelt by a river.

Usage:

River and Rivers have been used as given names since the 18th century. In the case of Rivers, this was thanks to adoption of the surname. It was mostly given to boys, but -- as a family surname -- was occasionally given to girls. River itself was most often used by families with the surname Jordan, or Jordan was adopted as a middle name, and thus the name gained biblical connotations. In some other cases, River was paired with the surname Banks -- the Victorians really did like cliché surname-firstnname combinations. As far as I can find, only boys were given the name River in the 18th and 19th century.  Registered births per decade in England and Wales:   River Rivers 1840s: 1850s:  1860s: 1870s: 1880s: 1890s: 1900s: 1910s: 1920s: 1930s: 1940s: 1950s: 1960s: 1970s:  1980s: 1 birth 4 births 6 births 0 births 5 births 1 birth 2 births 0 births 0 births 0 births 0 births 0 births 1 birth 1 birth 3 births 7 births 6 births 12 births 9 births 11 births 6 births 12 births 3 births 6 births 3 births 1 birth 0 births 1 birth 0 births 0 births click to enlarge Since the 1990s, River has been rising for both genders in England and Wales. Actor River Phoenix had been hot-property in Hollywood by the late 80s, and his death in 1993 took the media spotlight. For boys, River stayed consistently around the #1000 mark up until 2005 when it gradually began rising up the ranks, reaching #479 (80 births) in 2013.  For girls, River struggled to make the rankings in the 1990s and only managed to crack the top 2000 names in 2006. After that, however, it began to rose and ranked #684 (58 births) in 2013. In 2014, however, the gender usage took a switch, with River rising up to #383 (116 births) for girls but River for boys dropping down to #566 (63 births). Some of this may be down to Alex Kingston's character River Song as the wife of Doctor Who, appearing in episodes from 2008, but having particularly notable roles in 2011 and 2012.  As of 2015, River has established itself firmly as a unisex name with a mere two births between the number of boys and number of girls to receive the name. River for girls ranked #410 with 110 births and River for boys ranked #393 with 108 births.  In Scotland, River was solidly unisex from 2005 to 2013, with the name given to both boys and girls between 1-3 times per year per gender. Since 2014, it has risen for girls in use, ranking #379 (9 births) for girls and #1234 (1 birth) for boys in 2015.  Most recently, Jamie Oliver and wife Jools welcomed their youngest son whom they have named River Rocket (or River Rocket Blue Dallas Oliver in full, apparently). Will this be enough to shift River back into the boys' camp?

Famous Bearers:

Contemporary: * River Phoenix (1970–1993), American actor. * River George (b. 1987), British actress. * River Viiperi (b. 1991), Spanish-Finnish male model Literature and Other Media: * River Song, character in the television series Doctor Who (2008-2015). * River Tam, character in the television series Firefly (2002-2005)

Variants:

Rivers

Pronunciation:

RIV-ə [key]

Possible diminutives:

Rev

Sibling Names:

Willow     Hazel     Cassia     Juniper     India     Eden  Sawyer     August     Heath     Wyatt     Archer     Jesse

Name Lists:

N/A

 

If you like River you may also like:    Rowan, Forrest, Grayson, Ryker, Atlas, Caelan, Ronan, Nate, Kit, Micah

 

Thanks to Amy for requesting this post.

Name Help: A sibling for Luca and Arianne

 

Emma and Tom are looking for a girls' name to go with their two children's names Luca and Arianne "Annie". Boys' names are sorted, but it's the girls they are having trouble with. 

Emma writes: "I think we are finding the girls' name so difficult because we are smitten with our choice of Arianne. We love the option of the flowery and girly sounding Arianne but mainly use Annie as it is a strong nickname, with a bit of character about it. It suits our rough and tumble little girl perfectly. We are feeling the pressure to get it right again!

Names we love but are not an option for us because of family/ friend connections are Holly, Mia, Florence, Eva, Ava.

Other names we have considered but are perhaps too fussy / similar next to Arianne/ Annie are Elodie (Edie), Emilia (Emmie), Maisie.

Our current favourite is Olivia (Liv/ Livvie) because it works so well next to Luca and Annie but it is too common for us.

 

※    ※    ※    ※

 

I can see the fantastic appeal of the versatility of unexpected, refined Arianne coupled with sweet and down-to-earth Annie, and why you want to replicate it. I struggled initially with this list over which angle to go for first. Do I start with the nicknames and then sift through the possible longer forms, or do I start with elegant formal names and look for ones with nickname possibilities? In the end, it was impossible to stick to just one method, so some names have multiple nickname suggestions, while others have several longer forms for a nickname. 

 

Livia – You love Olivia "Liv/Livvie" but it is everywhere now. You can still use Liv, however, if you adopt the sleeker Italian name Livia, borne by Roman empresses and Shakespearean characters alike. 

Evelina – Elegant and chic Evelina lends itself to a multitude of nicknames, including Eva, Evie, Liv, Vivi and Lina. Several other names would make Evie or Liv possible, including Evangeline, Everly, Evadne, Evanthe and Genevieve. 

Margot – A stylish and ladylike name which lends itself to feisty Maggie. Other routes to Maggie are French choices Marguerite and Magali.

Paloma – A graceful and stylish Spanish name meaning "dove." Both Polly and Molly make for great everyday names. 

Amabel – A medieval name, very like popular Annabel, derived from the Latin amabilis "lovable." Belle, Bella, Ella, Amy or Mally could be nicknames. 

Mirabel – Another sweet -bel name is Mirabel (or Mirabelle) with the option of Milly, Ella, Belle, Mally and Mira.

Bellamy – Continuing the 'bel' theme is stylish and elegant surname-first name Bellamy meaning "good friend."  

Betony – Sweet botanical Betony is a pretty purple plant very close to bluebells. It has been used as a name since the Victorians adopted it, but is also found as the surname-first name Bettany (as in historian Bettany Hughes). Boisterous and sweet Betsy is perfect as a nickname, and is a great match for Annie. Other Betsy-options are Beatrice, Beatrix, Bellatrix and Bethia. 

Romilly – A chic French place name which lends itself to Romy, Milly or Lily. 

Ottilie – Mellifluous and elegant, Ottilie is a stylish and growingly-familiar choice. Tilly or Lily work as nicknames. 

Aurora – The Roman goddess of the dawn and Disney princess to boot! Aurora is a suptuous name with the option of tomboy nickname Rory or Ora. 

Jessmine – The poetic name for the jasmine-flower, Jessamine (and Jessamy) was adopted by the Victorians in their love of floral-names. Jess or Josie could be nicknames. 

Emmeline – Genteel and dignified Emmeline has ties to many strong and notable women. Emmy, Milly, Minnie, Ellie... the nicknames potential is very broad. 

Mireya – A stylish Spanish name, related to Miranda and the Latin mirar "to be admired." It also also found spelled Mireia. Rey, Reya, Mira, Mirry or Merry could be nicknames. 

Marina – Elegent and regal Marina is a perfect longer form for spunky short-form Marnie -- a great match with Annie. Other Marnie-names include Mariana, Marlena or Marceline/Marcheline. 

Estelle – Refined and graceful Estelle has all same appeal as pretty Arianne. Stella, Ellie, Essie or Ella all would work as down-to-earth short forms. 

Alessia – The stylish Italian form of Alexia, Alessia is delicate and chic with potential for Allie, Alice, Essie, Lissy or Lea. 

Isadora – Stately Isadora is in the sweet spot of "familiar but underused," and lends itself perfectly to sprightly nickname Sadie. 

 

I hope this has been of use. Best wishes with the name hunting.