British Baby Names

Top 100 (Provisional) Most Popular Names in Scotland 2019

Here are the provisional figures for the top 100 names in Scotland in 2019 based on data for births that were registered in the first eleven months (or so) of the year. 

Headlines

According to the National Records of Scotland, the  #1 names in 2019 were none mover Jack (#1 since 2008), and Olivia (#1 since 2016).

Carson, Cody, Ellis, Louie, Roman, Sonny, Theodore, Abbie, Ailsa, Aoife, Elizabeth, Eve, Evelyn, Harley, Lottie, Lucie, Mirren, Myla, Nova and Scarlett all entered (or re-entered) the Top 100.

Tommy showed the largest rise within the top 100 for boys. Riley, Arthur, Ruaridh, George, Andrew and Louis were also high climbers within the top 100. 

Gracie showed the largest rise within the top 100 for girls. Violet, Luna, Ayla, Ada and Hallie were also high climbers within the top 100.

Usage of Popular Names

The following tables provided by the NRS show the decline in popularity of "top 10" names and the rise in "unique" names: 

 

The full Top 100

Top 100 Boys' Names 2019  (Provisional)			.	Top 100 Girls' Names 2019 (Provisional)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19= 19= 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28= 28= 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40= 40= 42= 42= 44 45 46 47 48 49= 49= 51= 51= 51= 54= 54= 56= 56= 58= 58= 60 61 62= 62= 64= 64= 66 67= 67= 67= 67= 71 72 73= 73= 73= 76 77 78 79 80 81 82= 82= 84 85= 85= 87 88 89 90= 90= 92= 92= 94= 94= 96 97 98 99 100= 100=	Jack Oliver James Charlie Harris Noah Lewis Leo Rory Alfie Alexander Max Logan Lucas Harry Theo Thomas Brodie Archie Finn Jacob Finlay Daniel Joshua Oscar Arthur Hunter Ethan Mason Harrison Freddie Ollie Adam Aaron William Jaxon Cameron Liam Jamie Callum George Matthew Muhammad Caleb Nathan Carter Blake Tommy Andrew Luke Angus Luca Riley Jude Samuel Cole Sonny Hamish Joseph Ryan Isaac David Louie Arran Blair Dylan Arlo Connor Robert Ruaridh Leon Michael Benjamin Kai Louis Theodore Reuben Cooper Jackson Owen John Fraser Innes Carson Elijah Murray Grayson Elliot Aiden Aidan Sam Ellis Henry Ben Cody Alex Callan Jax Gabriel Frankie Roman	0 0 0 7 3 3 -1 -3 1 6 -4 6 -9 -1 -4 11 -3 7 -2 1 -7 -3 -2 2 4 20 3 -5 -4 7 7 6 -12 -3 -2 0 -9 -4 1 -8 13 -8 2 -3 -3 4 7 41 13 -6 -2 -3 23 -9 2 4 48 0 6 0 6 1 47 -17 9 -16 -11 -17 -13 18 -1 -4 -2 -9 12 54 -8 3 -20 9 -5 -18 3 17 -3 -8 -7 5 8 -19 -11 21 0 -19 18 -11 -15 2 -2 -3 26		1 2 3 4 5 6= 6= 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= 32= 34= 34= 36 37 38 39= 39= 41= 41= 43 44 45= 45= 47= 47= 49= 49= 51 52 53 54 55 56 57= 57= 59= 59= 61 62= 62= 64= 64= 66= 66= 68 69 70= 70= 72 73= 73= 75= 75= 77= 77= 77= 80 81= 81= 83= 83= 85 86= 86= 86= 89= 89= 89= 92= 92= 92= 92= 96= 96= 98= 98= 98= 98=	Olivia Emily Isla Sophie Ella Amelia Ava Grace Freya Charlotte Ellie Aria Jessica Sophia Lucy Lily Harper Mia Rosie Millie Evie Eilidh Ruby Willow Anna Maisie Hannah Eva Emma Chloe Mila Ivy Orla Georgia Isabella Poppy Robyn Daisy Gracie Zara Holly Skye Esme Hallie Erin Sofia Ayla Molly Emilia Katie Layla Sienna Alice Niamh Amber Maya Ada Zoe Bella Bonnie Thea Luna Summer Callie Rose Abigail Hollie Hope Iona Elsie Leah Lexi Eve Violet Harley Scarlett Elizabeth Julia Myla Georgie Florence Imogen Cora Mirren Rowan Aurora Lucie Matilda Lilly Phoebe Sadie Brooke Evelyn Lola Lottie Ailsa Cara Abbie Aoife Maria Nova	0 0 0 0 1 -1 1 0 4 1 7 -3 -3 -2 -1 -1 0 2 7 1 -5 -3 0 10 -3 -1 6 0 -6 -1 6 4 -1 -7 7 -6 5 11 22 5 -9 3 -5 15 -11 -5 19 7 -1 1 -13 -10 -7 -3 -3 -9 15 -2 10 13 -2 20 9 14 -11 -10 -3 19 -13 -2 -12 12 28 22 34 26 27 -5 27 11 14 -17 -16 37 4 9 76 -9 -28 -20 2 -17 17 -9 34 30 -31 18 28 -20 15

 The full official statistics for Scotland's top 100 for 2018 will be available in March. 


Middle Names

Scotland are also the only country in Britain to release figures on middle names:

 

The statistics on this page are supplied by the National Records of Scotland.
These tables were coded and formatted by me.

UK Birth Announcements 9/12/19 - 22/12/19

Below is a round-up of the birth announcements this week from British newspapers. Sources include a national paper (The Telegraph, The Times) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sibling names are in brackets.

 

Boys:

Alexander Tianyu (Amelia Yucheng)

Cameron Allan

Charles Richard Francis (Hugh James Porter)

Christopher Emilio

Crispin John (Marcus)

Finn Wilder

Hunter

Noah Michael

Oliver Richard William (Samantha Rose)

Rufus James (Cosima Olivia)

Sasha Raphael Phoenix

Theo Michael Sidney (Evie Rose)

Torin Lee (Layla & Ty Gordon)

Wilbur Alexander Sholto (Arthur Rafe Charles)

 

Girls: 

Arabella Elizabeth Lily

Astrid Isla

Daisy Jane

Daphne Bridget (Lydia Cecilia)

Esme Lillie

Gwen Sarah (Douglas Maldwyn)

Isabella Monique Rose (Theodore Richard Ian)

Isla Anne (Amelia Jane)

Orla Kate Hendrika (Louis Walter Sempill)

Paloma Violet Sheherazade (Saskia Aurelia Josephine)

Rose Agnes Olivia (Florence Georgiana, Amelie Carolyn & Henry Alexander Aloysius)

Sophie Rose (Charlotte Pearl)

 

 

I cross-reference older BAs to find the full names of the siblings, however often they are missing (especially the eldest siblings, or for half-siblings) which explains why you will sometimes see something like: George Henry (Lucy, Emma & Jack Arthur). "Lucy" and "Emma" may well have middle names as well; I simply cannot find them online. 

 

Name of the Week: Reginald

Origin:

Reginald is a later form of Reynold based on the Latinised form Reginaldus. Reynold was the medieval English form of the Old Germanic name Raginald, made up of the elements ragin "advice, counsel" and wald "rule, might". Reginald became Reinald, Reynaud in Old French which was then brought over to Britain by the Normans where it became Reynold and later Reginald.  Raginald was cognate with the Old Norse Rögnvaldr and Old English Rægenweald.

Usage:

The Old English Rægenweald can be found in a handful of examples in Anglo-Saxon England. However, it is the Old Norse Rögnvaldr (later Ragnall) which is found most prominently across Britain thanks to overlordship by several notable Viking jarls. Ragnall ua Ímair (died 921), was a King of Waterford and York; Ragnall mac Gofraid (died 1004/1005) was King of the Isles and Rognvald Brusason (died c. 1046) was Earl of Orkney.  Many later examples abound, but it is these early records which show that cognates of the name were present in Britain before the Normans prominently brought over their own form: Reinald/Reynaud.  Several notable Anglo-Norman barons bore the name including Reginald de Dunstanville, 1st Earl of Cornwall (c. 1110–1175), writer and monk Reginald of Canterbury (died c. 1109) and Reginald, Bishop of the Isles (died c.1226).  By the 14th century, Redmonds calculates that Reginald/Reynold was #19 for men living in 1377-81 amongst ten English counties which puts it in moderate use. It was in good enough use to create a number of surnames including Reynold, Reynolds, Reynoldson, Rennell, Reynell, Renaud and Renaut.  Smith Bannister's rank of top 50 names from 1538 to 1700 in England shows that Reynold was in moderate use up until the 17th century, but then it saw a decline: 1538-49: --; 1550-9: #44.5; 1560-9: #42; 1570-9: #37; 1580-9: #36; 1590-9: #38; 1600-9: --; 1610-9: --; 1620-9: --; 1630-9: --; 1640-9: --; 1650-9: --; 1660-9: --; 1670-9: --; 1680-9: #49; 1690-1700: --.  Reginald itself came into proper established use in the 16th century, but it wasn't common until it was revived in the mid-19th century.  Records for Reginald from the England and Wales Birth Index: 1840: 1850:  1860:  1870:  1880:  1890: 1900: 1904: 1914: 1924: 1934: 1944: 1954: 1964: 1974: 1984: 1994: #176 #134 #103 #66 #39 #31 #22 #20 #24 #31 #41 #71 __ __ __ __ __ The diminutive Reggie dates from the 19th century—one of the earliest examples of Reginald "Reggie" comes from C.Reade's Love me Little, Love me Long in 1859 Later, Rex also became used as a diminutive of Reginald—presumably a play on the genitive and dative form of the Latin rex: regis and regi. A well-known example is British Hollywood actor Sir Reginald "Rex" Harrison.  From 1996 to 2008, Reginald ranked below the top 1000 in England and Wales. Since then, it has seen a steady rise, peaking at #280 with 185 births in 2017.  During this peak year, Reginald was significantly more popular in the South East (#183) and the South West (#186).  The diminutive form Reggie has had even more success, entering the top 300 in 2005 and the top 100 by 2015. It has been rising ever since.  In 2018, Reginald ranked #284 with 177 births in England and Wales and #897 with 2 births in Scotland. Reggie, meanwhile, ranked at #45 (1356 births) in England Wales—its highest rank to date—and #168 (32 births) in Scotland.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Reginald I, Count of Burgundy (986–1057), second Count of the Free County of Burgundy. * Reginald I, Count of Bar (1105–1149), Count of Bar.  * Reginald de Dunstanville, 1st Earl of Cornwall (c. 1110–1175), also High Sheriff of Devon. * Raynald of Châtillon (c. 1125–1187), a knight in the Second Crusade and Prince of Antioch. * Reginald of Sidon (1130s–1202), Count of Sidon and an important noble in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. * Reginald de Braose (1182–1228), Norman nobleman. * Reginald of Piperno (c. 1230–c. 1290), Italian Dominican, theologian and companion of St. Thomas Aquinas. * Reginald of Burgundy (died 1321), Count of Montbéliard from 1282 to 1321. * Reginald Pole (1500–1558), English Archbishop of Canterbury and cardinal. * Reginald Fessenden (1866–1932), Canadian-American inventor who conducted pioneering experiments in radio. * Reginald Punnett (1875–1967), British geneticist. * Reginald Owen (1887-1972), British character actor. * Reginald "Rex" Warner (1905–1986), English classicist, writer and translator. * Reginald "Rex" Whistler (1905–1944), British artist, designer and illustrator. * Sir Reginald "Rex" Harrison (1908–1990), British film and stage actor. * Reginald "Rex" Ingamells (1913–1955), Australian poet. Contemporary: * Reginald Askew (1928–2012), British-Anglican priest and academic. * Reginald "Reggie" Kray (1933–2000), one of the Kray twins. * Reginald Fleming (1936–2009), National Hockey League player. * Reginald Dwight (born 1947), birth name of Elton John. * Reginald D. Hunter (born 1969), American comedian. * Reginald "Reggie" Yates (born 1983), British actor, television presenter and radio DJ. Literature and Other Media: * Reginald "Rumty" Wilfer, a character in Charles Dickens' Our Mutual Friend (1864). * Reginald Bunthorne, the main character of the Gilbert and Sullivan opera Patience. * Reginald Jeeves, the personal servant to Bertie Wooster in a series of short stories and novels by P. G. Wodehouse. * Chief Inspector Reginald Wexford, the protagonist in a series of mysteries by Ruth Rendell. * Reginald Perrin, the main character of a series of novels by David Nobbs, and The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, the popular BBC-commissioned 1970s comedy based upon it.

Variants:

Raginald (Old Germanic) Reinald, Reynaud (Norman) Reynold (Middle English) Reginald (Latinised) Ronald (Scottish) Rheinallt (Welsh) Raghnall (Irish & Scottish Gaelic) Reino (Finnish) Renaud (French) Reinhold (German) Rinaldo (Italian) Reinaldo, Reynaldo, Ronaldo (Spanish & Portuguese)

Pronunciation:

REJ-i-nəld [key]

Possible diminutives:

Reg, Reggie, Rex

Sibling Names:

Constance     April     Georgina     Millicent     Audrey     Emmeline Gilbert     Raymond     Laurence     Ernest     Leonard     Vincent

Name Lists:

Medieval Favourites   Victorian Darlings   Roaring Twenties   Upright Elegance   Funky Clunky   Dickensian Names   Tennyson Names   Gilbert and Sullivan Names

 

If you like Reginald you may also like:   Malcolm, Clifford, Kenneth, Franklin, Sidney, Eric, Douglas, Ronald, Gregory, Winston

Thanks to Meghan for requesting this name.  

 

Name Help: A Sibling for Elijah and Margaret

 

Elizabeth is in the process of adopting her third child -- gender unknown -- who will be a sibling for Elijah and Margaret. 

Elizabeth writes: "I like first names with more than one syllable, I don’t like names that are stand-alone nicknames (i.e. if my mother named me Beth instead of Elizabeth, or I named my son Eli instead of Elijah), I also like to take into account the meaning of the name [and] I like the royal trend on the female side.

I really like popular names such as Oliver, however, I am not sure that I want to use such a popular name.  I didn't realize Elijah was so popular until after we had our son and I started noticing there are quite a few little Eli's in his grade.  I don't like trendy names very much either, I like a little more history with the name.

I tend to like a lot of Irish  names (like Seamus and Rowan) but my husband isn’t so fond of them."  

 

 

Names currently on the list:

 

Arthur
Archie ("I really like this one, but not so keen on Archibald or Archer as the full name") 

Brendan

Gabriel
Philip
Nathaniel
Augustus 

 

Beatrice

Meredith

Eloise

Noelle

Lucia

Diana

 

Names they can't use or have been eliminated:

 

Edward, Amelia, Charles, Madeline, Elowen, Marilla

 

※    ※    ※    ※

Both Elijah and Margaret have a rich heritage of use as names, though their modern popularity (#41 and #392 respectively in England and Wales 2018) sets them a little apart. For options for Baby #3, I've looked for names which are equally rich in history but manage to bridge the modern usage gap. 

 

Alfred – At #106, Alfred is a stately and royal name which isn't too popular. It also boasts the only king of British-origin to gain the title "The Great". 

Dominic– A classic name borne by saints and popes. It has a sleek Latin style and (just sitting under the top 100) an uncommon familiar. 

Jonathan – A play on Nathaniel on your list, Jonathan is Biblical like Elijah (and a heroic figure at that) while feeling classically British like Margaret. 

Matthias – Both a Biblical name and a royal one, not only borne by a Holy Roman Emperor but also several other European kings. At #544 it is also familiar but relatively underused. 

Maximilian – A grand Roman name which has passed right through to modern royalty. At #149, it is familiar but not trendy. 

Nicholas – A staple of British naming since the Middle Ages, Nicholas has been borne by saints, kings, philosophers and everything in between. Despite its enduring classic status, Nicholas hasn't been in the top 100 since 2004. 

Otis – A quirky English form of royal Otto that has a dapper and debonnaire style. 

Robin – A traditional English diminutive of classic Robert, Robin dates back to the Middle Ages. It's heroic but also adorably charming.  

Tobias – A distinguished Biblical name which has a friendly and sprightly feel. 

Vincent – A saintly and artistic name with a classic style and friendly in-built nickname Vinnie that ranks at #145.

Walter – A name with plenty of history with bearers including adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh and author Sir Walter Scott. 

Wilfred – An affable Anglo-Saxon name which has persevered throughout the ages. 

 

Alexandra – A lady-like name borne by queens and empresses. 

Antonia – An illustrious Roman name borne by several members of royalty across Europe.

Bridget – Bridging the styles of Beatrice and Meredith on your list, Bridget is a name with an ancient heritage, ranking in the top 20 in England in the 16th century alongside Margaret. Bridget also counts as a royal name: Princess Bridget of York was a daughter of King Edward IV. 

Caroline – A royal name borne by a remarkable British queen. It is dignified and familiar but is not at all common. 

Cecily / Cecilia – A medieval staple which was borne by royal princesses and Duchess. The name is often regarded as meaning "blind", but, really, to the Romans, it signified "descendants of Caeculus" who was the son of the fire god Vulcan, born of a spark. He was given the nickname "little blind one" simply because the smoke from his father's fire caused him to squint. So the name has a rather deeper and richer meaning. It became popular in the Middle Ages thanks to St Cecilia, the patron of music. 

Constance – A charming virtue name which has been in good use since the Middle Ages. The name has also been borne by many queens, princesses and other royal women. 

Helena – From Roman Empress to British princess, Helena is a chic name which has an ancient heritage and rich history. 

Henrietta – Another queenly name which is rich in nickname options and has the same noteworthy feel as Margaret. 

Josephine – Many European queens and princesses answered to this polished and graceful name. 

Louisa – Both Louisa and Louise have been borne by a number of British princesses starting from the Georgians. The name has a quaint Austen-vibe to it and ranks very close to Margaret in popularity. 

Theodora – An ancient name borne by Empresses which has a vintage Victorian feel. 

Vivienne – From the stately Roman Vivianana meaning "alive", Vivienne has plenty of gravitas coupled with an upbeat sound. 

 

I hope this has been of use. Best wishes for finding the perfect name.

 

UK Birth Announcements 2/11/19 - 8/12/19

Below is a round-up of the birth announcements this week from British newspapers. Sources include a national paper (The Telegraph, The Times) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sibling names are in brackets.

 

Boys:

Alfred Donald

Angus Ferdinand Gray

Clement Andrew

Edward Ambrose Congreve

Edward Charles Harry

George Hugh Stewart

Jack Arthur

Logan Sean

Max Louis James

Rory Giles John (Arthur Charles Toby)

Samuel Glyn (Emmy)

Toby James 

 

Girls: 

Amelie Laura Hannah (Alfie Jack & Ava Jennifer May)

Claudia Rose (Mariella Clementine)

Constance Mary

Emily Grace (Grace, Olivia & Isabella)

Grace Christina Barbara (George Robert Oakes)

Heidi Jane

India Louisa Elizabeth Echo (Rupert John Charles Horatio)

Iona Elizabeth

Olympia Jane Mary (Humphrey & Otto Louis Alexander)

Rose Margaret (Isabelle Caroline Susan & Jack Francis Capper)

 

Twins:

Hunter & Charlie 

 

I cross-reference older BAs to find the full names of the siblings, however often they are missing (especially the eldest siblings, or for half-siblings) which explains why you will sometimes see something like: George Henry (Lucy, Emma & Jack Arthur). "Lucy" and "Emma" may well have middle names as well; I simply cannot find them online. 

 

Name of the Week: Jodie

Origin:

Jodie is a modern coinage which developed in America in the 19th century where Jody was used as both a masculine and a feminine name. There are several possible origins for the name: There are several examples of Jody being used in America as a nickname for Joseph.**** Similarly, Jody can be found as a nickname for the feminine form Josephine*** such as Holywood actress Jody Lawrance (1930-1986) whose birth name was Josephine Goddard. Joseph is the Anglicised form of the Hebrew name Yosef meaning "He will add" usually referring to children as the first Biblical Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob.  Jodie/Jodie is also considered to be a variant of Judy, the traditional diminutive of Judith. Judith itself derives from the Hebrew name Yehudith meaning "Jewish (woman)". Indeed, Jody can be found as a nickname for any Jo- beginning name (such as Joel** or Joan**) and was likely adopted independently in 1950s America because of its similarity to sound-a-like names such as Joe, Judy, Joan, Joanne, Sandy, Randy, Wendy, Cindy, Andy, Trudy, Rudy etc.

Usage:

Jody—especially the spelling Jodie—seems to have been used as a rare independent name from the 1880s onwards in America. In 1900, Jodie ranked #816 for boys in America.  However, it wasn't until the 1940s that Jody for both boys and girls and Jodie for girls began to rise in use, as we can see from these charts from Nancy's fabulous site:  One boost to Jody's use as a girls' name was the 1946 film To Each His Own starring Olivia de Havilland as the heroine Josephine “Jody” Norris. Jody went from #891 in 1945, to #770 in 1946 and #544 in 1947. Jody saw its first peak a decade later at #170 in 1958.  During this period, actress Jody Lawrance (1930-1986) was also starring in Hollywood movies which may have helped to boost the name for girls.  Jody also started rising for boys in the 1950s. At its peak of #161 in 1971, Jody for girls was #162—the closest the two ever came for both genders. In 2013, a survey suggested that Jody was the 6th most unisex baby name in the U.S. since 1930. Several male American Jodys abounded in the 1960s, including rock and roll singer Jody Reynolds (1932-2008) who had a U.S. top-ten hit in 1958, and the young character Jody Davis on American sitcom Family Affair from 1966 to 1971.  Jody reached a second peak in America in 1970 at #153. This was followed by the introduction by Ideal (the largest US toy manufacturer at the time) of Jody The Country Girl Doll. Interestingly, neither Jody nor Jodie ever broke into the American top 100 for boys or girls. The same cannot be said for Britain. Though late to the party, Jodie began rising steeply for girls in Britain in the early 1970s. Jody also grew in use during the same period, but it was much more unisex in use.  For example, in 1974 in Scotland, Jody had 5 births for both boys (#248) and girls (#389). In Scotland, Jodie went from #613 (2 births) in 1976, to #301 (9 births) in 1977 and #226 (16 births) in 1978, which may have owed something to Jodie Foster's Holywood debut in Taxi Driver (1976) and Bugsy Malone (1976). Jodie first entered the top 100 in Scotland at #77 in 1989 and peaked at #44 with 168 births in 1993. It had a second peak at #41 with 138 births in 2001, after which it began to decline.  In 2018 in Scotland, Jodie ranked #809 (3 births) for girls. Jody was unranked in 2018, but one girl (#1537) and one boy (#1301) did receive the name in 2017.  Jodie entered the top 100 in England and Wales for the first time in 1984 at #53 peaking at #43 in 1996. Jodie left the top 100 in 2005 when it dropped to #132. It remained in the top 500 until 2012 but left the top 1000 three years later in 2015.  In 2018, Jodie ranked #1586 with 19 births. Jody was unranked.

Famous Bearers:

Contemporary: * Joseph "Jodie" Beeler (1921-2002), American baseball player. * Josephine "Jody" Lawrance (1930–1986), American actress. * Ralph Joseph "Jody" Reynolds (1932–2008), American singer and guitarist. * Joel "Jody" McCrea (1934–2009), American actor. * Jody Payne (1936–2013), American country musician and singer. * Jody Williams (born 1950), American political activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. * Jody Davis (born 1952), American Major League Baseball catcher. * Jody Azzouni (born 1954), American philosopher, short fiction writer and poet. * Jodie Fisher (born 1960), American actress. * Jodie Foster (born 1962), American actress, film director, and producer. * Joseph "Jody" Byrne (born 1963), Irish retired footballer. * Jodhi May (born 1975), English actress. * Jody Gerut (born 1977), American former Major League Baseball player. * Jody Cundy, OBE (born 1978), English cyclist and former swimmer. * Jodie Kidd (born 1978), English fashion model, sports woman, television personality and actress. * Jody Morris (born 1978), English footballer. * Jody Lavender (1979), American racing driver. * Jodie Connor (born 1981), British R&B and soul musician. * Jody Latham (born 1982), English actor. * Jodie Whittaker (born 1982), English actress. * Jodie Broughton (born 1988), English rugby league player. * Jodie Comer (born 1993), English actress. Literature and Other Media: * Josephine “Jody” Norris, a character in the 1946 film To Each His Own. * Jodie Landon, a cartoon character in the television show Daria. * Jodie Morton, a character in the soap opera Coronation Street. * Jodie Nash, a character in the soap opera Hollyoaks. * Jody Lynch, a character from American TV series "Party of Five"

Variants:

Jody, Jodi

Pronunciation:

JŌ-dee [key]

Possible  diminutives:

Jo, Joey

Sibling Names:

Gemma     Louise     Hayley     Paige     Nicole     Amber  Cameron     Jamie     Callum     Kieran     Ryan     Connor

Name Lists:

N/A

 

If you like Jodie you may also like:   Jasmine, Jenna, Kelly, Zoe, Natalie, Jade, Marie, Leanne, Lauren, Julie

Thanks to Joolz for requesting this name.

Name Help: A Sibling for Arietta and Rory

 

Abby is expecting her third child -- gender a surprise -- a sibling for daughter Arietta and son Rory.

Abby writes: "I have a long list of names that I really like but my husband just doesn’t. I think some of the trouble we have is that I love nature and flower names. But my husband isn’t keen on names of things, ie flowers etc.

We are both ideally, looking for a name that is as unusual as Arietta but finding it difficult to find something we love as much. We would like to find a name that is outside the top 100 at least. We also like ‘full’ names which can be shortened, rather than using the shorter version of a name.

 

For girls we like longer names, we don’t mind so much for boys but both to have good nickname potential. 

We both quite like the names Angus and Magnus and Lachlan but adding any of those names to Rory’s seems like we have a Scottish connection, which we don’t.

 

Any names ending with the sound ‘on’ ‘en’ or ‘an’ don’t really work with our surname, unfortunately. 

 

Some of the names on my list that have been discounted.....

 

Arnie
Bodhi

Monty

Ralph

Wilfred

Huxley

Hunter

Fox

Wren

 

Juniper

Lavender

Marigold

Magnolia 

Posey

Fleur

Primrose (my all-time favourite, but just can’t get my husband on board)

Margot

Clementine 

Ottilie 

 

※    ※    ※    ※

Settling on one name you both love is tough, but doing it a third time round when you have exhausted previous options and want to create some semblance of cohesivity in a set is challenging to say the least. I certainly don't think Magnus should be nixed off your list just yet, especially as it isn't exclusively Scottish. Indeed, it's more Scandinavian/Roman heritage. The option for the nickname Gus makes it even more appealing.

In looking for options for you, I've tried to bridge the gap between familiar-friendly favourite Rory (currently at #47) and uncommonly lovely Arietta (at #2499).

 

Elias – Elias is the sleek Greek form of Biblical Elijah with potential for friendly Eli as a nickname. It ranked at #123 in 2018, putting it in the familiar-but-not-too-common category. 

Reginald – A familiar name that still feels underused at #284. Reggie is a top 50 favourite which makes for a cute nickname, but I think Rex (which was once commonly used as a nickname for Reginald) make an awesome choice, bringing to mind dapper British Hollywood actor, Sir Reginald "Rex" Harrison.

Tobias – A stately, classical Biblical name which ranks at #98 and has the in-built nickname, Toby. 

Barnaby – A medieval English form of Biblical Barnabas which has a delightfully quaint Dickensian style. It currently ranks at #251. 

Chester – A quirky retro-cool name with a cuddly charm. It currently ranks at #112. 

Fletcher – Bridging the styles of Huxley, Hunter and Fox on your list, Fletcher is a dapper surname-style name which evokes images of medieval archery and the forest. It ranks at #250 currently. 

Maxwell – A gentlemanly name that is universally known, but has surprisingly (currently at #142) never cracked the top 100.  

Ernest – A royal name borne by authors and adventurers which became a Victorian staple. It currently ranks at #326 and lends itself to adorable nickname Ernie.

Vincent – A saintly and artistic name with a classic style and friendly in-built nickname Vinnie that ranks at #145.

Rafferty – A preppy Irish surname-turned-first name which ranks at #273. The sleek nickname Rafe, or cute Raffy, make it even more appealing. 

Digby– Much like Percy, Stanley and Neville, Digby is a name coined from an aristocratic family with the same jaunty and stylish charm. It currently ranks at #1158.

Clark – From dashing Clark Gable to super Clark Kent, Clark is a retro choice which is familiar but uncommon. It currently ranks at #446.

Emmett– A friendly and accessible name which ranks at the uncommon #572. In a similar style is the even less common Everett (at #1284) which lends itself to the nickname Rhett. 

 

Jessamine – Given that you love floral names, but your husband isn't a fan of obvious "flower names", Jessamine may be the perfect compromise. Not only did it rank #5763 in 2017 making it an unusual yet accessible choice like Arietta, it is also the poetic name for the jasmine flower making it a legitimate floral name (the yellow jessamine [a jasmine] is the state flower of South Carolina). Nickname options also abound. The spelling Jessamy is a variant form which ranked at #4684 in 2018.

Livia – An elegant royal Roman name ranking at #442. 

Tabitha – With its meaning of "gazelle", quaint Beatrix-Potter-esque Tabitha (ranking at #204) is hidden nature name with plenty of charm and the nicknames Tabby and Tibby. 

Jemima – In the same category, we can also add Jemima (another Biblical Beatrix Potter name) which means "dove" at #297. The same meaning can be found in the Spanish Paloma, ranking at #936. 

Keziah – Sometimes found spelt Kezia in England, Keziah is a Biblical nature name meaning "cassia, cinnamon". The traditional English short-form is Kizzy. 

Evangeline – A romantic literary name meaning "good news" which ranks at #368. 

Eveline / Evelina – A noble medieval name with a literary heritage. Evelina currently ranks at #574 and Eveline at #920.

Lowenna– Meaning "joy, happiness, bliss", Lowenna is an upbeat and lyrical Cornish name.

Milena – Derived from the Slavic milu "gracious, dear", Milena is an exotic and glamorous choice with a wealth of nickname choices. 

Hermione– A classical Greek name from mythology which is familiar but not at all common (ranking at #545). While Hermione is scholarly and grand, the potential nicknames Minnie and Mimi lend a sweet and dainty edge to match Ettie. 

Winifred – An ancient name which is dignified and stately with inbuilt darling nickname Winnie. 

Sabina – An elegant ancient Roman name symbolising concilation and meditation. It was a favourite of the Victorians but now ranks at #1272. Nickname options range from Sabby, Bee, Bina and Beany. 

Persephone – As Primrose is a favourite of yours, and Posey is also on your list, perhaps ancient and glamourous Persephone with the nickname "Posey" would be the right compromise. Persephone currently ranks at #864.  

 

I hope this has been of use. Best wishes for finding the perfect name.

 

UK Birth Announcements 25/11/19 - 1/12/19

Below is a round-up of the birth announcements this week from British newspapers. Sources include a national paper (The Telegraph, The Times) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sibling names are in brackets.

 

Boys:

Alexander Henry Christopher

Alfie Michael

Douglas James

Finlay Michael (Calum Iain)

Harry

Henry William Peter (Albie Thomas Patrick)

Hugo Mungo (Arabella Sophie & Poppy Grace Patience)

Oscar Patrick Anthony (Felicity Menai Nancy)

Thomas Joseph Oliver (Orla Venetia)

 

Girls: 

Amelia Jane Hazel (Archie James Henry)

Evie Marion Rose

Imogen Miranda

India Armelle Jacoba

India Olivia Elizabeth

Ines Emilia (Lenny Joel)

Lily Rose

Kitty Caroline (Bunker Otis)

 

I cross-reference older BAs to find the full names of the siblings, however often they are missing (especially the eldest siblings, or for half-siblings) which explains why you will sometimes see something like: George Henry (Lucy, Emma & Jack Arthur). "Lucy" and "Emma" may well have middle names as well; I simply cannot find them online.