Explain Your Signature

I’m basically just playing with my signature at this point-- it used to have names I would actually consider for my future child, and who knows, maybe one day it will again. Right now it’s old lady/old man names + spices/herbs/edible wild things. Sempervirens essentially means “evergreen” in Latin, a nod to vintage names being still usable, plants names being ‘evergreen’ as well as it being spring :slight_smile:

To note, I probably wouldn’t use any of these names on real children in case anyone sees my signature and thinks I am absolutely crazy LOL. Okay, I might consider a few…

[name_f]Astoria[/name_f] [name_f]Maven[/name_f] [name_u]Winter[/name_u] - [name_f]Astoria[/name_f] is the title of an album by a band that I’ve absolutely adored since youth. [name_f]Maven[/name_f] has always been a favourite of mine, and [name_u]Winter[/name_u] is a new found love that I though paired nicely with these names. I like the icy imagery this combo gives off.
[name_f]Elowen[/name_f] [name_f]Cerelia[/name_f] [name_f]Venus[/name_f] - I find these names together to be so ethereal and spacey… I picture flowers blooming in space and it’s pretty cool.
[name_f]Adelaide[/name_f] [name_f]Viola[/name_f] [name_u]Quinn[/name_u] - I like the personality of this combo. Three very different names from very different eras, plus, [name_f]Viola[/name_f] is a really great Shakespearean character.
[name_f]Juliette[/name_f] [name_f]Seraphina[/name_f] [name_f]Lark[/name_f] - Lots of [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] vibes from this one, particularly [name_m]Romeo[/name_m] & [name_f]Juliet[/name_f]. I love the lark vs nightingale scene and this combo reminds me of that.
[name_f]Lydia[/name_f] [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] [name_f]Sonnet[/name_f] - [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] and [name_f]Sonnet[/name_f] are long time loves while [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] is to honor my mother, [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f]. This combo makes me think of love poems.
[name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] [name_f]Dawn[/name_f] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] - [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] and [name_f]Dawn[/name_f] are long time loves and [name_u]Fable[/name_u] is a new one. These names all together flash images of legendary sunrises and fun stories about them…
Evaria [name_f]Tamsin[/name_f] [name_u]Blair[/name_u] - Evaria is a name I came up with a while ago for a character in a game. I just really loved how it combines the lovely [name_f]Eve[/name_f] and [name_f]Aria[/name_f] into one. [name_f]Tamsin[/name_f] is classy and [name_u]Blair[/name_u] is after many beautiful women I’ve come across in life.
[name_f]Avalon[/name_f] [name_f]Wisteria[/name_f] [name_f]Tempest[/name_f] - I’ve always loved the sound of [name_f]Avalon[/name_f]… [name_f]Wisteria[/name_f] is a recent find, and [name_f]Tempest[/name_f] is after another [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] play that I adore.
Meridia [name_f]Giselle[/name_f] [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] - Meridia is a name I first heard in a video game and I loved how it looked and sounded. [name_f]Giselle[/name_f] is a name that I’ve recently found a place in my heart for. [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] is my sisters name.
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f] [name_f]Ambrosia[/name_f] [name_f]Ceres[/name_f] - [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] is another name I’ve only recently begun to love. [name_f]Ambrosia[/name_f] quickly made its way onto my list, as well. [name_f]Ceres[/name_f] is celestial and also plays off of my own name, [name_f]Celes[/name_f].

[name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Everest[/name_u] [name_u]Lake[/name_u] - [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] I first heard from the [name_f]Narnia[/name_f] stories and I rediscovered my love for it on here on nameberry. I hadn’t thought of naming a child [name_u]Everest[/name_u] until I saw it listed in a nature name video on YouTube. I think I’ve always liked the sound of [name_u]Lake[/name_u].
Emre [name_m]Casper[/name_m] [name_f]Valen[/name_f] - Emre is related to my surname. [name_m]Casper[/name_m] is a recent love. I’ve always enjoyed [name_m]Casper[/name_m] the Friendly Ghost. [name_f]Valen[/name_f] makes me think of elves and fantasy lands and I just think it to be quite handsome.
[name_u]Corin[/name_u] [name_u]Micah[/name_u] [name_u]Wren[/name_u] - [name_u]Corin[/name_u] is the name of a fun character from a [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] play I like. A close friend of mine played this character (it was how we first met) and it’s sort of a nod to him as well. [name_u]Micah[/name_u] is a new love. [name_u]Wren[/name_u] I’ve always liked and prefer on boys.
[name_u]Arden[/name_u] [name_m]Orlando[/name_m] [name_m]Forest[/name_m] - A collection of references from a [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] play I was in (same one mentioned above.) The [name_m]Forest[/name_m] of [name_u]Arden[/name_u] is where it takes place and [name_m]Orlando[/name_m] is a very desirable main character in it.
[name_u]August[/name_u] [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_u]Sage[/name_u] - I met a handsome boy in high school named [name_u]August[/name_u] after only knowing of girls with this name and thought it suited him so well, I had to use it for my own son. [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] and [name_u]Sage[/name_u] are both unisex names I prefer on boys as well.
[name_m]Aragon[/name_m] Solaris [name_u]Walker[/name_u] - Sort of a guilty pleasure combo. [name_m]Aragon[/name_m] Solaris males me think of a sun prince… [name_u]Walker[/name_u] is a name I just like.
[name_u]Everett[/name_u] [name_u]Spencer[/name_u] [name_u]Phoenix[/name_u] - [name_u]Everett[/name_u] and [name_u]Spencer[/name_u] are long time loves and [name_u]Phoenix[/name_u] spices it up.
[name_m]Ares[/name_m] [name_m]Sampson[/name_m] [name_u]Drew[/name_u] - [name_m]Ares[/name_m] is another sort of guilty pleasure but I can’t get it out of my head. [name_m]Sampson[/name_m] and [name_u]Drew[/name_u] are just names I like.
[name_m]Iver[/name_m] [name_u]Emmett[/name_u] [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] - [name_m]Just[/name_m] a collection of names I like. No significant meaning.
[name_m]Silas[/name_m] [name_m]Griffin[/name_m] [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] - [name_m]Silas[/name_m] and [name_m]Griffin[/name_m] are new loves and [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] is an incredibly meaningful guilty pleasure. [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] has played a huge role in shaping who I am, my talents, who my friends are, etc.

I got lazy so I chose an arbitrary letter, then picked from my huge list every name with that letter that I like. I hope soon-ish I’ll have the time and energy to make a themed signature again, I love those!

[name_u]Elliott[/name_u] [name_u]Jude[/name_u]- [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] will forever be my absolute favorite boys’ name. It’s not so unique it’s wacky, but it’s probably original enough that he wouldn’t have another [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] in his class. And [name_u]Jude[/name_u] is a classic, simplistic middle name that just really seems to flow well with the first name [name_u]Elliott[/name_u].

[name_m]Kian[/name_m] [name_m]Brooks[/name_m]- I love the name [name_m]Brooks[/name_m], but it seems to flow better as a middle name than a first name, so I actually chose the middle name for this name before I chose the first. I used to like the name [name_m]Isaiah[/name_m] with the middle name [name_m]Brooks[/name_m], then [name_m]Isaiah[/name_m] turned into [name_m]Ian[/name_m], and then [name_m]Ian[/name_m] turned into the more modern and unique [name_m]Kian[/name_m].

[name_f]Frances[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]/[name_u]Frankie[/name_u]- I absolutely adore the nn [name_u]Frankie[/name_u], but I figured that I would like my daughter to have a full name so she could choose if she wanted to go by something else if she wasn’t a fan of the first name [name_u]Frankie[/name_u]. [name_f]Frances[/name_f] is one of those timeless names that is a little bit old-lady but still spunky, charming and unique; it would also be a great way to pay homage to my great grandmother, named [name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_f]Frances[/name_f]. [name_f]Rose[/name_f] is a family middle name that most of the girls in our family have and goes really well with the first name [name_f]Frances[/name_f].

[name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f]- [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] is a sweet, spunky name with a great meaning—it means “[name_u]Golden[/name_u] one.” And [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is a short and adorable middle name that seems to fit really well with the longer, frillier first name, as well as a way to pay homage to my grandmother, [name_f]Jane[/name_f], and my sister, who’s middle name is [name_f]Jane[/name_f].

The other names in my signature are just secondary favorites that I thought were cute combinations, but don’t necessarily have a lot of special meaning to me at the moment. My favorites of those are [name_f]Cecelia[/name_f] [name_f]Noelle[/name_f], [name_f]Fern[/name_f] [name_u]Eloise[/name_u], and [name_u]Reese[/name_u] [name_m]Malachi[/name_m].

(Dusk is a really great name, to the poster above me.)

[name_m]Ambrose[/name_m], Calvary (meaning Sanctuary, biblical, pairs well with my son Navy), [name_f]Thomasine[/name_f] and [name_f]Adelia[/name_f] were names found on my genealogical journeys through my family tree that I’m hoarding. I’m not sure how long [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m] will stay there. It’s just catching my eye right now.

[name_m]Sylvester[/name_m]. A good middle name. Like a male [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]. [name_f]Pleasant[/name_f] sounding and pairs dapperly.

[name_m]Amadeus[/name_m]. Trend currently leans toward the ‘us’ ending male names and also older names making a comeback. This fits both categories. A solidly good name.

[name_m]Edric[/name_m]. I mostly like the way it sounds but it has so much to like. It fits in a classic category of ‘[name_m]Ed[/name_m]’ based names. It looks a bit like [name_m]Eric[/name_m] and takes on that form so it doesn’t seem instantly “out there” but demands itself be set apart from it’s cousins, [name_m]Alaric[/name_m] and [name_m]Alec[/name_m]. Close to those great male, starting with ‘E’ names that can’t be used like [name_m]Elton[/name_m] and [name_m]Elvis[/name_m]. More modern than [name_m]Edgar[/name_m] but still aged.

[name_f]Ophira[/name_f]. I just like it. I think it’s a good alternative to [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f]. I’m actually shocked it’s not used a lot. Like it’s male counterpart Ophir, too.

[name_u]Joyce[/name_u]. You don’t hear very often anymore but has all the right sounds to be used and it bothers me that it isn’t seen more except in older women. I like it much better than [name_f]Joy[/name_f], which is weird because I’m really into puritan names.

[name_f]Amabel[/name_f]. My preferred alternate to [name_f]Mabel[/name_f]. I still haven’t quite figured this out. It’s just there.

[name_f]Bethany[/name_f]. [name_u]Love[/name_u] it’s softness and the image of the kind of girl it conjures for me is pleasant. My most adored “timeless” name.

[name_f]Phila[/name_f]. Again, soft. Flows off the tongue. I think it follows the trend of ‘F’ names, like [name_f]Frida[/name_f] and [name_f]Freya[/name_f] but also somehow encompasses the trend of resurrecting the old. It’s probably my favorite on my list, out of both genders. I lean toward American names and [name_f]Phila[/name_f] being so reminiscent of [name_u]Philadelphia[/name_u], it has a connotation to Revolutionary War era for me and I really like that, too.

Orlando. Name of the girl in the book by Virginia Wolfe.

Hello Berries! This looks like it would be a fun thread to bring back.

This is a good thread to bring back!
[name_u]Elliott[/name_u] [name_m]Stan[/name_m] - Honors my grandmothers [name_f]Esther[/name_f] and [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]. When my bubbe lived in NY we would visit her and my other grandma every weekend and usually we would end up watching E.T or another Spielberg movie, and [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] is the name of the main character in E.T. [name_m]Stan[/name_m] honors my step-grandfather [name_m]Stuart[/name_m]. All of my bio grandfathers died before I was born (and one of them was an abusive pos to my dad so he’s not being honored) and me and my twin are already named after them ([name_m]Mark[/name_m] was my dads stepfather). I haven’t had a “grandfather” but I have a pretty great [name_m]Stu[/name_m]. Also [name_f]Marvel[/name_f]. I’m a sucker for superheroes.

[name_f]Estelle[/name_f] [name_f]Susannah[/name_f] - [name_f]Estelle[/name_f] is a combination of [name_f]Esther[/name_f] and [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] ([name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] goes by [name_f]Elle[/name_f] or [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] to everyone but her grandkids). I first heard it in [name_u]Percy[/name_u] [name_m][name_u]Jackson[/name_u][/name_m] so it’s a subtle honor to that part of my personality. [name_f]Susannah[/name_f] technically honors [name_m]Stu[/name_m] with the S initial but I just love the name.

[name_m]Rafferty[/name_m] [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] - [name_m]Rafferty[/name_m] honors my dad. It’s another name that I first heard in a book, although the character was a girl, and it just radiates cool energy for me. I’ll have to rethink [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] since my baby brother is probably going to end up being [name_u]Alex[/name_u] but it honors my mom and uncle while also having name connections to the greater Jewish community.

[name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] [name_u]Arden[/name_u] - [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] honors my dad and [name_u]Arden[/name_u] my mom and uncle. [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] in this combo was originally [name_f]Rosalind[/name_f] because of the connections to women in science but I prefer the sound of [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f]. [name_u]Arden[/name_u] is the name of a friend that moved away.

Other random names that have a lot of meaning in my sig:
[name_m]Otto[/name_m] - for [name_m]Otto[/name_m] Wels, who spoke out against the Nazis in [name_m]Germany[/name_m], [name_m]Otto[/name_m] [name_m]Frank[/name_m], [name_f][name_u]Anne[/name_u][/name_f] [name_m]Frank[/name_m]'s father, and [name_m][name_u]Doctor[/name_u][/name_m] Octopus, the best Spiderman villain besides [name_m]Craven[/name_m] the [name_u]Hunter[/name_u].
[name_m]Eliezer[/name_m] - for [name_u]Elie[/name_u] Weisel. He was in Auschwitz with my great-grandfather and his cousin.
[name_m]Magnus[/name_m] - for [name_m]Magnus[/name_m] Hirschfeld, an LGBT advocate during the Holocaust.
[name_f]Ruth[/name_f] and [name_f]Elana[/name_f] - for the Supreme [name_m]Court[/name_m] Justices.
[name_m]Irving[/name_m] isn’t in my signature yet but for Hebrew School I had to interview one of the Holocaust survivors in my town and I interviewed [name_m]Irving[/name_m]. He gave me the quote “If they turn me to soap I shall refuse to bubble” which is the most badass way of resisting that I have heard considering he said it in full hearing range of all the guards.

[name_f]My[/name_f] signature changes so often, and I guess that speaks to my overall personality, but I genuinely love curating a little collection of names; an exhibit always has a message. Sometimes it shifts. I love warm-toned names. Ones that feel very cozy ([name_f]Mabli[/name_f], [name_f]Molly[/name_f], [name_f]Elly[/name_f]) and homey ([name_f]Sunday[/name_f], [name_m]Wilkie[/name_m], [name_u]Rudy[/name_u]) and remind me of camping ([name_u]Finn[/name_u], [name_m]Moody[/name_m], [name_u]Wilde[/name_u], [name_u]Raleigh[/name_u]) and family ([name_f]Lily[/name_f], [name_u]Hali[/name_u]’a, [name_u]Shea[/name_u]) and… Disney World (Eia, Ró, [name_f]Katara[/name_f]). I love a bit of whimsy (Idyllie, [name_u]Juniper[/name_u], Madlenka) and a nod to the ocean ([name_u]Esca[/name_u], [name_m]Moses[/name_m]) and the last page of a well-loved book b[/b]. I don’t have a lot of tangible things to say about all of the pieces, but they feel right at home.

In general, for my signature, I tend to pick combos I like, even if I’m not necessarily in love with the names individually.

[name_f]Ivy[/name_f] [name_f]Cassia[/name_f]: I’ve fallen in love with this combo recently. It’s two names I absolutely adore, and would be my first choice combo, though not necessarily my first choice name, for a daughter.

[name_f]Iris[/name_f] Myth: I’ve had Myth as a nn for [name_u]Meredith[/name_u], but didn’t like [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] enough to include it in my sig. This is a new addition, and I worry that it looks too much like Irish Myth. I go back and forth on [name_f]Iris[/name_f], it’s very similar to other names I love like [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] and [name_f]Violet[/name_f], and yet I haven’t quite got on board with [name_f]Iris[/name_f] yet.

[name_f]Siena[/name_f] [name_f]Eve[/name_f]: I love [name_f]Siena[/name_f] and I like it paired with [name_f]Eve[/name_f] but there’s a little part of me that thinks [name_f]Eve[/name_f] is not special enough/I don’t love it enough to keep it with [name_f]Siena[/name_f], which is one of my all-time favs and totally usable.

[name_f]Sophie[/name_f] [name_f][name_u]Tempest[/name_u][/name_f]: [name_f][name_u]Tempest[/name_u][/name_f] is a huge GP middle for me and [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] is a comforting solid fav. Not sure I’d use [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] though, I worry that by the time I have kids, it will be a bit past it’s prime.

[name_f]Tessa[/name_f] Libris: [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] is a favorite of mine, and Libris is a literary word name, not sure how I feel about it yet. Also similar to [name_f]Libra[/name_f] which I don’t care for as a name but would be an honor. I want something that is a bookish/literary nod, but [name_f]Saga[/name_f]/[name_u]Fable[/name_u]/[name_u]Story[/name_u] are a bit airy and fairytale feeling for me. Considering [name_f]Lore[/name_f] as a middle, which I originally had paired with [name_f]Sophie[/name_f]. Would love to use [name_f]Tess[/name_f]/[name_f]Tessa[/name_f] for a daughter, but for some reason, I actually cannot see myself using it.

[name_f]Violet[/name_f] [name_f]Adelais[/name_f]: [name_u]Love[/name_u] this combo, makes sharp-sounding [name_f]Violet[/name_f] sound gentle and light. [name_f]Violet[/name_f] is really growing on me, and I’d probably consider this for a child.

[name_f]Astra[/name_f]: love the galaxy feel, but having a hard time deciding between this, [name_f]Astraea[/name_f], and [name_f]Aster[/name_f]. I’d love [name_f]Astra[/name_f] or [name_f]Aster[/name_f] in the mn spot for a future child.

[name_f]Eris[/name_f]: intrigued by how soft this sounds but has such a tough meaning.

[name_u]Rue[/name_u]: cute but serious. Finding it hard to pair without sounding too sing-songy though.

[name_u]Alden[/name_u] [name_u]Reeve[/name_u]: [name_u]Love[/name_u] the sound of [name_u]Alden[/name_u] and [name_m]Alder[/name_m] but found [name_u]Alden[/name_u] easier to pair. I’d love to use [name_m]Alder[/name_m] on a future kid. Seems soft but masculine. [name_u]Reeve[/name_u] can be seen as an honor.

[name_m]Ansel[/name_m] [name_u]Gray[/name_u]: [name_m]Ansel[/name_m]'s just so gentle, and I adore [name_u]Gray[/name_u]/[name_u]Grey[/name_u] as a middle. I always want to pair it with color names though.

[name_m]Callan[/name_m] [name_m][name_u]Wilder[/name_u][/name_m]: I can never decide between [name_m]Callan[/name_m], [name_m]Colm[/name_m], and [name_m]Callum[/name_m], though I think [name_m]Callan[/name_m] is the most usable and I would definitely use it for a kid. [name_u]Love[/name_u] mn [name_m][name_u]Wilder[/name_u][/name_m], has a rugged feel but a gentle sound.

[name_u]Kit[/name_u] [name_m]Olivier[/name_m]: [name_u]Kit[/name_u] is so cute! Would be more likely to use it on a girl irl though, but I love the idea of it on a boy and it pairs beautifully with [name_m]Olivier[/name_m].

[name_u]Rhys[/name_u] [name_f]October[/name_f]: [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] (well [name_u]Reese[/name_u]) has been my favorite name since forever and I’d 100% use it, boy or girl. I think [name_f]October[/name_f] is unexpected and fun, and I love the nn [name_u]Toby[/name_u] for it! I’ve fallen in love with [name_u]Toby[/name_u] recently, but I don’t like [name_m]Tobias[/name_m].

[name_m]Soren[/name_m] [name_u]Vale[/name_u]: the only combo that has stayed in my sig since I joined NB. Again, I love the gentle soft feel of both names.

[name_m]Colm[/name_m]: have loved this name maybe even longer than [name_u]Reese[/name_u], but had the pronunciation wrong when I first encountered it. [name_u]True[/name_u] pronunciation just sounds like “column” to me, so I unfortunately will never use this, but I still can’t bear to remove it from my list nonetheless.

[name_u]Jude[/name_u]: short and sweet, though I worry about the religious background, as I am not religious.

[name_m]Tobias[/name_m]: love [name_u]Toby[/name_u] as a nn but not a standalone name. Trying to get on board with [name_m]Tobias[/name_m].

I haven’t answered a thread like this in a while, so this might be fun! They’re organized kind of weirdly, but that’s just how it is, hah. I have synesthesia, so some of my answers will reflect the colors/textures I strongly associate with these names. From my current signature:

Girl Combos:

[name_f]Fiona[/name_f] [name_f][name_u]Willow[/name_u][/name_f] - [name_f]Fiona[/name_f] is everything I want in a name, from look to sound to familiarity to strength. It’s perfect to me. [name_f][name_u]Willow[/name_u][/name_f] is one of my favorite trees, as well as a reference to [name_f][name_u]Willow[/name_u][/name_f] from [name_f]Buffy[/name_f] (don’t judge me), as well as a nod to my and my mother’s middle names, which both start with “W” (not a common middle initial!).

[name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] [name_f]Jasmine[/name_f] ([name_f]Lia[/name_f]) - [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] feels like a princess name, but in the best way. I love its lilting sound full of airy vowels. I love its golden meaning. And most of all, I love that it’s a Hispanic AND a Romanian name, connecting to both my partner and my cultures. I adore the nickname [name_f]Lia[/name_f], or possibly [name_u]Rae[/name_u]. [name_f]Jasmine[/name_f] is a nod to the flower. I grew up with a little jasmine tree in the house and I also adore the look and scent. Also, [name_f]Jasmine[/name_f] the Disney princess inspired me a lot when I was a kid. I related to her and her confidence and ability to speak her mind inspired me when I was young.

Firsts:

[name_f]Liana[/name_f] - I mostly just like the sound of this one. It’s a calming blue color in my mind. ("[name_u]Lee[/name_u]-[name_m]AH[/name_m]-nuh")

[name_f]Emilia[/name_f] - A happy orangey-yellow, this name feels bright and cheerful to me with a professional demeanor, as well.

[name_f]Serena[/name_f] - Feels serene :).

[name_f]Freya[/name_f] - This one, unlike any others on my list, is a pretty pinkish-purple in my mind and makes me think of soft clouds, cats, and of course goddesses.

[name_f]Aria[/name_f] - This name is so strong and pretty, though too popular lately. A roaring, powerful red color.

[name_f]Athena[/name_f] - [name_u]Strong[/name_u], decisive, shining [name_f]Athena[/name_f], goddess of war, wisdom, and strategy. I love this name because it commands respect and sounds beautiful to my ear.

Middles:

[name_f]Gwendolyn[/name_f] - A shimmering golden white. This name makes me think of goddesses and maidens of Arthurian legend. I can easily imagine a queen or fairy with this name, and I think it works professionally, too, with the sensible nickname [name_f]Gwen[/name_f].

[name_f]Gabrielle[/name_f] - [name_f]Gabrielle[/name_f] is a nod to two things: 1) my absolute, undying love for the character in [name_f]Xena[/name_f]: [name_u]Warrior[/name_u] [name_f]Princess[/name_f] (again, don’t judge me), and 2) my mom absolutely loves this name. Her name also starts with G, so I would consider it kind of an honor name for her.

[name_u]Joan[/name_u] - Entirely a reference to [name_u]Joan[/name_u] [name_m][name_u]Jett[/name_u][/name_m], who my partner adores. I like it as a middle, though. It reminds me of the sound of bells ringing in a tower.

[name_f]Elowen[/name_f] - Pretty, earthy, reminds me of flower crowns and meadows.

Boy Firsts:

[name_u]Rowan[/name_u] - Probably my favorite boy name in the world. Obviously it makes me think of the rowan tree with its red berries, but more than that I love its soft, unisex sound. The “R” initial is also significant in my family. To me, it’s perfect.

[name_u]Sage[/name_u] - This name, despite its herbal properties, is actually a bright orange/yellowish color to me. It feels happy, bright, and hopeful. I like that the name connects to both wisdom and herbs.

[name_m]Sylvan[/name_m] - I [name_f]ADORE[/name_f] this name! It reminds me of a silver-tinged forest of trees. I think it’s beautiful, but many people seem to not like it, sadly.

[name_u]Theo[/name_u] - [name_u]Strong[/name_u], simple, bold.

[name_m]Rafael[/name_m] - This feels so artistic and sophisticated to me. I like the nickname [name_m]Rafi[/name_m], too.

[name_m]Jasper[/name_m] - This one makes me think of jasper the stone/mineral, and feels strong and earthy.

[name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] - Sparkly green and universal, strong, and just a dash of poshness. It commands attention, feels ancient.

[name_m]Diego[/name_m] - Partner loves this. I like the sound a lot. It feels very earthy to me, like rich soil.

GP boys: (GP because I can’t use them):

[name_u]Florian[/name_u] - [name_u]Love[/name_u] the meaning, love the sound, love how it feels a bit feminine and soft for a boy’s name. It carries a kind of ancient strength to it that I love. Probably won’t use it because I recognize that it’s a bit much for a first name.

[name_m][name_u]Ezra[/name_u][/name_m] - [name_m]Just[/name_m] like the sound and feel of it, not the association though.

[name_u]Flynn[/name_u] - Cool, sleek, feels good to say.

[name_m]Wesley[/name_m] - It feels friendly and smiley to me. You kind of have to smile to say it, which I like.

[name_m]Marius[/name_m] - Kind of a nod to [name_u]Les[/name_u] Mis, but I really like the ancient [name_m]Roman[/name_m] feel of it.

[name_u]Kieran[/name_u] - This one would be perfect if it didn’t sound a bit too much like [name_f]Karen[/name_f]! I just like its vibe.

Currently, my signature is a theme I created because I was a bit tired of the [name_u]Baby[/name_u] Name [name_f][name_u]Genie[/name_u][/name_f] generated middles I had previously. I couldn’t really think of a unique theme that I wasn’t going to have repetition in it (ie; popular names from every state, top names from the last 20 years, etc.). I thought about it and figured a signature where my close friends and family choose names for me from my long list would be a fun way to build a name bank, basically, where I’d then construct combos from and use all their chosen names either as a first or middle. I had 6 friends, my sister and SO join in and built a list from that.

Girls

[name_f]Delilah[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] [name_f]Arabella[/name_f] - I just love how pretty each name is on its own and as a combination. NN would be [name_f]Lyla[/name_f] which I’ve always loved after hearing the [name_u]Oasis[/name_u] song [name_f]Lyla[/name_f]. [name_f]Arabella[/name_f] is also in my family tree from the 1800’s so it’s nice to be able to bring it in to the 21st century.

[name_f]Luna[/name_f] [name_f]Primrose[/name_f] Thérèse[/COLOR]- I fell in love with [name_f]Luna[/name_f] because [name_f]Luna[/name_f] is the [name_m]Roman[/name_m] personification and [name_f]Goddess[/name_f] of the [name_f]Moon[/name_f] and therefore means ‘to shine’ it is also the name of one of my favourite characters [name_f]Luna[/name_f] Lovegood from [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m]. [name_f]Primrose[/name_f] is a beautiful flower with a lovely scent and it’s a bit different to [name_f]Rose[/name_f] as a middle name. It means ‘first rose’ and in Victorian floriography it symbolised ‘early youth’ (it’s also in the Hunger Games books). Thérèse is the [name_m][name_u]French[/name_u][/name_m] for [name_f]Teresa[/name_f] which is my mother’s name and my great grandmothers name so it is nice to honour them

[name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] [name_f]Georgiana[/name_f] [name_f]Doris[/name_f] - [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] is a lovely Italian alternative to [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] and means ‘brings joy’, I love the ‘x’ on the end making it feel more modern whilst honouring the British writer [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] (1866-1943) who wrote the [name_m]Peter[/name_m] Rabbit books. [name_f]Georgiana[/name_f] is a historical name that has its most famous namesakes being [name_f]Georgiana[/name_f] Cavendish Duchess of Devonshire (1757-1806) and also [name_f]Georgiana[/name_f] [name_u]Darcy[/name_u] who is the younger sister of Mr [name_m]Fitzwilliam[/name_m] [name_u]Darcy[/name_u] is the [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_m][name_u]Austin[/name_u][/name_m] book Pride and Prejudice. [name_f]Doris[/name_f] is a honour name for my husbands grandmother who is a wonderful woman :slight_smile:

[name_f]Penelope[/name_f] [name_f]Emerald[/name_f] [name_f]Florence[/name_f] - I like the name [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] as it’s classic and has some nice NN including [name_f]Elle[/name_f] and [name_u]Penny[/name_u]. [name_f]Emerald[/name_f] is to honour my Irish heritage as [name_f]Emerald[/name_f] is synonymous with [name_f]Ireland[/name_f] with its rolling hills and vales of green. It’s also the birth stone of [name_f]May[/name_f] which is when my mum was born. [name_f]Florence[/name_f] is to honour my husbands family history as he has Italian ancestry and the story is that they came from [name_f]Florence[/name_f] in [name_f]Italy[/name_f] and his great grandmother is called [name_f]Florence[/name_f].

Boys

[name_m]Archer[/name_m] [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_u]Brennan[/name_u] - [name_m]Archer[/name_m] is a historical name deriving from the 13th century originally of a surname for someone who’s occupation was a archer or bowman. It also represents the constellation Sagittarius which is my star sign. [name_m]Harry[/name_m] is a quintessentially [name_f]English[/name_f] name originating from the name [name_m]Henry[/name_m]. It’s also the name of the wizard [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] which is a favourite book series of mine. [name_u]Brennan[/name_u] is to honour my grandfathers Irish heritage.

[name_m]George[/name_m] [name_u]Gary[/name_u] [name_m]Anthony[/name_m] - [name_m]George[/name_m] has been chosen as my husband likes the name and is from St [name_m]George[/name_m] the patron saint of [name_f]England[/name_f]. [name_u]Gary[/name_u] honours both our fathers and [name_m]Anthony[/name_m] is in honour of my husbands Grandfather who was a great man.

[name_m]Edward[/name_m] [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] [name_m]Louis[/name_m] - is in honour of family members from my family tree. [name_m]Edward[/name_m] is my great uncle who died at a young age in WW1 and [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] [name_m]Louis[/name_m] is my great grandfather who died when my grandmother was only 9.

[name_f]Krystal[/name_f] [name_u]Lynn[/name_u] - [name_f]Krystal[/name_f] was my very first name love. It’s been with me since I was about 8 or 9. It also, in part, honors a [name_f]Kristi[/name_f] in my life. [name_u]Lynn[/name_u] honors both of my sisters; it’s my older sister’s middle and the ending sound of my younger sister’s name. This name is a definite. I won’t budge.

[name_f]Madeleine[/name_f] [name_f]Mae[/name_f] - Fell in love with [name_f]Madeleine[/name_f] a few years back when BSB released a song by the same name. They were a huge part of my childhood, but I never liked the idea of naming a kid after one of them, so I chose to honor them through this song instead! [name_f]Mae[/name_f] is my aunt’s middle name. I wanna put this in my top 3, but my sister loves [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] and will most likely have kids first, so I probably won’t get to use it.

[name_u]Avery[/name_u] [name_u]Nichole[/name_u] - [name_u]Avery[/name_u] was a name I stumbled upon and fell in love with instantly, mostly for its meaning as I’m a big fantasy person. [name_u]Nichole[/name_u] honors 2 of my childhood friends as well as a mentor in my teen years. This one is up there on my list!

[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Rhiannon[/name_f] - Fell in love with the name [name_f]Clara[/name_f] (CLAH-[name_m]RA[/name_m]) through [name_m][name_u]Doctor[/name_u][/name_m] Who. It’s been a huge part of my life and if I were to honor it in any way, this would be the name I’d choose. [name_f]Rhiannon[/name_f] was the name my mom wanted to give me, so this is my way of honoring her as she dislikes her own name. Not sure I love it enough to go through with it though.

[name_f]Makeda[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] - [name_f]Makeda[/name_f] is a name I stumbled upon trying to find any name besides [name_u]Dakota[/name_u] that could be shortened to [name_u]Cody[/name_u]/[name_u]Kody[/name_u]. [name_u]Cody[/name_u] is one of my greatest friends and I’d love to honor her, but I’ve never been fond of the name as a stand-alone name. [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is one letter off from my own middle name and is something I’d love to share with a daughter. Nobody in my family likes this one, so it’s more a GP name than anything else. Trying out [name_u][name_m]Koda[/name_m][/name_u] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] but it feels off.

[name_f]Chloe[/name_f] [name_f]Emilia[/name_f] - This name actually comes from a story I co-wrote with my sister. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with it, but I did. In the story her father calls her “[name_m]Little[/name_m] [name_f]Clover[/name_f]” as a pet name and I just loved that too much to let it go. Probably won’t use it though because it’s so tied to the character.

[name_f]Elena[/name_f] [name_u]Austen[/name_u] - [name_m]Just[/name_m] a combo I love. No special meaning with this one. Big fan of [name_u]Austen[/name_u] for a girl though! Not very high on my list due to its lack of a meaningful connection.

[name_f]Alice[/name_f] [name_f]Elowen[/name_f] - [name_f]Alice[/name_f] comes from my love of [name_f]Alice[/name_f] in Wonderland, but is also a variant of my step mom’s middle. [name_f]Elowen[/name_f] was a name I discovered and loved for its fantasy feeling. Not my top 3, but it’s up there!

[name_f][name_u]Noa[/name_u][/name_f] [name_f]Liliana[/name_f] - Another combo I love but has no special meaning. Big fan of [name_f][name_u]Noa[/name_u][/name_f] for a girl though! Despite lack of connection, I adore this name and would love to use it! I’m torn between this one and [name_u]Avery[/name_u] being in the top 3.

[name_f]Lucy[/name_f] [name_f]Dorienne[/name_f] [name_u]Rae[/name_u] - [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] has been a long time love and I could name several characters and actresses I love with this name. [name_f]Dorienne[/name_f] is a variant of [name_u]Dorian[/name_u], which is a name I’ve just always adored. It also happens to be a variant of a new found friend’s name, so it’s even more meaningful now. [name_u]Rae[/name_u] is a family name on my step dad’s side. Definitely in my top 3!

[name_f]Luna[/name_f] [name_f]Faye[/name_f] - I’m a sucker for the name [name_f]Luna[/name_f], what can I say? I love it’s connection to the moon as well as the HP character. [name_f]Faye[/name_f] is a GP name for me. [name_u]Love[/name_u] the fantasy feeling, as well as it’s connection to Miss [name_m][name_u]Peregrine[/name_u][/name_m]. Probably won’t use this name but dang do I love it.

[name_f]Emma[/name_f] [name_f][name_u]Louise[/name_u][/name_f] - [name_f]Emma[/name_f] is another long time love, it keeps making its way back to me, making me fall in love with it more through various characters and actresses over the years. [name_f][name_u]Louise[/name_u][/name_f] is both my fave actress’s middle as well as my aunt’s. Though I love it, it’s not in my top 3.

[name_f]Lyra[/name_f] [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] - [name_f]Lyra[/name_f] is a new love, recently discovered through a tv series. It was just one of those names that worked it’s way into my heart. [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] honors a childhood friend. Still getting used to this one, not sure where it lands.

TOP 3: [name_f]Krystal[/name_f] [name_u]Lynn[/name_u], [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] [name_f]Dorienne[/name_f] [name_u]Rae[/name_u], and either [name_u]Avery[/name_u] [name_u]Nichole[/name_u] or [name_f][name_u]Noa[/name_u][/name_f] [name_f]Liliana[/name_f].

:heart:

[name_u]Evan[/name_u] [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] - [name_u]Evan[/name_u] was one of the first boy names I ever fell in love with. [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] was a name from my mom’s boy list - she had all girls so I’ve added the name to my own list in hopes I can give her a grandson with the name. It also indirectly honors a [name_m]Daniel[/name_m] in my life. Top 3 for sure!

[name_m]Ethan[/name_m] [name_m]Scott[/name_m] - [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] is one of my other first loves. [name_m]Scott[/name_m] honors a handful of people in my life now, but first made its way into my list in honor of my hero/idol growing up - [name_m]Kevin[/name_m] [name_m]Scott[/name_m] [name_m]Richardson[/name_m]. Top 3 for sure!

[name_m]Connor[/name_m] [name_u]Michael[/name_u] - [name_m]Connor[/name_m] was another of my first loves. I loved its meaning as wolves were kinda my thing as a kid. [name_u]Michael[/name_u] indirectly honors my grandpa through [name_m]Saint[/name_m] [name_u]Michael[/name_u], as well as honors a mentor in my life. Not sure it has the right spark, might move [name_u]Michael[/name_u] or a variant to another name.

[name_u]Sasha[/name_u] [name_u]Aidan[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u] - [name_u]Sasha[/name_u] is a GP name for me. Another name I fell in love with as a kid. I first heard it as a man’s name and have thus always thought of it as a boy’s name and a boy’s name only. Starting to consider [name_u]Sacha[/name_u] recently as I love [name_u]Sacha[/name_u] Dhawan. [name_u]Aidan[/name_u] was a name I fell in love with back in middle school; it was a friend’s nephew’s name and it just stuck with me. I see it as another name I could use to honor the [name_m]Dan[/name_m] in my life as well. [name_u]James[/name_u] would honor my grandpa; it’s also the masculine form of my younger sister’s name! I wanna say top 3 so badly, but nobody else in my family likes [name_u]Sasha[/name_u]/[name_u]Sacha[/name_u].

[name_u]Mason[/name_u] [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] - This is another name combo I just happened to fall in love with over the years. No special connection here. [name_f]Adore[/name_f] this one though, it’s high on my list but not top 3.

[name_u]August[/name_u] [name_u]Orion[/name_u] - [name_u]August[/name_u] would honor my sisters, my step mom, and my grandpa as they all have [name_u]August[/name_u] birthdays. I also just love it. [name_u]Orion[/name_u] is an indirect honor to a friend of mine. [name_u]Love[/name_u] it so much, but again nobody in my family really likes it so probably not top 3.

[name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] [name_u]Everett[/name_u] - Another combo I just fell in love with. No special connection here. So cute but a little on the long side, probably won’t use it.

[name_m][name_u]Killian[/name_u][/name_m] [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] Pyrs - And another. Although I chose Pyrs as a way to honor a [name_m]Peter[/name_m]. Also on the long side, probably won’t use it. [name_f]May[/name_f] move Pyrs elsewhere.

[name_u]Jude[/name_u] [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] - Another that just happens to be a combo I love. I love boy names a lot lol. [name_f]My[/name_f] mom likes this one, I’m tempted to say top 3.

[name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] [name_m][name_u]Hayes[/name_u][/name_m] - Another. But I chose [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] as a nod to [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] [name_u]Van[/name_u] Gogh, my favorite painter! We also happen to share a birthday, and I also share my birthday with my best friend, so I see it as an indirect honor to her! Not sure this one has the right spark though, so I probably won’t use it.

[name_m]Nicholas[/name_m] [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] Tôllver - [name_m]Nicholas[/name_m] is after a musician I love. [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] is another from my mom’s list. Tôllver means 12, which happens to be my favorite number. Not my favorite, probably won’t use it.

[name_m]Graham[/name_m] [name_m]Millard[/name_m] - [name_m]Graham[/name_m] is another random love. [name_m]Millard[/name_m] honors a friend, but I admittedly only fell in love with it recently through the Miss [name_m][name_u]Peregrine[/name_u][/name_m] series, so I love it’s connection to the book as well! Most people in my family don’t like [name_m]Graham[/name_m] but I love this combo so much; I’d definitely put this one in the top 3!

[name_m]Oliver[/name_m] [name_m]Noland[/name_m] - A more recent love. Still not sure on [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], but I adore nn [name_m]Levi[/name_m]. [name_m]Noland[/name_m] I’m still testing out. I love both [name_m]Roland[/name_m] and [name_m]Nolan[/name_m], so it felt right. Too new to decide where it sits on my list though.

TOP 3: [name_u]Evan[/name_u] [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m], [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] [name_m]Scott[/name_m], [name_m]Graham[/name_m] [name_m]Millard[/name_m] or [name_u]Jude[/name_u] [name_m]Emrys[/name_m].

[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Rosalind[/name_f] [name_u]Joan[/name_u] - I think this is the most straightforward of my names, [name_f]Helena[/name_f] is a family name, the original [name_f]Helena[/name_f] that we know about (though it was apparently a family name when she was given it) was the sister of my great-great-grandmother (who I am named for) and my grandmother has always told really amazing stories about her. It’s also my grandmother’s middle name and I’d love to see it passed on. [name_f]Rosalind[/name_f] is for my [name_f]MIL[/name_f] [name_f]Linda[/name_f] who passed away when my DH was a teenager and [name_u]Joan[/name_u] is for his grandmother.
[name_f]Alice[/name_f] [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] - [name_f]Alice[/name_f] has been one of my favorite names since I joined Nameberry (nearly a decade ago, yikes) it was originally for [name_f]Alice[/name_f] in Wonderland, but it’s grown with me and now it’s for interesting and brave women like [name_f]Alice[/name_f] [name_m]Paul[/name_m] and [name_f]Alice[/name_f] Longworth. [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] is another one that’s really stuck around, I justify it because she’s the Patron [name_m]Saint[/name_m] of [name_u]Paris[/name_u] which is where DH and I took our first trip that was international to both of us, but mainly I just like the sound. [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] is for my best friend.
[name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] [name_f]Abigail[/name_f] [name_f]Macha[/name_f] - [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] is to honor a few Roses and a whole bunch of [name_f]Marys[/name_f] in our families, and then we had a sprigs of rosemary on our wedding cake which really sealed the deal. We had been talking about ways to honor DH’s Irish culture that is also my Irish heritage and he brought up the idea of honoring my [name_m][name_u]New[/name_u][/name_m] [name_f]England[/name_f] heritage which I had never really thought about that way, but looking at my family tree [name_f]Abigail[/name_f] came up again and again and it was the name of [name_f]Abigail[/name_f] [name_m]Adams[/name_m] the mother of all [name_m][name_u]New[/name_u][/name_m] Englanders. [name_f]Macha[/name_f] is from one of DH’s and my favorite Irish myths.
[name_f]Dolores[/name_f] [name_f]Belva[/name_f] [name_f]Sadhbh[/name_f] - [name_f]Dolores[/name_f] is my great-grandmother’s name, she raised my dad and was a generally an amazing woman, we plan on using the nickname [name_f]Lora[/name_f] which goes nicely with my love of the [name_m]Little[/name_m] House books and a great aunt in my dad’s family who has a really heroic story. [name_f]Belva[/name_f] is for [name_f]Belva[/name_f] [name_m]Lockwood[/name_m] the first woman to argue before the Supreme [name_m]Court[/name_m] and the second to run for [name_m]President[/name_m]. [name_f]Sadhbh[/name_f] was DH’s pick, he found it in a play he read in high school and loves the sound of it, it would be higher up on our list but in Irish myth [name_f]Sadhbh[/name_f] is the mother of Oisín, which is our top boys name, and I think having siblings named after a mother and son would be odd (though few people would notice).
[name_f]Inez[/name_f] [name_f]Susannah[/name_f] Paschalle - [name_f]Inez[/name_f] is a family name that stopped being used when the name sounded too old, but the last Aunt [name_f]Inez[/name_f] was a school teacher and a painter. It’s also the name of a very interesting suffragette called [name_f]Inez[/name_f] Millholland. [name_f]Susannah[/name_f] was one of my ways of trying to honor my [name_f]MIL[/name_f], my DH talked about her favorite flowers being lilies and I thought of [name_f]Susannah[/name_f] for the meaning. Paschalle is an interesting name that I found doing DH’s family tree and I like that it makes the meaning of the combo feel more springtime-y, all together they’re lamb, lily and easter.
Réaltán [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] [name_f]Cecilia[/name_f] - Réaltán is an Irish name that means little star and I think it’s a subtle way to honor my great grandmother [name_f]Stella[/name_f], who was very important to my mom. [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] was a favorite of mine for awhile it kept popping up, but through this lockdown DH and I have been binging this panel show from the 50s where one of the panelists is called [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] and I just couldn’t ignore it anymore. [name_f]Cecilia[/name_f] is for my parish in [name_m]Boston[/name_m] that I miss whenever I’m away, it’s a home away from home and really means a lot to me.

Oisín [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] [name_u]Jude[/name_u] - Oisín is for a character in Irish myth who I absolutely love, he’s a warrior and poet and he gets swept off his feet by a princess and he’s defined by his love for his family and his willingness to help others. [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] is for my grandfather, he’s the most amazing person and if I had been a boy I would have been named after him so he deserves to finally get his namesake. [name_u]Jude[/name_u] is for St. [name_u]Jude[/name_u] who I’ve always found particularly helpful, I want him to be the kind of person who people turn to when they feel lost and that’s who St. [name_u]Jude[/name_u] is.
[name_m]Joseph[/name_m] [name_m]Robert[/name_m] MacBride - [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] is DH’s name, our son would be the fourth [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] in a row, I particularly like that the first [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] was named after his mother [name_f]Josephine[/name_f]. [name_m]Robert[/name_m] is after [name_u]Bobby[/name_u] [name_u]Kennedy[/name_u] who is a real hero to me, [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] would probably go by his middle name and be called [name_u]Bobby[/name_u], since his grandfather is [name_m]Joe[/name_m] and his dad is [name_u]Joey[/name_u]. MacBride means son of [name_f]Brighid[/name_f], I thought it would be interesting to honor myself as the mother in the directly patrilineal name. DH calls this ‘the honor name’
Ruairí Ferdia [name_u]Alden[/name_u] - Ruairí is a name with a lot of history behind it, there have been a lot of [name_m]King[/name_m] Ruairís and and rebel Ruairís, I finally settled on this spelling when I saw it was what the humanitarian journalist [name_m]Roger[/name_m] Casement used as his gaelicized name. Ferdia is a name from Irish myth that I had kept on my gp list, but then I mentioned it to DH and he liked it (!!!) so I immediately found a place for it here. There’s now meaningful reason for [name_u]Alden[/name_u], I just like the meaning of 'Old [name_m][name_u]Friend[/name_u][/name_m]’, it feels so cozy and comfortable.
[name_u]James[/name_u] Amargein [name_m]Sumner[/name_m] - [name_u]James[/name_u] is the family name on my Mom’s side, it was her grandfather’s name and he is the son of the woman i’m named after so I thought it would be nice to continue the pattern, though if he continues it I’ll have a granddaughter called [name_f]Nancy[/name_f], though who knows what will be popular when my kids are naming. Amargein is a very old Irish name that I found in this amazingly researched baby book, it means ‘born of poetry’ and coincides with the modern Irish word for song. [name_m]Sumner[/name_m] is for [name_m]Charles[/name_m] [name_m]Sumner[/name_m] who is a really cool Massachusetts historical figure and abolitionist.
Mícheál [name_m]Fitzgerald[/name_m] [name_m]Evander[/name_m] - Mícheál is for a very important man in DH’s childhood, who opened an after-school center to keep kids and teens safe growing up in a rougher part of town and giving them a good role model, all out of his own pocket. We would have just used [name_u]Michael[/name_u], but there was a less amazing [name_u]Michael[/name_u] in our life recently and we decided to use the Irish version which has a bit of a softer pronunciation. [name_m]Fitzgerald[/name_m] is after [name_m]President[/name_m] [name_u]Kennedy[/name_u] and [name_m]Lord[/name_m] [name_m]Edward[/name_m], two different Irish heros. [name_m]Evander[/name_m] is just for the meaning, “good man”, what more can you ask for in a son?
[name_m]Myles[/name_m] [name_m]Almanzo[/name_m] [name_u]Leighton[/name_u] - [name_m]Myles[/name_m] is for an interesting character in DH’s family tree and he appreciates it for the Spiderman connection which I admit is also pretty cool. [name_m]Almanzo[/name_m] is for my love of the [name_m]Little[/name_m] House series, my copy of [name_m]Little[/name_m] House in the Big [name_m]Woods[/name_m] has been passed down three generations now and [name_m]Almanzo[/name_m]’s such an interesting name. [name_u]Leighton[/name_u] is for [name_m]Frederic[/name_m], [name_m]Lord[/name_m] [name_u]Leighton[/name_u] who’s painting the [name_m][name_u]Painter[/name_u][/name_m]’s Honeymoon was my favorite in the whole MFA when I was studying at an art college across the street.

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I won’t explain my whole signature because it’s bloody long, so I’ll just do my top five:

[name_f]Daphne[/name_f] [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] [name_f]Blithe[/name_f] (“[name_u]Guin[/name_u]”) - [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] is a combination of my loves for nature (the laurel tree association), Greek mythology, and vintage names. [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] is again for the nature meaning as well as a nod to Arthurian legend. [name_f]Blithe[/name_f] is one of those words that I just love and it feels like an adjective I hope will apply to her life. It’s also not really intended as an honour exactly but I do like that it reminds me of [name_m]Gilbert[/name_m] [name_f]Blythe[/name_f] from the [name_f][name_u]Anne[/name_u][/name_f] [name_f]Shirley[/name_f] books.

[name_m]Edmund[/name_m] Endeavour (“[name_m]Enda[/name_m]”) - [name_m]Edmund[/name_m] has been set as my future son’s name since I was six. At the time it was because both my favourite characters were called it (Blackadder & [name_u]Pevensie[/name_u]) but nowadays it’s more to do with it meaning “protector”. Endeavour is a sneaky honour name for my dad - I’ve always said he’s the spit of Inspector Morse, in face and character - and it gives the chance to use [name_m]Enda[/name_m], a favourite Gaelic name of mine, as a nickname.

[name_f][name_u]Thyme[/name_u][/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] - It’s probably obvious from my signature but I’m very into botanical names, probably just because of how much I love nature & horticulture in general. Part of me knows [name_f][name_u]Thyme[/name_u][/name_f] could be confusing as a homophone but it’s just so refined and elegant, and it reminds me of one of my favourite passages from The Aeneid. [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] is another long term fave, as both a nod to [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] and an honour name for my grandma. I’ve also been toying with [name_f][name_u]Thyme[/name_u][/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] [name_f]Plum[/name_f] as a full combo.

[name_m]Caradoc[/name_m] [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] - I mainly love [name_m]Caradoc[/name_m] because of the meaning: “beloved”. It’s also another wee Arthurian nod. [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] I love as a saint’s name and for the strong Irish connection.

[name_u]Asa[/name_u] [name_u]Florian[/name_u] - Again it’s about meaning with [name_u]Asa[/name_u] - “healer” feels like a wonderful quality to encourage in a child. [name_u]Florian[/name_u] is more there for the combo because I was struggling to find anything as soft as [name_u]Asa[/name_u] but it feels in keeping with the botanical theme.

All my names have sort of the same makeup- a fancy first name I love with a fun nickname I like, a middle for my family and a word name that has personal meaning to me

“[name_u]Flynn[/name_u]” [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] [name_u]Quest[/name_u]- [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] is for the [name_m]King[/name_m] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] legends, something my dad and I really bonded over and it’s also the middle name of one of my uncles, [name_u]Quest[/name_u] because of the very long journey to parenthood and struggle with my fertility
“[name_f]Ro[/name_f]” [name_m]Roland[/name_m] [name_m]Wesley[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u]- [name_m]Wesley[/name_m] is the name of my favorite uncle, [name_u]Fable[/name_u] for [name_m]Aesop[/name_m]’s Fables which my dad read to me to teach me moral lessons as a child
“[name_m]Kip[/name_m]” [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_m]Micheal[/name_m] [name_u]Arrow[/name_u]- [name_u]Michael[/name_u] is my fathers middle name and he took up archery as part of his self discovery after his divorce from my mom

“[name_u]Billie[/name_u]” [name_f]Mabel[/name_f] [name_u]Anne[/name_u] [name_f]Clover[/name_f]- [name_u]Anne[/name_u] is a family name in my biology and foster families, clover because of the lucky clover thing and the connection to st [name_m]Patrick[/name_m]’s day as a nod to my Irish heritage
“[name_u]Jet[/name_u]” [name_f]Bridget[/name_f] [name_u]Marie[/name_u] [name_u]Story[/name_u]- [name_u]Marie[/name_u] is my mother and sisters middle name and I’ve always been a bit sore that as the oldest I didnt get the family middle name, [name_u]Story[/name_u] again for the long personal journey I’ve had with family and parenthood and the hope my daughter will be the author of her own story
“[name_u]Cody[/name_u]” [name_f]Cordelia[/name_f] [name_f]Eloise[/name_f] [name_f]Maple[/name_f]- [name_f]Eloise[/name_f] is for my God sister and her mother and grandmother even though I know [name_f]Eloise[/name_f] is not really a variation of [name_u]Louise[/name_u] the sound is very similar and my god sister is fluent in [name_u]French[/name_u] mostly because she is a hopeless romantic. [name_f]Maple[/name_f] because as a child I had a climbing tree that was a Japanese [name_f]Maple[/name_f].

[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f]-[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] is my late grandmothers first name and my husband actually brought it up first. I know both future grandmother’s don’t like this name but we both love it so much that we don’t care. [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] is my other grandmother’s middle name and why my middle name is [name_f]Rose[/name_f] as well as my God sisters. This will most likely be our future first girls name.

[name_f]Sophia[/name_f] [name_u]June[/name_u]-I have always loved [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] but when doing some genealogy found that my 4th great grandmothers name was [name_f]Sophia[/name_f]. [name_f]Sophia[/name_f]'s maiden name was Kohlwey, I suggested it but Mr. wasn’t a fan. [name_u]June[/name_u] is my hubbys godmothers name. We also met, got engaged & got married in the month of [name_u]June[/name_u]! (over the course of 5 years!) This will most likely be future 2nd girls name.

[name_f]Emilia[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f]-[name_f]My[/name_f] great aunts name is [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] (my dads godmother) so that inspired [name_f]Emilia[/name_f]. [name_f]Alice[/name_f] is my husbands grandmothers middle name.

[name_m][name_u]Jackson[/name_u][/name_m] [name_m]David[/name_m]-I loved the name [name_m]Jax[/name_m] after watching “Sons of Anarchy”. I know, what great inspiration! But my husband prefers [name_m][name_u]Jackson[/name_u][/name_m] so that he has a “full” name and we can just call him [name_m]Jax[/name_m]. [name_m]David[/name_m] is my Dad’s middle name and my Dad never had any boys so it’s important to me to name the first one after him. [name_f]My[/name_f] Dad’s favorite boys name is [name_m]Jacob[/name_m]. [name_m][name_u]Jackson[/name_u][/name_m]. [name_m]Jacob[/name_m], close enough right? [name_f]My[/name_f] husbands brothers middle name is [name_m]David[/name_m] too, so it works out well for both sides. ( Good chance this will be our future first boys name, we both have agreed on it.)

[name_u]Jace[/name_u] [name_m]Thomas[/name_m]- I’ve always liked the name [name_u]Jace[/name_u] since I was young-I go back. [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] is my husbands godfather and I have a second cousin-who’s like a second dad-named [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] as well.

[name_m]Archie[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m]- Came across this name a few years ago and loved it. And surprisingly so did my husband. It doesn’t hurt that [name_f]Megan[/name_f] & [name_m]Harry[/name_m] named their little guy [name_m]Archie[/name_m], I’m a big fan of theirs. [name_m]John[/name_m]-my husbands name is [name_m]Jonathon[/name_m] and my grandfathers name is [name_m]John[/name_m]. I am torn between [name_m]Archie[/name_m] and [name_m][name_u]Jackson[/name_u][/name_m] for first son so my husband will be the deciding vote.

[name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] [name_f][name_u]Marie[/name_u][/name_f]-I had a host sister in [name_m]Germany[/name_m] named [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] and we called her [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f]. I’ve loved it ever since. [name_f]My[/name_f] godmother and my sisters mn is [name_f][name_u]Marie[/name_u][/name_f].

[name_m]Conrad[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u]- Came across [name_m]Conrad[/name_m] a few years ago and it stuck with me. I love old names. While working on my in-laws family tree, There’s a grandfather way back named [name_m]Conrad[/name_m] (he also had a brother [name_m]Cillian[/name_m]-which I also love but husband nix’d that) [name_u]James[/name_u] is my husbands and his dad’s middle name. This would probably be my first choice for a boy but my husband isn’t a huge fan.

Raeann-Is a combination of my husbands grandfather [name_m]Raymond[/name_m] & my mom, his mom & my sister all have mn [name_f]Ann[/name_f]

[name_f]Aurie[/name_f] (girl)/[name_u]Ari[/name_u] (boy)-Combination of [name_f]Audrey[/name_f] (husbands grandmother) and [name_f][name_u]Marie[/name_u][/name_f] (mom, sister & [name_f]MIL[/name_f] middle name)

@elenajeanine I’m so glad I got see you’re thinking & reasons for your names. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though I wish I would have before I did “Rate the Signature”. I like them more now, knowing what they mean to you and why.

[name_m]Just[/name_m] going to do my 3 favourites, since my signature is a bit of a heifer.

[name_f]Olwen[/name_f] [name_f]Fiona[/name_f] [name_u]June[/name_u] - Been my absolute favourite name for ages. I’m Welsh, and I love the story that [name_f]Olwen[/name_f] comes from, plus the nickname [name_u]Ollie[/name_u]. [name_f]Fiona[/name_f] is the name my nain never got to use for a girl, and [name_u]June[/name_u] is the month when I’d get to see all of my family.

[name_f]Elspeth[/name_f] [name_f]Eulalia[/name_f] [name_u]Finch[/name_u] - If actually naming a human, [name_u]Finch[/name_u] would probably be replaced by Stag (reference to my favourite poem). [name_f]Elspeth[/name_f] and [name_f]Eulalia[/name_f] are just names I really like atm. I think the nn Spell is quirky and whimsical.

[name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Lawrence[/name_u] [name_m][name_u]Birch[/name_u][/name_m] - [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] is again, a reference to a poem I really like by [name_f]Emily[/name_f] [name_m]Dickinson[/name_m], and also just a handsome nature name. [name_u]Lawrence[/name_u] is my grandfather’s name, and [name_m][name_u]Birch[/name_u][/name_m] trees are very very special to my family.