If you had to pick three distinct name styles that you gravitate towards, which three would you pick and why do you love them?
Note: I’m defining “style” pretty loosely here. It can be anything from “Mid century chic” to “Names that sound like they’d beat me up in an Arby’s parking lot” to “blue”.
Ooh, fun!
Mine would be (in no particular order):
Cottagecore vintage: [name_f]Ada[/name_f], [name_f]Hazel[/name_f], [name_f]Marigold[/name_f], [name_f]Dorothea[/name_f], [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], [name_f]Cornelia[/name_f], [name_m]Asher[/name_m], [name_m]Ezra[/name_m], [name_m]Tobias[/name_m], [name_m]Levi[/name_m], [name_m]Silas[/name_m], [name_m]Abel[/name_m], [name_m]Gideon[/name_m]
Positive, mostly Biblical-inspired word names: [name_f]Verity[/name_f], [name_f]Mercy[/name_f], [name_f]Glory[/name_f], [name_m]Shepherd[/name_m], [name_f]Haven[/name_f], [name_f]Sage[/name_f], [name_m]Bravery[/name_m]
Literary: [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], [name_f]Cornelia[/name_f], [name_f]Adeline[/name_f], [name_m]Ezra[/name_m], [name_m]Atticus[/name_m], [name_m]Emerson[/name_m]
This is fun!!
I would say:
Historical academia: [name_f]Augusta[/name_f], [name_m]Daphnis[/name_m], [name_m]Lysander[/name_m], [name_f]Clelia[/name_f], [name_f]Lavinia[/name_f], [name_m]Laertes[/name_m], [name_f]Lydia[/name_f], [name_f]Heracleia[/name_f], [name_f]Rosalind[/name_f]
[name_m]Long[/name_m] and mystical: [name_f]Adamary[/name_f], [name_f]Altalune[/name_f], [name_f]Kinneret[/name_f], [name_f]Kerensa[/name_f], [name_f]Madelief[/name_f], [name_f]Susannah[/name_f], [name_f]Thessaly[/name_f], [name_m]Arledge[/name_m], [name_m]Tennyson[/name_m], [name_m]Meridian[/name_m]
[name_f]Fairy[/name_f] whimsical: [name_f]Phaenna[/name_f], [name_f]Cleophee[/name_f], [name_f]Cressida[/name_f], [name_f]Gwendolen[/name_f], Mairsaili, [name_f]Zinnia[/name_f], [name_m]Aletris[/name_m], [name_m]Sylvan[/name_m], [name_m]Stellan[/name_m]
I love, love, love word names. I love how evocative they are, that they’re often less tied down in terms of gender, that they can be familiar yet unexpected. And even if a word name gets popular, a major association will still be the word. While a name can become really connected to one person, [name_m]Fjord[/name_m] will always conjure up sweeping snowy vistas. It gives a child an instant connection to the world and I love that.
If you tell me a name means “mermaid” or “changeling”, I’m 80% more likely to put it on my list. I love a name that feels a little unearthly or ethereal or has a connection to fantasy. Because these names tend to be longer and more elaborate, they also have space for a more down-to-earth nickname. A Kit-short-for-Hekate has so many sides to her name she can lean into and I think that’s amazing.
I love a name that sounds like a lullaby. Something a little gentle (or at least feels that way to me) and shy, something that feels soft. If my children are anything like me, they will cry because the baby clothes at Costco are just. too. small, so I feel it’s only fair to give them a name that prepares them for that.
I’d say a combo of mid century modern, international names, and western/nickname names!
[name_m]Mack[/name_m], [name_m]Hal[/name_m], [name_m]Hank[/name_m], [name_f]Bee[/name_f], [name_f]Dot[/name_f], [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_f]June[/name_f], [name_f]Edie[/name_f], [name_m]Ray[/name_m]
[name_f]Esmé[/name_f], [name_m]Jasper[/name_m], [name_f]Noor[/name_f], [name_f]Nora[/name_f], [name_f]Lila[/name_f], [name_m]Hugo[/name_m], [name_m]Felix[/name_m], [name_m]Asa[/name_m], [name_m]Callum[/name_m], [name_m]Louis[/name_m], [name_f]Eva[/name_f]
[name_m]Beau[/name_m], [name_m]River[/name_m], [name_f]Hallie[/name_f], [name_m]Gus[/name_m], [name_f]Josie[/name_f], Enid… honestly my styles really intersect!!
Good question! I think I’d break my main styles down to…
The “European holiday” – names that work well internationally across Europe: [name_f]Flora[/name_f], [name_f]Karolina[/name_f], [name_m]Max[/name_m], [name_m]Valentin[/name_m], [name_m]Aleksander[/name_m], [name_f]Stella[/name_f], [name_m]Thomas[/name_m], [name_f]Una[/name_f], [name_m]Luka[/name_m], [name_m]Elio[/name_m] etc.
The “throwing a dart at a world map and sticking to it” names – I just have a soft spot for names of certain languages & cultures due to their sounds, meanings, etc.! Primarily Hungarian, Slavic and Romanian names I just adore! For example: [name_m]Ilija[/name_m], Vukašin, [name_m]Stelian[/name_m], [name_f]Erzsébet[/name_f], [name_f]Zsófia[/name_f], [name_m]Nikola[/name_m], [name_f]Oksana[/name_f], [name_m]József[/name_m], [name_m]Viorel[/name_m] etc.
I have some overlap of names in styles, but this is how i would describe them:
Sounds like they might belong in a 1920s speak-easy:
Adelaide, Daisy, Flora, Dorothy / Dottie, Virginia / Gigi, Clifford, Albert / Albie, Freddie, Alfie, Jasper, Roger, Theodore, Klaus
Cottagecore:
Fawn, Fern, Winifred / Winnie, Belle, Mabel, Daisy, Eloise, Gideon, Jesse
Soft-sounding/gentle teddy bear like names:
Bonnie, Penelope / Penny, Eira, Milo, Daniel, Kit, Kirby, Jude, Maxwell
Stained glass names: [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], [name_f]Adele[/name_f], [name_f]Arabella[/name_f], [name_f]Grace[/name_f], [name_f]Marcheline[/name_f], [name_f]Emmanuelle[/name_f], [name_f]Zoe[/name_f], [name_f]Felicity[/name_f], [name_f]Magdalen[/name_f], [name_m]Ignatius[/name_m], [name_m]Lorcan[/name_m], [name_m]Bartholomew[/name_m], [name_m]Augustine[/name_m], [name_m]Amias[/name_m], [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m], [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m], [name_m]Caspar[/name_m].
Unusual Bible names: [name_f]Aquila[/name_f], [name_m]Boaz[/name_m], [name_f]Tirzah[/name_f], [name_m]Asa[/name_m], [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m], [name_m]Reuben[/name_m], [name_m]Bartholomew[/name_m], [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m]
European charmers: [name_f]Vera[/name_f], [name_m]Lorcan[/name_m], [name_m]Rowan[/name_m], [name_f]Petra[/name_f], [name_m]Cullen[/name_m], [name_m]Floris[/name_m], [name_f]Dagny[/name_f], Éliane, [name_f]Lærke[/name_f], [name_f]Islay[/name_f], [name_f]Odette[/name_f], [name_f]Eleni[/name_f], [name_f]Fenna[/name_f], [name_m]Caspar[/name_m], [name_m]Andreas[/name_m], [name_m]Théophile[/name_m], [name_m]Eoghan[/name_m], [name_m]Frédéric[/name_m].
I’d say mine mostly fall into…
Clunky and slightly out-dated vintage: [name_f]Agnes[/name_f], [name_m]Rupert[/name_m], [name_m]Otto[/name_m], [name_f]Harriet[/name_f], [name_f]Frances[/name_f], [name_f]Sybil[/name_f], [name_m]Walter[/name_m], [name_m]Edward[/name_m], [name_m]Benedict[/name_m], ETC.
Obscure virtues and word names: [name_f]Concordia[/name_f], [name_f]Favor[/name_f], [name_f]Merit[/name_f], [name_m]Vision[/name_m], [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f], [name_f]Hyacinth[/name_f], Cavatica, [name_m]Cosmo[/name_m], [name_m]Hummingbird[/name_m], [name_m]Huckleberry[/name_m], [name_m]Cardinal[/name_m], ETC.
Inspired by literature, art, and shows I love: [name_m]Quimby[/name_m], [name_f]Ramona[/name_f], [name_m]Wilbur[/name_m], [name_m]Magnus[/name_m], [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f], [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f], [name_f]Prudence[/name_f], [name_f]Eloise[/name_f], [name_m]Alcott[/name_m], [name_m]Raphael[/name_m], [name_m]Gideon[/name_m], ETC.
Off-beat variants of more familiar options:
[name_f]Sarai[/name_f], [name_f]Mabli[/name_f], [name_f]Zadie[/name_f], [name_f]Adelia[/name_f], [name_f]Katri[/name_f], [name_f]Noemi[/name_f], [name_m]Kester[/name_m], [name_f]Adelaine[/name_f], [name_m]Jonty[/name_m], [name_f]Elspeth[/name_f], [name_f]Lilias[/name_f], [name_f]Tamsin[/name_f], [name_m]Tavish[/name_m]
I like the familiarity of them but the flair and distinction too.
Short, vaguely unisex nickname names that some people might not consider full names:
[name_m]Tay[/name_m], [name_f]Dessie[/name_f], [name_f]Taisie[/name_f], [name_f]Deenie[/name_f], [name_m]Jaz[/name_m], [name_m]Dell[/name_m], [name_f]Bee[/name_f], [name_m]Pip[/name_m], [name_f]Isby[/name_f], [name_f]Rai[/name_f], [name_f]Dee[/name_f], [name_m]Cass[/name_m], [name_f]Nim[/name_f], Fliss, [name_m]Kip[/name_m]
I enjoy the playful, unexpected nature of them, the to-the-point nature and the fun
Whimsical, rugged and mystical names:
[name_m]Aneurin[/name_m], [name_m]Taliesin[/name_m], Rosfrith, Mithian, [name_f]Endellion[/name_f], [name_f]Angharad[/name_f], [name_f]Liadan[/name_f], [name_m]Galahad[/name_m], [name_m]Peregrine[/name_m]
I like the magic of them - the boldness
Curious to know if you have any names that would beat you up at an Arby’s lol I can’t think of any 
[name_f]My[/name_f] styles change over time but I would say my top three overall are long & spanish, (Esperanza, Alejandro) vintage/retro nicknames (Dot, Ozzy) and word names (Sailor, True)
Curious to know if you have any names that would beat you up at an Arby’s lol I can’t think of any
It’s a good question, lol! Probably a tough name with a laid back vibe (until you cross them near an arby’s parking lot, of course).
[name_f]Missy[/name_f], [name_m]Mack[/name_m], [name_m]Rex[/name_m], [name_m]Jagger[/name_m], [name_f]Frankie[/name_f], [name_m]Ryker[/name_m], [name_m]Gunnar[/name_m], [name_m]Diesel[/name_m], [name_m]Diablo[/name_m], [name_m]Harley[/name_m].
yeah, I would definitely keep some distance from a [name_m]Diablo[/name_m]
Telegraph names that work in continental
Europe, Shakespearean names & International classics - though I do think they generally overlap quite a bit so I’m not sure how distinct they are.