Alesandra: variant of Alexandra, Greek-Defender of mankind (al ES sann drah) Pronounced slightly different than Alexandra, this name still carries the trendiness of the Alex- names, so, avoid it, lest your daughter will feel like every other Alexandra, Alexa, Alexis, etc. Alexandra: Greek-Defender of mankind (al EKS ann drah) This is a nice, flirty, femme name with lots of history. Too bad it’s so Dynastyesque. Too hot to touch now, so leave this diva-worthy moniker alone for a bit. Alexia: variant of Alexandra, Greek- Defender of mankind (ah LEKS ee ah) This sounds like some medical condition. Maybe, because it is. Motor Alexia is when you can read something, but not say what you read. Hmmm, what a perfectly grand aspiration for your child. Was Illiterate already taken? (yes, I know, not the same meaning, but you get the idea) Alile: African- She weeps (ah LEE leh) A wonderful name if you can make it past it’s down-hearted meaning. Alyssa:variant of the flower name, Alyssum (ah LIS ah) Pretty and femme, but sadly, overused. Too bad because it's really nice. Amelia:German- Hard-working (ah MEEL ya) Amelia is the underused cousin of Emily. Let's show her some love. Amelia is a great choice for the parent seeking the different but not unusual. Ann: Hebrew-Grace (AN) Ann is very, very classic, yet, very, very, tired. Leave her alone. Mess with her variants, Anna, Annika, Ayn, etc. They're tired of riding the pine. Put them in coach. I think they'll be able to hang with the big girls, if only given half a chance. Annalise:Combo of Anne and Lise (ann ah LEES) A lovely, frilly name, that makes for a wonderful middle name. Annastasia: variant of Anastasia, Greek-Ressurected (ah na STAY zha) Wasn’t Anastasia lovely enough without mucking up the spelling? Anastasia is pretty, but Annastasia just ends up looking awkward. Anne: Hebrew-Grace (AN) That extra E won't give Ann a shot of wakeup juice. It just makes for lots of "How do you spell that, with or without an E?". I will agree that Anne looks classier, since it has more royal namesakes. Anya:Russian variant of Anna, Hebrew- Grace (AHN ya) A Beautiful, underused, and a great alternative to the common Anna. Arianna: variant of Ariadne, Greek- Most holy (ar ee AH na) Pretty with lots of frills. No wonder it’s getting popular. I prefer it with one N. The other makes me want to say (air ee ANN ah). Be wary… it may make some think of Aryan, Hitler’s supposedly superior race. Ashanti: African- Name of a tribe (ah SHAN tee) This is a lovely name, but, I think of “A shanty” when I say it. Augusta:Latin- to increase (aw GUS tah) A feminization of Augustus. Perfectly lovely and underused, but, to some, it conjures up images of domineering queen-like women. Maybe that's a good thing. Batya: Hebrew-Daughter fo God (BAHT ya) I think Batya is pretty, but, it may not look right on a non-Jewish baby. Bella: French-Latin- Beautiful (BEL ah) Like it’s meaning implies, this name is gorgeous to the hilt, IF and only IF you can cast aside mental images of horror icon Béla Lugosi. I can. Belle: French-pretty (BEL) Southern charm comes to mind when I hear Belle, maybe because of Southern Belle? No matter, it's lovely, and kids shouldn't make fun of it, since Disney has a character named Belle in Beauty and the Beast.. Bitya: Hebrew-Daughter of God (BIT ya) Pretty, but, like Batya, may not look right on a non-Jewish baby. Also, it sounds like Bit ya, or "Bit you". Brenlee: madeup (BREN lee) This is your typical madeup trendoid. Has the cutsey feel of Brittany written all over it. How sweet… too sweet if you ask me. In ten years, this’ll sound as passé as ‘gnarly’ does now. Brenna: Welsh-Raven (BREN ah) This is pretty and I like it. However, I don’t like that it’s so close to über-trendy Brianna. Maybe no one else will notice the resemblance. Britney:variant of Brittany, English-From Britain (BRIT nee) This silly spelling just looks plain ol' tacky. And sleazy singer Britney Spears doesn't give a jag of class either. And since it's so overused, I worry about what's going to happen to all of the little Brittanys, Britneys, Britneighs, Brytknees, etc when Miss Spears inevitably pulls some scandalous stunt. Brittany: English- From Britain (BRIT nee) You’d think with all of the Brittany’s being born in the 1990’s, the US was trying for a Most Brittany’s award. In any case, this name is boring, boring, boring, and, did I mention, boring?. Skanky singer (and I use the term loosely, no pun intended) Britney Spears just makes this seem even more trendy. I’m just waiting for the right Britney Spears scandal to pop up and taint this name. Caitlin: Gaelic-Pure (KOYT leen) Yeah, that’s right. I said “KOYT leen”. It’s not enough that we must use a name en masse, we must mispronounce it en masse. And by the looks of all of the atrocious spellings (i.e. Catelande, Qheightlynne, Kaiyetlinne, etc ad nauseum), misspell it en masse as well. Yeesh… let this one air out for a bit. Caton: madeup (KAYT en) Looks like Cat and Catatonic. And it’s trendy and lacks staying power. If you MUST use a Kate- name, please use one with some substance, not some name recently generated from random trendy elements. Chellise: madeup (shell EESE) Ugh… this sounds like a recurring guest on Jerry Springer. Especially the “Secret Love Triangle” episodes. Chely:nickname (CHEH lee) This is just plain weird looking. And, it looks informal and tacky. Kinda looks like a Jerry Springer guest name? Chloe:Greek- Green shoot (KLOH ee) I like this name, but I don't think I'd ever use it, because of it's poopularity. Cloie: variant of Chloe, Greek-Green shoot (KLO ee) Chloe is nice yet overused, but, just because it's overused, don't think fudging with the spelling makes it fresh. Cloie looks like Cloy. Too tacky and contrived, not to mention how much trouble your kid will have with people not spelling her name right. Danielle: feminine of Daniel, Hebrew-God is my judge (dan YEL) Danielle is pretty, but overused, especially as a middle name. In Ever After, Drew Barrymore's Cinderella character was named Danielle. Debra: variant of Deborah, Hebrew-Bee (DEB ra) Debra is as fresh and chic as a poodle skirt. Also, I can't help but think of Debra from WWF. Ebony: Latin- Ebony wood (EBB ah nee) A lovely nature name. Also, the name of an African-American magazine, so, I find it hard to see on a Caucasian, but, it can be done. Echo: Greek-Sound (EK oh) This is a cool name. It’s also a car. It’s also the name of a nymph in Greek myth who so loved Narcissus, that she pined away til only her voice was left. Not a good example of an independent woman, but eh. It’s nice enough. For what it's worth, there's a video game called ECCO. It's about a dolphin. Eden: Hebrew-Place of pleasure (EED en) I think Eden is gorgeous, but I've found that lots of people think of it as sleazy. At least give your daughter something more formal. Eleanor: variant of Helen, Greek-The bright one (ELL ah nor) Eleanor is pretty and regal sounding. And she hasn't bought real estate in Trendyland just yet, so get in on this classic before everyone else does. Elizabeth: Hebrew-Oath of God (eh LIZ ah beth) You can’t get more classic than Elizabeth. But you can get more original. Please do. Elizabeth’s getting sleepy…do not disturb. Oh, and fudging with the spelling (i.e. Alizzabeth, Alisabeth, Elizzabeth, Elizabyth, etc) won’t wake her up. Ella: German-all (EL ah) This has tons going for it.. It’s pretty, femme, has cool singer, Ella Fitzgerald to back it up, and it’s got that “Old-Fashioned-Grandmotherly” feel to it that everyone’s so crazy about. Too bad that it’s getting trendy. I really like it. Here’s hoping Ella doesn’t take too kindly to the Trendyland crowd. Elma: Turkish-Sweet Fruit (ELM ah) This is one 'sweet fruit' worth biting. It's done overdone yet, and it has that same Sweet-Pioneer feel to it like Emily, Hannah, Emma, and Isabel. Elora: madeup (el OR ah) I first heard Elora in the classic fantasy movie, Willow. The baby was named Elora Dannan. I like it. It's underused and has a really pretty. femme feel. Ember: English-tiny smoldering fire (EM ber) Ember is a nice alternative to the popular, skanky-sounding Amber. Emerald: from the gemstone (EM er ald) I like this one. But, for some reason, some gem names just seem like strippers, and apparently, this is one of them. Every time I mention this name, someone says it seems like a stripper. Poor Emerald. I also think of Emeril Lagasse, the chef who likes to “BAM! Kick it up a notch!” Emeranthe: French variant of Amaranthe (em eh RAN thee) So pretty and fairy-like. It has the Em-sound, like Emma, but it’s different enough to not be bland. Also, makes a nice middle name.. Emeraude: French-Emerald (EM eh rawd) This underused beauty would make a wonderful May-born baby’s middle name. Emily German-Hardworking (EM ah lee) Hard-working for sure! Emily's busy being just about everyone's daughter's name. With that kind of usage, she's gonna get tired quick. Lesser used Amelia or Emilia is much nicer. Also, you get no points for mucking up the spelling of Emily. Emmaleigh, Emylee, Emmahlea, etc, just end up looking like mom and dad flunked spelling in grammar school. Emma: German- whole (EM ah) Very pretty, very femme, and unfortunately, very popular. The recent Jane Austen craze didn’t just stop with the movie Emma, it had to infect the naming business as well. Emmanuella: Hebrew-God is with us (em ann yu EL ah) Emmanuella is pretty, flirty, and femme, but, isn't it a bit of a mouthfu? It may take a while for your daughter to learn how to spell it correctly, but, it's still pretty. Estelle:Old French-Star (eh STEL) Estelle is spunk with a capital S. Maybe I think that because of actress Estelle Getty who portrayed ultra-spunky Sophia Petrillo on the Golden Girls. No matter, Estelle makes a lovely middle name, and a nicely distinguished first name. There might be possibly teasing since it rhymes with smell, but, I'd overlook it. Fifi: nickname (FEE FEE) Fifi is too frou-frou. Using it would be a no-no. For poodles only. Fiona:Gaelic-Fair (fee OH nah) A feminization of Fionn. A lovely name that's not used too much here in the states, but it is well-used in other countries. Here's hoping Shrek and singer Fiona Apple don't give this gem a lift to the land of the trendy and overused. Glimerena: madeup (glim er EE nah) Yuck! This sounds like a wannabe She-Ra character. This sounds ultra-skanky. Grace: Latin- Grace (GRAYS) So pretty and femme, and goody-two-shoesish. Used to be a Puritanical cliché, but now, Grace spends most of her time being the middle name of bazillions of little girls born in the past 2-3 years. This is filler and should be avoided right now. Halle: English-Head of house (HAL ee) Halle isn't as snooty and dated as Haley, but she's got that same flavor. Hot actress Halle Berry proves the kind of power this name has. But, if you use, just hope Miss Berry can avoid scandal. Hannah:Hebrew-Grace (HAN ah) Hannah is one of those 'Granny' names that'sr recently became 'en vogue'. Find another Turn-of-the-century name, this one's no longer got the pleasantly dated feel. It's got the every one and their brother is named Hannah feel. Holly: English-the plant (HAHL ee) A lovely nature name that unfortunately was overdone in the mid 70's up to the mid 80's. Give Holly a breather. Illiana: Greek-City in Troy (ill ee AH na) One would think I’d like this name, but, sorry. I can’t help but think of the first 3 letters… Ill, you know, as in Mad or Sick? Ugh, the similar Elliana is much nicer, without the possibility of Ill as a nickname, unless your little one acquires it from her own doings. Imani:Swahili-Faith (eye MAH nee) Imani is a wonderful exotic choice. But, everytime I say it, I always think it sounds like "I'm Ani" Eh.... still, not too shabby. India: place name (IN dee ah) India has that exotic feel that works for everyone, even blondes with freckles. My only hang-up is that it’s trendy. Iris: Greek-Goddess of the Rainbow (EYE ris) Iris has a nice repertoire. She’s a flower and a goddess. What more could one ask for? Maybe, you could ask for a name that’s not also a body part? An iris is a part of your eye. Ew… Well.. I can overlook it, because Iris is that cool. Isabel: Semitic-Oath of God (IZ ah bell) This is pretty but overused. If it wasn’t for that, it’d be holding rank on my list. Also, may be teased with “Is a bell ringing?” Isabella:Hebrew- Oath of God (iz ah BELL ah) Pretty and femme, but sadly, overused Might be teased with stuff like "Is a Bell a' ringing?". Isabelle: Semitic-Oath of God (IZ ah bell) No matter the spelling, this name is just too overused. Too bad, I’d have it on my “To-Use” list if not for that, and the fact that it could be teased with “Is a bell ringing?” comments. Isobel: Semitic-Oath of God (IZ ah bell) By far, this is my fave spelling of this sadly overused name. I wish people would leave it alone for a while, so I can put it on my list. Also, may have teasing potential- “Is a bell ringing?”. Ivy: English- the plant (EYE vee) Ivy is a wonderful, underused nature name. Hopefully, this sweet name won't 'climb the wall' of Popularity. Jada: Spanish- Jade (JAY da) Nice and different. Well, it WAS different. It’s on its way to Trendy-Land. I think actress, Jada Pinkett, paid its way. Here’s hoping Jada doesn’t like what she sees in Trendy-Land, and comes back home to Underusedville. Jadah: variant of Jada, Spanish-Jade (JAY da) The H looks out of place here. Out of place like that weirdo in your candid shots at that party you went to once. You know, that strange guy with the “I’m with stupid” shirt and the unzipped pants. Yeah, that’s how much the H stands out. Don’t fudge with spellings. Jane:variant of John, Hebrew-God is gracious (JAYN) Jane's got a lot going for her. She's the star of a book, Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre", and not to mention, the writer du jour, Jane Austen. I think Jane can hang out with the Emma's, Emily's, Hannah's, and Isabel's just fine. Janel: madeup (jah NELL) Too madeup for my liking, plus, it sounds quite dated. And for some reason, the only Janels I've ever known where hair stylists. Jasmine:Persian- the flower (JAZ min) Lovely, but, thanks to Disney's Aladdin, Jasmine took the first flight to Trendy-Land. Who knows when she'll be back. I still think it's lovely, just overused. Jenna: pet form of Jennifer, Cornish variant of Gwenhyfar, Welsh-fair and smooth (JEN ah) Jenna is pretty and femme and modern, but, it's also trendy. And I don't know about you, but, the tipsy Bush daughter comes to mind as well. Too bad, Jenna was a pretty name. Jo: nickname (JO) Since the "Jo' Mama" phase is about dead now, I think Jo is ready for wear. Just make sure you give her a more formal name, like Josephine or something, so she sounds classy when she needs to be. If you don't think Jo has spunk, read Alcott's Little Women. Jo March will show you how "spunk" is done. Jolee: variant of Jolie (JO lee) Changing the spelling doesn’t remove the tackiness. It just makes it tackier. This seems vaguely country bumpkinish. Ick… Jolie: French-Pretty (zho LEE) Hmmm…. I wonder why this is so popular. Surely it’s not because of trendy actress Angelina Jolie? I think so. Ick… she singlehandedly made this lovely name skanky. Julia:Latin- youthful (JOOL ya) I think of Designing Women's Julia Sugarbaker when I hear Julia, so I like it. She was sassy and outspoken. I wish the name wasn't so popular though. Juliet:Latin- youthful (joo lee ETT) Pretty, femme, and has classic literature history, which, to me, is a major plus. Juliet was the lover of Romeo in Shakespeare's tragic romance, Romeo and Juliet. Kaia: Old Norse-Hen (KY ah) Underused and not trendy, Kaia makes a great name. Seems exotic, but isn't, seems trendy, but isn't, seems lovely, and is! Kate: nickname (KAYT) The epitome of spunk. Too bad that it’s so popular now. And trendy. People are throwing endings on it, like –leigh, -lynn, -la, etc, just mucking it up. Kate is just fine on her own, without trendy tack-ons. Also, not too informal that it needs a longer name, like Katherine or Katerina to sound classy. Katey: nickname (KAY tee) Katey is too informal to use on it's on, and sadly, all of the Kate- names are wildly trendy/popular. I'd pick something else, something less overdone. Kathryn: Greek-Pure (KATH rin) A respelling of a classic name, Katherine. Well, the neato-new spelling doesn’t change the cold, hard facts. Kathryn stands out about as much as red-eye at a Hank Williams Jr. concert. Well, at least it’s got more substance than Caitlin. Kella: madeup (KEL ah) Not trendy just yet, but I'm waiting for some sap to tack Mac- on it. If you like it, use it before that tragedy occurs and ruins the lovely Kella. Kia: madeup (KEE ah) Car names are in vogue now, and Kia is one of the few I classify as doable. Much better than the overgawdy Lexus, and much less formal than Mercedes or Porshe. It's nice and simple and perfectly namelike. Kirsten:Scandinavian-Christian (KEER sten) People got bored with Kristen so they went Scandinavian and started using Kirsten. Too trendy, but, it is a pretty name. Kitana: madeup (keh TAH nah) In the game Mortal Kombat, there's a girl named Kitana. I guess it’s better than soundalike, Katana, which is a sword, which may be a bit violent for a tot. Kristin:variant of Kirsten, Scandinavian-Christian (KRIS ten) Kristin was a name that the yuppie Baby Boomer's decided to bestow on their kids. Now, to me, it sounds really dated. Kyra: Greek-Lady (KY ra) I think Kyra is a name that would be nice in this generation. It begins with K, something hot right now, and it's got a cool actress (Kyra Sedgwick) to push it along. It's not hit the trendy mark yet, so use it while you can. Latoya: madeup (la TOY ah) Too madeup sounding. I think of Latoya Jackson. I think most everyone else will too. Think about that for a bit. Leah:Hebrew-Weary (LEE ah) I'm 'weary' that Leah is so popular now. Maybe the craze will die down soon, because Leah is a pretty name. Leeanne:madeup (lee ANN) Leeanne is a name I can imagine on a gingham-print dress-wearing, freckle-faced, cotton-haired, barefoot country girl being named. It's a bit boring, but it 'shore is sweet'. Liadan: Gaelic-Grey Lady (LEE ah dan) I love this and I espcially love that it was the name of an obscure Celtic poetess. Makes a darling middle name, and an interesting first name. Liliana: Latin-Lily flower (lil ee AH nah) So frilly, so femme, so vivacious, so… Liliana! It’s in among my top picks, so I can’t recommend it enough. Lilliana: Variant of Lillian, Latin- lily flower (lil ee AH nah) Pretty, underused, and ever-so frilly. As a side note, this was Snow White’s name in Snow White: A Tale of Terror. Spelled with 1 L, it's one of my faves. Lilly: English- Lily flower (LIL ee) The extra L makes this look wimpy, even for a girl. Lily: English- Lily flower (LIL ee) Lovely, femme, and nature-ish. But, will this become popular? Other flowers have, Rose and Jasmine in particular. Could Lily be on her way? I hope not, I love this name. Ling: Chinese-Delicate (LEENG) I like Ling but I can't get over the ding-a-ling thing (Whoa, too many ing sounds in that sentence!). I’m sure once her classmates, especially those of the male persuasion, hear the Chuck Berry ditty, well, her quality of life will diminish quickly. Livia: Latin-to envy (LIV ee ah) Gorgeous. This just drips with Italian charm and feminine wiles. Almost Southern-belleish. Lola: nickname (LOH lah) Just because Kelly Ripa named her daughter this doesn’t make it a good name. When I hear this I think of a skanky woman, or a skanky she-man. Maybe it has something to do with The Kinks and their song “Lola” with such memorable lyrics like “she walks like a woman but talks like a man, my Lola”. Unless you’re hoping to sire a prostitute and/or a cross-dresser, then, please, seek naming inspiration elsewhere. Lydia: place name (LID ee ah) A lovely, underused name. But, I think of Lydia, Winona Rider's gloomy goth chick in Beetlejuice. It's still ok. Mae: variant of May (MAY) Cute and old-fashioned, Mae makes for a darling middle name. But, I kind of think it’s skanky, thanks to sex-kitten actress, Mae West. Makena: African-Happiness (mah KAY nah) Not to be confused with uber-trendy Mckenna. Makena is a name with a history as a girl name. Nice name, nice meaning, but, maybe too close to Mckenna for me. Mandy:nickname (MAN dee) Mandy is way to informal to go without a more fancy name like Amanda or Mandisa. Plus, it's likely to get trendy thanks to singer/actress Mandy Moore. Marcy: nickname (MAR see) Marcy sounds vivacious and athletic, but, for anyone familiar with the show Married...With Children, Marcy is not a doable name. Also, remember the little nerdy girl with the glasses in the Peanuts comic strip? You know, the girl that always called Peppermint Patty “Sir”. Well, because of that, Marcy may carry connotations of ‘annoying’ to some. Margaux:Greek- Pearl (MAR go) Nice variant of Margaret with a glamorous Hollywood feel, à la Margaux Hemingway, whose real name was actually Margot. Pretty, and underused. Margot: variant of Margaret, Greek-Pearl (MAR goh) Pretty, but I prefer Margaux. Margot makes me think of Maggot… Maria:variant of Mary, Hebrew- Bitter (mah REE ah) A gorgeous name. I can see this on a latin beauty. But, in the back of my mind, I think of Maria from Sesame Street. Marina: Latin-From the sea (mah REE na) Gorgeous and so mermaidlike. Maybe because I watched an anime version of The Little Mermaid, and the mermaid was named Marina. No matter, It’s a lovely name, underused and perfectly femme. Mary:Hebrew- Bitter (MAIR ee) Lovely, but ever-so-boring. It's like a sandwich in a deluxe buffet world. Maya:Hindu-God's creative power (MY ah) What a sweet name! I really like it. Not only does it have a cool meaning, it's got awesome poet Maya Angelou on its side. Too bad it's getting popular. Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke used it for their daughter. Maybe Maya won't like what she sees in Trendyland. Mia: Italian-Mine (MEE ah) What this lacks in letters it makes up for in sass. I love it. As a side note, Liv Tyler has a sister named Mia, who’s a plus-size model. Michaela: Hebrew- Who is like the Lord? (meh KAY lah) Feminization of Michael. This is way too used… and misspelled. It’s first syllable lends itself to the Mac-ification trend. So boring and bland. It’s not fun anymore. It’s just, normal. Ming: Chinese-bright and clear (MEENG) Ming is a lovely name, perfect for a first name and a middle name. It pings, it zings, it's Ming. Some people may have hangups using it for a non-Chinese child though, but, I still say it's loverly. Olivia: Latin-olive tree (oh LIV ee ah) Olivia seems so classy and pretty, that it's no wonder it's popular. I think it got popular after Charlene Stillfield's baby (Designing Women) was named Olivia. Too popular now, but, it is a nice name. Paloma: Spanish-dove (pah LOH mah) Now this is a girl name. Pretty and flirty, without being overly frilly. Pablo Picasso thought it was lovely enough for his daughter. She has grown up and made a name for herself in the fashion/perfume biz. A great choice. Rachel: Hebrew-Ewe (RAY chull)Thanks to Friend character, Jennifer Aniston’s Rachel Green, this classic Bible name is on everyone’s lips. And head… the Rachel was a hair-do inspired by the aforementioned sitcom chick. And, sadly, it’s just as popular. At least it’s got history, as opposed to Aniston. Rae: variant of Rachel, Hebrew-Ewe (RAY) Lovely and underused. Makes a spunky middle name, and an even spunkier first name. Rayleigh: madeup (RAY lee) I dislike madeup names. How about Rayna or Ray? They're lovely names with history. Rayleigh seems silly and tacky to me. Like putting sequins on a baseball hat. Rose: English- the flower (ROHZ) Rose is pretty, but, unfortunately, she's quickly becoming the Marie of middle names for the new millenium. There's less used, just as pretty flower anmes out there. Ruby: Latin-red, also a gem (ROO bee) I think Ruby is very nice. It's flirty and feminine without being frilly. Maybe no one will think of it's rhyme with Booby though. Ruth: Hebrew-Friend (ROOTH) A great name for someone looking for an underused Bible name. The story of Ruth was a great one. Naomi was Ruth’s mother-in-law, and they were dear friends. Ruth was the one that said “Whither thou goest, I will go”, or “Wherever you go, I’ll follow” in layman’s terms. The bad thing is the “What sound does a dog make ?-Ruth!” jokes. Ryann: Gaelic- little king (ry ANN) Tacking on an out-of-place ‘n’ doesn’t make a name magically femme. It just ends up looking silly... and to me, skanky. Leave this one for the boys, please. Too trendy. Sadie: nickname (SAY dee) This is a nice, perky alternative to the old standby, Sarah. It's still too informal on its on, so try to find something for heer to use when she needs some classy like Sadira. Saffron: English-the plant (SAF ron) As Donovan's song says "I'm just wild about Saffron, and she's just mad about me". This is a lovely plant name also often used to describe something yellow, like the plant. Salome: Hebrew-Peace (sha loh MAY) In the Bible, Salome was the girl that danced for King Herod and then asked for the head of John the Baptist on a plate. Not a nice thing to hope for. Unless you want your daughter to grow up to be a Stripper Serial Killer. Too bad… it’s a lovely name. Sarah: Hebrew-Princess (SAIR ah) This is a lovely name with a lovely meaning. It’s got tons of history to boot. It’s just too well-worn. It’s like a tee-shirt, everyone has one. But, don’t you sometimes want to wear something else? Selene:Greek-Moon (seh LEEN) Selene was the Greek goddess of the moon. And as a name, Selene is just as lovely. Sierra: Spanish-Mountain range (see AIR ah) Sierra is pretty but it's just too trendy. It's one of those cowgirl, western-flair names that's hot right now. Sky: English-Sky (SKY) Used to be unisex, but I think it's not safe for boys at all now. Very pretty for girls. It makes an especially nice middle name. Skye: place name (SKY) A lovely place name that doesn't sound placelike. I like it! It makes a nifty middle name. Sophia: Greek-Wisdom (so FEE ah) Thanks to Golden Girl's Sophia Petrillo, this name packs an old-world spunkiness that most names todayonly wish they had. Sadly, everyone is cashing in on this spunk, propelling this femme fatale to the popularity charts. Maybe Sophia's just visiting. Sophie: French variant of Sophia, Greek-Wisdom (SOH fee) Sophie works on many levels... it sounds classy and formal, even though it's a nickname, but, it's too popular for me to endorse. Sophine: variant of Sophia, Greek-Wisdom (soh FEEN) This is a perfect fit for a new age princess. Sycorax: Greek-Sow raven (SIK ah raks) I’m all for using names from classic literature, especially Shakespeare, but Sycorax is not a good idea. She was a witch and she had a kid with a demon. Not only that, Sycorax sounds like a medicine. Tailie: madeup (TAY lee) Ick… there’s only so many times you can tack –lie on a word before it starts plucking nerves. Makes me think of “I’m gonna get me some tail”. In the end, Tailie sounds about as classy as a tube top. A current resident of Trendyland… most often seen on a street corner. Tamesis: Goddess of the rivers Thames, England, and Tamise (TAM ah sis) Yuck... it looks like a disease and it resembles the word 'nemesis'. Tatiana: Roman-Meaning unknown (tah tee AH nah) Tatiana has the air of a princess. This is a lovely, underused name. Very pretty! Tess: Short form of Theresa, Greek, to harvest (TESS) Tess is the main character in Thomas Hardy's "Tess of D'Ubervilles". In real life, Tess is sweet and sassy and full of spunk. A spicy meatball! Tess has that snazz I like. Tessa: short form of Theresa, Greek-to harvest (TESS ah) Tessa is sweet, Tessa is femme, Tessa is underused. That's my kind of name. Tylie: madeup (TY lee) If Kylie and Tyler had a baby, Tylie would be it’s name. But, why do I still feel like it’s boring? Oh, right, because it’s trendy. It sounds just like both of them. So childish. Can you imagine “Dr. Tylie Smith”… I can’t… well, at least, not without giggling. Veronica: Greek- Bringer of Victory (veh RON ik ah) Lovely, pretty, etc, but, I think of Veronica from Archie comics. She was such a snot. And, sadly, her image has rubbed off on this name… many think this name is snobby. Veronika: Greek-Bringer of Victory (veh RON ik ah) Sorry Charlie. Meddling with the spelling doesn’t get rid of the snobbiness. Life’s unfair that way. Victoria: Latin-victorious (vik TOR ee ah) I think Victoria is a classic example of a classic name. It has lots of nickname potential, a nice rich history, and, unfortunately, it's popular. But, it's a classic beauty. Violet:English- the flower (VY eh let) This is so pretty and underused. The only hangup I have, is that by adding one letter, N, you can make it into Violent. Still, I like it. Vonetta: madeup (von ET ah) This is about as happening and modern as a beehive, which is really the only hair style I can imagine on someone named Vonetta. Maybe Vanna or Vonna are more substantial, modern choices? Yasmin: Persian-the flower, Jasmine (yaz MEEN) Jasmine might be popular but Yasmin's not, and since it's just as lovely, why not pick it? Zara: Persian-Lucky (ZAHR ah) Zara is a wonderfully exotic choice that will surely stand out amid the sea of the bland Madisons, Emilys, Hannahs. amd Kaitlins. Gets my vote. Zeta:Greek-Letter Z (ZAY ta) A beautiful name with a beautiful namesake, Catherine-Zeta Jones. Zola: meaning obscure (ZOH lah) Zola sounds like a palm-reader or some street corner psychic/voodoo witch doctor.
Boy Names
Aaron:Hebrew-Exalted (AIR on) This seems sporty to me, likely because of Hammerin' Hank Aaron. Athletic connotations aside, it's too boring right now. Abner: Hebrew-Father of light (AB ner) A great name for a hulking country bumpkin, á la Al Capp’s Lil’ Abner. Leave this one for the hillbillies. Aidan: Gaelic-Fire (AY den) A great and solid name. Too bad it’s popular. Too bad it’s being used for (gasp) girls! Alec: nickname (AL ek) Originally a nickname for Alexander, I think Alec can now stand on his own 2 legs. Alec is much less overdone than Alex. Alexander: Greek-Defender of Mankind (al IKS ann der) A great name, but, with an alarming grip on the world of baby names, similar to the one Alexander the Great held on the world. Andrew: Greek-Man (ANN drew) Andrew is a nice, solid classic, but, whenever I hear it, I always think of "and Drew" like, if the kid's name is John Andrew Smith I think it sounds like "John and Drew Smith". Aniston: meaning obscure (ANN iss ton) This surname would be virtually unheard of if not for Friends starlet, Jennifer Aniston, and for it's for tha reason that I am labeling this as trendy. Also, it's being used for girls, thanks to this silly surname/unisex name bug that's buzzing about. Ugh, a perfect example of a name I can't stand. Anistyn: variant of Aniston, meaning obscure (ANN iss ton) There's that magical 'y' again. It doesn't make it femme or fresh looking, it just makes it look even trendier and tackier. Antonio:variant of Anthony, Latin-Priceless (an TOH nee oh) This is a stud name. You have Antonio Sabato Jr, Antonio Banderas, and various soap opera hunks named Antonio. But, does it work for a kid? Maybe, but be careful. Ashton: English-Ash-tree settlement (ASH ton) Nice, but trendy, especially with That 70's Show actor Ashton Kutcher. Not to mention is similarity to the trendy Ashley. That makes it susceptible to being picked off by girls. Eh... Ashtyn: variant of Ashton, English-Ash-tree settlement (ASH ton) Adding the magical 'y' does not make a male name feminine. However, it does make it look tacky and trendy. Too trendy for guys, too trendy for girls, no matter the spelling. Avery: meaning obscure (AY ver ee) Avery is an office supply company, and, it's ultra-trendy. And I've seen some respelled doozies, like Ayvarie and Avari, so don't think you're being unique when you mess with the spelling. It just ends up looking tacky and misspelled. And it's tons more common for girls than boys, with this Unisex Epidemic reaching a fevered pitch. Benjamin: Hebrew-Son of the right hand (BEN jah min) This name just makes me think of teddy bears, cute and cuddly, and oh so adorable. Alas, it’s too popular. If you just have to satisfy your craving for a Ben- name, how about Bennett? Bernie: nickname (BUR nee) Ever heard of Weekend at Bernie's? If not, I'll provide a brief synopsis... a guy dies and his employees try to pass him off as alive. Wow... what a bright plot idea. Just about as good of an idea as using Bernie as a name for a kid. Blake: English-Fair-haired (BLAYK) Rhymes with all sorts of junk… Snake, Take, Rake, Fake, Ache, Flake, etc. Not to mention the fact that in some places, female Blakes out-number male Blakes. Poor Blake, it’s only a matter of time before it’s the next casualty in the Great Unisex War of 2000. Brennan: Gaelic-Little raven (BREN an) It's ok, seems kind of trendy to me but, eh... Brett:English-A breton (BRET) Brett is a nice sturdy name that has unfortunately began to be used for girls.Pray this trend ceases. Brian:Gaelic-Meaning obscure (BRY an) Is it me or does this name exude 1990-jockness? Let it air out for a bit, it's mighty stale. Caer: Welsh-Fortress (KIRE) I heard this on Warcraft, and I think it's cool. Cain: Hebrew-Acquired (KANE) Cain was the first murderer in the Bible. He killed his own brother Abel. I also think of the saying “raising Cain” as in “causing trouble”. Also, it reminds me of soundalike Kane, which is a guy from the WWF and is also the name of the guy that portays Jason Voorhees in the Friday the 13th movies. Caleb:Hebrew- Dog (KAY lub) I first encountered this name in Sarah, Plain and Tall, by Patricia MacClanahan. Well, my hopes were shattered when Caleb became the hottest thing since sliced bread. Maybe when I have a kid, Caleb will be a resident of Underusedville again. Cameron: Scottish-Crooked Nose (KAM ron) Whoever ever thought a name meaning "Crooked Nose" was a good name for a kid needs their head examined. I bet they'd name their kid something that meant "Misshapen Head" too (Kennedy). Yuck... Carson: English-Son of Carr (KAR son) Just because MTV has a hit show with a dude named Carson hosting it, that does not mean that everyone should use it. Apparently many people think so. What gets me is that they're using it for girls. I'll never understand the masses. Carter: English-Cart driver (KART er) Naming your kid this is like someone from year 2300 naming their kid Taxi-Driver or Chauffeur. And, isn’t it funny how tv can affect naming? Dr. Carter is from ER, and before that show, not many kids were carting Carter around as a name. And since it’s one of the illustrious “Occupation” names, it’s even trendier. If all of this hasn’t deterred you, then chew on this cud for a minute… it rhymes with Farter. ‘Nuf said… it’s a stinker. Carver:English-wood cutter(KAR ver)Ew... will this boy name for girls, unisex name, surname, occupation name craze ever end? Carver makes me think of carve, which makes me think of knives. Kind of violent sounding. What's next... Lumberjack or Butcher? Cayden: variant of Caden-Gaelic (KAY den) Excuse me while I yawn. This is utterly boring to me, no matter how 'fresh' and 'updated' the spelling is. It just looks tacky and overdone. Chandler: English-Candle-maker (CHAND ler) I used to love this. It grates my cheese that everyone’s using it now thanks to Friends character Chandler Bing. Ummm.. haven’t you noticed how they poke fun at him for his name? Can’t you use Bing? And just because they say it’s wimpy on Friends, that doesn’t give you free license to steal it for girls. Ciaran:Irish-Black, dark (KEER an) A great, underused saint name. Cole: English- Coal (KOHL) Boring, popular, trendy, etc. Plus, I think of a terribly aggravating guy from school. Also, cole slaw. I hate cole slaw. Colton: English- Coal town (KOHL ton) Where I live, this is probably the most popular boy name. Too trendy. Connor:Gaelic-Wolf lover ( KON er)Lovely, strong, masculine, and sadly, ultra-popular. I'd avoid it. There's more names out there. Plus, the nickname Con can't be good Corin: French variant of Quirinus, a Roman God (KOR in) Corin will not get lost in the crowd of Carters and Camerons, he'll stand out, with style and charm. Curtis:French- Courteous (KUR tiss) Underused and masculine, I feel this one is ready for the limelight. Or at least, it's 15 minutes of fame. Daniel: Hebrew- God is my Judge (DAN yul) Cool, but, sadly, boring. Give Daniel a rest. He needs it. David:Hebrew-Beloved(DAY vid)David is classic and boring. Not much else to say, except, think of something less bland and overused. Dominic: Latin-Of the Lord (DOM eh nik) A great name and a great meaning, if you're Christian. I think it's very manly. I do think of a silly song my granny used to sing "Dominecker, Dominecker, Bushel and a peck" or something along those lines. Still, it's on my fave list. Drew: nickname (DRU) On the gender scale of life, Drew’s teetering right about even for both girls and boys, but, that’s changing now, thanks to actress Drew Barrymore. Too trendy, and, it also makes me think of the past tense of ‘draw’…. “Drew Smith? Who drew Smith?”. Elijah: Hebrew-The Lord is Jehovah (ell EYE jah) This it a great, rustic-sounding Bible name. A nice choice, if one is willing to overlook its current climb up the charts. Elliot: surname, meaning obscure (EL ee ot) I like this, but lots of people think of it as a nerd name, or, they are reminded of ET and his "Elliot!" in the movie ET. Eric:Old Norse-Ever ruler (ERR ik) Nice and classy, but a bit boring and common. Ethan: Hebrew-Firmness (EE than) I love this name… it’s so sensitive sounding. The thing I don’t like is its immense popularity. Let this ‘apple pie’ cool off for a bit. Fredric: German-Peaceful ruler (FRED rik) Nice, underused, and manly sounding. But, if you don't like the nickname Fred, Fredric may not be the name for you, because most people will likely shorten Fredric to Fred, or, even worse, Freddy. Friedrich: variant of Frederic, German-Peaceful Ruler (FREED rich) It may be an acceptable spelling variation, but to me, it just looks like a Cannibal Café menu item "Excuse me, how is the Fried Rich tonight?". Gabriel: Hebrew- Strength of God (GABE ree ell) One of my personal faves, that I just wish wasn’t so popular. Gareth: Welsh-meaning obscure (GAIR eth) I love Gareth, but, no matter how much I love it, it won't change the fact that it sounds like someone with a lisp saying Garris. Still, it's close enough to Garrett to not stick out like a sore thumb. Georden: variant of Jordan, river name (JOR dan) Jordan is trendy, and with trendiness comes respellings and misspellings, and this one is just about the silliest spelling of Jordan I've ever seen. Trendy and boring. Pick a different river to name your kid after, one not so 'well-swam'. Grady: Irish- descendant of a noble (GRAY dee) Grady is cool, but, it's also being used for girls. Grant: French- Large, grand (GRANT) I like this, but, I guess it's the student in me, because I always think of Pell Grants. Beyond that, it’s a nice name. Grey: English- the color (GRAY) It may sound depressing, but I like it. It’s in my top choices. Griffin: English- a mythical creature (GRIF in) In myth, a griffin was a creature with a lion’s body but the head and wings of an eagle. Pretty cool. Griffith: Welsh, exact meaning is unknown (GRIF ith) Nice, underused, but, whenever I say it, I feel like I have a lisp. Maybe that doesn’t bother you. Hadley: English-Heather meadow (HAD lee) This sounds like a snooty character from Melrose Place. Wreaks way too much of yuppie. Harley: English-Hare field (HAR lee) Too brutish sounding for a girl. Plus, can’t you just hear the comments in High School… “I’d like to ride Harley” or “Whorely”, etc. Also, it’s too wimpy for a guy. Just leave it alone… let the motorcycles have it. Harrison: English- son of Harry (HAIR iss on) So manly, thanks to Harrison Ford. Maybe it won’t get popular. It probably will, but, there’s always hope. Harry:variant of Henry, German-Home ruler (HAIR ee) With all of this Harry Potter craziness, will Harry be boosted up the charts. I'm betting it will, a little, but probably not enough to break the top 100. And that's probably because it sounds like Hairy to most people, and Hairy isn't exactly a nice quality one would like to be known for. Havelock: Celtic- meaning unknown (HAV lok) This is a surname, a place name, and a name from History. I think it sounds James Bond-ish… probably b/c it was the last name of one of the ‘Bond Girls’, Melina Havelock, in For your Eyes Only, coincidentally, the girl I was named after. Hawk: The bird (HAWK) A very nice name, for a GI Joe maybe. Or a cliché Native American. Or some ripped soap opera stud. At least it’s not too popular. Hayden: English-Hedged valley (HAY den) Hayden is a great name, just pray that the girls keep their grubby, little paws off of it. Oh, and while you’re at it, pray that no one will notice it’s similarity to Hatin’. Hayes: English-Brushwood (HAZE) This name can fit in with the rest of the surname bunch, Carson, Madison, Carter, etc., if someone would just give it a chance. Heath: English-one who lives on a heath (HEETH)A heath is a tract of land that’s uncultivated and full of shrubs. I like this, but, I’m a bit worried that actor Heath Ledger will send this one to the top. Maybe not. Also the name of a candy bar. Henry: German-Home ruler (HEN ree) Henry used to sound like a stuffy ol' fuddy duddy, but I think it could do well, stirring up respect and substance among the madeup names so popular today. Houston:English-Hill town (HUE stun) Houston has a lot going for it... it's a place name, it's got that stylish country-western edge, and it's the surname of a celebrity, singer Whitney Houston. Des[ite all this, it's not really trendy... yet. Pick it up before the rest of the world does. Hoyt: German-Shining Mind (HOYT) Personally, I like Hoyt. But, I hate the fact that it makes me think of 2 things. First, it sounds like Mike Tyson saying 'hurt' ("I'm going to hoyt you!") and second, it kind of sounds like the noise you make when you cough. Still, it has some refined charm to it, aside from those 2 things. Ian: Scottish variant of John, Hebrew-God is gracious (EE an) Ian sounds very masculine and refined. I like it, but, I wish it wasn't so popular. Isaiah: Hebrew- The lord is salvation (eye ZAY ah) Another nifty Bible name, that’s unfortunately, popular at the moment. Jack: nickname (JAK) Jack is like a pair of underwear… it’s good on everyone, yet, it’s not enough on it’s own. Plus, like underwear, it can be dirty. Must I remind you of the nasty slang for masturbation? Didn’t think so. I know it’s unfair… Jack didn’t deserve such treatment, but, eh, that’s the way the cookie crumbles. Jacob: Hebrew-Supplanter (JAY kub) It takes a helluva name to uproot the sequoia that is Michael from the boy list, and Jacob did it. That means leave this ultra-overused Bible classic alone. He's way too popular now. Jake: nickname (JAYK) Jake is so manly, it's seems to sweat testosterone. But, it's too informal to me, and since Jacob is so common, lots of people use Jake as a nickname, so that just makes it too commonplace for me. Plus, I had a Ken doll named Jake. Jakob: Hebrew-To hold the heel (JAY kub) Jakob is a respelling (read-trendification) of the name Jacob. Too popular, and the K doesn’t hide it. James: Hebrew- Supplanter (JAYMZ) So classic and solid, it just oozes masculinity. Well, it also oozes popularity. Avoid it for a bit. It's not a bad name, just, overcooked. Jason:Greek-to heal (JAY son) Another name wallowing in it's own self-pity as it slowly loses it's grasp on it's glory days. Jed: short form of Jedidiah, Hebrew-Beloved of God (JED) Not unless you're planning on giving birth to a Beverly Hillbilly. Jeffrey:variant of Geoffrey, meaning obscure (JEF ree) This seems really nerdy to me. I can just see a kid with thick glasses and a perpetual nose-bleed named Jeffrey. I think maybe because of the baby duck on Charlotte's Web. His name was Jeffrey. He was a runt. Jeremiah: Hebrew-God uplifts (jer eh MY ah) Jeremiah is great. It's not dated or overused like Jeremy and it has that Bible feel that everyone likes. The only bad thing I can think of is, "Jeremiah was a bull frog". I knew a Jeremiah in school and they sang that to him a lot. Jeremy: variant of Jeremiah, Hebrew-God uplifts (JER eh mee) Jeremy had a lot going for it back in the late 70's up until the late 80's. Now it's just dated and faded compared to newer modern sounding names like Braden, Caden, and Cameron. Also, in the Secret of Nimh, the crow was named Jeremy. Joel: Hebrew-Jehovah is Lord (JO el) A nice, short Bible name that’s not as mass-used as its ilk. Kind of boring, but, eh. John: Hebrew-God is Gracious (JON) John is the epitome of classic and the epitome of boring. Please get more creative. John is so common, you'd think it's the default name American male babies are born with. Jordan: river name (JOR dan) Jordan is too popular. Plus, it's being held prisoner by the girls. Jordan is so superbly yuppie, I think with every Jordan born, the parents get a free SUV and case of bottled water. Joshua: Hebrew- The lord is salvation (JOSH wah) Way too overused. About one in every 7 teen guys are named Joshua, at least where I’m from. This hot choice needs to hang low for a while. Josiah: Hebrew-God supports (jo SY ah) A great alternative to the other more overused Bible names. Junior: nickname (JOON yer) Aw! Come on people! You can get more original than that! It's like naming a calico cat Calico. It's kind of uncreative. Kai:Old Norse- Hen (KY) I love this name. I first heard it on Kai Budde, the reknowned Magic the Gathering card game player. Seems nifty, so short and memorable. Kane: Gaelic-Battle (KANE) Kane sounds evil.I am reminded of Cain, the first murderer, according to the Bible, Kane from WWF, the saying “raising Cain” as in “causing trouble”, Kane Hodder is the guy that plays Jason from the Friday the 13th movies, and a cane is something you can beat people with. Kayden:Gaelic-variant of Caden (KAY den) Just another mutated variant of the horrendously popular/trendy Caden. Yuck. Kaylor:German-Coal-miner (KAY lor) It sounds like Taylor, is resembles Taylor, and gosh-darn it, it's trendy like Taylor. Keep looking. Keegan:Gaelic- son of Aodh (KEE gan) From a surname. A neat name, but, too trendy, and it reminds me of Kegel muscles. Also, young actor (and I use the term loosely) Andrew Keegan may make this name more popular. Kennedy: Gaelic- Misshapen head (KEN ed ee)Oooh, what a great meaning! I can *totally* see why this is trendy/popular! Ahem... enough sarcasm... Seriously, this is as close as one can get to naming your child Ugly. It's just not as obvious. Also, I think of JFK and that annoying MTV veejay, Kennedy. Yuck. Kent:English-place name (KENT) A place in England. I think of Clark Kent aka Superman and Kent Brockman, the newsman from The Simpsons. Kenton:English-Town on the River Kenn (KENT un) From a surname...I'm not intrigued by it or anything, but it's not a bad name. Kenyen:variant of Kenyon, an English place name (KEN yan) Lovely, but I prefer the original spelling, Kenyon. Kenyon:an English place name (KEN yan) Great, and underused. I can see a Kenyon hanging just fine with the Camerons and Kellens. Kieran:Irish-Black, dark (KEER an) Anglicisized version of Ciaran. Nice. The name of one of Macauley Culkin's lesser known brothers. Kurtis:variant of Curtis, French- Courteous (KUR tiss) Curtis is cool, and Kurtis is, well, Kurtis is trendified. Ditch the K and keep the nice, calm C. Kyle: English-Narrow river (KILE) Kyle's nice but trendy, and. sadly, it's even being stolen by the girls. Kyler:Dutch-Archer (KY ler) Trendy and boring. Also, sounds like 'one who kyles'. Just sounds like a trendy-mutant Kyle and Tyler blend. Landon: English-Long Hill (LAND on) Landon is cool. It's not too popular yet, and it fits in snuggly with what's hot right now. Levi: Hebrew-Devotion (LEE vy) Levi is solid, sturdy, and classic, like the Levi's, the jeans. Levi isn't as mass-produced as other Bible classics, so I like it. Liam: Irish- short for of William (LEE um) A classy name for boys if there ever was one. It’s just a shame it’s so popular. Logan: Gaelic- Little hollow (LO gan) Trendy, boring, overused. Even more depressing is that it’s being used with increasing frequency for girls. And thousands of male Logans will be forced to rethink their masculinity in kindergarten. C’est la vie. Lucas:Greek-Of Lucania (LOO kas) Nice name. Strong and solid. Sadly, it rhymes with mucus, and, strangely enough, despite this terrible rhyme, it's popular. Mac: Gaelic-Son (MAK) Mac seems so rugged and rakish. I think it's be cute as a name for a boy, but, sadly, everyone is tacking Mac on to just about every name under the sun. It's kind of boring. Mackenzie: Scottish-Son of the wise ruler (mah KEN zee) Notice "son of" in the definition? Well, it's a pretty good rule of thumb that names with 'son of' in the meaning are not intended for girls. This name is not only misused, it's also extremely overused. Makenna: variant of McKenna, Gaelic- son of Cionaodh (mah KEN ah) This terrible misspelling is just an attempt to mask the true nature of this name. The Mac- means 'son of', and that's what it is. No amount of respellings can change it. Too trendy, and overused, on girls. Not to be confused with Makena, an African anme for girls. Marshall: English-a marshall (MAR shul) I think Marshall has what it takes to be taken seriously as a baby name in the 2000s. It's got that Western feel and it's a name of a band (Marshall Tucker Band). Now if only I could get that nagging image of the dad from Clarissa Explains It all out of my head. Then all would be right in the world for Marshall. Max: nickname (MAKS) Max is one of those names you either love or hate. Some think of it as a dog name, others think of it as a manly, cool name. I think of Goofy's son Max, in Disney's Goof Troop. McKenna: Gaelic- son of Cionaodh (mah KEN ah) Boring, boring, boring. This is just another mutant Mac- name. This name is too trendy and too misspelled to stick around for too long. It’s really overdone for girls, and, I’d be afraid to use it for a boy. McKenzi: variant of MacKenzie, Scottish- Son of the wise leader (meh KEN zee) Geez, what part of “son of” do you not understand. And no matter the spelling, it’s still the same name when it’s called out, like when a teacher yells it, he/she won’t say “McKenzie with M-C not M-A-C!” Please don’t be so cutesy. Michael: Hebrew- Who is like God? (MY kull) If baby names were animals, Michael would be a roach. Not because it’s gross or anything, but because of it’s tremendous hang time.Michael is just now lessening its grip on the top spot on the boy popularity list. Leave it alone for a while. It’s tired. It’s boring. It’s overdone. Miles:Latin-Soldier (MYLZ) Too much like a measurement. Soundalike Myles is much better. Rose Nylund's boyfriend on Golden Girls was Myles. Myles:Latin-Soldier (MYLZ) Variant of Miles. To me, much less measurement-like. On the Golden Girls, Myles was Rose's boyfriend. Nathaniel:Hebrew-Gift of God (nah THAN ee el)Nice, solid Biblical name that's unfortunately, popular. As a side note, is the same name as Jonathan, with it's components reversed. Nicholas:Greek-Victory of the people (NIK ah lus) Mass-produced albeit sturdy. I'd use lesser-used variants like Nikolai or Nico. Noel:French-Christmas (NOHL) Nice and underused, but maybe a bit weird on a non-Yule tide born baby. Owen: Welsh-meaning obscure (OH wen) A nice enough name, not too popular, but might be on it’s way. As a side note, I often think of Throw Momma from the Train. (“OWEN! I got a waxball in my ear!”) Payton: English-Nobleman (PAY tun) This is nice, but, sadly, trendy, thanks to Colts qb, Peyton Manning. He makes this nice name seem snobby. Plus, it's being tragically used for girls. Paul:Latin-Small, humble (PAWL) A nice, solid, to-the-point guy name. Too bad it's boring. Perry: English-of the pear tree (PAIR ee) Perry is a little wimpy for the boys right now. Let him mature before you decide to use it. And don't use it for girls. Perry's not bad for a boy, he just needs some time to get a grip on his masculinity. For girls, use soundalike Peri, which is Persian and means "Fairy". Peyton: English-Nobleman (PAY tun) Peyton is as Peyton does. And Peyton does snobby. I’m from TN and even I can’t stand NFLer Peyton Manning. And what’s beyond me is the fact that people think it’s cool for girls? A rowdy, snotty QB? Gag me… Phoenix:Greek- Dark Red (FEE niks) A wonderful name from myth. A phoenix was an immortal bird that would burn up and then rise from its own ashes, with this cycle being repeated every 500 years. And in my opinion, contrary to Miss Scary Spice, Phoenix is a male name. May be teased with 'penis' jokes. Reagan: Irish-Little king (RAY gan) I dislike it a lot because of The Exorcist. Reagan will always be a vomiting, blasphemous, demon-posessed girl to me. Reece: variant of Rhys, Welsh-Prince (REES) Reece may look underused, but it's not. And, actress Reese Witherspoon is helping coax this trendoid and it's spelling variants into the realm of girl-only usage. Rilea: English- Rye field (RY lee) Variant of Riley. This was pretty cool, before the girls decided to snag it. Now thousands of hideously spelled spawnoffs abound. Also, this name makes me think of dogs. Label this one tragically trendy. Riley: English- Rye field (RY lee) The most basic spelling of a much-used (read- overused) trendoid. This has been all but completely stolen by the girls. Use this if you want your child to share it’s name with countless other girls in their class. Also, seems like a dog name. Robert: English-Bright (ROB ert) Robert is boring, simple s that. Also, I think of Cops and Robbers. Please think of something less bland. Ross:Gaelic-Promontory (ROSS) Thanks to Friends character, Ross Gellar, this anme just got a shot of juice. Whether or not it'll get hot or not, well, that reminds to be seen. It's ok for now. Sam: nickname (SAM) “Sam I am”, “Play it again, Sam”, “Summer of Sam”. Too informal. Samuel: Hebrew-God has heard (SAM yul) Although pretty popular, this is a nice name. But, because it’s so popular, I’d avoid it. Writer Samuel Clemens was dissatisfied with it enough to go by something else (Mark Twain). Sawyer: English- Wood worker (SAW yer) A cool name. It’s got literary background (Twain’s Tom Sawyer) and musical background (Country band Sawyer Brown). Too bad that it sounds like “I saw yer (insert noun)”. It’s cool, but be wary of playground teasing potential, especially if you live somewhere were ‘yer’ is perfectly acceptable grammar. Schuyler: Dutch- Teacher (SKY ler) Originally, a boy name. However, the ever-greedy girls are in the process of pilfering this one too. It’s too trendy. It’s tired. It wants to go home. Seyton: English- Saint’s town (SAYT on) It may not look like Satan, but it sure does sound like it. It’s like naming your kid Deighmyn instead of Demon. Silas: Roman-Forrest dweller (SY lass) Silas comes from Silvanus, the Roman god of the Forrest. I like it a lot. It's not overused at all. It sounds a bit serious though. Sloan: Gaelic-Warrior (SLOHN) A great solidly masculine name to me, however, some think it’s girly. I think people think this because of that movie, Ferris Bueller's Day off… Ferris’s girlfriend was named Sloan. Solomon: Hebrew-Peace (SOL ah mon) Solomon is cool. It's underused and it's got nice nickname potential. Sol is really neat. Also, in the movie Snatch, there's a Solomon. Steven: variant of Stephen, Greek-Crowned (STEE ven) Steven is really 1960-ish. It's not bad, it's just dated. But, I think it won't sound too old in this generation. Striker: English-One who strikes (STRY ker) It’s violent sounding. It’s like naming your kid Puncher or Kicker. Also, what if your son plays baseball, and he strikes out a lot. Might he be known as “Strike out Striker”? Stryker: variant of Striker, English-One who strikes (STRY ker) That Y doesn’t make this name ‘magically’ unviolent sounding. Just leave this brutal name alone. It’s best that’s it’s left for crappy Mortal Kombat characters. Tag: nickname (TAG) Childhood games do not make good baby names. What’s next? Hide-and-go-seek? Kick-the-Can? Stop the madness before it gets out of control. And by the way, just because it was on Friends, that doesn’t make it a legitimate, respect-deserving name. Tanner: English-Leather tanner (TAN er) Tanner is nice, but trendy. And I think of tanning beds. Thomas: Aramaic-Twin (TOM us) A nice name, if you can get past the “Doubting Thomas” saying. A nice, traditional standby, albeit bland. Tod: variant of Todd, English-Fox (TOD) Tod looks awkward, like a shirt missing a button. Todd is much nicer. Todd: English-Fox (TOD) Todd is great. It's a soap-opera name that's not to flashy or trendy. It's got history and lots of substance. Todd is just an all-around good name. Trevor:variant of Trefor, Welsh-big village (TREV or) I love Trevor, but, alas, it's too popular. It's slipping a bit on the charts, so maybe in a few years it'll be underused again. *fingers crossed* Trey: English- Three, third (TRAY) Cool and spunky. A cool nn for a III. Sadly, it sounds like tray, you know, the thing you eat on in a cafeteria. It’s better than Plate. Troy: English- From Troyes (TROY) This just oozes masculinity. And it’s underused without sounding freakishly weird to boot. Ty: nickname (TY) Ty is one of those names I can see on a good-looking cowboy. I'm neither for nor against it. Tyler: English-one who tiles (TY ler) This was one of the first of the trendy ‘occupational’ names to hit the market. It was mass-produced then, and it’s mass-produced now. Please, boycott this overdone trendoid. Wayne: English-Wagon (WANE) Wayne sounds like either a hillbilly or a metal-rock lover with his on cable tv show (Wayne's World). The only good champion Wayne has now is Wayne Brady, the witty charmer with his on Variety Show. Whitney: English-White Island (WIT nee) Way too precocious for a girl, yet, too wimpy for a boy. Whitney was also a big banana in the 80’s, so it’s safe to say this one’s gonna be dated real soon, like maybe today. Snooty to the max. Xavier:Basque-The new House (ZAY vee er) A saint name (Francis Xavier). He is the patron saint of the orient and missionaries. I like this one. A cutting edge baby name. Sadly, kind of popular. Zachary: Hebrew-God remembers (ZAK ah ree) This was cool, up until a couple of years ago. Now everyone wants to use Zachary. **yawn**.
Unisex
Avalon: Welsh-Apple Island (AV ah lon) Avalon is where King Arthur was laid to rest, and where he will supposedly return. This is a lovely mythic place name. Much better than the boring places kids are named after. Brazen: English-Shameless, with audacity (BRAY zen) You may not have heard of the saying "Brazen hussy" but just about everyone else in the free world has, so, do your kid a favor and avoid this terrible personality description. There's much better adjectives out there. Brooklyn: place name (BROOK linn) Eh, maybe it's the country girl in me, but I don't understand the allure of overcrowded cities, especially one considered dirty by many, as a name for a baby. What's next? Harlem? Detroit? Plus, the -lyn makes it trendy to boot. Brynn: variant of Bryn, Welsh-hill, mound (BRYN) This is ok for both genders to me, but, I can't say that I like it. Brynn was Phil Hartman's wife, and she was also his murderer. Casey: Irish-vigilant (KAY see) I see this as more of a boy name thanks to Casey Kasem and Casey Jones. Casey sounds really athletic to me. I'd never use it, it's too trendy and dated. Christian: Greek-Follower of Christ (KRIS chun) Believe it or not, Christian was originally female in usage. Contrary to the normal flux of gender-transplacing from Boy to Girl, Christian is now in more common usage for males. I think its universally applicable meaning makes it safe for either, although I feel its -ian lends itself to male usage more. Fallon: Gaelic-Leader (FAL on) I used to like it a lot for a girl, but now I think of Jimmy Fallon from SNL. Also, it’s trendy, because there was a Fallon on Dynasty. Also, it looks like Fall On. Harper: English-Harp player (HAR per) Anyone can play a harp right? Well, just like that, Harper works really nice for either gender. Some like it in honor of writer Harper Lee. As for teasing potential, don't forget that if one 'harps' on someone, they nag them, so, it's kind of akin to naming your kid Nagger or Griper. Ireland: place name (IRE land) This is trendy. It's a place name, which is hot now, and, Alec Bladwin and Kim Basinger used it for their daughter. It's got a lovely sound, but I can't help but thing of exercise tapes with Kathy Ireland. Jesie: variant of Jesse, Hebrew-God exists (JES ee) What's this?... Some sort of new-fangled, supposedly femme spelling variation of Jesse? Ugh, Jesie looks like it rhymes with Cheesy or Queasy or Wheezy. Kay: myth and a nickname (KAY) This was cool, back in 1960. Now, it’s pretty dated for girls, even moreso with all of the Kaytlins, Kaylas, McKaylas, and Kaylins running around. But, I think it’s ready for a comeback… for the boys. Hey, it worked for Sir Kay, one of the Knights of the Round Table. Lee: English-Meadow (LEE) Lee is the quintessential unisex name. It's also a quintessential middle name. Lee was the middle name of choice between 1970-1990, so it's safe to say that it's quintessentially boring. Use something else. Lee needs a well-deserved coffee break. Lynne: variant of Lynn, Welsh-Lake (LIN) That extra E doesn't jazz this moldy oldie up at all, nor does it make it look refreshingly femme. Lynn is a nice name, it's just boring now. Mitt: nickname (MIT) Mitt is an article of clothing, not a baby name. If you like this, how about Sock? Or Scarf? Yuck... Noah:Hebrew-Rest, comfort (NOH ah) Bet ya didn't know that the Bible has 2 Noahs. One is a male (the arc guy) and the other was a *gasp* girl. I prefer it on a guy though. For a girl, Noa looks better. Paris:Greek-meaning obscure, also a place (PAIR iss) Another trendy p[lace name, except, this one has history for the boys. Paris is a major player in the Helen on Troy fiasco in Greek myth. Quinn: Gaelic-chief (KWIN) I think of Daria’s snotty sister. But, I still think it’s ok for guys too, thanks to actor Aidan Quinn. I think it’s ok for either gender, boys moreso than girls. Ronnie: nickname (RON ee) For girls and boys, this is just plain boring. Skylar: variant of Schuyler, Dutch-Teacher (SKY ler) I can see this on either gender, but I prefer it for the original gender, male. Too trendy for me. Skyler: variant of Schuyler, Dutch-Teacher (SKY ler) Again, I can see this on either, but, I think it should stay on the boy side. Tatum:English-Tate's homestead (TAYT um) I like this name. It is a surname, and can be used for either gender, but I definitely see it more on a girl than a boy. Tierney: Gaelic-Lord (TEER nee) Tierney sounds like Tyranny, not a nice association for a child. Also, it’s being used for girls, which may make a boy named Tierney seems like a wimpy dictator? For a girl, it’s ok, but I’d make sure to give her a nice feminine name. Beter yet, just avoid the name all together. Toni: nickname (TO nee) Eh, whatever. Too girly for a guy, but, too Toni Braxton for a girl. Let this one take a nap for a while. It’ll wake up feeling refreshed and full of life later, like in about another 20 years or so. Trinity: English-trio (TRIN eh tee) The Matrix turned this into a girl name for me, but I can still see it on a boy. Get it while's it's underused!
