Pluto. Alchemy. Vandal. Meet America’s Newest Boys’ Names
These 38 names appeared in US name stats for the first time ever last year.
34 Remarkable and Intriguing Brand-New Names for Girls
Every year, American parents bring hundreds of new baby names into the world. Meet some of the brand-new girls, from Posh to Medusa.
5 Times Dogs Started Baby Name Trends
When we think about celebrities who inspire baby names, we usually think about people. But our species doesn’t have a total lock on baby name inspiration.
Are You at Risk of Becoming a Werewolf? Here’s How to Tell
Does your name determine your destiny? The answer is a resounding yes— if you live in a world with werewolves.
Let’s Close Read the Animal Crossing Names
As we speak, millions of people are sheltering at home on remote islands with only animals for company. And those animals have names. The Nintendo game Animal Crossing: New Horizons serves up a much-needed escape, a cheery world with a cast of cartoon critters. A glance at their cherubic faces, […]
The Name that Makes the Song, Then and Now
What would the song “Hey There Delilah” have become if the subject of the singer’s yearnings had a different name? In 2005 when the Plain White T’s hit was written, Delilah was still an uncommon and unconventional name, especially for a college-aged woman. Dozens of likelier options could have satisfied […]
The 3 Biggest Baby Name Trends of the Decade
Name trends can sneak up on you. They move bit by bit, shifting your expectations along the way. As time goes by, you might even forget that Penelope used to sound old-fashioned instead of trendy, or that you marveled at your first sighting of Jaxon-with-an-X. Here’s your reminder of how […]
Where Are the Scream Queen Baby Names?
Why aren’t more babies named after horror movie victims? If you think the answer is self-explanatory, I can’t blame you. It’s not as if they make Nightmare on Elm Street-themed nursery décor. We expect baby planning, and baby naming, to be about inspiring role models and rosy dreams of the […]
Of Travolta and Machiavelli
Surnames are baby names. From the days of Warren and Shirley to Todd and Tracy to Hunter and Mackenzie, surname crossovers have been a staple of American baby naming. British Isles surnames, that is. The hundreds of popular crossovers all come from English and Celtic stock. Parents won’t venture further […]
A Tale of Two Halles
It was the “huh?” heard ’round the world. For half a day, reports spread that actress Halle Berry had been cast as Ariel in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. The response was global bafflement. Some was surely directed at Berry’s race (though “outrage” over a black Ariel turned […]
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