Kian

Kian, m.

Meaning: 'ancient', Irish origin

I got a bit stuck when it came to choosing a 'K' name. Often K names are just 'C' names which people have decided to stick a K on to make them seem different. A lot of kre8iv names begin with a K (ie - names changed for the sake of it!). Examples being Kameron, Krystal, Katelyn, Koen. I'm not convinced by this sort of tinkering with names to make them individual but that's just me!

One name which is originally spelt with a C but which I prefer with a K is Kian. This name has come to my attention recently because of the British programme I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here (the singer from Westlife won this year's competition. Yes, my husband and I did watch it. Shame on us!).

Kian is a handsome Irish name, with the unfortunate meaning of 'ancient'. It has the classic 2 syllable, ending in -n form which is popular for boys' names (Hayden, Logan, Ethan, Aiden, Ryan, Dylan etc). I was quite surprised to find it is number 89 in the popularity charts for England and Wales, as I have never met anyone with this name. I think it fits in well with current popular boys' names and would be very cute on a little boy. Ooh and it's Irish :)

Classical Names

I'm taking a break from going through the alphabet and bringing you a list of names instead. These baby names are all classical; this was an easy theme for me to talk about, as Classics is another passion of mine. I thought it would follow on from Juno quite well too :) Classics is the study of ancient Greece and Rome so these names all come from mythology or history from these time periods. Some of them aren't strictly Greek or Latin names but were important people/characters from those cultures.

Roman names in particular are attracting a lot of attention at the moment. This is partly due to the success of the Hunger Games series of books/films which include many names of famous Romans (if you know the series, most names from the Capitol are Roman). I have included some of these in the list.

Having said that, I do acknowledge that most of these names would only be for the more adventurous baby-namer. Or maybe an exotic middle name?! I love the history behind each of these, although not all the namesakes were pleasant characters!

Ancient Greek

Ajax - hero from the Trojan War.

Ariadne - (pro. Ah-ree-ad-nee) Cretan princess who helped Theseus slay the Minotaur.

Artemis - goddess of hunting, the moon, chastity.

Antigone - (pro. An-tig-o-nee) tragic heroine who was killed for burying her brother who was seen as a traitor.

Cassandra - prophetess/ princess of Troy who was cursed with never being believed.

Draco - lawgiver of Athens, famous for being strict and severe.

Hector - prince of Troy, killed by Achilles.

Ino - sea nymph who helped Odysseus at sea.

Leonidas - king of Sparta who led at the battle of Thermopylae (300)

Orion - famous huntsman placed among the stars by Zeus.

Pandora - the woman who let all the bad things in the world out of the box, except Hope.

Persephone - (pro. Per-sef-o-nee) queen of the underworld, kidnapped by Hades but allowed to return to earth every spring.

Rhea - Mother of the gods (a Titan).

Theseus - Greek hero who killed the Minotaur.

Roman

Aeneas - (pro. Uh-nee-ass) Roman hero from the Aeneid who founded Rome.

Cybele (pro. Sib-eh-lee) - Roman equivalent of Rhea plus other gods, goddess of the earth/mother of the gods.

Cassius - one of the plotters of Julius Caesar's assassination.

Cato - Roman statesman.

Cinna - Roman consul.

Evander - ancient king of Pallanteum.

Marius - famed for reorganising the Roman army.

Octavian - given name of the first emperor Augustus.

Virgil - author of the Aeneid.

Juno

Juno, f.

Meaning: Queen of the gods

The name Juno has become well-known  mainly due to the film from 2007 about the pregnant teenager (if you haven't seen it, you should - really good!). Originally this name comes from Roman mythology, where Juno was Queen of the gods and goddess of marriage (her Greek equivalent is Hera). I love its Roman connections, however the origin of the name is problematic for me because, as a Christian, I wouldn't feel comfortable using the name of a goddess for my child. If you aren't religious then I'm guessing this wouldn't be much of an issue for you.

Juno is an unusual name for a girl. It is similar to June, but has the -o ending which is uncommon for girls. I think this gives the name a freshness and originality which may appeal to parents. This also makes the name seem less feminine, but not in a negative way - in a spirited and fearless way. Although this may be the influence of the film, as that describes the character perfectly!

If you like Juno, you may like other Roman names: Livia, Minerva, Luna, Allegra, Caelia, Milia, Tullia, Cassia

PS - over 120 views in one day! So pleased there are other people who loved names as much as me out there! Feel free to 'follow' this blog if you want more names chat :)

Ivy

Ivy, f.

Meaning: plant name

Ivy is an old-fashioned, granny-type name which (in my opinion!) is well due a comeback. It has such a pretty sound and would make a really surprising and unexpected choice for a little girl. It has recently been used for a character from Downton Abbey, as the name of one of the kitchen maids, which may see it's popularity rise. It has also been used as the middle name for Beyoncé and Jay-Z's baby 'Blue Ivy'.

As a nature name Ivy does have a quirky, alternative feel. I can imagine it on someone who is confident, creative and individual. However, as it's very traditional too I don't think it sounds weird or 'hippyish', as some nature names can.

The only issue I have with this name (and I hope I don't ruin it for anyone with this) is that I sometimes hear it as 'IV', as in an IV you would have in your arm in hospital. I suppose this may be more off-putting if you are from a medical background!

Other names you may like if you are into 'Granny-chic' names: Ada, Sybil, Iris.

Honor

Honor, f.

Meaning: honour

An 'h' name which doesn't sound like an 'h' name! I really like Honor. I think it seems quite modern but is sophisticated too. I have only seen it spelt this way , not the British spelling, as this is the Latin word for 'honour'. And what a fab meaning! You could even create your own personal meanings, eg - to honour God, an honour for the parents to have this new baby, a respectful child who will honour others... Just a few ideas!

If it's helpful for you to understand what catergory of name this would fall into, it is a virtue name, like Faith, Grace, Hope and Mercy. It also has links with the name Honora, which may be a good alternative if you want this name to sound a bit more feminine.

Grayson

Grayson, m.

Meaning: Son of a grey-haired man

I decided to choose a different genre of name for this letter. Grayson definitely falls into the 'trendy' catergory; it was #85 in the US last year, although it doesn't feature in the UK top 100. It is a surname name like Jackson, Harrison, Carson etc. It has the attractive nickname 'Gray' which I think sounds intriguing and handsome.

If you are in the UK, perhaps you might see this as an American name and wonder if it would fit in here. But I predict this name will rise in popularity, as many other surname names have recently. If you think about it, the name isn't too dissimilar to Jason. 

This name isn't really my style but I would really like to meet a little boy called Grayson. Current, cool but not cheesy or trashy.

Faye

Faye, f.

Meaning: fairy

For me the name Faye is soft and pretty but also really positive and happy sounding. It is simple but beautiful. It is outside the top 100 in England and Wales, so it is not very common although I don't think it would get raised eyebrows if you were to announce it as your baby's name. It fits in the category of traditional names, such as Elizabeth or Matilda; in the US it was most popular in the 1930's.

I can see this name as a good choice for a middle name. The name May/Mae is hugely popular as a middle at the moment and so this would be a lovely alternative. It still has that -ay ending which goes so well with lots of first names and is a no-fuss one syllable name. It would especially suit a long 3 or 4 syllable first name. I love Verity Faye (uber British!) or Camellia Faye (flowery and pretty).

What do you think?

Eloise

Eloise, f.

Meaning: is unclear. Often connected to Helios from the Greek for 'sun' but more likely to mean 'healthy' or 'wide' (!)

Girls' names beginning with a vowel are very popular at the moment. I can think of 6 baby girls born to people I know in the last year who have been given names starting with A, E or I. Names beginning with these letters are very feminine and 'soft' sounding which make them a perfect choice for a little girl. It also seems to be a trend for these names to have multiple vowels in the middle giving them a musical feel. So, for example, Ariana. 

I have chosen Eloise, as a homage to these sorts of names. It has the same musical feel but is classic and delicate too. I suppose there is a danger that it would often be confused with Louise. However, perhaps if you wanted to honour someone with the name Louise, this could be a clever way to do it.

This name would be perfect for someone who wants a name that is different but not 'too out there' because it sounds very familiar, with its connection to Louise. However in reality it is not popular at all and is outside the top 100 for England and Wales.

Similar names: Elodie, Eliana, Eliza.

Dexter

Dexter, m.

Meaning: 'right-handed'

Another boy's name for letter D. I will get to a girl's name soon but I didn't have any female D names on my favourites list so you'll have to wait! 

Dexter came to my attention after reading and then watching 'One Day'. I imagine someone with this name to be just like the character in the book/film - attractive, charismatic with good things falling into his lap. Oh and I love the nickname 'Dex', super suave. I have a long-standing crush on names which have the letter x in them so it automatically scores points with me :)

I suppose if you have watched the tv series 'Dexter', which I believe is about a serial killer, then your connection with this name will be very different! Although a friend who watches the series assures me that he is a 'nice serial killer'. Umm ok.

If you like Dexter you might also like other names which end in the handsome -er ending, such as Baxter, Asher or Xander.

Casper

Casper, m.

Meaning: 'treasurer'

Ooh I love this name so much. I think a little boy called Casper would adorable. I can't imagine it so much on a grown man but it's not that different to Jasper so I think I'd get used to it.

My husband has banned us from using this name because he still associates it with Casper the Friendly Ghost. I personally don't think that should put people off as the connection isn't very strong anymore - the film was out a looong time ago now. 

It would also make a good Christmassy name if you had a baby around this time of year, as Casper was supposed to be one of the three wise men who visited Jesus in Bethlehem. I like connections like this which aren't as obviously Christmas-related as Holly or Noël.

If the ghost connection is too strong for you but you like the sound of the name, then how about Caspian? Alas, this has also been banned by my hubby but maybe you are more adventurous than he is :)

Benedict

As I chose an 'A' name for the first post it makes sense for me to continue through the alphabet. So I will upload a name that I think is a good choice (although not necessarily my favourite for that letter) as I go through the alphabet. Today it is:

Benedict, m.

Meaning: 'blessed', Latin

I think this name would be an excellent choice if you like Ben but think that Benjamin is a bit overused. Benjamin is currently #32 on the ONS baby name list for 2012 (England and Wales), whereas Benedict doesn't feature in the top 100.

This name has come back into the public eye through Sherlock actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who I personally love so that's a positive connection! It has a great meaning (the Latin for 'blessed'), so perfectly reflects the feelings of a parent when they have a new baby.

If you aren't very daring with names but want a name none of your friends have used then this could be the name for you, as your son could go by Ben but have an unusual full name. I think Benedict sounds suave and sophisticated. I guess one thing to consider might be the possibility that children in the playground might pick up on the '-dict' ending (!) but I don't think that should put you off the name if you like it.

One last interesting fact is that this can also be a female name. I have a friend whose family is Catholic and she has a sister called Benedicte.

Aria

Aria, f.

Meaning: 'lioness' in Italian, or a musical term.

I really love this name at the moment. I think it is so beautiful sounding but also fierce (especially meaning 'lioness'). I can imagine it on a confident, little girl and also a grown woman who is CEO of her own company too. I like that it has a musical meaning; perhaps a good choice if you play an instrument or sing for fun/work.

The only thing that puts me off about this name is its connection with Game of Thrones and the character 'Arya'. I always read this name as 'Ar-ya' when I read the books and was surprised when in the series they pronounced it 'Aria'. I really like GOT but I would always be wary using a name from something in the media which has been so popular. You're bound to be asked if you named your child after the character. I have the same issue with the name Brody (which I LOVE) and its Homeland connection.

Sad times. I still think I would use this name but maybe when GOT has died down in popularity. As there are probably going to be multiple series to come, I might be waiting a long time!

Welcome to The Namery

The Namery is a place where wonderful names live! It is a place where names can be discussed and appreciated. I am a big name nerd; I love looking at trends in current baby names, researching where names come from and talking about names with anyone who is interested!

On this blog I will discuss individual names and look at trends and themes too. I'm not into criticising names so I will only talk about names that I find interesting and likeable. Even if I wouldn't use a name, I still appreciate other people's styles and tastes.

I hope you enjoy! Please leave comments and let me know your opinions and if there are any names/trends you'd like me to discuss Cx