Seth

Seth, m.

Meaning: appointed or placed, origin Hebrew.

The name Seth is growing in popularity in the UK year on year; in 2012 it entered the top 100 at #91. I can only think of one Seth in real life but I think that will change if the popularity keeps increasing. It has that great balance of being recognisable but not common. I imagine this name on someone who is very 'with it', a bit serious, handsome and slightly edgy. I think the unusual '-th' ending and one syllable quality make this name cool and different.The sound of this name is almost snake-like; does anyone else think that?!

This would be a good choice if you are looking for a Biblical name which isn't as well-used as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John but isn't as obviously Biblical as Noah, Jonah and Jeremiah. Seth was one of the sons of Adam and Eve, so not a major character in the Bible, but with a good meaning (perhaps if you want your child to know God has specifically 'placed' them in your family?). It also has a place in popular culture; did anyone else think of The O.C when they heard this name? However that series is well in the past now so I don't think the association is very strong.

'S' has to be one of my favourite letters for names. Here are some other Super S Names!

Male

Sawyer
Sebastian
Shay
Sirius
Solomon/Sol
Sullivan/Sully


Female

Sadie
Scarlett
Seren
Seraphina
Siena
Sylvie

Rory

Rory, m.

Meaning: red king, Irish origin.

Also spelt Ruaidhri.

I love the ruggedness and manliness of the name Rory. It is sort of childlike, with its lion-like sound, but also tough and handsome for an adult. Its Gaelic routes make me think of the Scottish highlands. I love the meaning (perfect for your little prince!) but don't necessarily think you need to be restricted to naming a red-haired baby this name.

My husband and I were seriously considering using Rory if we had a boy. I love this name that much. But for some reason I cannot pronounce Rory! I have a very slight lisp and find I cannot say this name properly. So, not a name we can use but I think this is great choice for other parents.

Quinn

Quinn, m

Meaning: descendant of Conn, Irish origin.

I think Quinn is a great boy's name. To me, it sounds smart, snappy and sophisticated with a touch of quirkiness with the 'Q' at the beginning. I originally knew this as a boy's name and was SO annoyed by its use as a girl's name in the series Glee. I have a feeling that most people would now associated the name with that character, which could be a problem if you did want to use this for a boy. It seems to be a lot more acceptable to use unisex names for girls than boys. Bear in mind that it is more popular for girls in the US than boys.

However I don't think this name sounds girly or frilly. It is traditionally of Irish origin, stemming from an Irish surname. The historical routes give a great justification to keep this as a boy's name! It has never been a popular name in the UK but has hovered between the #400 and #500 mark in the popularity charts for the last 20 years. I hope that people will start using Quinn a bit more. It makes a great alternative to the popular Finn.

Other Q names for boys: Quillan, Quentin, Quinton.

Poppy

Poppy, f.

Meaning: flower name

Ahh lovely Poppy. This is a personal favourite of mine. It's bubbly, sweet, girly, sparky and full of energy. Who wouldn't like someone called Poppy?! With this name, I imagine a little English girl with curly brown hair, pale skin and rosy cheeks. I imagine her being called 'Pops' and running around in meadows (weird??).

I suppose that is where the problem comes with this name, for me anyway. I can't really see it on a grown woman. I find it difficult to imagine a woman in parliament or leading a boardroom meeting called Poppy. Maybe it's just that the only Poppy's I have met are little girls.

One aspect of the name which makes it more serious is its relationship to Remembrance Day and the World Wars. It would be a nice name to use if you wanted to remember someone, especially if they played a part in those wars or served in the armed forces. I don't think the association makes it a negative name; remembrance is honouring the dead, not being morbid.

So what do you think? I would love to use this name but I'm held back by the girliness of it. Maybe it could be balanced by a grown-up middle name which could be used in case of becoming Prime Minister. Eg - Poppy Isobel. Love <3

One Syllable Middles

I've talked before about how one syllable middle names are a favourite of mine at the moment. I'm not the only one. Many one syllable middles are traditionally popular or recently seem to be everywhere. It's no wonder really as they sound snappy and cute in the middle spot, especially if the child has a longer first name. A recent example would be the newest royal baby born to Mike Tindall and Zara Phillips, a little girl called Mia Grace. 

Below I have listed one syllable middles in two lists for each gender: traditional or popular middles and less common examples. I like both lists; it's nice to have an original name but some of the classics sound lovely. 

Girls

Traditional/popular

Rose

Grace

May/Mae

Claire

Anne

Leigh/Lee

(Becoming popular - Ray/Rae)

Less common

Belle

Brooke

Faye

Hope

Joy

June

Maeve

Paige

Star

Wren

Boys

Traditional/popular

Charles

George

Jack

James

John

Mark

Less Common

Ash

Bay

Blake

Brock

Cole

Finn

Gray/Grey

Guy

Jay

Penn

Rafe

Seth

Quinn

Vaughn

Zac

What do you think? Which are your favourites? What combo's with these names do you love?

Omri

Omri, m.

Meaning: 'my sheaf', Hebrew

If you're like me, this name will look familiar but you won't be sure where from. It certainly isn't one you're likely to hear in the school playground. It is likely that you will recognise this name if you read the 'Indian in the Cupboard' series. The little boy who discovers the cupboard which makes his toys come to life was called Omri. 

Originally this is a Biblical name, hence the Hebrew origin. Omri was a King of Israel, although not a very good one, so maybe he less said about that the better! My husband says this name reminds him of the footballer Henri (pronounced the French way!). It was instantly vetoed because of this - he supports a rival team!

I think Omri sounds original; slightly exotic but easy to pronounce. 'O' names are not popular at all. Try and name a popular 'O' name for a boy, other than Oliver, Owen and Oscar. Or Olivia for a girl. I bet you'll struggle. So if you're going for an unusual name, an 'O' name is a good choice. 

Some other 'O' names for boys:

Oren, Ossian (pro. Uh-sheen), Odin, Oakley

Nerys

Nerys, f.

Meaning: lady, welsh origin

I am assuming that quite a lot of people reading this blog will not have come across the name Nerys before. It is Welsh, which you will probably recognise if you are familiar with the Welsh name Carys as they look very similar. I like to drop names into the blog which are unusual or rarely heard of; I really like learning about new names and I hope you do too. The meaning of this name comes from welsh for Lord (Ner-) and then the feminine ending gives it the meaning of 'lady'.

I don't know of anyone with the name Nerys, even celebrities, so this name is refreshingly free of any associations for me. I think the -rys ending is energetic and intriguing and the name as a whole looks attractive and original. I imagine a girl with a sparkly, bubbly personality. 

What does this name make you think of?

Other welsh girls' names you may not have heard of, which I think are lovely:

Betrys, Briallen, Elerie, Ffion, Lowri and Seren