So it looks like we’re having another baby, eh? The only thing left to do (apart from emptying that room we’ve come to think of as our storage unit, piecing together our layette, and knocking over a couple of liquor stores to be able to afford another kid without my working) is to pick names.
I was going to pick the one where they go undercover as cheerleaders to break up a ring of, I dunno, football thieves or something. But my wife might be watching.
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This came to mind today when we met a pair of sisters at the park named Jaclyn and Kate, which I honestly think is the coolest name choice ever. (The challenge will come if they obtain another sister somehow — do you name her “Farrah,” the original, or “Cheryl,” the one everyone remembers?)
We originally had a theme going, too. Boobaby’s real name is “Fern” as you probably know by now, named for the character in Charlotte’s Web who saves the pig by being muddy and stubborn.
So “Avery” came to mind for a boy, since that’s Fern’s brother in the book. He’s a complete thug, though — the first time you see him he’s holding a knife and a gun, and he mostly tries to ruin everything all book long. “Milo” was also in the running, after the only nihilist protagonist in all of children’s literature (anyone care to guess the book?). But then that name started appearing all over, and I don’t even know how to pluralize it (Milos? Miloes? Myleaux?).
So here’s my call for suggestions: we’re looking for cool names, ideally those attached to strong-willed, non-philosophically challenged, slightly quirky heroes and heroines from kids’ stories. No evil, please: “Darth” need not apply. Maybe old-fashioned would be cool, too.
Any ideas?
Oh, and if y’all from Pepsico (or Nikon) are looking to buy some child naming rights, now’s the time to start the bidding on that, too. Our little “Tropicana Fritolay” (or “Diselar Autofoca”) is due in November!
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The first name that comes to my mind is Ramona (the brave).
How about “Old Dan” from Where the Red Fern Grows? Sure, Old Dan is a dog and that is the saddest book ever written, but the title seems appropriate. Either that or Oreo.
Oooooh, fun game, I’ll go first!
For girls:
Charlotte (for obvious reasons)
Leslie (Bridge to Terabithia, although I think the character dies in the book…)
Beatrix (Potter)
Harriet (Harriet the Spy)
Jo/Amy/Meg/Beth (Little Women)
Susan/Lucy (Chronicles of Narnia)
For boys:
Wilbur (not that I recommend naming your son after a pig, but the pair of Fern and Wilbur is just too cute)
Jess/Aaron (Bridge to Terabithia)
Colin/Dickon (The Secret Garden)
Peter/Edmund/Caspian (Chronicles of Narnia)
Jonas (The Giver)
My favorites are probably Charlotte and Jonas. You have a big decision in front of you – good luck!
Lauren’s name suggesstions are fantastic! I especially love Charlotte and Jonas!
Congratulations, by the way! You’ll melt when you see the two of them together.
Oh, Asher and Fiona from “The Giver” also! Fern and Fiona might be a little much, but Fern and Asher both have a literary connection and an earthy sort of feel to them.
Sparticuus. Just because.
So it’s a boy baby?
I love the name Owen. As in, A Prayer For Owen Meany.
I also love the name Matilda. Just because. If our second had been a girl, he would have been Matilda. Instead, we have a Henry.
The temptation to offer ridiculous names is overwhelming, so I’ll refrain altogether — except to say that naming a baby is so fun I almost one to have another one just for that reason. Shortsighted? Maybe.
Not much help here on the name front (Argus? Hippolyte? Cletus?) but have been digging around the blog for a good 45 minutes and, as usual, feeling a little better for having done so.
Except what is that “Cafe Mom” banner ad doing there? I suppose you’re broad minded but it rather irks me.
Wow, thanks for all the suggestions, everyone! We’re mulling, now… keep ‘em coming!
Um…. Sparticus?
lol! I love the bidding idea! If we’d had another daughter, we were going to name her Adelaide. I love that name. I don’t know that it has any literary reference, though.
Ah Ha! I found a book with an Adelaide in it. Of course, I’ve never heard of it before much less read it, but here you go.
I guess the lesson here is to pick whatever name we like and then just find the book!
Martina if it’s a girl.
And it WILL be a girl.
Call off the search.
Anne (with an “e”) of the Anne of Green Gables series. Or, alternately, Gilbert, who is Anne’s best friend and, later, her husband. I tried so hard to convince my husband we should name our soon-to-be-born son Gilbert, but no luck.
I liked the Ramona suggestion. I’m also pretty charmed by that Fancy Nancy right now. Or, how about Scout? Pip?
How about Damon (Tales the muses told)or d’Artagnan (3 musketeers)if a boy.
Margery(Margery Welsford-Rescue for Mittens) or Violet (Beauregard – Charlie & the Chocolate Factory)for a girl.
Of course, I’ve always been partial to Thor and Venus (my wife surprisingly vetoed both-go figure)
Anne is a great name… I tried to get my husband to go for Anne Cordelia (which is of of course, the name Anne always wanted), but he said cordelia makes him think of the city of Cordelia (with the truck scales) just off 80 towards Sacramento. So we’re still working on that one.
The best name source I ever heard was “Desmond.” I know what you are thinking… Desmond Tutu, right? Nope. “D is for Desmond thrown out fo the sleigh” from the book by Edward Gorey. Now there is an awesome kids book.
I am a huge fan of British Kids books. The Susan Cooper books for some good (mostly male) celtic or british names: Will Stanton, Simon, Jane, Barney, Merriman Lyon
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Enid Blyton has a lot of older names…my favorite is the Folk of the Faraway Tree series… Bessie, Fanny, Jo, Connie… and then there are the magical names (Moonface, Silky, Saucepan man, Dame Washalot, Mr. Watzisname, and the angry pixie).
Have fun… picking names is so exciting.
Dude, Sparticus is perfect. Just think, every time a teacher calls his name in school, he could stand up and yell “I’m Spacticus!”, and then his friends could stand up and yell, “No, I’m Sparticus”, etc. It would be hilarious. Every single time.
I know, I’m two days behind here, but Google Reader hasn’t been loading the past few days and finally did! (Of course on the day I need to be packing like crazy for a last-minute-week-long-trip.) I just couldn’t help myself when I couldn’t see where anyone had even mentioned your Milo! Did you know there’s actually SparkNotes for The Phantom Tollbooth? I always jump straight there when I hear the name. I am glad that you want to like the character, too, not just the name. Your kids will appreciate that little bit more.
OK, shaking off the Terrible Trivium now…
ad Rye, boy name
You have no idea how outraged I am that Martina is not on your list….
I was going to be smart and say call it Poo or Zoo and then realised that I called my kids Boo, Too and Moo…
Asher. That is what I wanted to call Boo, except the MIL would have spun in her grave. I love that name though.
I second Owen for a boy… we are going to use that if we have another son (inspired by “A Prayer for Owen Meany,” though it’s not a kid’s book). One of my favorite books was “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing,” so Peter or Farley Drexel (haha… kidding), might work for Blueberry. When I was a teen, I really liked “A Catcher in the Rye,” so add Holden to your list for a boy. I LOVED the book, “Are you there God, it’s me Margaret.” So I pick Margaret for a girl.
Before you pick a name, check on the social security website and make sure it isn’t one of the most popular names…who wants to be one of a million Emilys in her class…
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/babynames/
If it is ia girl….
Anastasia (from Lois Lowry’s series) or Meg (from a Wrinkle in Time)
Okay, my little two cents worth:
I love Julian or Quinn for a boy.
And Elizabeth and Sophia for a girl.
I love To Kill A Mockingbird, which is filled with great names: Scout, Jem, Atticus and I also like the author’s name, Harper. I also love the Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace, which gives you Betsy (Elizabeth), Tacy (Anastasia), Tib (Thelma) and Julia.
for a girl…James Alyse…
Yes, I know James is a boys name, but so is Devon and I am most certainly a girl…
I actually always loved that one of Nancy Drew’s best girlfriends was named George. (After G. Sand, presumably.)
More of a Young Adult novel, but “I Capture the Castle” features the names Cassandra and Topaz. Or Karana from “Island of the Blue Dolphins”. Or the titular Clementine of the “Clementine” series.
Hmm.. those are nice! The Clementine song is so sad, though… hmmm…
I just met a girl named Larami yesterday – unique with a nice earthy quality like Fern. Not sure I can dredge up any literary connection though. I just happened upon your blog and I’m loving it! It has kept me up way too late while I try to catch up with all of your old posts. Thanks for the giggles! Kim – Mom of just-turned-two year old twins Nate and Kate (the rhyming was not entirely premeditated, believe or not!).
Corinna and Lillian are two of my faves.
I am way late on this, but if Declan were a girl, he would have been Rowan, so that still holds a special place in my heart.
Of your list, my fave is Charlotte, but I don’t know if that would be too cutesy for obvious reasons.
I also really like Alice and Violet.
Actually, thinking of your last name, I now vote Alice. It sounds so pretty.
Paikea from “Whale Rider” – I dare you.
Fiona from “The Secret of Roan Inish”
Matilda of Roald Dahl fame and cuz it’s cute.
Lilah because it’s pretty and you never hear it.
I love two of the names on your current list – Beatrice (my husband has "okayed" this as a middle name if we have another girl) and Lucy (our daughter Eleanor’s middle name).
We loved Eleanor. It’s strong, has great history (Eleanor Roosevelt, Eleanor of Acquitain), and has character! It was a hard sell to the family though who mainly call her "Ellie."
As a librarian, some of the children’s book character names are also pretty darn appealing – Charlotte, Matilda….others like Ramona and Ruby also are great.
Congratulations!
I like the names Ramona and Gretchen…and now I want two more daughters!
my favorite girl name of all time is “Vivian”. its classic but it might not go with “Fern”. I think naming the 2nd was way harder than naming the 1st. “Fern and Viv” or “Fern and Vivian” — I like Charlotte — “Fern and Charlotte”. Another name is “Arabella” – “Fern and A-belle”
Stella is a cute one that I recently heard. I also like Violet, which you already have listed. Good luck!
I say go for something simple yet unusual – try
Essi
Nina, Greta, Ella, Lena, Marie Annesophie.
All very popular in Germany.
@Helsinki Phil – OK, I’ve added it to the list! Thanks!
@Milla – OK, I’ve added them to the list! Thanks!
Scout
@Oh, The Joys – Nice one… gotta add that to my list! We do shoot for literary names (Fern isn’t the plant, it’s the character), so I like Scout. I had a Scout as a student once, so that feels a little weird…
Congrats!
My favorite names are:
Sapphire (my little sister’s name).
Roxy.
Irelyn.
Aaliyah.
Mirabel
Thurba. It’s very European. And musical.
All added!