Amanda Elizabeth Barden's Blog, page 4

Name of the Week: Isaac

The Name of the Week is Isaac. What do you think? This name’s meaning has always made me love it.

Here’s what’s great about Isaac:

Isaac: (Welsh) “to laugh” – I love names with happy meanings and laughter is about as happy as it gets.
Isaac is one of those names that has always been around, but never too popular. Since 1900, the lowest it’s ranked in 378 in 1967. The highest it’s ranked in 29 in 2013.

FUN FACT: Liev Schreiber’s full name is Isaac Liev Schreiber.

You can read about some other famous people named Isaac, like Isaac Newton, .

What do you think of the name Isaac?

If you want to get a copy of my Isaac definition , I sell them over in my LetterLuxe Printables shop. It makes a great baby shower gift.

Happy naming ♥ Amanda

 

‘Game of Thrones’ Inspired Baby Names

Not too long ago, I got a LetterLuxe order for the name Daenerys, so I know that some parents-to-be are inspired by the names from the hugely popular Game of Thrones. Lots of popular TV shows, movies, books, and celebrities work their way into our naming culture, so this isn’t a surprise. With the sixth season debuting this week on HBO, it seems like a good time to consider some of the names from this series.

WARNING: I’d recommend doing your homework before choosing any of these names – and that means reading the books, not just watching the TV show, which surely doesn’t tell the full story. After reading up on the character you might decide you don’t want to name your child after a murderous adulterer. Then again you might love the name so much you’re willing to overlook it. That’s for you to decide, not me.

That said, George R. R. Martin has a way with words and a way with names. Many of the names from this series are quite adventurous, but there are some great options worth noting. Here’s a list of some of the best and most usable names from Game of Thrones:

AREO
ARYA
ASHA
BRIENNE
CERSEI
DAARIO
MELISANDRE
MISSANDEI
MYRCELLA
SAMWELL
SANSA
TALISA

This list is heavily weighted with female names. I left out names like Jon and Jamie because they were too obvious and didn’t feel especially Game of Thrones-y. You know? Are there some great male names that you think should have made the list?

Another word of caution: The series isn’t finished yet. The sweet teddy bear of a character, Samwell, could take a nasty turn in the future (please, no!). But if we’ve learned anything from Game of Thrones, it’s proceed with caution…

Happy naming ♥ Amanda

Read the books

Name of the Week: Nora

The Name of the Week is Nora. I have always loved the name Nora. What about you? Here’s what’s great about it:

It has a truly lovely definition – “honor”
It feels old-fashioned and I mean that in the best way possible
It doesn’t have any built-in nicknames, so if you want people to use your daughter’s full first name, Nora is a good bet.
It’s attained a little popularity in the last few years, but it’s not ultra-popular yet – it’s only ranked #49 at SSA. It’s been headed up the charts though, so it could go even higher.

What do you think of Nora?

If you want to get a copy of my Nora name meaning , I sell them over in my LetterLuxe Printables shop. It’s a great gift!

Happy naming ♥ Amanda

 

Names in the News: Harriet, Lucretia, Sojourner, Susan, Elizabeth, & Alice

Harriet Tubman

This has been a big week for some notable women… for the first time, women will be honored on U.S. currency. Here’s how it’s going to break down:

Abolitionist Harriet Tubman will be the new face of the $20 bill
Suffragists Lucretia Mott, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Alice Paul will be honored on the back of the $10 bill

If you’re looking for a great name that evokes strength and courage, consider one of these namesakes for inspiration. There’s something for everyone here:

Harriet and Lucretia are both vintage names that I think are ready for revival. Harriet hasn’t been in the Top 1000 since 1970 and Lucretia hasn’t been there since 1977.
Susan, Elizabeth, and Alice would be great for people looking for a traditional name and
Sojourner is for people who are really looking for a name that stands out

Here’s an NPR article talking about the upcoming currency changes in case you want to read more.

Happy naming ♥ Amanda

Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony

Nautical Baby Names

Nautical nurseries have been popular for awhile – it’s actually one of the most requested LetterLuxe themes and there’s no sign of it slowing down any time soon. It started off being mostly popular for boys, but now it’s popular for girl nurseries, too.

This post is for all the nautical-minded parents-to-be out there. If you’re interested in a nautical-themed nursery, you just might like a nautical name to match. Here are some good ones:

ATHENA – (Greek) “from the sea”
BAY
BO – (Chinese) “waves”
DORI / DORIS – (Greek) “from the ocean”
DYLAN – (Welsh) “sea”
ESTES – (Spanish) “tide”
HURLEY – (Irish) “sea tide”
ILA – (French) “from the island”
KAI – (Hawaiian) “sea”
KELSON – (English) “ship keel”
KELVIN – (English) “ship lover”
KYLA / KYLE – (Gaelic) “narrow strait”
LAINE – (Finnish) “wave”
LISBON – (Phoenician) “good harbor, good water”
MAREN / MARINA / MARIS / MARISSA – (Latin) “sea”
MARINO – (Latin) “of the sea; sailor”
MARNA – (Scandinavian) “sea”
MARVIN – (English) “friend of the sea”
MERRICK – (English) “ruler of the sea”
MERYL / MERRILL – (Celtic) “bright sea”
MORGAN – (Welsh) “bright sea”
NAMI – (Japanese) “wave”
NERISSA – (Greek) “sea sprite, from the sea”
OCÉANE – (Greek) “ocean”
REMI / REMY – (French) “oarsman”
SAILOR
SKIPPER – (Dutch) “ship’s captain”
TAO – (Chinese) “big waves”
YOSHIE – (Japanese) “good bay”
ZALE – (Greek) “strong sea”

If you ask me tomorrow, I might have a different favorite, but today, I love Ila – it’s unique, has a lovely ring to it, and has a nice meaning (especially if you do happen to be from an island). What is your favorite name from the list?

Happy naming ♥ Amanda

Nautical Letter Sets by LetterLuxe

 

Name of the Week: Dylan

The Name of the Week is Dylan. What do you think? I’ve always been a fan. Here’s what’s great about Dylan:

It has a lovely meaning – “sea”
Despite being an old name, it still feels very contemporary
It’s fairly popular without having been in the Top 10 – Dylan peaked at #19 for boys on the SSA charts in 2003 and 2004
It’s become a unisex name. Dylan entered the girl’s SSA chart in 1993 and has been becoming more popular. It ranked #394 in 2014.

FUN FACT: In researching my , I learned that Dylan Thomas was named after the sea god from Celtic mythology.

What do you think of the name Dylan?

If you want to get a copy of my Dylan definition , I sell them over in my LetterLuxe Printables shop. It makes a great baby shower gift.

Happy naming ♥ Amanda xo

 

Baby Name News: Congratulations, Kelly Clarkson!

Congratulations are in order for Kelly Clarkson! Remington Alexander is a lovely name.

Our little baby boy has arrived!! Remington Alexander Blackstock was born 4/12/16 & he is healthy & we couldn't be happier or more in love!

— Kelly Clarkson (@kelly_clarkson) April 14, 2016

 

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Names Inspired by Beverly Cleary (in honor of her 100th birthday!)

Happy 100th birthday, Beverly Cleary! I have such wonderful memories of reading your books growing up. I remember reading Dear Mr. Henshaw aloud to my mom one summer when I was learning to read. I remember a teacher reading Ralph S. Mouse to the class. But mostly I remember Beezus and Ramona… My favorite!

In honor of this milestone birthday, I thought it would be nice to get some name inspiration from Beverly Cleary’s wonderful books. Here are some great name options:

BEATRICE -aka Beezus
HENRY
LEIGH
MAGGIE
OTIS
RAMONA – this is my favorite of all the names- it’s unique, a little quirky, and so sweet

Bonus pet name – RIBSY – I bet there are more than a few pets who’ve been named after Ribsy over the years[image error]

Happy naming, ♥ Amanda xo

Alice in Wonderland Nursery Decor

I absolutely love to repurpose used books for LetterLuxe. I was thrilled when I got an order for a full name in my Alice in Wonderland theme. I absolutely love how they turned out so I wanted to share some of the pictures with you.

 

© Amanda Elizabeth BardenSo far I’ve done Alice in Wonderland, The Cat in the Hat, Curious George,  Winnie-the-Pooh, Mother Goose, Nancy Drew, and Babar. What books shall I do next?

Happy naming ♥ Amanda xo

Poet-Inspired Names in Honor of National Poetry Month

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love names? Let me count the ways…

Ok, that’s not *exactly* what Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote, but I think I’m allowed some poetic license since this is National Poetry Month. In honor of this  celebration, I put together a list of poet-inspired names:

AUDEN – W. H. Auden
BARRETT – Elizabeth Barrett Browning
BLAKE – William Blake
BRONTË – Emily, Anne, and Charlotte Brontë
CHARLOTTE – Charlotte Brontë
DOVE – Rita Dove
DYLAN – Dylan Thomas
EDGAR – Edgar Allen Poe – Annabelle Lee is a bonus name in honor of one of my all-time favorite poems
EDNA – Edna St. Vincent Millay
ELIOT – T. S. Eliot
ELIZABETH – Elizabeth Barrett Brownin
ELLA – Ella Wheeler Wilcox
EMERSON – Ralph Waldo Emerson
EMILY – Emily Dickinson
GWENDOLYN – Gwendolyn Brooks
HUGHES – Langston Hughes
JACK – Jack Kerouac
JOSEPHINE – Josephine Jacobsen
KHALIL – Khalil Gibran
KIPLING – Rudyard Kipling
LANGSTON – Langston Hughes
LÉONIE – Léonie Adams
LOUISE – Louise Bogan
LUCY – L. M. Montgomery
MARLOWE – Christopher Marlowe
MAYA – Maya Angelou
OSCAR – Oscar Wilde
PENN – Robert Penn Warren
PERCY – Percy Bysshe Shelley
TASSO – Bernado and Torquato Tasso
TATE – Allen Tate
WHITMAN – Walt Whitman
WILLA – Willa Cather
WILLIAM  – William Shakespeare

What is your favorite poet name? Let me know what names you’d add to the list.

Happy naming ♥ Amanda xo