Rare nature names have blossomed in recent years, especially for baby girls. Flower names such as Lily and Violet share the spotlight in the Top 100 with other nature-inspired names such as Autumn, Ruby, and Hazel. 　　But one of the most exciting thing about nature names is how wide and...

　　By Abby Sandel 　　Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer in the US, and that means movies. 　　Not just any movies, either. The summer schedule is packed with potential blockbusters – as much romance and action and intrigue as you can stuff into two hours and a bucket...

　　Do too many rules make naming a baby impossible, or is a solid list of must-haves the key to finding a great name for daughter number three? 　　Kate writes: 　　We are counting down the days until our fifth child and third daughter arrives at the end of June. We cannot...

　　JAre there any great girl names that aren’t in the Top 100? The Name Sage assures an expectant mama that there are plenty of gorgeous names that aren’t heard everywhere. 　　Sydney writes: 　　I am due this August with boy-girl twins. They already have a big sister named Summer Emilia. 　　In...

　　Very feminine girls’ names that were unusual and exotic a generation or two ago have risen to the top of the US popularity lists: I’m looking at you, Isabella, Sophia, Olivia. 　　So what’s the parent to do who loves this kind of elaborate girls’ name but wants something a lot...

　　By Tiana Putric 　　Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton has made U.S. history by becoming America’s first female presidential candidate to gain enough delegates to win the nomination of a major U.S. political party. 　　But Secretary Clinton certainly wasn’t the first woman to make a run for the White House. Dozens of women...

　　By Abby Sandel 　　Congratulations to Eddie Redmayne and Hannah Bagshawe on the arrival of their daughter, Iris Mary. 　　The Oscar-winning actor and his public relations executive wife chose a sophisticated, nickname-proof name for their first child. Iris has so many qualities expectant parents seek. It’s literary and glamorous, but not...

　　What do you do when you’ve created a baby name pattern, and now none of the names you love fits? Does your next baby break the mold, or does family unity carry the day? 　　Katie writes: 　　My due date is September 30 and we are expecting a girl, our fourth...

　　Middle names are entering a new era for 2023 and beyond. It’s almost imperative today that middle names be meaningful — whether they honor a relative, relate to a parent’s passion, or reflect an important family value. 　　But middle names today should also be fun. Parents are taking advantage of...

　　By Linda Rosenkrantz 　　Marilyn Monroe was unquestionably the sex symbol of midcentury America. And even though everyone knew she was born Norma Jean, she became big enough to be known simply as Marilyn. (Though Marilyn hasn’t caught on like other Old Hollywood stars, there has been something of a revival...

　　By Lauren Der 　　Olivia has been the second most popular girls’ name in the US for the two years running, and Golden Age Hollywood star Olivia de Havilland was one of the first people to bring it to prominence here decades ago. The last surviving star of Gone With the...

　　By Linda Rosenkrantz 　　Why would you choose a girls’ name name from another culture? There are several good reasons. First of all, there is the sheer beauty of so many of them. Then there is the honor factor. Say you have a beloved grandmother named Barbara you want to pay tribute...

　　By Abby Sandel 　　Back in 2007, Thirty Rock’s Cerie told Liz Lemon that she already had baby names picked out. “If it’s a girl, Bookcase, or Sandstorm, or maybe Hat, but that’s more of a boy’s name.” 　　While Hat and Bookcase remain – thankfully – unused, parents continue to embrace...