The 6 Newsiest Names This Week 📢
Plus Margot
Aya and Ohm
Hilary Swank and her entrepreneur husband Philip Schneider welcomed girl-boy twins last April, but only revealed their names publicly last week, on Valentine’s Day.
I’m sold. Aya and Ohm are textbook examples of twin names that complement each other without being too matchy. The vowel initials. Both three-letter mini names, with different numbers of syllables. Both feel on-trend for 2024, but in totally different ways — Aya for its pan-cultural sound, Ohm for its science credentials (or possibly spirituality, if they were thinking of Om). These were worth the wait to find out.
Ernest
I enjoyed this graphic — and accompanying list — of Old Man Names that have plummeted. Albert, Chester, Percy… any one could be an adorable offbeat fusty revival. Several of these names are already big again in Britain, though often as nicknames, like Albie, Bertie, Ernie, and Herbie.
Fred
Speaking of old guy names, we love grandpa names for girls, but have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a woman named Fred? This piece shows the big gap between Quebec, where the name Frédérique (sometimes Fred for short) is common, and the States, where it’s really not.
I’m thinking we need a subcategory for European girl names with androgynous nicknames. Off the top of my head there’s also Leonora “Leo”, Ludovica “Ludo”… what others do you know?
Sheridan
I grew up assuming this was a common name because there was a boy called Sheridan in my school. It was only later, in the wider world, that I realised how underused (and unisex) this Irish surname is. So I enjoyed this ode to Sheridan, and how the writer’s son spontaneously embraced his first name.
Virrantytär
Finland has just released a list of baby names that got rejected last year, including Kukkupöö (chicken night), Vasara (hammer), Mielivalta (arbitrary) and Voldemort.
Unusual names that were allowed on birth certificates include Kerppu (“flea”), Kuippana (“oops”), Tähetär (“asterisk”), and the swoonworthy Virrantytär (“daughter of the stream” 😍). We can expect Finland’s full baby name statistics around May.
…and Margot
Our followers’ hot takes on names have been causing low-key controversy ⬇️
If you want more, check out the Hot Takes thread in the Nameberry forums. My favourite recent addition: “Thomas should be spelled Tommis”.
Another female name with a male short form is Frances with the nickname Frank.