The Secret Names of February

Discover why Presley and Isaac are Black History names, why Kinnia and Rudo are special February names, and what rare vintage-flower combo Jenny Slate gave her daughter.

A Brief History of Black Names

This is Black History Month (in the US and Canada), and we have a special guest post tracing the origins of distinctively African American names to the earliest days of the US.

List of the week: February baby names

We’re also in the month of valentines and pancakes, and one step closer to spring. Read why Iris, Anselm and Onyx (and dozens more) are all great names for February babies.

Name of the week: Ida

Is one of the best-kept name secrets finally out? Short, sweet, vintage Ida is a Top 100 name in Scandinavia and Germany. It’s Number 235 on the Nameberry reader charts. Yet it remains stubbornly underused (below the Top 1000) in the States, despite the popularity of Ada and Ivy.

Maybe all it needs is a celebrity baby to get the ball rolling. Will actress Jenny Slate’s new baby Ida Lupin help put the name onto parents’ lists? Honorable mention to her middle name, too (which I’ve also seen spelled Lupine). Jenny said it was for her and her fiancé’s favorite flower, but we think it calls to mind the golden-age Hollywood star Ida Lupino.