# Step Right Up and Help Name the Baby. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 11, 2000, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724 "2000-01-11T20:41:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/21 "2000-01-11T21:30:00Z")
These are all family names from the Rhoads, Wainscotts, Millers, et al . . . Edith Iris Irene Robin Lila Linda Jody (or Joyce) LaJune Michelle Noelle Rya Teddi Mindy There are a few others, but those should tide you over nicely. ---
**Author:** ![Sassy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Sassy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sassy)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/22 "2000-01-11T21:32:00Z")
Brogan? is another word for shoe. I do like Maureen (my charming and successful sister, who is also having a baby almost any moment.) Mairead (Mah-raid) is Gaelic for Margaret. Bridget is nice, and almost no one in the country shortens it to Bridie. Eileen is a classic ---
**Author:** ![CanadianSue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@CanadianSue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanadianSue)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/23 "2000-01-11T21:35:00Z")
hey Cristi… I’m a lamb too 🙂 * * * We are, each of us angels with only one wing,and we can only fly by embracing one another ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/24 "2000-01-11T21:40:00Z")
Moving along with the literary theme, how about Cordelia? It’s classic, and won’t make the Top 10 lists any time soon. I’m fond of the names Sophie and Clara. I’m also fond of Katie, but aren’t there about 50 bajillion little Katies now? I have always thought that you need to see the child before assigning the name. Why not get your top two or three choices together, and decide in the delivery room which one best suits the next member of the Ujest clan? ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/25 "2000-01-11T21:43:00Z")
Almost forgot! My aunt seriously favors the name Brigid, but I would give careful consideration of what the kids in the playground could do to that or any other potential name. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/26 "2000-01-11T21:43:00Z")
Wouldn’t this name fit your criteria? Zoe (from the greek word for life) [ul][li]two syllbables that cannot be broken down to a one syllable name[/li][li]cannot be trendy (unless Zoe is trendy, I don’t know)[/li][li]cannot begin with “e” or “ah” sound[/li][li]it’s a european name[/li][li]isn’t anbn or anna[/ul][/li] My other suggestion: Robyn ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/27 "2000-01-11T21:44:00Z")
Well, if my son had been a girl she was going to be Miriam Grace. Doesn’t fit your criteria, but what the heck. An instructor I had in college was named Leda, which I always thought was pretty cool. She had a Greek surname, though. ---
**Author:** ![Rousseau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Rousseau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rousseau)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/28 "2000-01-11T21:47:00Z")
“Zoe” sounds pretty trendy to me. Well, somebody’s gotta say Goneril now, so it may as well be me… * * * The IQ of a group is equal to the IQ of the dumbest member divided by the number of people in the group. ---
**Author:** ![Sake\_Samurai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sake\_Samurai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sake_Samurai)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/29 "2000-01-11T21:47:00Z")
I don’t know about you, but if my folks ever told me that my name was chosen by a stranger on an internet message board, I’d beat them with my birth certificate and make a trip to the courthouse the very next day. * * * Hell is Other People. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/30 "2000-01-11T21:48:00Z")
Grane? Wasn’t that Brunhilde’s horse in THE RING OF THE NIBELUNG? Robyn is cool, or even Robin. The only Robin I currently know has parents who were VERY original in their choice of names…Robin’s younger sister is “Linen.” Pick a nice pagan goddess. Diana is good, and out of favor with the trendy right now. Hecate? * * * Uke ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/31 "2000-01-11T21:48:00Z")
Tegan–is that pronouced Tee-gan or does it rhyme with Megan? Either way, I guess it’s not bad, although it sounds pretty soap-operaish. Keely, on the other hand, is an abomination. Feely Keely? Playground torture ensues for years to come. Not to mention 10,000 people spelling it wrong on credit cards, etc., by calling her Kelly. I’m looking at [babynames.com](http://babynames.com), and coming up with a few suggestions that fit your standards, I hope. Caelan, or any spelling thereof (Meaning: Victorious People) Callie (Meaning: Beautiful) Dagan (Meaning: The Earth. I have no idea if this is a girl’s name, but it’s kinda neat nonetheless, given what you seem to like) Darcy (Meaning: Dark) Darian Devin (Meaning: Poet) Danica (Meaning: Morning star) Fiona (Meaning: White) Gwyneth (Meaning: Blessed, Fortunate) Haley (Meaning: Heroine) Helen (Meaning: Torchlight) Jocelyn (Meaning: Light-hearted) Kailey (Meaning: Laurel, Crown) Rachel (Meaning: Ewe) Rhiannon (Meaning: Witch-Nymph-Goddess) Siobhan (This is a Celtic form of Joan, meaning you could name your kid after you, but not really! In case you don’t know, it’s pronounced Shavan, or something similar) Terena And that’s it. Hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![Frankie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@Frankie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frankie)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/32 "2000-01-11T21:50:00Z")
You might want to check [www.babynamer.com](http://www.babynamer.com) They have this to say: > [@](#): > > Keely > This girl’s name is used in English. It is an alternate form of Keelin. > > There are teasing nicknames (see Baggage). > > The name Keely ranked 1616th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census. > [@](#): > > Tegan > This girl’s name is used in English. It is a modern invention, created for its pleasing sounds. Learn more about the heritage of this name. > > The name Tegan ranked 4103rd in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census. Hope it helps! * * * -Frankie Lack of charisma can be fatal ---
**Author:** ![SaxFace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SaxFace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaxFace)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/33 "2000-01-11T22:01:00Z")
Tegan? Oh, she won’t get beat up or teased every day (sarcasm). How is it pronounced? Like vegan or Reagan? I’m all for unusual names as long as they don’t set the child up for disaster. A friend of mine named his son Kalil Thoth. His other son is Oak. Hideous. I can’t imagine what those kids go through. I like names that are rare, but not freaky. Some suggestions that fit your requirements: Sonja (my sister’s name) Daiva (friend’s name: pron. Dive-a) Elza (granny’s name) Mara (my cousin’s name) * * * Formerly unknown as “Melanie” ---
**Author:** ![Catrandom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@Catrandom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catrandom)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/34 "2000-01-11T22:07:00Z")
Siobhan is pronounced “Shevaun,” but don’t do it unless you want your daughter to spend her life spelling her name for people and being called “SYE-o-bann” by telemarketers. Same goes for “Grainne.” And Anglicized – that is, pronounceable – spellings of Celtic names are not my favorite thing (Catelynn, Grania, etc.), so I wouldn’t take that route. “Keely” shows signs of becoming trendy, at least in L.A.; there may be a boatload of little Keelys in a couple of years. It also doesn’t, to my ear, go as nicely with the middle and last names as Tegan does. Allison, as suggested above, is a really nice match for the other names. Just a personal note: There are a lot of annoyances inherent in having an unusual name, as I know to my sorrow, including the continual mispronunciations and misspellings, the requests that one explain it (“What kind of name is that?” asked in tones of varying civility) and those who will not, in spite of repeated corrections, ever pronounce it right. A surprising number of people’s brains seem to fuse in the face of any name more complicated than “Debbie.” I’m glad to have an uncommon name, but it’s also been, in many ways, a lifelong irritation. Catrandom, whose real name is not Rita, Frida, Britta or Brenda ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Thin\_Skin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Mr\_Thin\_Skin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Thin_Skin)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/35 "2000-01-11T22:11:00Z")
Hey Coldfire, why don’t you create another big-assed spread sheet and post the results later 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GuyShyGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/57b2e6/32.png) [@GuyShyGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuyShyGirl)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/36 "2000-01-11T22:11:00Z")
1. Hastings Marie 2. Madalyn Louise 3. Lorraine Sophia 4. Marian Joyce ---
**Author:** ![Holly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/48db29/32.png) [@Holly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Holly)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/37 "2000-01-11T22:13:00Z")
I have a friend who plans to name her baby “Macey”. I think it’s a wonderful name. I named my daughter “Hayley”, but I picked the name out in 1980, before anyone used it; it’s just a tad too popular now. ---
**Author:** ![GuyShyGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/57b2e6/32.png) [@GuyShyGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuyShyGirl)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/38 "2000-01-11T22:15:00Z")
And Debbie is a complicated name. I’ve spent my whole life being called Debbie (your classic cheerleader, blonde airhead name, and I’m not an airhead or a cheerleader), because people have trouble with my real name. Deborah is pronounced De-Bra, not Dee-Bore-Ah, as people seem to think. And when they do pronounce it right, it’s because they’re spelling it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/39 "2000-01-11T22:15:00Z")
Oh, you wanna talk about names that’ll get you beat up? How about what my brother named his son, currently aged 19 months: Beck. Allow me to go even further and say that our last name is pronounced BOO-nuh-shek. Now, put Beck in front of that. I’m betting it takes about 2 seconds before he either starts going by his middle name, Alexander, or going by Baxter, which is what my dad calls him. Anyway, back to baby names. I’m still pulling for Maxine. ---
**Author:** ![ReservoirDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8edcca/32.png) [@ReservoirDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReservoirDog)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724/40 "2000-01-11T22:20:00Z")
Wiley (the fact that this is my cat’s name should have no bearing on the matter at all) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-right-up-and-help-name-the-baby/12724.md?page=3)