This week Appellation Mountain’s Abby Sandel follows the lead of Jada Pinkett (with son Jaden) in showing us how to find boys’ names honoring a female namesake.

　　Jaden Christopher Syre Smith turns 13 next month.  Smith is Hollywood royalty, the son of actors Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith, and his name is often cited as one of the reasons Jayden, Caeden, Hayden, and company became an epidemic among boys’ names. 

　　Overlook the rhymes-with-Aiden qualities of Jaden Smith’s name for a minute, and there’s something else notable about this young actor’s appellation.  While girls have been named after their fathers since ancient days, Jaden is one of relatively few boys to be named after his mother. 

　　The Smiths continued the pattern with daughter Willow Camille Reign, choosing a name that honors dad, but opting for something less conventional than Billie or Wilhelmina.

　　They’re not the only famous parents looking to their family trees as a starting point for choosing a child’s name.  Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr chose Flynn to honor his grandmother, Evelyn.

　　Plenty of names have obvious equivalents, like Charles and Charlotte or Ray and Rae.  Others don’t lend themselves to an obvious opposite-gendered name.  What’s the masculine form of Bridget?

　　You may need to be creative to name a daughter after your favorite uncle, but that can create an opportunity, too.  Grandpa Donald might fume if you reject Donald in favor of the more stylish Donovan for your son.  But honor grandma Donna or aunt Dawn with a little Donovan, and chances are she’ll be thrilled.

　　Based on the most popular names of the 1970s and 80s, here are some thoughts about how you might name a son, Pinkett-Smith style.  The girls’ list is up next week.  Add your additions and suggestions in the comments!

　　Abigail – Abbot, Abram

　　Aimee, Amy – Amos, Emmett

　　Alicia – Alec

　　Alyssa – Asa

　　Amanda – Ammon, Amon, Damon

　　Amber – Embry

　　Andrea – Anderson, Drew, Landry

　　Angela – Angus

　　Anita – Nate

　　April – March

　　Ashley – Asher

　　Audrey – Auden

　　Autumn – October

　　Barbara – Barrett

　　Bridget – Ridge

　　Brittany – Brett

　　Brooke – Brooks, River

　　Candace – Dash

　　Candice – Dyson

　　Carla, Caroline, Carolyn – Ari, Arlo, Cary, Harry

　　Carol – Kiril

　　Cassandra – Cashel, Cassian

　　Catherine, Katherine – Trent

　　Christina – Rhys

　　Cindy, Cynthia – Indiana

　　Courtney – Corin, Courtland

　　Dawn – Donovan

　　Deanna – Dean

　　Deborah – Devon

　　Donna – Dante

　　Elizabeth – Eli, Eben

　　Emily – Emmett

　　Hannah – Hans

　　Heather – Heath

　　Holly, Molly – Oliver

　　Jacqueline – Jackson

　　Jaime – Jameson

　　Jenna, Jennifer – Jenson, Jensen

　　Jessica – Jesper

　　Jillian – Killian

　　Joanna – Jonah

　　Julia, Julie – Jude, Julius

　　Kara – Carter

　　Karen – Kieran

　　Kayla – Kai

　　Kelly – Kelly

　　Kendra – Kennet

　　Kristen – Carsten, Tristan

　　Lauren – Larkin

　　Leah – Leo

　　Linda – Linden

　　Lisa – Liam

　　Lori – Rory

　　Margaret – Garrett, Maguire

　　Melissa – Ellis

　　Meredith – Reed

　　Michelle – Micah

　　Miranda – Miro

　　Monica, Veronica – Nico

　　Natasha – Ashton

　　Nicole – Cole, Colton

　　Nina – Ian

　　Rachel – Ray

　　Rebecca – Beckett, Beckham, Breccan

　　Regina – Rex

　　Rhonda – Ronan

　　Samantha – Anthony

　　Sandra – Anders

　　Sarah – Harris

　　Shannon – Hannon

　　Stephanie – Stefan

　　Susan – Sander

　　Suzanne – Xander

　　Teresa – Reese

　　Tonya – Anton

　　Tracy – Trace

　　Valerie – Valery, Valor

　　Victoria – Torin

　　Whitney – Whittier