By Anna Otto, Waltzing More Than 　　Matilda 　　The most popular girls names of the 1940s were Margaret, Patricia, Judith, and Helen, but what were the least popular names? Here are ten names which were only chosen once in any year between 1944 and 1949 in South Australia, making them unique...

　　Alice writes: 　　My husband and I are expecting our first baby girl in June after having four boys, and we CANNOT agree on a girl’s name. 　　Our sons are Dashiell Zion, Jedidiah “Jedi” Kai, August Simon, and Lincoln Atticus. The surname sounds like McLachlin. 　　We’re looking for a name that...

　　By Abby Sandel 　　Taylor Swift’s latest video is a who’s who of Hollywood stars, up-and-coming singers, and supermodels galore. 　　(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcIy9NiNbmo YouTube Bad Blood Taylor Swift) stars Taylor as a sort of James Bond/Wonder Woman/Katniss Everdeen warrior extraordinaire. After her fellow BFF-spy betrays her, she enrolls in assassin school and assembles...

　　Choosing the right brother names involves striking the right balance. Ideally, brother names should be coordinated in a clear way — such as style or origin — but you want the names to be distinctive, so the brother set doesn’t feel too matchy. 　　Looking for brother names with similar style is...

　　Traditional boy names remain perennially popular with parents today, in spite of the broader trend towards ever more unique baby names for both sexes. 　　But that doesn’t necessarily mean that all traditional names for boys are popular. As well as the core classic boy names – like John, James and...

　　European baby names have a long and illustrious history of use in the US. After all, many of the most popular boy names today – contemporary classics like Leo and Lucas, Mason and Mateo, Oliver and Owen – have European origins. 　　But there is so much cultural and linguistic variety...

　　Gender neutral names are susceptible to the same shifts in popularity as traditionally gendered names, but these shifts can differ between the sexes. This makes it more interesting to examine the directions of unisex names, which fluctuate in girl-boy ratio from year to year. 　　Nameberry defines gender neutral names as...

　　Surnames used as unisex baby names offer fresh, modern-sounding options that aren’t too tied to one gender. 　　Last names as first names are always in fashion. Some lean strongly to one gender, as we can see in the USA’s list of popular names. Harper and Avery are mostly given to...

　　Unisex nature names blend two of the coolest categories of baby names right now, so it’s no wonder they’re attracting a lot of attention! 　　The top gender neutral names in the US include several nature-inspired options, and the natural world is also a wonderful place to look for unique unisex...

　　The most popular dog names 2022 are in! Rover released their annual data of the top dog names, and there's a new Number 1 female dog name leading the pack. 　　Longtime frontrunner Bella has finally been bumped down to #2, with Luna now taking the lead. New to the Top...

　　Recently, while writing our guide to 50 sites every name nerd needs, I revisited a lot of name sites I’d bookmarked over the years. Among them were several graphics and animations that make name data beautiful. 　　Interested? Here are eight we think you'll enjoy. 　　Some are a little out of date...

　　Fairy tale names are gaining interest, particularly those of fairy tale heroines such as Aurora, Anastasia, and Alice. We’re not at all surprised — who wouldn’t want their daughter to share an enchanting name with a badass princess or rabbit-hole-traveling renegade? 　　However, many of the fairy tales we’re most familiar...

　　We often cover rare and unique names — from creative modern inventions to unusual place and nature names. The names below are rare too, but with a difference. 　　You've almost certainly heard of them. (And so have your parents.) 　　Even if you don't know someone with them in real life,...

　　When it comes to classic names, there are two stories we like to tell. Sometimes it’s that classics have been abandoned. Time to name your baby Chicago, Koala, or True, because nobody would dare call a kid Elizabeth or James in the year 2023. 　　The other story? Classic baby names...

　　Baby name influencers don't set out to start name trends, but ultimately, their names go viral. 　　When it comes to influential names, there’s a formula for success. Whether the name is that of a celebrity or their child, it needs to be connected to someone who’s highly visible in the...

　　When I was a waitress, we had a trick to help indecisive customers make up their minds about what they wanted to eat. 　　If it was the main course that had them stumped, we asked, “Meat or fish?” 　　And if it was dessert, the question was “Fruit or chocolate?” 　　Now,...

　　Over the many months of How I Named My Baby, our Berries have shared incredible tips and valuable insight on navigating the baby name process. 　　Here, the best baby name advice from our readers: 　　On where to begin:“Start off by asking your partner what names they don’t like! Are there any names...

　　We won't sugar coat it: the legal and administrative logistics of a name change — whether it's your own or your child's — can be overwhelming. To make your process easier, we've compiled a far-reaching collection of name change resources, organized by location. 　　In the United States, name changes are processed at...