One of our most popular blogs of the year was the one in which Elisabeth Wilborn of You Can’t Call It It transformed the Top 100 girls’ names — and the following week, the most popular boys’ names — into choices with the same feel but more distinction and style.

　　This is the kind of exercise that Linda and I have long offered in our books, with our If You Like X, You’ll Love…. feature, in which we substitute fresh ideas for overused favorites.  You can see dozens of such lists here.

　　But what if the name you want to move beyond isn’t popular, really; isn’t exactly overused but just, to your thinking, too trendy?  What if you want to take an already-stylish and distinctive name and just scooch it toward being….more distinctive?

　　That’s what we tried to do here.  We bet you clever berries will have lots more ideas of trendy names and possible substitutes: We’d love to hear them!  Here are some of ours:

　　girls

　　Instead of Ariana….Aurora

　　Instead of Delilah….Salome

　　Instead of Esme – Maisie

　　Instead of Eden….Celeste

　　Instead of Harlow…. Hepburn

　　Instead of Isla…..Ida

　　Instead of Lila….Lilac

　　Instead of Matilda ….Magdalena

　　Instead of Ruby…Rudy

　　Instead of Scarlett…Indigo

　　Instead of Seraphina…Serena

　　Instead of Stella – Estelle

　　Instead of Thea….Dora

　　Instead of Violet…Magnolia

　　boys

　　Instead of Asher….Asa

　　Instead of Atticus….Cassius

　　Instead of Cullen….Curran

　　Instead of Emmett….Ephraim or Bennett

　　Instead of Harrison….Jefferson

　　Instead of Henry…..Frederick

　　Instead of Hudson…East

　　Instead of Hugo….Hugh

　　Instead of Justice….Justus

　　Instead of Mason…Booker

　　Instead of Milo…Malachy

　　Instead of Oscar….Osias

　　Instead of Rhys….Rex

　　Okay, your turn.