New Surname Names :: H

Inspiration :: Hollis (art by James Hollis)

Halsey

Origin: English

Meaning: Habitation Name

Similar Names: Elsie, Ashley, Hallie.

Hann

Origin: English

Meaning: Variation of a Medieval name

Features: 

Similar Names: Anne, Hannah, Hans.

Harran

Origin: English

Meaning: Nickname for a tall, thin person

Similar Names: Aaron, Hayden, Holden.

Harriot

Origin: French

Meaning: Variation of the name Henri.

Features: A alternative formal version of Harry.

Similar Names: Harriet, Harry, Hetty.

Hart

Origin: English

Meaning: Stag

Features:

Similar Names: 

Hasel

Origin: English

Meaning: Hazel tree

Features: Hazel is seen as such a girl name that Hasel could be a compromise for boys.

Similar Names: Hazel, Rowan, Hayes.

Heikkilä

Origin: Finnish

Meaning: Nickname for Henry

Features: Exotic and pretty.

Helyn

Origin: English

Meaning: Person from Hayling

Features: Familiar sounds. It modernises Helen.

Similar Names: Helen, Ellen, Celyn.

Hendra

Origin: Cornish

Meaning: Habitation name

Features: Sounds heathery and wild.

Similar Names: Alexandra, Henry.

Henley

Origin: English

Meaning: Habitation name

Features: Similar to Henry but with but of expensive flair. Also a place name.

Similar Names: Henderson, Henry.

Hermida

Origin: Spanish

Meaning: Hermit

Features: A Hermione alternative for those who are not a fan of the Harry Potter links.

Similar Names: Hermione.

Herriot

Origin: English and French

Meaning: Variation of Henry

Features: It links to the famous vet James Herriot and could be a good choice for those in the veterinary profession.

Similar Names: Harry, Harriet.

Hilse

Origin: German

Meaning: Lives near a holly tree

Features:

Similar Names: Elise, Elsa.

Halliday

Origin:

Meaning:

Features:

Similar Names:

Hollis

Origin: English

Meaning: Lives near holly trees.

Features: A cool-person name with lots of energy. 

Similar Names: Holly, Holiday, 

Houston

Origin: Scottish

Meaning: Habitation name

Features: Place name, word name and surname name - a hat trick of features.

Similar Names: Camden, Austin.

Creative Baby Naming :: Tilly & the Buttons

Inspiration :: Françoise (painting by François Krige)

Being a name nerd, the first thing that I look for when browsing sewing patterns are their names. The names of the patterns are important in attracting the right customer and they add to your business style. My next part of my creative baby naming venture will look at designers’ pattern name choices – to analyse, praise or criticise.

Tilly and the Buttons

Martha
Marigold
Dominique
Fifi
Coco
Bettine
Orla
Françoise
Arielle
Agnes
Miette
Mathilde

Tilly and the Buttons’ bright, classic sewing patterns have names in a distinctly French style. She uses tailored names like Arielle, Miette and Mathilde to reflect the nature of her fitted garments alongside familiar vintage choices like Agnes and Martha and the lighter style of Fifi, Coco and Orla.

The highest placed name in the UK top 1000 is Mathilde (at number 30) and then Martha (at number 69). Coco, Orla and Agnes are ranked further down the list. Coco and Orla are very pertinent to the fashion world with links to Coco Chanel and Orla Kiely. This adds a touch of glamour to the list which balances out some of the datedness of names like Dominique.

As a sort of sibset, the names work very well together. She has a specific naming style but with a lot of variety. From unusual to familiar, from shorter to longer names.

Sewing pattern name ranking :: 4/5

New Surname Names :: G

Inspiration :: Gardiner (art by Jeremy Gardiner)

Gable

Origin: French

Meaning: Feature of architecture.

Features: A word name that doesn't sound too wordy. Also contains 'able' which is a positive sound to most ears. 

Galera

Origin: Spanish and Catalan

Meaning: Sailor/Shipbuilder

Features: Pretty name with a meaning that could be used for honouring a friend or family member.

Galiana

Origin: Spanish and Catalan

Meaning: Rooster

Similar Names: Julianna, Eliana.

Garcia

Origin: Spanish

Meaning: Bear

Similar Names: Darcy, Cynthia, Grace.

Gardiner

Origin: English

Meaning: Occupational name

Features: Occupational name with a nature twist.

Garland

Origin: English

Meaning: Maker of Garlands

Features: Beautiful, occupational meaning with a gender-neutral air.

Gildea

Origin: Irish

Meaning: Servant of God

Features: Exotic sounding with

Gioiella

Origin: Italian

Meaning: Joy

Features: Frilly with a lovely meaning and the option of the nickname Ella.

Similar Names: Ella, Joelle, Joy, Giulia

Gren

Origin: Swedish

Meaning: Branch

Features: Good meaning, simple name. Unfussy but not too light.

New Surname Names :: F

Inspiration :: Farren (painting by David Farren)

Farren

Origin: English

Meaning: Occupational name for an oxherd

Features: Neutral sounds and fits in the popular two-syllable, -n ending surnames.

Similar Names: Darren, Aaron, Mason, Soren.

Feehally

Origin: Liverpudlian

Meaning: Variation of Fitzhenry

Features: Sounds Irish, energetic and friendly.

Similar Names: Rafferty, Flannery.

Fennell

Origin: English

Meaning: Grower or seller of fennell

Features: Nature name, occupational name with the option of the nickname Nell.

Similar Names: Merrill, Fern, Nell.

Fiala

Origin: Czech

Meaning: Violet

Features: Beautiful meaning, unusual with familar sounds.

Similar Names: Viola, Fenella, Nuala.

Fiorelle

Origin: French

Meaning: Little flower

Features: Pretty with lots of French flair.

Similar Names: Elle, Flora, Isabelle.

Flinn

Origin: Irish

Meaning: Reddish

Features: Has similarities to Finn but looks less flimsy than Flynn. It would make a really cool girls' name.

Similar Names: Finn, Flynn, Sloan. 

Foy

Origin: French

Meaning: Faith

Features: Simplicity in one syllable.

Similar Names: Faith, Roy, Fay.

Freidis

Origin: Jewish

Meaning: Joy

Features: Lovely meaning, unusual ending.

Similar Names: Freya, Frida, Phyllis.

New Surname Names :: E

Inspiration :: Emlyn (Painting of Newcastle Emlyn)

I seem to gravitate towards E- names when choosing names to put on my personal lists but sometimes I cannot find less popular choices. I love the likes of Emily and Emmeline although sometimes I just want something new and exciting. My favourite on this list has to be Elizalde for her spunky z and elegant, sophisticated style. I added a new category of 'similar names' so you can see how these more unusual names can be used as alternatives to chart toppers.

Eade

Origin: English

Meaning: Nickname for Edith

Features: Short, sweet with a neutral sound.

Similar Names: Eve, Eden

Ealey

Origin: English/Irish

Meaning: Habitation name

Features: Nicknamey sound but a ‘proper’ name.

Similar Names: Ellie, Eli

Eame

Origin: English

Meaning: Uncle

Features: Simple with a pleasing sound.

Similar Names: Emmy, Emme, Emma.

Ebi

Origin: English

Meaning: Wild + Boar

Features: Cool –i ending and the simplicity of three letters.

Similar Names: Eli

Echelle

Origin: French

Meaning: Ladder

Features: Has the supermodel style –elle ending but without the popularity of Estelle or the dated feel of Michelle.

Similar Names: Estelle, Michelle, Elle.

Edzard

Origin: German/Frisian

Meaning: Edge, brave, strong.

Features: The z updates Edward but keeps a familiar feel.

Similar Names: Edward, Ezra.

Elcy

Origin: English

Meaning: Elf victory

Features: The c spelling seems to make it more of an androgynous name and adds a bit of a sensible touch to the nicknamey Elsie.

Similar Names: Elsie, Eli, Lucy.

Elizalde

Origin: Basque

Meaning: Topographic name

Features: A rarer, fresher version of Elizabeth with one fewer syllable to worry about.

Similar Names: Elizabeth, Mathilde, Isolde.

Elphey

Origin: English

Meaning: Elf battle

Features: Not the most substantial of names but longer than Alf or Fay/Fey.

Similar Names: Alfie, Fey.

Elzas

Origin: German/Jewish

Meaning:

Features: Sounds unusual but strong and easy to pronounce.

Similar Names: Ezra, Eleazer, Eliaz.

Emary

Origin: English

Meaning: Bravery and power

Features: The fashionable Em- beginning and classic Mary ending make this much more than a creative spelling of Emory.

Similar Names: Emory, Mary, Emily,

Emberry

Origin: English

Meaning: Bravery and power

Features: A daring choice with a subtle naturey twist.

Similar Names: Ember, Huckleberry.

Emmel

Origin: English

Meaning: Bravery and power

Features: A tailored version of many popular girls’ names. It has a soft but not airy sound.

Similar Names: Emmy, Emmeline, Amael.

Emslie

Origin: Scottish

Meaning: Habitation name

Features: Another variation on popular girls’ names and a useful way to link a name to Scotland.

Similar Names: Lindsey, Leslie, Emily.

Emson

Origin: English

Meaning: Variant of Emma

Features: Different to the rising Emerson and more sleek as it only has two syllables.

Similar Names: Emerson, Emma, Anderson.

Esslin

Origin: English

Meaning: God + protector/helmet

Features: Easy to pronounce, strong meaning and a pretty surfer style sound.

Similar Names: Agnes, Evelyn.

Creative Baby Naming

Inspiration :: Skye (painting of the Isle of Skye)

People often make lists of names titled '10 Great Artist Names' or 'The Most Creative Musician Names'. These lists are great for honouring your favourite creative souls but what I find is that their names are often not all that creative. This is because they had no say in the name they were given, it was their parents' choice - which is why you get painters named Brian and fabric designers named Linda. So today I am showing you the names that creative people give their children - the names that the creative people themselves have chosen. 

I looked through issues of 'Mollie Makes' - a sewing and craft magazine that I read. The names were mostly short and sweet. They were a mix of vintage nicknames, Scandi minimalism, word names and English elegance.Here are some of the sibsets I found. 

Finn & Ruby
Daisy, Alfie, Frankie & Betty
Bor & Rover
Bay, Oscar, Hal & Orion
Wolf & Mus
Tallulah, Woody, Jesse & Mathilda
Bonnie & Betsy
Boudica Venus May
Jack & Otto
Ted
Max & Selma
Skye
Charlie, Nomi, Liv & Viggo
Violet
Rafferty
Ruby & George
Solie, Rosa & Pearl
Uma
Satine
Lois & Ellie
Skip
Babette, Rosemarijn, Anne-Floor & Friso
Cooper & Campell
Bert & Gus
Elfie
Edith
Sonny & Huck
Lina
Alfred & Flossie
Arthur & Kit
Ellerie
Atlee
Ruby
Anton & Hope
Emily
Moos