Appellation Mountain

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01/18/12--23:02: Baby Name of the Day: Sonnet (chan 2126631)

If Story is a name, why not this poetic choice? Thanks to Kaela for suggesting Sonnet as our Baby Name of the Day. A sonnet is a type of poem, a form with specific rules.  There are three major types, … Continue reading →


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Sonnets-Titelblatt 1609

01/19/12--23:02: Fetching Names: Into the Wayback Machine with the Girls’ Top 25 (chan 2126631)

I’m fascinated by names from the Middle Ages. They’re often quite similar to those parents love today, but tend to be almost entirely overlooked. Nameberry has the Coolator.  I’d call this the Medievalizer, except that sounds like a torture device. … Continue reading →


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Love Tapestry; fragment; Basel c. 1450

English: A mural which most likely depicts Ele...

01/21/12--08:32: February 2012 Name Narrow Down (chan 2126631)

It’s time for another round of narrowing down the many, many name submitted to AppMtn to determine which ones to profile!  The top two finishers will be profiled on February 14 and February 15 of this year. A quick apology … Continue reading →


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English: Ballot Box showing preferential voting

01/22/12--06:18: Sunday Summary: Fourth Birthday Edition (chan 2126631)

Four years ago I wrote my very first post ever here at AppMtn.  I didn’t have a plan or a goal – just an obsession that I thought a handful of other people might share. I’m working on something special … Continue reading →


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English: Traditional Devil's Food Birthday Cake

01/23/12--02:41: From Annai to Zen: Thoughts on the Ever-Deepening Pool of Given Names, Part I (chan 2126631)

I’m fascinated by new baby names – names that have virtually no history of use as English-language given names until now.  And I’m equally intrigued by how we perceive them.  Anneliese is a fast-rising import that I’ve heard called vintage.  … Continue reading →


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Baby Douglas

01/23/12--23:02: Baby Name of the Day: Fraser (chan 2126631)

He’s a surname that nods to Scotland, and to the great outdoors. Thanks to Fran for suggesting Fraser as our Baby Name of the Day. The best guess is that Fraser – and Frasier, Frazer, and Frazier – are Scottish … Continue reading →


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English: coat of arms of the fraser of lovat

01/24/12--23:02: Baby Name of the Day: Fiona (chan 2126631)

She’s the princess-ogre in Shrek, an Irish(ish) option with an appealing sound. Thanks to Melissa for suggesting Fiona as our Baby Name of the Day. Fiona is one of the first names I ever wrote about, before Names of the … Continue reading →


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Princess Fiona

01/25/12--23:02: Baby Name of the Day: Garnet (chan 2126631)

We have daughters named Ruby and Pearl, Gemma and Jewel, so why not this sparkling appellation? Thanks to Marianne and Larkin for suggesting Garnet as our Baby Name of the Day. Before you dismiss Garnet as another modern wacky noun … Continue reading →


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English: a collection of oval Garnets in light...

01/26/12--23:02: Fetching Names: Beary Boyish (chan 2126631)

You wouldn’t name your son Fuzzy Wuzzy or Yogi, but there are an awful lot of great boy names that bring to mind bears.  Some literally mean bear, while others have been worn by a famous ursine. Let’s start with … Continue reading →


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Close up of a grizzly bear cub at the Kodiak N...

01/27/12--23:02: A Boy Named Sue, or Baby Naming Seven Years Later (chan 2126631)

If you’ve been reading for a while, you might know that I refer to my firstborn as Aly, short for Alexander.  He’s named after his grandfather, a choice that I’ve never regretted, even if it wasn’t necessarily what I’d have … Continue reading →


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