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Showing posts from 2012

Leslie

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Origin : Scottish Gender : Unisex Meaning : "Garden of holly" Pronunciation : LEZ-lee Other forms : Lesley Could this name ever be reclaimed for boys? Or is it 100% girl? I personally always think of Leslie Howard, though it does have a feminine sound. It comes from a Scottish surname, which was originally a place name, and probably came from the Gaelic leas celyn which means "garden of holly". An appropriate name for a baby boy or girl born around the holidays. In folklore, the Holly King is the adversary of the Oak King, and the two battle it out all year long. At Midsummer the Oak King is at his greatest, while the Holly King is weak. The Holly King begins to regain his power, and at the Autumn Equinox the tables turn. During Midwinter the Holly King is at his strongest. Holly was thought to protect the house from evil fairies or to allow fairies and people to co-exist. Cutting down a whole holly tree was also seen as bad luck.

Samaire Armstrong Welcomes Baby Boy

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Samaire   Actress Samaire Armstrong has given birth to her first child, a baby boy whom she has called Calin. She is known for her roles in the "O.C.", "Stay Alive", "It's a Boy Girl Thing", and "Dirty Sexy Money". Samaire was born in Tokyo thirty two years ago to a Scottish father and Italian mother. She is also a fashion designer, and model.

Ju

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Origin : Chinese Gender : Female Meaning : "Chrysanthemum" Pronunciation : JOO Other forms : N/A Chrysanthemums are beautiful flowers, native to Asia and northeastern Europe, and are of the family Asteraceae. The word "chrysanthemum" comes from the Greek chrysos, meaning "gold", and anthemon, which means "flower". They were first cultivated in China as far back as the 15th century, and are thought to have been brought to China sometime in the 8th century, when the Emperor made them his official seal. The chrysanthemum is one of the four gentlemen usually depicted in traditional Chinese ink and wash paintings. The other three are the plum, the orchid, and the bamboo. In some parts of Asia, the white or yellow species are boiled and made into a tea. They are also often boiled or steamed and used as greens, especially in Chinese cuisine. In Europe, incurve chrysanthemums are symbolic of death, and used only for funerals. In China, Japan,

Boris

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Saint Boris and Saint Gleb Origin : Bulgarian Gender : Male Meaning : "Short", or "wolf" Pronunciation : BORE-iss, bah-REES, BO-ris Other forms : Borys The name Boris comes from the Turkic Bogoris , which meant either "short", or "wolf". It has been the name of three Bulgarian Emperors. Boris is one of those names that has been used in many places including Russia, Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Germany, and, as Borys, in Poland and the Ukraine. It was popularized by Saint Boris, who was a Russian Prince, and was martyred with his brother Gleb. Boris and Gleb were alive during the 11th century, and took the Christian names Roman and David. Their father was Vladimir the Great, and their mother was thought to be Bulgarian, though some think they had different mothers. When their father was killed, Boris and Gleb were murdered, as they were heirs to throne. Boris was stabbed along with his manservant in his tent. When he was found later on,

Doris

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Doris Eaton Travis Origin: Greek Gender: Female Meaning: "Dorian woman" Pronunciation: DORE-iss Other forms: Dorris Is Doris forever lost to another time? Or could she possible be revived? I personally think Doris is pretty cute, it is fusty, but why does fusty have to be a bad thing? Doris last appeared in the US' popular names in 1992 at #880; The highest it has ever ranked was in 1929 at #6. It is an ancient Greek name, written as Δωρις, which meant "Dorian woman". The Dorians were a Greek tribe that lived in the Peloponnese penisula in the 12 century B.C. Doris is also the name of an Oceanid in Greek mythology. She was the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys and was the mother of the fifty Nereids by Nereus. One of the fifty Nereids is Thetis, the mother of Achilles. In England, Doris is an insult pretty much meaning the same thing that "pansy" means here. I don't know how well known it is as I've never heard it before, but I'm not

The Ladies of K-Pop

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Brown Eyed Girls My sister has recently turned me on to K-Pop, and, being the name nerd I am, I noticed how lovely their names are. Brown Eyed Girls : Ga-In JeA Narsha Miryo KARA : Park Gyuri Kang Jiyoung Han Seungyeon Nicole Jung Goo Hara Girls Generation : Taeyeon Seohyun Sunny Sooyoung Tiffany Jessica Hyoyeon Yuri Yoona 2NE1 : CL Bom Minzy Dara After School : Jungah Jooyeon Uee Raina Nana Lizzy E-Young Kaeun Wonder Girls : Yubin Sunye Hyelim Yeeun Sohee

Heddwyn

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Hedd Wyn Origin : Welsh Gender : Male Meaning : "Blessed peace" Pronunciation : N/A Other forms : Hedd, Wyn This name did not start out the way most do. It is used in honor of the Welsh poet Hedd Wyn, born Ellis Evans in 1887. He was not particularly bright in school, but had a gift for writing poetry, and had written his first poems by the age of eleven, which were better than more established poets of the time. Hedd left school at fourteen, and began to work as a shepherd. At nineteen he took place in Eisteddfod, a festival celebrating literature, music, and performance. There he was awarded the bard's chair, one of the most important honors. His bardic name was suggested to him by a fellow poet in 1910. He was mostly inspired by Romantic poetry, and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Hedd was determined to win the bardic chair the following year. In 1916 he was forced to enlist in, going in the place of his younger brother Robert. His sunny disposition made him well li

Nicknames for Dated Names

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Karen Allen Poppy-fly suggested a post on some hip nicknames for the dated names out there, like Karen, or Linda. Here is my list of suggestions, feel free to add your own! Note: Most of these names are favorites of mine. I would find them refreshing to meet on a little girl! Karen: Kaz/Kazza, Ren Linda: Lindy, Lin Susan: Sukie, Sannie, Daisy, Susu/Suzu Barbara: Bunny, Bitsie Dolores: Lola, Lo Pamela: Mel, Honey, Mella Theresa: Tess/Tessa, Reese Marguerite/Margarita: Daisy, Rita, Margo Judith: Jude, Dita Dorothy: Dot/Dottie, Doro, Dora, Dorie Cynthia: Cyn, Cynda/Cinda, Cinder Virginia: Virgie, Ginny, Gin Melissa: Bee, Mel Maxine: Max, Maxie, Xina Shannon: Nan, Nona, Shan Valerie: Val, Vallie/Valley Kimberly: Kimba, Kimber Marlene: Marley, Lena/Lina Veronica: Vero, Vera, Ronnie

Aedon

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Origin : Greek Gender : Female Meaning : "Nightingale" Pronunciation : EH-duhn Other forms : Aēdōn In Greek mythology, Aedon is the name of the woman who turned into the first nightingale. Story goes that she was the wife to Zethus, who was brother to Amphion, king of Thebes. Amphion's wife, Niobe, had fourteen children, while Aedon only had two. Because of this, Aedon was very jealous of Niobe. So one night, while Niobe's eldest son was sleeping, Aedon decided she would kill him. Unfortunately, she accidentally murdered her own son, Itylus, instead.  Zeus took pity upon the heartbroken Aedon and turned her into a nightingale. Her song was the lament for her dead son. Nightingale got it's name because it frequently sings during the night. Nightingale means "night songstress." People once believed it was the female that sang, but it is actually the male. Nightingales are often associated with poetry and poets, and became a muse to poets during

Victor

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Colin Clive as Dr. Frankenstein (left) in the 1931 "Frankenstein" Origin : Latin Gender : Male Meaning : "Victor" Pronunciation : VIK-tur Other forms : Viktor, Victorius, Victorinus, Victoria I admit I like names that are subtle whenever it comes to what they are honoring, whether it be family members, places, or like this one, holidays. Victor is a name I can definitely see coming back into style, it is classic, with a just a bit of Gothic flare. It origins are Latin, and, as you may have guessed, it means "victor". It was a popular name among early Christians, and was the name of three popes. Victor Frankenstein (or, if you're a fan of James Whale's "Frankenstein" you are familiar with Henry Frankenstein) is a name most people know, though many believe that Frankenstein is actually the name of the Doctor's creation. The monster is never given a true name, it is just known as "Frankenstein's Monster". Born

A Collection of Names Taken from Evil Queens

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Tilda Swinton as Jadis in "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" I have an admission to make. I love evil Queens. I've always liked the villains, both male and female, and often find them to be more interesting, especially when it comes to storylines. Some of these aren't exactly Queens, but do fit into the archetype. So here is a list of names, taken from evil Queens from literature, television, movies, and real life. Regina - Once Upon a Time Grimhilde - Snow White Isabella - Isabella 1st of Spain Claudia - Snow White: A Tale of Terror Arpazia - White as Snow Elspeth - Snow White: The Fairest of Them All Jadis - The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe Narissa - Enchanted Dorothea and Hekatah - The Black Jewels Trilogy Bathsheba - The Bible Ravenna - Snow White and the Huntsman Ivi - Fairest Anne - Snow: A Retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves Rodmilla - Ever After Alice - The Grimm Brother's Snow White Clementianna - Mirror Mirror A

Names for the Family Who Collect Books

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Ink well from studiostewaretshoppe on Etsy For the family that has every first edition of every book ever. For the family who has a two story library and whose parents are majors in English. For the family who have a quaint book shop on the corner called, "The Ink Spot". I am sure, as you have guessed, this family uses names from literature, or names taken from authors or poets.  Black Cat Edgar Allan Poe poster by TheGeekerie Girls : Alabama (Save Me the Waltz) Juliet (Romeo and Juliet) Briony (Atonement) Sylvia (Sylvia Plath)  Fig (Man of My Dreams) Anna (Anna Karenina) Lorca (Federic Garcia Lorca) Pecola (The Bluest Eye) Beatrice (The Divine Comedy) Esme (For Esme - with Love and Squalor) Cosette (Les Miserables) Sidda (The Ya-Ya Sisterhood) Lux (The Virgin Suicides)  Abra (East of Eden) Lorna (Lorna Doone) Thomasin (Return of the Native) Clemency (The Battle of Life) Daphne (Daphne Du Maurier) Bella (Our Mutual Friend) Towner

Maleficent

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Origin : English Gender : Female Meaning : Possibly "evil-doer" Pronunciation : muh-LEHF-ih-sent Other forms : N/A The name of the evil fairy (yes, she is a fairy!) in "Sleeping Beauty". I'm not sure on the meaning of the name; one source says it means "evil-doer", and it is close to the word "malevolent" as well. Maleficent is capable of shape-shifting as well as just plain ol' black magic, she can transform into a huge dragon or a floating light that resembles a will-o'-the-wisp. I've gotten tons of hits on this post, which really surprises me. I'm pretty sure it even started before the 2014 movie with Angelina Jolie came out. In it, she is portrayed as more of an anti-hero than villain, and it is her who breaks the curse, instead of the prince, after she grows to love her over the years. It does have a surprisingly soft, feminine sound, and maybe the movie will redeem it, but I think it would probably still be bes

Raven

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Origin : English Gender : Unisex Meaning : The name of a bird Pronunciation : RAY-ven Other forms : Ravenna I'm so excited that it is finally October! Halloween is my favorite holiday, and ravens are perfect for the season. The word "Raven" comes from the Old English hræfn . Ravens are extremely intelligent, and are highly playful. Juvenile ravens are the most playful of all bird species, and even make their own toys out of twigs! They are depicted many different ways throughout many different cultures. In Sweden, ravens are thought to be the ghosts of murdered people, and in Germany, they are believed to be the souls of the damned. In the Tlingit and Haida cultures, the Raven was a trickster and creator God. In Norse mythology, Huginn and Muninn, are Odin's ravens that fly all over Midgard and bring back information to him. Ravens are on the Coat of Arms for the Isle of Man, and the Baltimore Ravens are a national football league, with a raven mascot named Poe.

Yumi

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Origin : Japanese Gender : Female Meaning : "Archery bow" or "beautiful bow" Pronunciation : YOO-mee Other forms : Yumiko As with every Japanese name, depending on what  kanji  you use, this name could mean anything from "friend" to "freedom". It is very pretty and could be easily used in English speaking countries. Archery is a long surviving sport; The first mention of a bow and arrow being used in Europe was in 10,000-9000 BC. Gods and Goddesses like Artemis, Apollo, Diana, and Cupid are all archers and many heroes from various mythologies are as well. And who could forget Robin Hood? Today it is mostly used as sport in competitions or for fun, not for actual hunting, though there are a few who still hunt with bows, they are called bowhunters. There doesn't appear to be many famous female archers in history, though there are a few today like Charlotte Burgess, Natalia Valeeva, Melissa-Jane Daniel, and Justyna Mospinek. There is

Coyote

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This morning the coyotes were howling extremely loud, and it was very eerie. The dogs of course took off after them, and the cat ran into the bushes. This is probably only the second time we've heard coyotes this year. Since it is fall, they are probably starting to form packs. It was after I heard them this morning that I wondered if Coyote could ever work as a name? Probably not, but I'm going to profile it anyways. Origin : Mexican/Spanish Gender : Unisex Meaning : Name of canine Pronunciation : KYE-oh-tee Other forms : N/A The word coyote, comes from the Mexican/Spanish word, which is the same. It came from a Nahuatl word, cóyotl. Coyotes are pretty common all throughout North and Central America. They are also known as American jackals, or prairie wolves. Their scientific name, Canis latrans, means "barking dog" in Latin. In Texas and Oklahoma, it is common for coyotes to mate with domesticated dogs, and this is bad. The resulting animal is called a coydo

Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott Welcome Fourth Child

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Tori and Dean Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott have welcomed their fourth child together, Finn Davey. There other kids are Liam Aaron, Stella Doreen, and Hattie Margaret. Dean has one other child, Jack Montgomery, from a previous marriage. Finn's middle name is the same as Tori's, who was given it in honor of her grandfather David Spelling.

Unusual Nicknames

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I've gotten so I love unusual nicknames! I think they're great. Here are obscure nicknames for some classic names, or maybe a few different ways to get to your favorite nickname! Lotta Crabtree Girls :   Charlotte/Charlotta - Tottie/Totty, Totta, Harlo, Lotte, Lottie, Lotta Margaret - Daisy, Pearl, Mamie, Greta, Gretel, Greet Beatrice - Bice, Bea/Beah Henrietta - Etta, Hettie/Hetty, Hallie Mary - May, Polly, Malle, Moll Patricia - Patia Victoria - Toya Susanna/Susannah/Suzanna - Sanne, Sukie, Zanna, Susanita, Zula Felicity - Lissy, Flick Harriet - Hatsy Alexandra/Alexandria - Andy, Zandra/Xandra, Andria, Alexina Katherine/Catherine/Katharine - Kitty, Katica, Cato, Rina Elizabeth/Elisabeth - Lilibeth, Libbie, Lilibet, Buffy, Tetty, Elle, Bettina, Elsa, Liesel, Babette, Betta Josephine - Jo, Fifi, Josie, Joetta, Jojo, Posy/Posie Sarah - Sal, Saija, Sassy, Sarita Virginia - Ginger, Gigi, Virgie Frances - Frankie, Cissy/Sissy, Francie/Franci, Fancy Elea

Violante

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"Violante" by Titian Origin : Italian Gender : Female Meaning : "The color violet" Pronunciation : vyoo-LANT, bee-oh-LAHN-teh, vee-oh-LAHN-teh Other forms : Yolanda, Iolanda, Yolande, Jólánka, Jolanda A beautiful and regal name, Violante is an interesting take on the Violet trend. This name comes from the French-Provincial Yolant or Yolans merging with the Italian Viola. Duchess Violante Beatrice of Bavaria was the Grand Princess of Tuscany, she was married to Grand Prince Fernando of Tuscany and loved him very much, unfortunately he did not love her. He declared her too ugly and too dull. Fernando eventually died from syphilis leaving her a childless widow. Cosimo III, the reigning king of that time, made her Governor of Siena where she stayed for the rest of her life. The painting "Violante" was once thought to be by Palma the Elder, as his daughter is normally referred to as Violante, though eventually it was attributed to Titian because of i

Names for That Family Who Live in the Old Decrepit Castle

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Teacup and saucer by AustinModern of Etsy And may, or may not, be vampires, who may, or may not, have a mermaid in the lake behind their house, who may, or may not, have a ghost for each room. You know the family. They all dress in vintage clothing, they play with Victorian dolls, and have pet ravens named Faust and Hyde and serve you chocolates which might have a dose or two of cyanide, for fun, of course. Here is a new segment in which I will be naming different families from my imagination. I would assume this family would use very elaborate, Gothic, or fusty names. Ladies :  Lipstick by the Portland Black Lipstick Company on Etsy Godiva Wilhelmina Verbena Ulrica Desdemona Bellatrix Lydia Perdita Blanchefleur Isolde Raphaela Lilias Pandora Ligeia Theodosia Pathenia Candle holders by AntiqueAffair on Etsy Vespertine Hesper Valentine Annabel Roberta Lillemor Ursula Lilith Saskia Matilda Susannah Joan Odilia Lucasta Rosamund Jocast

Crane

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Origin : N/A Gender : Unisex Meaning : Name of bird Pronunciation : CRAYN Other forms : N/A After seeing this name a few times, once in a book, and once in a movie, I thought it was time to finally profile it. This name has a lot going for it. I think of it as purely masculine, though I'm sure some would view it as unisex, since it is a nature name. For those that don't know, cranes are similar looking to herons, though unrelated, they have long necks, legs, and beaks. There are fifteen different species of cranes, in four different genera. It has been thought that cranes mate for life, however, recently scientists have found out they have different mates throughout their lifetimes, though they usually stay together for a long time. Cranes are known for their elaborate mating dances, and lousy courting. In Korea, a crane dance has been performed since the Silla dynasty in the courtyard of the Tongdosa Temple. Also, in Hokkaido, the women of the Ainu people do crane da

Names from the Men's 100m Backstroke Heats

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Matt Grevers, fastest in the heats Heat 6 1. Matthew "Matt" Grevers - U.S. - Time: 52.92. seconds 2. Cheng Feiyi - China - 53.22 3. Ryosuke Irie - Japan - 53.56 4. Nick Driebergen - Netherlands - 53.62 5. Hayden Stoeckel - Australia - 53.88 6. Gareth Kean - New Zealand - 54.26 7. Daniel Arnamnart - Australia - 54.28 8. Charl Crous - South Africa - 55.37 Heat 5 1. Camille Lacourt - France - 53.51 2. Liam Tancock - Britain - 53.86 3. Arkady Vyatchanin - Russia - 54.01 4. Jan-Philip Glania - Germany - 54.07 5. Charles Francis - Canada - 54.08 6. Aristeidis Grigoriadis - Greece - 54.52 7. Marcin Tarczynski - Poland - 55.06 8. Benjamin Stasiulis - France - 55.36 Heat 4 1. Nick Thoman - U.S. - 53.48 2. Helge Meeuw - Germany - 53.83 3. Vladimir Morozov - Russia - 54.01 4. Aschwin Wildeboer - Spain - 54.36 5. Bastiaan Lijesen - Netherlands - 54.88 6. Yakov Toumarkin - Israel - 54.91 7. Juan Miguel Rando - Spain - 54.93 8. Daniel Orzechowski - Bra

Names from the Women's Swimming 100m Backstroke Heats

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Emily Seebohm, who had the best time out of all the heats I have to admit, I am fascinated with the Olympics. Not only do I love to watch all of the different sports, but I love to see the names from the different countries. Here are the names of the women from the 100m backstroke heats that went on earlier today. Heat 6 1. Melissa "Missy" Franklin - U.S. - Time: 59.37 Seconds 2. Belinda Hocking - Australia - 59.61 3. Aya Terakawa - Japan - 59.82 4. Fu Yuanhui - China - 59.96 5. Simona Baumrtova - Czech Republic - 59.99 6. Alexianne Castel - France - 1:00.16 7. Jenny Mensing - Germany - 1:00.72 8. Laure Manaudou - France - 1:01.03 Heat 5 1. Anastasia Zueva - Russia - 59.88 2. Julia Wilkinson - Canada - 59.94 3. Rachel Bootsma - U.S. - 1:00.03 4. Gemma Spofforth - Britain - 1:00.05 5. Sinead Russell - Canada - 1:00.10 6. Daryna Zevina - Ukraine - 1:00.57 7. Fabiola Molina - Brazil - 1:01.40 8. Elena Gemo - Italy - 1:01.77 Heat 4 1. Emily Seebohm

Neglected Gems - Girls - Part One

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"Sketch of Aphra Behn" by George Scharf Today we will be discussing names that I think have yet to really be discovered, but definitely should be. I will try to keep the names out of the the top 1000 of the US. Aphra - Does Not Rank in US - The meaning of Aphra is unknown, although there is some speculation that it could be a form of Aphrah , a place in the Bible, which means "dust", or possible a form of Afra, which was the nickname Romans gave African women. While that may keep some people from using it, the namesake Aphra Behn should surely improve the image. She was a dramatist and one of the first female writers. She was born sometime during the 1600s and is sometimes her name is given as Eaffry . Aphra married Johan Behn in 1664, but he died only a few years into the marriage. Not only did Aphra write "Oroonoko", which was the first ever novel to show black Africans in a sympathetic light, she also worked as a spy for King Charles II, and was

Vera Wang Gowns

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"Joanna" I'm a big fan of Vera Wang, I think her fashion is just superb. Her wedding dresses are stunning, and they have great names too. Here is a list of some of the names of her wedding gowns. Fall 2012: Joanna Jasmine Juliet Jade Joy Jane Joelle Jacqueline Josephine June Janice Jessica Jocelyn "Holly" Spring 2012: Henriette Harper Hannah Harlow Hazel Hayden Holly Hilary Hayley Helena "Georgina" Fall 2011: Ghillian Gisele Gabriela Gemma Gwendolyn Gretchen Gloria Gracie Genevieve Georgina Glenda "Joan" Other: Joan Rita Bouquet Dylan Dinah Diedre Diana Delany Daphne Esther Eleanor Ethel Evelyn Eliza Farrah Fawn Fiona Fern Image Credit: "Joanna" image taken from www.verawang.com "Holly" image taken from aminamichele.com "Georgina" image taken from simplyeverythingwedding.com "Joan" image taken from www.m

Sienna Miller and Tom Sturridge Welcome Baby Girl

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Sienna and Tom Actress Sienna Miller, known for her roles in "Factory Girl" and "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra", has welcomed her first child, a baby girl who she has reportedly named Marlow, though it isn't confirmed yet. Sienna is currently engaged to actor Tom Sturridge, of "Waiting for Love", and "Like Minds" fame. Update : It is confirmed that the couple have named their daughter Marlowe Ottoline Layng. What do you all think?

Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick Welcome Baby Girl

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Kourtney and Scott Kourtney Kardashian and her husband, Scott Disick, who both are famous for the reality show "The Kardashians", have welcomed their second child together, a girl named Penelope Scotland. Their first child is Mason Dash.

Majandra Delfino and David Walton Welcome Baby Girl

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Majandra and David Actress and musician Majandra Delfino, of "Roswell" and "Life as We Know It" fame, has welcomed her first child, a baby girl named Cecilia Delphine, with husband, actor David Walton, who can been seen in "Perfect Couples" and "Fired Up!".

Mafalda

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Princess Mafalda of Savoy Origin : Portuguese, Italian Gender : Female Meaning : "Mighty in battle" Pronunciation : muh-FAHL-duh (I think) Other forms : Matilda, Matilde The name Mafalda is the Portuguese and Italian form of Matilda. It might have come from the Medieval French name,  Mahaut which means "might, strength" . Matilda comes from the German Mahthildis , which comes from the elements maht , which means, you guessed it, "might, strength", and hild , which means "battle". Mafalda might be vaguely familiar to some, it is the name of a minor character, Mafalda Hopkirk, in the Harry Potter books. She is the head of the Use of Improper Magic department. Mafalda was the name of the first Queen of Portugual, she is known more commonly as Maud, or Matilda though. There is also Princess Mafalda Maria Elisabetta Anna Romana of Savoy, who was born in Rome in 1902. She was the second oldest of five children. The children in order wer

Leander

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"Leander's Body Washed Ashore" by Axel Anderson Origin : Greek Gender : Male Meaning : "Lion of a man" Pronunciation : lee-AN-der Other forms : Leandros, Leandro, Léandre The tale of Leander and his lover, Hero, is a tragic one (Surprise, surprise! This is Greek Mythology!). But before we get to that, let's talk about Leander's name. The name Leander comes from the Greek Leandros , which comes from leon , meaning "lion", and andros , which means "man". Leander surprisingly hasn't ranked in SSA's name list for the US since 1969, when it was number 971, so it is definitely an unusual and inspiring choice. The legend goes that Hero, a priestess for the Goddess Aphrodite, lived in a tower in Sestos, on the European side of Dardanelles. Leander, a young man who fell in love with Hero, lived on the other side of the strait, Hellespont, in Abydos. So every night, Leander would swim across Hellespont to visit Hero, who w

Jessica Capshaw and Christopher Gavigan Welcome a Baby Girl

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Jessica Capshaw, best known for playing Dr. Arizona Robbins on "Grey's Anatomy", has welcomed her third child with her husband Christopher Gavigan. They have named her Poppy James Gavigan. They have one other daughter named Eve Augusta Gavigan, and a son named Luke Hudson Gavigan.

Rob and Amber Mariano Have Another Girl

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Amber and Rob Rob Mariano and Amber Brkich Mariano are known for their appearances on reality shows, like "Survivor", "The Amazing Race", and "The Player". They have recently welcomed their third child, another girl, whom they have named Isabetta Rose. They have two other daughters named Lucia Rose, and Carina Rose.

Alyson Hannigan and Alexis Denisof Welcome Another Girl

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Alyson, Alexis, and Satyana Actress Alyson Hannigan, known for her roles as Willow in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and Lily Aldrin in "How I Met Your Mother", has welcomed her second child with her husband, actor Alexis Denisof, known for his role as Wesley Wyndam-Pryce in "Angel". They have named her Keeva Jane. Their first daughter is Satyana Marie. Keeva is an anglicized form of the Gaelic Caoimhe, which means "beautiful, gentle, kind". Satyana is supposedly Sanskrit for "truth".

Siofra

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Origin : Gaelic Gender : Female Meaning : "Changeling, elf, fairy" or possibly "Queen of the Fairies" Pronunciation : SHEE-fra or SHEE-uh-fra Other forms : Síofra The name Siofra comes from the Irish word  síog  which means "fairy". I hear it is the equivalent to "little imp" in Ireland and that is seen as a derogatory term in Ireland but I'm not sure? Anybody from Ireland? There is also supposedly a fairy queen named Siofra; The Tuatha Dé Danannin in legend, are the fifth settlers in Ireland and conquered the island Fir Bolg. Though most consider them deities, sometimes they are told to be mortal Kings, Queens, and heroes.  There were many High Kings of the Tuatha Dé Danann, from the first King, Nuada, to the last three Kings that were brothers and ruled together, Mac Gréine, Mac Cuill, and Mac Cecht. The Irish scholar Gearóid Ó Broin was the one to call Siofra a fairy queen; she is a love fairy who often sought out the comp

Endymion

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"Selene and Endymion" by Ubaldo Gandolfi Origin : Greek Gender : Male Meaning : "To dive into, to enter" Pronunciation : ehn-dih-MEE-uhn Other forms : N/A Endymion comes from the Greek "endyein" which means "to dive into" or "to enter". The story of Selene and Endymion is quite a popular Greek mythology story. The tale goes that the beautiful Endymion was loved greatly by the moon, Selene. He was a shepherd, or sometimes an astronomer or King of Olympia. Selene asked Endymion's father, Zeus, to give him eternal youth. Zeus obliged her by putting him into an eternal sleep. Every night Selene would visit him in Mount Latmos, where he slept, and eventually they had fifty daughters called the Menae. Other tales say Zeus let him make the decision of what he wanted, and Endymion chose to remain deathless and ageless in a eternal slumber. Endymion is also a crater on the northeast side of the moon.

Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky Welcome Baby Girl

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Elsa and Chris Chris Hemsworth, of "Thor" and "The Avengers" fame, has welcomed his first child with his wife, actress Elsa Pataky, known for her role in "Fast Five". It is a baby girl whom they have named India Rose.

Geek Chic

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It's hip to be square, not only in fashion, but in names too. Here are some names that are clunky, fusty, and so out they're in. Boys Vernon Harvey Boris Homer Frank Barney Clancy Elmo Digby Floyd Otis Abner Hal Morris Girls Wilma Gertrude Norma Doris Ethel Thelma Bernice Edna Alma Dora Irma Rhoda Eunice Maud/e Gilda

Melba

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Dame Nellie Melba by Frank Haviland Origin : English Gender : Female Meaning : N/A Pronunciation : MEL-bah Other Forms : N/A Melba is a name I just think is lovely. It was first used by Dame Nellie Melba, who was born Helen Porter Mitchell in 1861. Nellie was a nickname of hers and Melba was taken from where she studied singing, Melbourne, Australia. She was one of the most famous singers of the Victorian era and the 20th century. She was also the first Australian to gain international recognition as a classical musician. At first, Nellie was not very famous, she had had a few jobs in Melbourne, but after an unsucessful marriage, in which her husband repeatedly beat her, she left for Europe in search of fame. Eventually she became the leading lyric soprano at the Covent Garden and then starred in the Metropolitan Opera. The New York Times said she had "one of the loveliest voices that ever issued from a human throat ... simply delicious in its fullness, richness an