Harry Potter Alphabet - I is for Ignatius

Earlier this week my sister and I were discussing how "I" names can be hard to come by. There are some very popular ones (Isabella and variants), and some traditional ones (Isaac and variants), but once you get beyond those you tend to find either rare names (Iona, Isis, Iliad) or foreign names (Inigo, Igor, Ilsa). It's no surprise then that I is our smallest letter yet in the Harry Potter alphabet. In fact, I only could find three names, and one of them I had to go out looking for (It was not on the master list I was using because the person is mentioned, not an active part of the book). So here they are!

Ignatius and Ignotus - I have discussed the first of these related name before as a possible source for "ace" (a different version, Ignace, is a more likely candidate). There are many versions of this name, besides the two above, there is Ignace, Ignacius, Ignacio, Ignatz, Ignaz, Inacio, and several more. It has a questionable meaning of "ardent" in Latin. I like this school of names, rarely used, and the great nickname Iggy.  (Percy Ignatius Weasley) (Ignotus Peverell)

Igor (Igor Karkaroff) - Igor is a Russian character, and its very popularly known as a Russian name. Most infamously, Frankenstein's hunchbacked assistant in popular media. Also famous composer Igor Stravinsky (with vary particular sound). Igor means Soldier. A similar name is Scandinavian "Ingvar".

What do you think? Would you consider either of these? What "I" names should JK Rowling have used that she neglected?

Northern Minnesota Real Names (Sept 8th)

I thought it might be nice to give you some names that are actually being used in the area I live, Northern Minnesota (Northern Midwest USA).

Boys
Abel Denis
Bentley Grey
Chase Converse
Tristan Daniel
Jordan Thomas


Girls
Averie Ann-Marie
Lydia Rae
TWINS - Joy Agnes and Sherin Faith

I love to see Agnes used, even in the middle position. It has become a recent sweetheart of mine. Anything stick out to you?

Deft or Daft: Everest

"E" names are popular right now, especially for girls, but in general. Ethan, Elijah, Eli, Evan, and Easton (along with Ian) are all in the top 100 boys names with names like Elliot, Emmett, and Elias also trending. Everett, currently ranked at 214th, reached its peak back in 1915 at 89th, spending over ten years in the top 100 names. It is one of those "grandparent" names that is feeling fresh again and is currently on the rise. Everett is a great name, but what if you want something a little more unique with a little more zing? What not give Everest a try. Literally one letter different, but with an entirely different feel. Everest is a place name, referring of course to Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. Mount Everest has become synonymous both with the power and wonder of nature, and with the endurance and vision of mankind. Because of its simalarity to commonly known masculine names like Everett and Ernest it is a natural fit and does not feel "out there" as some other mountain names might (like Denali or Ranier might.. although these also sound like great names to me). Everest might just his that sweet spot - unique but familiar, easy to pronounce, good meaning.

So what do you think, is Everest deft or daft?

Name Rainbow: Green

Names with Green Meanings

Boys
Berilo - A Pale Green gemstone, the name is Spanish and Greek. Related to the feminine Beryl. The stone is thought to be good luck.
Denver - While this will stick out as a Place name to most, the word itself is actually old English for green valley.
Irvin - A Gaelic name meaning "green waters". Can also be spelled Earving.
Greeley - An old English name meaning green meadow.
Hewney - An Irish name meaning simply green.
Vardon - An old french name meaning Green Knoll. The emphasis is on the second syllable.
Verdell - Another French name, again emphasis on the second syllable, meaning green.
Verlyn - Uncertain origin, but with root Ver, may be interpreted as Green
Vermont - Another place name, with actual meaning Green Mountain.
Vireo - A name that references a small green bird.

Girls
Beryl - A Pale Green gemstone, the name is Spanish and Greek. Related to the masculine Berilo. The stone is thought to be good luck.
Cheryl - The origins of Cheryl are unclear, but one theory is its a variant of Beryl.
Chloe - This is a Greek name meaning "green shoot" and meant to symbolize fertility.
Chloris - Another greek name, this one meaning  a greenish yellow shade, related to the goddess of vegetation
Esmerelda - A Spanish variant of the name/gemstone Emerald, with much more feminine
Fern - a word name referring to a luscious green plant
Jade - a deep green stone used similarly to gold (decoratively and to display wealth) by Asian cultures
Midori - A Japanese name meaning green, this name is also associated with many products and places.
Olive - a shade of green, or a word name referring to a food that is often green, this name is RAPIDLY rising in popularity (it has going for it that its a word name, which are trending, it is a nice stand in for Olivia, which is top ten, and it has some celebrity/hollywood usage recently) - it has climbed from unranked to 368th in six years. If it keeps up that rate, it will be top 100 in 2-3 years.
Teal - A shade of bluish green, and a bird of the same color.
Turkessa - An opaque blue-green stone mined in Turkestan and Persia
Verde - The word for green in Spanish, also could be spelled Verda
Verna - Of Latin origin, this name means spring green, related to the masculine Vernon
Viridiana - Another Latin name meaning green, I love the flow and phonetic sound of this name. Other variants include Virdis, Viridia, and Viridian
Yara - A Brazilian pagan goddess with green hair

Shades of Green
Brunswick - a series of green pigments made using copper
Celadon - a pale greyish shade of Green often used in Asian pottery
Emerald - light and bright, also a gemstone
Harlequin - more strongly associated with a diamond pattern, but also a bright yellowish green
Hunter - word/job as name? Or a beautiful dark shade of green.
Kelly - the name Kelly doesn't mean green, but it is the same word as the traditional Irish "true" green.
Malachite - a green mineral, similar in sound to Malcom, Micah, or the biblical Melchior
Neon - I know it can be applied to any color, but could it also be a quirky name?
Paris - besides a city, and epic character from Troy, Paris is a blue-green shade.

What do you think? Any keeps? The discovery of Viridian was one of the things that inspired me to create a baby name rainbow! I also love the name Verdi for a boy, which while it technically is after a composer, conjures up images of green due to its similarity to the Spanish Verde.