Help!
02 Feb 2009 19 Comments
in baby names, Boys, Girls, Lists, Musings, names Tags: Alasdair, Arthur, August, Barnaby, Beatrix, Cassius, Cecily, Clarence, Clementine, Cosmo, Francis, Jemima, Lucretia, Maud, Ottilie, Pomeline, Remy, Rufus, Winifred, Zelda
I want to narrow my top 10 to a top 5, at least for now. I’m going to either/or them and pick one? Thanks!
Ottilie or Jemima?
Winifred or Clementine?
Maud or Zelda?
Beatrix or Cecily?
Lucretia or Pomeline?
Cassius or Clarence?
Remy or Cosmo?
Rufus or Barnaby?
Alasdair or August?
Arthur or Francis?
I couldn’t choose if my life depended on it. One minute it’s one way, the next it’s the other. I love them all and just cannot decide which 5 are best! Can you help? I’d really appreciate it!
As always, Thanks! 
The Merits of My Boys
19 Jan 2009 10 Comments
in baby names, Barnaby, Boys, Cassius, Cosmo, Musings, names, Rufus Tags: Alasdair, Barnaby, Boys, boys names, Cassius, Cosmo, Rufus
My boys. I love them dearly. There are days I think I was really meant to be a mother of just boys. I am not a girly girl and I have one. It can be trying at times.
So I’ve really been stewing over boys names, These are the ones that not only have approval, he wants them near the top. But he can’t tell me which one he likes best, so I want some honest opinions on these 5 that are absolutely going to be ordered 1-5.
Barnaby Edward Rex – Barnaby is so happy! I actually like Barney but my lazy tongue will most likely make him Barns/Barnes more often. There’s also the Bex possibility, should he end up as jazzy as his big brother Simon. I adore Rex but think the world’s not ready for him upfront, so here he resides next to Edward for my Uncle.
Rufus Wilder John – Rufus is just a love of his. He can definitely see himself calling for Rufus, playing with Rufus, tucking Rufus in. Wilder is His Aunt’s surname. His Pop’s sister. It’s the closest we can get to honoring his Pop’s side of the family (His Pop was beyond awful to him and caused a lot of problems that took a long time to work through & past). So Wilder it is. Stan’s sister was Agatha, and I love that enough to put on the girls list, at least as a wildcard, but her surname pleases me on a boy immensely. And John is for Him.
Cosmo Henry Dashiell – Cosmo was my Great Granddad. What a cool guy he was too. I love Cosmo’s open, airy sound and the way he looks. I do not care if anyone links it to Kramer, the mag, the drink or the word Cosmopolitan, Cosmo is definitely staying. If I’d thought a bit more when I was pregnant with the boys, one of them would be Cosmo, probably Leo. I love Cosmo. Henry was his Grandpop and Dashiell just feels snazzy with them both, doesn’t he?
Cassius Barnaby Rex – Cassius strikes him as a strong and He-man sort of name. Most of the -us names give me that He man feel (Ignatius notwithstanding) so I concur and let him be. Barnaby’s my fun sounding name. I adore him. If I could make Rufus Barnaby Edward work for him, I’d be happy. Unfortunately he thinks Rufus Barnaby is a bit OTT. I think it is too, but it would be a solution to our minor dilemma here. I like Cash too, as a nickname, at least once n a while.
Alasdair Barnaby George – Alasdair charms me to my toes. He’s warm, friendly (not as friendly as Barnaby, but that’s why he’s the middle!) and charming. And sounds awesome with the three syllable Mac surname. Barnaby, well, I think I’ve gone into enough detail about him, I don’t want to bore anyone. 
George is one of my favorite classics, really, I swear. It reminds me of St. George, who sat on my Pop’s dresser for decades and is now on mine. So, George also reminds me of my Pop. Hence his inclusion here.
So now you’ve seen why they’re on my list, what do you think. How should they be numbered? Which would you put in first, and why? And most importantly, what do you think? Am I completely crazy? 
The -us boys
16 Dec 2008 6 Comments
in baby names, Boys, Cassius, Ignatius, Musings, names, Remus Tags: Cassius, Linus, Lucius, Remus, Rufus
I’ve mentioned before my love of -us ending boys: Julius would be tops for my beloved Marxman but for Josephine. They’re too similar for my liking. So there’s Cassius, Remus, Rufus, Linus, Lucius, Angus, Cyrus, Fergus, simple Gus (for August), Klaus, Marius, Magnus, Lazarus, Ignatius & Seamus who’ve been on my lists at various points. Only Cassius, Remus, Rufus, Linus, August & Lucius are still on.
Cassius is not one that appeals to many to begin with and when they find out his meaning, it turns still more off. “Empty, vain” is not something that truly appeals. I figure, if people can use Kennedy, ‘misshapen head’, Calvin ‘bald’, or Cecilia, ‘blind’, why not Cassius? He’s got at least as much style as Cecilia!
Remus appeals for his legend and the fact that I could potentially nickname him Remy, which sounds so completely awesome with the surname. HP tried to take a bite out of him (pardon the pun) but I think he’s got a fair bit of style and strength still.
Rufus – feels a bit homey to me, a touch country-fied. He’s still stylish but less slick. I’m not thinking nickname potential because I don’t think he’s got one. Which is why he’s on the back burner. I’m trying to decide, merciless nicknamer I am, if he’s worth breaking my own nature for.
Linus – has a soft spot in my heart forevermore thanks to Peanuts. Yeah, he’s my favorite of the Peanuts guys (Frieda’s my favorite of the girls with her “naturally curly hair”) but Linus is also what my mom used to call my blanket toting little brother (who just turned 40 this past Saturday… if you stumble across this, Steve, Happy Birthday!). Lucy & Linus we two were and because of that, they both hold special memories for me.
August – is on my list because I like his literal meaning ” marked by majestic dignity or grandeur” and in a roundabout way, he honors my Mom, Frances, who was born in August. I think he’s got a crisp, clear sound and spiffy looks too. And Gus? Gus is charming while Augie’s jazzy cool. Two great options for nicknames and a great long form too.
Lucius – I loved him before HP showed up and while yes, he’s a nasty character, they completely ruined his evilness with the yummy Jason Isaacs. Nah, can’t hate Lucius Malfoy for nothing. And his sound is just awesome. What’s not to like? I’ve noticed Lucius is starting to show up in movies too. Three movies I’ve watched recently have a Lucius in it somewhere (Today’s better: “The Dark Knight”, “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”[for a specific one] and “The Incredibles” ). And I could probably name a few more, if pressed: ” Talledega Nights” , “The Village”, and we just got “The Planet of the Apes” set on DVD and there’s a Lucius there too. So again, what’s not to like?
There’s my favorite of the -us enders, what are yours?
Updated to add the few Lucius filled movies I have watched recently!)
and just a note for those of yoou who dislike my “snow” When it finally snows here, it’ll go!
C names
14 Dec 2008 6 Comments
in baby names, Boys, Cassius, Cecily, Clarence, Clementine, Cosmo, Girls, names Tags: C names, Casimir, Cassius, Cecily, Clarence, Clementine, Cosmo
And my seeming fascination thereof. 
I do appear to be stuck on the letter C this time around. I mean I have 4 C boy names and 2 girls on my working list, at the moment. Cosmo, Cassius, Clarence & Casimir, Cecily & Clementine.
There are more that I like:
Camilla/Camellia/Camille
Carmelite
Carolie
Caroline
Cassia
Calla
Calliope
Calypso
Carmel/Carmela/Carmella
Carys/Cerys
Catherine
Catarina
Catrin
Cecily/Cicely/Cecile/Cecilia
Celandine Celeste/Celestine
Charlotte
Clara/Claire/Clare
Clarice
Clarimonde
Clarissa
Cléophée
Clemence
Clementine
Clio/Cleo
Constance
Cora/Coral/Coralie/Coretta
Cordelia
Cornelia
Cosima
Cressida
Cymbeline (yes, I know it’s a boy in Shakespeare’s play, it still sound feminine to me)
Cyprilla
Cyriana (I just like the sound of this one)
Calvin
Carmine
Casimir/Casmir
Caspar
Cassiel/Cassian/Cassius
Cecil
Cedric
Celestin
Cesar
Charles/Charlot
Chaucer
Christophe/Christopher
Clancy
Clarence
Claud/Claude
Clement
Coe
Colin
Conal
Conan
Constantin/Constantine
Cormac
Corwin
Cosmo/Cosimo
Crispin
Cyrus
Cyprian (yes, I just like the crisp sound, I doubt I’d ever consider it for anything more than the next goldfish)
And there’s the collected favorites list (that’s about 5 years old now).
my C combos:
Cosmo Valentin George
Cassius Barnaby Rex
Clarence Arthur Finlay
Casimir Amadeus John (he’s the ‘why not?” here)
Cecily Pandora Jane
Clementine Lily Elinor
So, what C names do you like? Do I strike you as seemingly obsessed with the letter C or is it just that it looks so appealing written down? What is it about the letter C? What do you think?
Malcolm
06 Dec 2008 2 Comments
in baby names, Boys, names Tags: Alasdair, Barnaby, Cassius, Clockwork Orange, Edward, Malcom, McDowell, Rex, Rhys, Star Trek, Verity
It’s Malcom’s day! I’ve liked him for a long time, since I was a teen, at least. I find him strong, handsome, smart and fun to say. He’s truly awesome, in a whole host of ways. Sound, looks, feel, color, even:
He’s a lovely shade of green, vibrant! 
After toying with Barnaby in first, I will admit, I’m far more comfortable with him in the middle, I have him in my #2 combo: Cassius Barnaby Rex (I know it’s not something that’s to everyone’s taste) & here, with Malcolm: Malcolm Barnaby Edward. I also have Malcolm in another combo but I don’t like him quite as much: Malcolm Alasdair Rhys. I think it’s got a great sound, overall but he’s a bit too Scottish, even for me in the end.
But Malcolm sounds great with the MacK surname and I must say, his kingly overtones make me happy. He’s linked to my favorite Shakesperian tale and my favorite Star Trek Bad guy: Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange remains a big favorite of mine due to it’s sheer oddness). I even once got to have lunch with Malcolm Forbes. I used to go to air shows frequently and there was one in NJ (when I was living there), near Readington that I got lucky at. I literally ran into the man and offered my picnic lunch as an apology. He accepted but insisted I join him at it. What a lovely, warm, friendly man. I asked Verity to cover him for me back in September. She did a most admirable job.
So, while I’m besotted, I’d love to hear your thoughts on Malcolm and his combo. You can’t possibly hurt my feelings and I’d welcome any thinks you may have about him!
Thanks!
And the Boys
22 Nov 2008 Leave a Comment
in baby names, Boys, Cosmo, Lists, names Tags: Alasdair, August, Cassius, Clarence, Cosmo, Ignatius, Lucius, Oscar, Rafael, Remus
I can’t leave the boys out! Here’s the top ten:
Cosmo – Coz
Cassius – Cash, Cass
Remus – Remy, Rex (due to initials in combo)
August – Augie, Gus
Lucius – Lou, Luc
Clarence – Clancy, Clare, Ren
Alasdair – Alec, AB (due to initials)
Oscar – Oz, Ozzy
Rafael – Rafe
Ignatius – Iggy, Nate, Nat
If you’re interested in them in full combos or you’d like to see the whole list, look here.
Rex
15 Nov 2008 1 Comment
in Boys, Lists, names Tags: Cassius, Remus, Remy, Rex
My favorite of the “Kingly” names. He’s short, simple and oh so strong! I’ve gotten lots of ‘dog name’, one ’sounds like a bark’ and even ‘pretentious’ more than once. I rarely, if ever hear anything nice about him, which makes me kind of sad, he’s so handsome, how can he be universally hated?
Wanna know a secret? I love him anyway!
I think he’s pretty awesome, all that power in three little letters. I love that he simply *is* ‘king’ in Latin. He’s fun to write out too. I’m working on using him up front in all his glory, but for now, he resides in third place in our second place combo: Cassius Barnaby Rex. I also have him as a nickname possibility for our third place combo: Remus Edward Xavier. Remy as his nickname is far more likely but take a gander at those initials, REX!
Aint that just awesome?
What I would love to know, is this: of the two, which do you like better?
Cassius Barnaby Rex or Remus Edward Xavier?
Anyone?
And some Rex combos:
Rex Benjamin Arthur
Rex Lucien Malachy
Rex William Martin
Rex Julien Oscar
Rex Barnaby Edward
Rex Malachy Edward
Rex Peregrin August
The folk at Behind the Name will be voting on them tomorrow, I’ll provide the link here, when I have it.
Top Boys List
09 Nov 2008 Leave a Comment
in Boys, Cosmo, Musings, names Tags: Alasdair, August, Casimir, Cassius, Clarence, Cosmo, Ignatius, Lucius, Maxim, Rafael, Remus, Sidney
I figure I should really post the top boys, since I did the girls a few days ago. Top Girls It’s only fair to give the bucks a turn!
So, without further ado,
Cosmo Henry Graham ♥
Cassius Barnaby Rex
Remus Edward Xavier
August Edward Valentine
Lucius Edward Porfirio
Clarence Henry Rafael
Alasdair Barnaby George
Rafael Edward Porfirio
Runnerups:
Ignatius Henry August
Sidney Edward Porfirio
Casimir Amadeus John
Maxim Edgar Rafael
Nymbler Suggestions for Lucius, Remus, Cassius & Josephine:
04 Nov 2008 1 Comment
in Boys, Girls, Lists, names Tags: Cassius, Josephine, Lucius, Remus
Clementine, Ophelia, Jemima, Ottilie, Athena, Mehitabel, Josephine, Imogen, Clara, Florence, Scarlett, Cleo, Frances, Verity, Clarissa, Esme, Ariadne, Leocadia, Apollonia, Camilla, Flora, Cecily, Ivy, Genevra, Xanthe, Zaida, Iris, Euphemia, Araminta, Rosabel, Isadora, Violetta, Portia, Alice, Letitia, Sidony, Aurelia, Cornelia, Lucretia, Beatrix.
Maximillian, Augustin, Solomon, Zed, Magnus, Sinclair, Leander, Raoul, Damian, Peregrine, Octavian, Angus, Tilden, Alistair, Tiberius, Ephraim, Napoleon, Theron, Ambrose, Leo, Raphael, Benedict, Merritt, Casper, Maximilian, Amadeus, Llewellyn, August, Alexander, Claus, Rollin, Cicero, Rufus, Percival, Jasper, Simeon, Linus, Julius, Cato, King, Milo, Ulysses, Horatio, Cyrus, Erastus, Cornelius, Philo, Lazarus, Phineas, Silas, Anatole, Augustus, Lucius, Remus, Cassius, Felix, Ignatius, Erasmus.
Yes, I like names that really stand out in a crowd. But then, I have kids that stand out in a crowd, physically and attitude wise.
See anything you like? Let me know!
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