Baby Name of the Day- Siobhan

Continuing the baby name of the day marathon (lol), the next baby name is Siobhan.


SIOBHAN
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: shi-VAWN

Irish form of Jehanne, a Norman French variant of JEANNE.

Siobhan is another Irish form of Joan meaning "God is gracious." A popular name in Ireland where the anglicised versions are often used. Siobhan McKenna, an Irish actress who died in 1986, was considered by many as a woman who personified all that was good about being Irish.

Siobhan first appears on the SS list in 1979 at the number 629 spot. It lost favor over the next decade and in 1987 was at the number 911 spot. After 1987 Siobhan fell off the list and has never returned. Siobhan only enjoyed nine years in the top 1000.

I personally have loved the name Siobhan for years. Said shi-VAWN, the name is more popularly used in the US when spelled Chevonne. I prefer the traditional Irish spelling myself. It has character, origin, charm and grace. The Gaelic language is fabulously rich and full. A very round delightfully musical language.
Siobhan is a fabulously beautiful rare name. It's elegant and sweet. The name is quite uncommon in the US, but very popular in Ireland. Siobhan has been a favorite of mine for a very long time, and though most people I've shared this name with give me a strange double take (esp when they see the spelling), I find it a very refreshing change from all the Emma's, and Isabella's, and lord knows what else. I think parents seeking a rare and unique name would do well to look to traditional Irish names for something different. None of those misspelled trendy names- Ahliveeah is still Olivia, even if you spell it jacked up, and there is nothing unique about a common name misspelled to the point of ridiculousness.

Siobhan conjures images of emerald green fields, and castles by dark lochs. Cliche of me? Perhaps, but it's a romantic image that I adore. So I will hold true my picture of the romantic Siobhan.

First/Middle names for Siobhan I find can be from any origin and style. Everything from the common to the elaborate seem to flow well w/this name. Some examples of First/Middles for Siobhan might be:

Siobhan Corinne
Siobhan Kelsey
Siobhan Emmeline
Siobhan Eve
Siobhan Sarah
Siobhan Madeleine
Siobhan Clara
Siobhan Lola
Siobhan Anastasia

Leila Siobhan
Marissa Siobhan
Rose Siobhan
Natalie Siobhan
Lydia Siobhan
Elise Siobhan
Cora Siobhan
Evangeline Siobhan

Alternatives for Siobhan might be (and this is based on SOUND, not particularly spelling):

Shahan
Shannon
Shalan
Shalom
Shania
Shanna
Sharee
Sharla
Sharon
Shauna
Shelby
Sheena
Sheri
Sheryl
Shirley

Cherie
Cheryl
Chevonne

Some of the alternatives are a bit of a stretch and I'm really not all that fond of the -sh- sound names other than the more classic sounding ones like Sharon, Shannon, Cheryl and Shirley. For public opinion on the name Siobhan please visit the question I asked about it on Y!A.

Over all Siobhan is a sweet under used name in the US. It pairs beautifully with many different styles of first/middle names and will age brilliantly on a baby into adulthood. I find Siobhan a diamond in the rough type of name.

J. Kristen

Baby Name of the Day- Sebastian

Today's name of the day blog will be a multiple group actually...so not just one name but many blogs today. :) This should be fun!
So without further ado, the first name for today is Sebastian.


SEBASTIAN
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, English, Scandinavian, Polish, Finnish, Romanian
Pronounced: ze-BAHS-tee-ahn (German), sə-BAS-chən (English), se-BAHS-tyahn (Polish)

From the Latin name Sebastianus which meant "from Sebaste". Sebaste was the name a town in Asia Minor, its name deriving from Greek σεβαστος (sebastos) "venerable" (a translation of Latin Augustus, the title of the Roman emperors). Saint Sebastian was a 3rd-century Roman soldier martyred by arrows after it was discovered he was a Christian. Due to the saint's popularity, the name came into general use in medieval Europe, especially in Spain and France. It was also borne by a 16th-century king of Portugal who died in a crusade against Morocco.

Sebastian first appeared on the Social Security top 1000 in 1881 at the number 851 spot. Oddly Sebastian jumped the following year in 1882 to the number 642 spot before completely falling off the list in the year 1883. Sebastian reappears in the 1886 at the number 835 spot. Sebastian yo-yoed on and off the top 1000 list for the next several decades. Falling off the list in the years- 1887-88, 1890-91, 1893-94, 1896-97, 1899-1900, 1902, 1906. Finally in 1907 Sebastian manages to hang onto the top 1000 at the number 806 spot and rises over the next four decades. During that time it peeks at the number 492 spot in 1916. Sebastian kept between the 400's and 900s during this four decade rein. Then in 1950 it dropped off the top 1000 until 1957. In 1958 Sebastian reappeared at the number 961 spot, then fell off yet again in 1959 only to show up again in 1960 at the number 902 spot and slowly climbed the list. During the 1960's and 70's Sebastian stayed in the 600-700 range, then finally broke through to the top 500 in 1987 at the number 471 spot. Sebastian continued to increase in popularity. In 1999 Sebastian jumped from it's spot at 152 to number 81 in the year 2000. I personally think this jump into the top 100 was due to the movie Cruel Intentions (a remake of the popular 1988 movie Dangerous Liaisons), which came out in 1999. The lead male character's name in the movie was Sebastian (Sébastien). Some might claim Sebastian became popular after the Disney hit The Little Mermaid, but nothing in the SS list indicates a huge spike after the 1989 animated film, the jump in popularity didn't happen until a decade later.
Currently Sebastian is sitting nicely at the number 70 spot for 2009.

I personally adore the name Sebastian. There is something extremely romantic feeling about this name. It's a powerful masculine name, but also can be gentle and romantically handsome. Sebastian has that Georgian feel to it, ladies in massive dresses poofed out by there wide panniers, men in tight breeches and elaborately decorated court waist coats.
I know, a very formal feel but for me this name is like something out a romance novel. I could even see it in more of a Regency style (think Jane Austen)- with long breeches and cravats tied into intricate knots. Lovely ladies in flowing chemise gowns and tiny slippers, performing a country dance with the greatest of ease. A tall handsome Regency man w/that beautiful curly floppy hair style of the Regency era shadowing a strong brow and penetrating green eyes under black lashes...and his name: Sebastian.
Okay, I will get my head out of the clouds now and review this name properly!

Sebastian has a very nice round masculinity about it. A very wonderfully under used name. It is masculine, but doesn't have the harsh undertone of a William or Donovan or Thomas. Sebastian i liken to more of a feel to Christopher. Masculine, and yet gentle and refined in sound and look. I can picture a small boy w/dark (or light hair really) and big searching eyes. A smart child with a creative outlook on life. A child that takes his time to understand the things around him. Sebastian is an artistic sounding name. It's a heard-of rare name in my opinion. I've never met a Sebastian, ever. Yet I love this name, and it absolutely was on my own favs list for my own children.

First/Middle names for Sebastian I feel should be either something very masculine and strong to balance out the gentleness of Sebastian, or something equally rare and romantic. If you are going to more of a strong traditional feel, a stronger masculine name would suit best. If you are going for something a bit more artistic then the rare romantic type would suit.
Some suggestions for first/middle names might be:

Sebastian Blake
Sebastian Ethan
Sebastian Christopher
Sebastian Everett
Sebastian Patrick
Sebastian Grant
Sebastian Reid
Sebastian Lucas

Jonathan Sebastian
Marcus Sebastian
Wesley Sebastian
Joseph Sebastian
Garrett Sebastian
Oliver Sebastian
Henry Sebastian
Edward Sebastian
Gabriel Sebastian

Some really nice ones there, and of course if you'd want something a bit more modern you could always go with something like:
Sebastian Cohen
Sebastian Cale
Sebastian Brennan

Bennett Sebastian
Wyatt Sebastian
Ellis Sebastian

Alternatives for Sebastian might be something like (and Sebastian really is a one-of-a-kind, so these suggestions ARE a stretch):

Seamus
Selas
Selby
Seeley
Sable
Sabriel
Saber
Samson
Samuel

As I said, Sebastian is really one-of-a-kind, so finding alternatives was pretty thin. I had to get pretty creative in the lettering, sound, origin, etc.
If you would like to know public opinion on the name Sebastian please see the question i asked about it on Y!A

Overall I think Sebastian is a wonderfully romantic name that will suit any little boy. It will age wonderfully and surely give the ladies something to swoon over once he's a man. A handsome man, with a charming smile and a romantic name is so very hard to come by these days. Sebastian fits that bill to a T!

J. Kristen

Poll Winner- Petra

The winner of the Favorite Rare Name poll is Petra.



PETRA
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek, German, Scandinavian, Finnish, Dutch, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Bulgarian, Croatian, Hungarian, English
Other Scripts: Πετρα (Greek), Петра (Bulgarian)
Pronounced: PET-rə (English) [key]

Feminine form of PETER. This was also the name of an ancient city in the region that is now Jordan.

Petra first appeared on the Social Security list in 1881 at the number 574 spot. This name yo-yo'ed back and forth between the 500s and 800s until the 1950s. In 1951 Petra was at the number 942 spot. The following year (1952), Petra fell off the top 1000 list entirely, only to bounce back on again the following year (1953) at the number 875 spot. Petra fell off the list again in 1955, 1958-59, 1961-63, 1969, and 1972. Petra made a final appearance on the top 1000 list in 1973 at the number 987 spot, and then fell off the following year (1974) and never returned to the top 1000 again to date.

Petra is a wonderfully under used rare name. I absolutely love the connection this name has to the City in Jordan of the same name: Petra. Petra is a mysterious and wonderful place. Most of you will recognize it from the Indiana Jones movie: Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade. Petra has a very ancient and elegant feel to it. A very sophisticated sounding name. This name will age brilliantly with a young girl and will sound very lovely on a grown woman, and very professional at that.
I find this name charming and so very unique. The *true* unique, not the 'tryndee' 'yoo-neekly' misspelled or created names I see many parents using these days.

Petra sounds like a very sleek, classy, smart and exotic name that would enhance any roll-sheet in kindergarten. If one is looking for a name that truly will be rare, and yet heard of then Petra is right up your alley. I hear from many parents wanting a name that is not used often. They want a name that perhaps only their child will have. They don't want a cookie cutter name that every third child carries, and Petra fits that bill perfectly.

Alternatives for Petra are few, and some are a bit wildy creative in sound and look. Some examples might be:

Perdita
Petronelle
Petronella
Petula
Petunia
Penny
Persephone
Perdy
Pernilla
Perlita
Perrin

First and Middle names for Petra should flow well and have that same sophisticated feel to them. No Marie, Grace, or Rose will do for this lovely rare beauty. Something with more substance is needed to balance the elegance of Petra. First and Middle name suggestions might be:

Petra Clarice
Petra Celeste
Petra Aveline
Petra Bernadette
Petra Letitia
Petra Magdalene
Petra Odette

Miriam Petra
Daphne Petra
Evangeline Petra
Camille Petra
Ophelia Petra
Helene Petra

Of the suggested first/middle names for Petra I find Petra Odette, Petra Aveline, Miriam Petra and Helene Petra the most attractive in my opinion. Any rare, yet elegant name might lend a wonderful rounded sound to this rare name.
For public opinion on the name Petra please visit the question i asked about in on
Y!A

Overall I think Petra is a lovely under used name. I think parents looking for something rare and unique will find this very interesting and perhaps if not picked at the name, it will open them up to more unique possibilities. Petra will age well and sound lovely on a grown woman. First and middle name combinations should reflect the same rare elegance as Petra so as not to cause Petra's sparkle to fade into the background. I look forward to doing more rare name polls in future.

J. Kristen