You remember we talked about names passing the mall test: you’re out and about, you hear a name unexpectedly, and hearing it like that makes you realize you like it when you didn’t know you liked it.
I had a name pass the mall test the other day, and it surprised me because it’s a name outside my usual style: Kailen. It takes the name Kayla and updates it with a fresher-sounding ending.
Similarly, I read a book with a character named Connell, and thought that if it weren’t for Mitch Mc, I’d be recommending that name as a nice update on Connor.
Changing the endings is a common way to make names sound new: Laura becomes Laurie becomes Lauren. I am wondering if you’ve encountered any recent examples lately, OR if you can make some up on the spot that you think would sound nice. (I tried this for a few minutes and was reminded that I am not good at making up names. Sophiella! No. Abigade! No. Olivian! No. Emman! No.)
I recently met a little boy named Matheson. I thought at first his parents were calling him Madsen, but no, it was Matheson. I’m assuming it’s a family surname but I guess it could be a sound change variation on Matthias? Either way I was surprised how much I liked it.
Matheson is the name of very small farming community in northern Ontario, Canada :)
It appeals to me too
It’s also the surname of Claire Danes character on the TV series Homeland…Carrie Mathison.
Changing the ending could also mean truncating. A friend recently had a child and because she works with a lot of children there were many on the no list due to connotation. She had considered the name Cadin (which was similar to a number of girl Kadins), but ended up with the name Cade.
I know a very cute little Kately.
I know of two Kailens – one is a man, spelled Kalin and another is a woman, spelled Kaylin. They are both in their upper 30s!
I have a Kaelyn in one of my classes this year!
This is definitely not a modern example but it delights me… I knew I had a great aunt who went by “Cliff”, but I never really put any thought into what it stood for. But, when reconnecting with a new segment of the family, I learned that it was actually short for Cliffordia (!!!) pronounced cli-FORD-ee-a. I don’t know if I’d saddle any kid with it but I think it’s a ripe opportunity for a pet name if nothing else!
I have a similar experience with a great aunt. She goes by Winnie so I always assumed her name was Winifred. Nope! A few years ago I found out her name was actually Waynette! After her dad. No wonder she went by Winnie! Lol.
Did the parents say it was an update to Kayla? I would assume Kailen is just an updated spelling of Kaylynn/Kaylynne/Kaylin. It’s funny we associate names together! I do love the Kyle to Kyler update!
Stellar instead of Stella or Stellen
Russett instead of Russell
Blakeley instead of Blake
I always end up changing the name visually but it doesn’t sound any different. Example: Kai instead of Kay. This is how we got Jaxon I suppose.
I have an abundance of friends/acquaintances who have children named Kailen, Kaylin, Cailin, but I only see the names written, so I’m not sure what I’d think to hear them.
I keep coming up with names already invented.
Hmm, I know a number of people named Kai, and they all pronounce it “Ky”. I pronounce Kay as the letter K.
I know a 30s Kahlan pronounced the same way. She gets it misheard at Kaitlyn a lot. After watching a documentary about a Calum recently, I feel like it could be an fresh update for Calvin/Colin.
Kahlan is also a name of one of the main protagonists from Terry Goodkin’s fantasy novels.
I’m familiar with both Caelan, an (Anglicized) Gaelic name, and variations of Kaylyn (Kay + Lynn). Caelan appeals to me greatly for either sex, while Kaylyn does not at all. Funny how they’re pronounced virtually the same but the appeal can vary so much. Similar to my feelings about Vivienne (love) and Vivian (meh).
Not to rain on the parade, but I immediately thought of Kato Kaelin.
But I have a Callum, and his name brings me great joy!
I’m not sure if this counts because I think it is an existing, long-standing name (although uncommon), but I know someone named Gerilyn. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but it has all the aspects of names I love – Geraldine/Carolyn and it’s unique.
I’ve also known a Marilee, which is like Marilyn with another ending (I’m not sure what ending – maybe Beverly?).
I recently met 30something sisters named Kyber and Allicka (no idea about the spellings, that’s the best I could do phonetically). They could be alternate endings for Kyla and Allison.
My favorite “Laur” name is Laurel, which never got as overused as the others.
Carolee instead of Carolyn
Evelee instead of Everlyn
Everlyn instead ofEverly
Luclyn instead of Lucy
Preslyn instead of Presley/Pasilyn instead of Paisley
Mirella (Muhr-ella) instead of Miriam.
Aubra instead of Aubrey
Adalie instead of Addison.
Kelson (Kelsyn) instead of Kelsey
Sadlie instead of Sadie
Kinslyn instead of Kinsley
Kelson is also a protagonist in an old fantasy series by Katharine Kurtz.
My daughter’s name is Claire & she cries her face off everytime I put her down (she’s 5 months). Anywho, everytime she starts I end up calling her a different version of her name: Clara, Clarabelle, Claire bear, etc. Today I came up with a new one that fits this post too: Clairene! Haha! I have 2 great-grandmas named Irene & my mom’s middle is Earlene….it just fit. 😂
I have a Claire and even though I never really liked Clara, I end up calling her Clarabelle a lot! Her grandmother calls her Clarity.
Ha, I cannot wait for the future Dear Swistle letter with three sisters fighting over Sophiella…!
My son named his baby doll Marble and the more I use it the more I like it! (Will never actually give this out-there name to a child but I’m surprised how much I’ve grown to like it!)
My son named his baby doll “Baby Dr. Shakhawat” after his pediatrician, lol
I’m in my 30’s and grew up with a Kailen, so it’s not new in my area of the country. There’s also Caelynn, Kailyn, Kaylen, etc. The Kailen I know sometimes goes by Kali.
I sat here for a few minutes and came up with a ton of names I don’t like, and none I did. #fail
Skyla instead of Skylar
Tyla instead of Tyler.
I actually came across this name on a boy in his 20s. I had to get used to it for sure.
Conal is an Irish name and a great way to get around the Mitch Mc issue with Connell!
I can’t help wondering if the book you read with the name Connell was the Sally Rooney book, Normal People. I just read it last week and one of the main characters is named Connell!
That’s the one!
This sounds fun to try!
Cathia instead or Cathy or Catherine
Danille instead of Denise or Danielle
Josille or Josine instead of Josie
Rosille or Rosine instead of Rose/Rosie
Eveline instead of Evelyn or Eve
Hannelle or Hannisse instead of Hanna/h [Sidenote: Anise would be a lovely girl’s name!]
I find this really hard for traditional boys’ names.
Daven instead of David or Davis
Alben instead of Albert
Andren instead of Andrew
Jonathas instead of Jonathan
Henras instead of Henry
Cathia is a pretty common name amongst Spanish speakers (my sister being one of them)—though it’s pronounced more like Katya, of which I think it’s the Spanish version maybe?
Changing a part (sometimes just a one letter) of an existing name to make it sound unusual or mixing together two names is what fantasy authors seem to often do. A few examples taken only from the Game of Thrones:
Edward => Eddard
Caitlin => Catelyn
Lisa => Lysa
Jeffrey => Joffrey
Marcella => Myrcella
Thomas => Tommen
Samuel => Samwell
Walter => Walder
Theo => Theon
Peter => Petyr
Stanley/Stanislas => Stannis
Marjorie/Margery => Margaery
Rick/Richard => Rickon
(There’s probably a lot more, but I can’t recall them at the moment.)
And Arya could ba a mix of Aria and Anya?
A name Marlena might have been invented in a similar fashion from Maria Magdalena.
And Adalia, which also seems like a mash-up name, is actually one of my favorites.
P.S. Creating new names sounds like a really fun activity – it could also be a good exercise during creative writing classes or something like that!
So here are my few cents:
Delia + Ophelia => Odelia
Alanna + Alissa => Alaisa
Egon + Eden => Egden
Johnston + Jason => Jenston
Lana + Nancy => Lancy
Miranda +Melinda => Merinda
Robert => Robard
Anna + Ella => Anella
Juliette + Oletta => Yuletta
Vivian + Valeria => Viveria
Hannah + Annie => Hannia
Nina + Irma => Nirna
Alice + Amanda => Alanda
Lucas => Lukess
You are good at this!
Thanks! :)
Yes, George RR Martin is a master (maester?) of this. He’s overly fond of adding “y” and “ae,” but after a while it just seems like that is how they spell things in the Common Tongue. Some more names from the books:
Marq
Olyvar
Alysanne
Rickon and Dickon and Vickon
Randyll
Symond
Delena
Megga
Cynthea
Jeyne
Genna
Sebaston
Benjen
Bernarr
Thanks, that’s an impressive list!
It seems that Mr Martin takes a perfectly normal name, adds just a little twist and – voila! – we have a name fit for a fantasy novel character! :)
[And Andrzej Sapkowski apparently does that too: Gerald => Geralt, Jennifer => Yennefer, and so on.]
Benjen?! Totally could have used that one, since I’m Jennie and my husband is Benjamin. :P
My best friend in middle/high school was named Kaylin (we’re 80s babies) and I thought her name was awesome. I ended up nannying a Caelan (pronounced the same way; male) and again, love it. The names felt differently to me for some reason, I barely even associated them as the same name.
I have a cousin called Connell, who shares the beginning with his grandfather Conrad “Connie,” and another cousin named Blakely “Blake.” I’ve known two Blakelys, both male and female.
I’ve come across these, which reminded me of other names:
Trudy — Truly
Taylor — Tayla
Finnegan — Finnikin
Amy — Amiette
Tyler — Tyger
Vivian/Vivienne — Viviette
Isabel — Isabeau/Isaboe
Madeleine/Madison — Madigan
Hawkins — Hawkinz
Mattea — Matayah
Oliver — Ollivander
Brittany — Brittan/Britton
Brier — Brierly
Hannah — Havana
Toby/Tobias — Tobin
Job — Joben
Enoch — Enox
Harvey — Harvest
Valerie – Valor
Victor/Victoria — Victory
Kelly — Kellen
Bella — Bellamy
Maisie — Maizelee
Wren — Renly
Ryan — Ryanne
Eli — Eelix
Norma — Normandy
Jessica — Jessamine
I like Jessamine (I’ve also seen Jessamyn), Bellamy, Tobin, and Madigan.
Harvest is just so bizarre to me as a name- I can only think of food.
As an Eli, I’m personally offended by Eelix (:
I just heard one this morning, a little girl at church named Kaianna. I’m not actually sure of the spelling. I just heard it pronounced–Kai + Anna. I’m still mulling it over because I prefer more traditional names, but overall, I think I like it.
Reminds me of Cayenne pepper