I am going to be sad to see this series end!
Here is the game we are playing:
We are going to pretend that we are naming a baby and that the name MUST start with a certain letter, and so we will need one name starting with that letter for a boy and one name starting with that letter for a girl, or else one name that would work for either, EVEN IF we don’t like any of the names that start with that letter enough to Actually In Real Life choose them. It is just a game where we place artificial restrictions on reality in order to create the kind of tension that makes games fun—like when you have to choose what foods you’d eat if you could only eat three foods for the rest of your life: the fun is in thinking it over AS IF it were a real forced decision, while KNOWING it is not. There is a baby! It MUST be given a name with a particular letter! That is the game.
After that basic concept, we can decide our own sub-rules, based on what makes the game fun and not stressful. Some examples:
• I’m not planning to play that the name has to fit with the names of my other children or with the surname, though this would be an option for anyone who would LIKE to play it that way; I think I will have more fun if I pretend it is a stand-alone baby and that the surname is not an issue, though I may change my mind as we go. (And if I narrow it down to a few options and can’t decide, I might use siblings/surname as a tie-breaker.)
• It is also fine to narrow it down to a few finalists without getting to The One Name.
• The boy name and girl name don’t have to work TOGETHER: we are only naming ONE baby, so you’d only use one or the other. But you MAY play that the names have to work together, if that’s more fun.
• It is fine to wave aside issues such as a friend who already used that name, a famous person with the name, etc., if that makes it more fun and less stressful to choose. This is just pretend, so you can pretend that those things aren’t issues if you want to. (Or you can let the issues stand as they are in real life, if THAT is more fun.)
• We can also all make our own decisions about whether the names have to be ones we think we’d ACTUALLY USE in that hypothetical scenario, or just our FAVORITE names starting with that letter, regardless of whether we think the names are practical; I am not sure which way I will play it, and I likely won’t be consistent.
• If you already have a child with a name starting with the letter we’re working on, you get to pick again from all the names that remain; you don’t have to choose your child’s name as your favorite just because it WAS your favorite: this is a FRESH baby, and you wouldn’t give it the same name as your existing child. (If you would normally prefer not to repeat an initial within a sibling group, you can just pretend that’s NOT a preference for the sake of the game.)
• You can do as much or as little explanation as you like in your comment: you can just list the names you chose, or you can explain your process/preferences/reasoning/runners-up, or whatever is most fun.
Today’s letter is B. For girls, I have Beatrix and Bianca on my list. I also like Belinda and Bridget and Bronwyn. I like Bonnie, but I want it to be a nickname for something else. If it weren’t for Amelia Bedelia, I think I would like Bedelia. For a total style outlier, I like Beckett: I like the way it can go to Bec or Becca or Becky or Bex or Kit or even Etta, depending on the person. I choose Beatrix.
For boys, I have Benjamin on my list. I also like Barnaby. I feel warmly toward Bertram/Bertie because of P.D. Wodehouse’s Jeeves stories, but I don’t think I’d be ready to use it. For a total style outlier, I like Broderick; it’s fun to say, and the Matthew Broderick association is a pleasant one. I would choose Benjamin.
Now you! If you want to! Only if it’s fun and not stressful! Feel free to adjust the game-play to be fun and not stressful!
Maybe we can keep playing after you run out of letters with themes? Like “our favorite nature names” or “our favorite names from the 1910s social security list” or something like those.
Yes, seconded.
Love this idea. Third-ed
I also love this idea!
Yay! Fourth-ed! 😂
Agreed.
Maybe favorite combos for twins or multiples?
Beth for a girl and Bo for a boy.
For a girl I like Brynn, Brenna, Bonnie, Bess and Betsy. I knew a little girl named Brittan which was pretty but you had to emphasize the /t/ sound which is less common to our midwestern accent. I choose Brenna
For a boy I love Benjamin, Bryce, Barrett, and Boyd.
I choose Benjamin.
One of my kids has a B name and we’re no repeats. But in this game I’ll choose Beatrix. It was contemplated for our youngest but we dismissed it as ‘too hipster’ and slightly tongue-twisty with the surname. (Sometimes I wish I could go back to Naming Era me and tell her to let go of a lot of the self-enforced rules and concerns.) Anyways, I also adore Bianca, Bridget, Billie (!!), Bellamy, Beaudry. I found the name Belline online somewhere awhile ago and I love it, especially in the middle spot. Love Briar on other kids.
I actually spent an inordinate amount of time researching B names when I had name panic when our youngest was five months old – I wanted to see if I could find a formal name for her (in the end we just changed her middle names) but Bernadette was briefly almost the new name.
For boys, I have long loved Beau, but it appears the world loves Beau so much as well. Beamount is lovely (Beau or Monty!), Boone, Brooks, Bruce, Brahm. Brodie is a family name on my husband’s side but it’s so popular where we live. Funny enough my very conservative grandmother suggested Brodie for my first “Wouldn’t it be wonderful! Lovely Brodie.” Huh. That’s a topic for another time – the gap between our parents and grandparents naming styles and ours (my inlaws shamed my husband out of his favourite boy name Oscar like what?) Anyways, boy name would be Barrettt nn Bear!
G: Beatrix
B: Barrett
Bernard! Love this name and a baby Bernie makes me swoon. For a girl, Beatrix has been a long-standing name on my list. But Bernard is the one that I really lament not having the opportunity to use.
Beatrice & Blaise
For girls Brianna, Blair and Bellamy. For boys, I don’t have any that I love but I sort of like Bennett and Bruce.
Final picks:
G – Brianna
B – Bruce
For a girl, I like Beatrice.
For a boy, either Bernard or Bertrand. I choose Bernard (Bernie!) for this game.
I find B tricky!
I love Bernard and Bernadette.
I think male names are tarnished because I went to school with so many Bretts, Brents, Byrces etc. I’m also not a huge fan of the new wave of B names, Beckett, Bennet, etc. So maybe that just leaves me with Bernard but I feel like I’m missing something!
I love Blair and Blake on other women/girls but wouldn’t use them. Bea/Bee is always a fave. I’ll go with Birdie though I’m not sure I’d ever be brave enough to use it in real life!
For a girl, Beatrice – one of the top contenders for baby-on-the-way, should it be a girl (I like the kicky x in Beatrix as well, but would go with Beatrice so I could throw around the Italian pronunciation). I don’t really love any B names for boys, but would go with Benjamin if necessary.
For girls I like Beatrice, Beatrix and Bellamy when other people suggest them. Blair is cute, but very late-80s/early90s to my ears, even though rationally know it is more popular now than it was then. So, I pick Blythe.
For boys – I love the classic Benjamin. I also like Beckett and Bennett. I really like Beau/Bo but wouldn’t like the spelling hassle of Beau and Bo seems more of a nickname to me. I love Blaise but it definitely more “bold” and “daring” than my usual style. So I’m going with Blaine.
B: (f)Blythe – (m)Blaine
C: (f)Claire – (m) Clarke
D: (f)Daphne – (m) Dashiell/Damien
E: (f) Eloise – (m) Elliott
F: (f)Felicity – (m) Fitzwilliam
G: (f)Georgiana – (m)Graham
H: (f)Heidi – (m) Heath
I:(f) Isla – (m)Ian
J: (f) Jones Elise – (m) John Elliott (Jett)
K: (f)Kathryn – (m)Kirk
L: (f)Laurel – (m)Liam
M: (f)Miriam – (m)Miles
N:(f)Naomi – (m)Nigel or Neil
O:(f)Olivia – (m)Orion
P:(f)Penelope(Poppy) – (m)Porter
PH:(f)Phoebe – (m)Phillip
Q:(f or m)Quimby
R:(f)Ruth – (m)Russell or Rhett
S:(f)Simone or Sierra – (m)Seth
T:(f)Tessa/Tess – (m)Tucker
U:(f)Ula – (m)Umberton
V:(f)Viola or Vivian – (m)Vaughn
W:(f)Wynn – (m)Webb or Whit
X:(f)Xanthe – (m)Xavier
Y:(f)Yara – (m)York
Z:(f)Zella – (m)Zeke
Benjamin and Benedita!
Well Benjamin has long been one of my absolute favorites but is way too popular for me (was #1 boy name in my state for a several years recently). I like the idea of Bartlett since it’s a family name but can’t get past Bart as a nn. I think I would go with Beckett for a boy.
The only girl B name that I even sort of like is Bridget so it’d have to be that.
Girl: Belinda, maybe Bianca. Brynn or Brie used to be favorites, not so much anymore.
Boy: Beckett, Barrett. I used to be a big fan of Brennan, but that feels dated, and I like Ben but on its own (not as a nickname for Benjamin or Benedict).
Girl: Brooke
Boy: Brennan? Bram and Brooks are nice too
I have an acquaintance who is Bernadette nn Bennie, which is a name/nn combo that I absolutely adore and so I choose that. I also like Beatrice, Betty and Bonnie.
I already have a Billy (nickname for William) which is a name I love, but would only use as a nickname, not a formal name. For the purposes of this game, I choose Bernard. Such a great name!
Beau for a boy.
I realized I’ve never had any B girl names on any of my lists. Huh. I quite like Bridget or Brynn though.
Brynn and Beau, I think.
I have always liked Becker for a boy–it is a family name. It doesn’t go with my surname at all.
For girls I like Beatrice, and Bellamy even though it is way outside my usual naming style.
I can’t think of a single girl name beginning with “b” that I would be truly happy to choose. There aren’t many I like, and I have an issue with all of them that would prevent me from choosing it IRL. I like Betsy and Bessie, but those are nicknames to me, not a name that would go on a birth certificate, and since the birth certificate name would be Elizabeth, they don’t count. On other people’s children, I like Bridget, Brigid, Brigitta, Birgitta, Blair, and Bonnie. I would have chosen Bellatrix if I had been asked to choose a “b” name for a girl before the Harry Potter series came out. A star in the constellation Orion – perfect! And now, it feels like too many people would judge the choice. I also love Belladonna, the name of a very minor witch character in one of my favorite books as a child, but it’s poisonous nightshade, so maybe not. I had a family member who became Sister Benedicta, but I just couldn’t find my way to using that as an honor name.
Names that start with the “bree” sound are beautiful — there’s Brie/Bree, Brielle, Briana (with all its spelling variations and two possible pronunciations), but there are too many things that put me off. The trendiness, the third name being a feminine form of Brian (which is a name I don’t have positive associations with), and also the tragedy associated with the third name… I do like Brea if it is pronounced to rhyme with Leia, and Briallen or Brizo could be less common names starting with the “Bree” sound. Bryony also feels almost like a feminine form of Brian although it’s a plant, and the sound is almost the same, but I do love the three-syllable, ends-in-y rhythm.
If I really had to pick a “b” name for a girl, the ones I would have the fewest problems with, but not love, would be Branwen called Winnie, Beatrix, Bianca, Brea, and Briallen.
There a lot of “b” names that I love for boys although Benjamin has been forever spoiled for me by its short forms. When I was teaching English at a middle school in China, I was asked to give the students English names. I tried to make them sound similar to the students’ real names whenever possible to help me remember both. I suggested the name Ben to one student, and he agreed, but after a week of calling him Ben, the other students told me that I had to stop. It turned out that Ben means “stupid” in Mandarin. Since I now thought of him as Ben, I suggested lengthening it to Benji, but this was met with howls of laughter from the class. “No, Teacher, Ben Ji means stupid chicken!” So, I never even considered Benjamin for my son although I used to like it. Even the amazing Benaiah, would probably be out, although I do still really like Bengt, which is a form of Benedict.
I would love to use Booker or Beck, but probably in the middle spot. For a short time, I thought I might name my son Bowen called Bo or Beaumont called Beau or Monty, but now I think my favorite way to get to Bo is Boaz.
“B” names that I like on other people’s children include Barnabas and Barnaby (but the nickname Barney and that awful dinosaur ruled them out for me), Baxter, Blake, Brock, Beric, Barry, Basil or Bastian called Baz, Balthazar, Brandon, Bran, Branok, and Branwell.
But I actually do have a favorite “b” name for a boy, that I like even better then Boaz, and it would be the name I would choose if I were to have another son. Bramwell called Bram or Wells.
I did not know Benji meant stupid chicken! My parents used to have a sweet cat named Benji.
For a girl, I would choose Beatrice, a name that’s already on my list for hypothetical daughters. I think I love it primarily for the Much Ado about Nothing association!
Boys’ names are harder. I really like the solid, friendly nickname Ben, but I’m not wild about Benjamin (and strongly dislike Benji). I’d be tempted by Bennet (Pride and Prejudice! Why yes, I AM easily swayed by literary associations!), but I know people would always want to spell it with two Ts, and I think that would drive me slowly mad. Same issue with Becket — I like it with one T (like the saint), but two Ts is the more common spelling. I think my actual choice might be Brendan, which is just a name I’ve always liked, though it’s probably a bit dated now (and would get mistaken for Brandon a lot, I’m sure).
Final answers, Beatrice and Brendan.
For girls I like Beth or Betha and Briar. I have a Brynn and kinda wished we’d gone with Briar. But Brynn is pretty as well.
For boys, I’ve always like Bram, but as a nickname for Abraham. I think I’d pick Brent or Benjamin for a boy.
Girl: Briar
Boy: Brent
Bay, maybe as a nickname for Bailey, maybe as a full, for a girl. Beckett for a boy.
Boy: Brandon
Girl: Blare
My favorite aunt when I was little was my Aunt Bea. Short for Beatrice. So I would definitely name a daughter that. For a boy, that is more difficult. I like Broderick (nn Brody). I was surprised how few B names for boys I would want to use. Benjamin is great on someone else’s child but not one I would choose.
Beatrice & Broderick
I’m picking Beatrix for my girl name, though I was also like Briony and Bianca. For the boy name, it’s Blaise, hands down – it’s fun, cool and nerdy all at the same time – I love it.
B: Beatrix and Blaise
C: Camellia and Colin
D: Dahlia and Dominic
E: Eva and Ethan
F: Fern and Finn
G: Genevieve and Gideon
H: Hannah and Heath
I: Iris and Isaac
J: June and Jude
K: Kestrel and Kellan
L: Leia and Lance
M: Magnolia and Miles
N: Naomi and Nathaniel
O: Ophelia and Owen
P: Pippa and Peter
Q: Quinn and Quill
R: Rosalie and Roan
S: Susanna and Simon
T: Tessa and Thaddeus
U: Umbria and Urban
V: Vera and Valerian
W: Wren and West
X: Xymeria and Xavier
Y: Ysabel and Yarrow
Z: Zelie and Zebulon
I like Basil and Benedict but love Benjamin. Beatrice wins (Much Ado! like so many above) but Briony and Brigid and Belle are all lovely.
B: Beatrice and Benjamin
C: Constance and Cole
D: Dove and Dominic
E: Estelle and Edmund
F: Frances and Finnian
G: Guinevere and Gideon
H: Harriet and Hayden
I: Iris and Isaac
J: Judith and Julian
K: Kestrel
L: Louisa and Luke
M: Mae and Matthias
N: Nicola or Nicholas
O: Octavia and Oliver
P: Paulina or Paul
Q: Quartz and Quentin
R: Rosa and Raphael
S: Sylvie and Samuel
T: Theodora and Timothy
U: Una and Ulysses
V: Vera and Valerian
W: Willa and Walter
X: Xenia and Xavier
Y: Yvaine and Yves
Z: Zinnia and Zachary
beatrice and benedict! but you know, not in the same sibling set, because that would be weird
If they know anything about Much Ado About Nothing, it would be!
For girls, the only real question is whether to go for Beatrice or Beatrix. I feel like you can get the same or at least similar nicknames out of either, so I will go with Beatrice, which I find rolls off the tongue a bit easier.
Boy names I liked when I was younger included Brian and Brandon, but that’s probably because they were popular names at the time. They seem like Dad names now. There’s not much I absolutely love among the B’s: Brooks, Bennet, Bryce, Blaise, and Benedick all strike me as lovely when I hear them, but don’t really feel like my naming style. I do like Blair for a boy, and Basil, and Brahm. Started typing out reasons why Basil was my least favorite of the three and realized I might actually like it the best for an actual child in my family. Huh.
Beatrice and Basil
Briony for a girl and Bruno for a boy.
Benjamin for a boy, nn Benjy when he was little, probably transitioning to Ben as he got older. Basil in second place.
For a girl, I like Beatrice, Bianca, Blair, Blythe, Bridget, Bronwyn, Brooke, but I don’t love any of them. I think I choose Beatrice, nn Bea.
In response to Swistle wanting Bonnie to be a nickname for something, my husband recently suggested Ebony, nn Bonnie, which I thought was great!
I like a lot more B names than I expected! For girls, my usual style is definetly Beatrice, and maybe Bridget and Brooke, however even that feels outside my actual naming comfort zone. I also LOVE (and would totally use) several B short forms of Elizabeth, like Beth (one of my daughters’ name), Betsy and Bess (this last one feels a bit incomplete on its on. Outside my normal style I like the sound of Bailey, Brinley and Briar. I pick Beatrice, nickname Bea or Bee (how cute is that?!?), because I feel like picking my daughter’s name (even though it’s my favorite, of course) defeats the purpose of the game.
For boys, Benjamin is exactly my style, and it’s so cute! Particularly with the nickname Ben or Benny! On another person’s kid I find Brady, Barrett and Broderick surprisingly charming! I also love the name Billy and Bobby, but only as nicknames for William and Robert, respectively. I could also see Billie and Bobbie on little girls, but it’s not my style for girls like it is for boys.
Beatrice and Benjamin (Bea and Benny!)
For boys, I love Barrett (nn Bear), Bridger, Benjamin, Beau, Baylor, maybe. Barrett and Bridger are pretty much tied…if I have to, I’ll choose Barrett.
For girls, I like Blair, Bellamy, Blythe…hmm. I think I like Bronwyn and Beck/Becker. I think I’d choose Blair.
Girl: Bethany
Boy: Bishop
TLDR: Bina, Barach
There are plenty of B names that I like for both boys and girls. For girls, I like Bina, Batya, Briony and Briar. I am sorely tempted by the more botatical names Briony and Briar, but I think ultimately I would choose Bina, which is short but beautiful.
For boys, the choices are a little starkly different than my usual style. I do like Bruce and Brian, but neither are exactly right, and I often spell Brian Brain, which would be a problem. I like Benjamin, which seems like a nice kid name, but I don’t particularly like Ben (although that isn’t entirely a deal breaker, I did name an actual child Robert without liking Rob or Bob…), I like the more Hebrew names Boaz and Barach, and I think I would go with Barach. It does sounds a bit like Barack, but this is a good allusion for me, and the name is not the same.
Beatrix and Bennett
A boy name starting with B is easy for me: Byron. I considered it each pregnancy and it was almost my son’s middle name. I still think it would work well with my other kids. I have always hesitated to use B names, though, as the initial B. placed in front of our last name makes a word with a somewhat negative connotation. In the end that’s why I didn’t use it as a middle name. But if I had to use a B name, Byron would definitely be it.
For a girl I like the sound of Beatrice but she would almost certainly be called Bea so it would be really hard to ignore the initial problem. I just read a book with a main character named Bridie. I am not certain I’d use it because it’s a very Irish name and we aren’t at all Irish, but if I had to name a baby today that’s what I’d pick.
Benjamin for a boy, although if I was bolder, I might go with Balthazar.
For a girl… I used to really love Bridget, but, eh, it’s lost its luster for me, so I guess Bianca?
Bowen or Bess
I’ve always been drawn to Blythe and Bliss for girls.
Boy B names are harder – maybe Blaise?
Boaz for a boy, no contest there
A girl is harder because I just don’t love B names.
I think I’d pick Brenna, or possibly Brigitta nickname Birdie
B – Boaz / Brenna or Brigitta “Birdie”
C – Camille / Camille or Cecile “Ceci” or Clara
D – Deacon “Deke” / Delphine “Della”
E – Ernest “Ernie” / Élodie or Emmélise “Emmie” or Eirlys
F – Felix or Francis or Fergus / Frida
G – Grover / Geneva “Neve”
H – Henry / Hannelore “Nell”
I – Isidore / Imogen or Iveline “Ivy” or Ivelisse “Ivy” or Iseline
J – Jeremy “Jem” / Jemima “Jem”
K – Kieran / Keziah
L – Luca / Lucienne “Lucie” or Léopoldine “Léo”
M – Mathis / Margot or Maeve
N – Niven / Niamh
O – Oskar / Ottoline or Ottilie “Tillie”
P – Philip “Pip” / Penelope “Nell”
Q – Quinn / Quinn
R – Rafael or Rowan / Rowan or Raphaëlle
S – Sidney “Sid” / Sylvie
T – Tobias / Thea or Theodora “Teddy”
U – ? / Ursa
V – Vincent / Viviana or Vera
W – Walter / Winter “Winnie” or Willemina “Billie” or Willa or Winifred “Freddie”
X – Xavier / Xanthe
Y – ? / Yveline or Yvelise
Z – Zimri / Zélie
For a boy, I’m partial to Brennan and Bowen, even though neither really is representative of my overall style at all, so with more siblings I’d definitely not use either. For the sake of this play though, I’m happily going with Brennan.
For a girl, Billie is what comes to mind first, I love both Billie and Billy. However, I like them especially as nicknames (with Billie I’d love to have a Wilhelmina and call her Billie), and I don’t want the association with Billie Eilish, or even Billiie Holiday, so her full name is going to be Belinda, which I also find adorable.
Benedict and Beatrice
Benjamin and Brenna, followed closely by Barrett and Beatrice
I think Benjamin is just the loveliest name. I’ve always liked Bartholomew, though, and I think I’d go with that, nn Bo/Beau.
Beatrice is a long-time favorite, as is Blythe.
I’d go Bartholomew/Blythe.
I am so sad that this game is ending. For girls I love the names Bianca, Bonnie, I like Bethany. I find I quite like quite a few names that are nicknames (Bess/Betsy/Betty, Billie). I like Briar and Blaire but in a “someone else’s kid’s way”. Anyway all this is the buildup to the name we were actually going to give to a girl if we ever had one, which is Beatrix. When I was a kid I thought Beatrice was pronounced “beat rice” which is why I have a preference for the X ending (as an adult I know that Beatrice is a great name! but my kid heart loves Beatrix). I love the nicknames Bea and Trixie.
For boys, I’ve always like Benjamin but I have an Unpleasant Uncle named Benjamin (as well as one named Brian). I like Barnaby A LOT but I’m not sure if I can get over the purple dinosaur association with Barney which is VERY STRONG in my mind. I like Bennett and Blake. I like Basil in theory but not in practice. Beau is so nice! But it feels a little bit nicknamey to me. I like the sound of Bishop but not the religious connotations. A family name in my family is Bixby, and I like that a lot, but I’m not sure if I’m daring enough. I like Blaise, but I wonder if it is too cool/edgy for me (even though I know it is a saint’s name). Oh you know what I like a lot? Bryce! I went to elementary school with a Bryce and thought it was a DEFINITELY made up name and as an adult it is….clearly not. Well as is common with boys’ names I’m going to have to waffle about and then just PICK something. I pick….Bryce. No….Bixby?
B: Bryce (Bixby?) and Beatrix (with heart eyes)
C: Calvin and Cora
D: Dominic and Diana.
E: Edwin and Eloise
F: Felix and Frances
G: George and Grace
H: Harvey and Hazel
I: Isaac and Iris (honorable mention Isaiah)
J: Jasper and Jane
K: Kieran and Kathryn
L: Leland and Louisa
M: Matthew & Margot
N: Neil & Nadine (strong second place Naomi)
O: Oscar & Opal
P: Patrick & Paloma (close seconds are Peter & Pearl)
Q: Quinn (for either, because I already have a Quentin)
R: Robert & Ruth (special shout out to Ramona)
S: Sawyer & Sylvie
T: Toby & Tabitha
U: Uriel & Una
V: Vincent & Veronica
W: Walter & Winonah (honorable mention to Warren)
X: Xavier & Xia
Y: Yusef & Yolanda
Z: Zachary & Zelda (but upon reflection I think maybe Zinnia)
For a girl Branwen is the only one I really like. For a boy I love Bruce and Basil both so much that it is too hard to choose, so actually they are twins names Bruce Rafferty and Basil Timothy.
Also so sad to see this coming to an end! I hope more games continue in the future, so fun!
B is not a favorite letter of mine. A lot of names I like feel outdated/not ready to come back yet, or too nicknamey. For girls, I like Beth, Bethany, Bonnie (maybe Bonita called Bonnie?), Brianne (spelling issues), Brenna, Brynn, Brie, and Bridget. The one that jumped out when reading lists as refreshing again was Beverly, especially with the recent passing of Beverly Cleary. For boys, I really like Bert, but the long forms are not B names. I also like Banks, Beaumont called Beau, Benjamin, Blake, Bradley, Brendan, Burke, Brooks, Bryant (confused with Brian?), and Bradford.
Final choices, Beverly and Brendan.
B – (f) Beverly, (m) Brendan
C – (f) Cory, (m) Cameron
D – (f) Dana, (m) Derek
E – (f) Elaine, (m) Evan
F – (f) Freya, (m) Ford
G – (f) Gwen, (m) Grant
H – (f) Hillary, (m) Hugh
I – (f) Imogen, (m) Iver
J – (f) Joy, (m) Julian
K – (f) Kendra, (m) Keith
L – (f) Louisa, (m) Logan
M – (f) Mallory, (m) Marshall
N – (f) Nadine, (m) Neil
O – (f) Odette, (m) Oliver
P – (f) Pia, (m) Parson
Q – (f) Quincy, (m) Quaid
R – (f) Ramona, (m) Roger
S – (f) Susanna, (m) Sullivan
T – (f) Thora, (m) Tatum
U – (f) Uma, (m) Umber
V – (f) Virginia, (m) Vaughn
W – (f) Whitney, (m) Wade
X – (f) Xaida, (m) Xander
Y – (f) Yardley, (m) York
Z – (f) Zoe, (m) Zachary
Ooh I have a couple of girl B names I love: Beatrice and Blythe have almost equal footing, it’s *very* difficult to pick. I think I’d forced I would go for Blythe.
For boys… I’ve got nothing! Benjamin, I suppose – it’s a lovely solid name.
Bennett and Bryony.
Bianca for a girl and fora boy, my fav name for guys in my generation, Brandon
For a girl I choose Bryn! I also like Bianca, Bellamy and Bailey.
For a boy I like Boaz, nickname Bo! I also like Benedict- I have a little nephew with this name. And I’m also liking Branson, after the Downton Abbey character :)
So happy to see all of the love Bianca is getting! I had a Bianca CeIeste in Jan and can confirm: it is a very satisfying name. Bianca is so fun to say and hit my sweet spot of known/easy to spell but not used much lately.
We found it (after much deliberation) because we liked Sophia and Beatrice. But I’d choose Beatrix in a heartbeat for the meaning and fun crisp sound.
Beatrix/Blaise
My favorite B name is Beatrice, I am planning on using it as an honor name for my late grandmother who was named Bebe. Does everyone think that works as an honor?
I think Beatrice works wonderully as an honor name for Bebe! (Particularly if you use the nickname Bee or Bea)
Bellamy
Benjamin
Female: Beatrix, Beth, Branwen,
Male: Benjamin, Bran, Briar
Love but shouldn’t use: Bahiyya, Bård,
I’d use Benjamin and Beth.
I love Beatrice and that has to be the one. I like Beatrix in theory but find the ending a bit clunky to say.
For boys I like Benedict and Barnaby but Benjamin is hands down my favourite.
Some lovely name suggestions here. I’m stealing Bramwell and Briar – both beautiful!
I like to do a full name alphabet each year and in both 2019 and 2020 I had Beckett as my boys choice. Someone suggested Kit as a nickname for it above and I love that so much more than Beck that it has cemented this one for me. Beau would be my second choice!
For the girls, I love Welsh adjacent names – Bronwyn, Bethan, Bess. One of my closet friends had a little baby Briony last year and I really love it – and it was the name I was nearly called which feels nice, too. I do enjoy Beatrix and Blythe but I think more in theory than actuality. I really love both Beth and Birdie as nicknames for Elizabeth – does that count? Maybe not. And I just really love Bee. Ah, tough call!
Boy: Beckett (nn Kit)
Girl: Bee
I’m gonna play with the rules that, if I was naming an Actual Pair Of Kids, and they Needed To Have B Names, with the Actual Surname They Would Have, then…
Boy, Bram
I love this name so much, and while I also adore Abraham and would prefer it to be the nickname, it’s one of the few nickname names I could use without feeling like I’m making life difficult for them. And it works well with the surname they’d get, having a very nice rhythm.
Girl, Bernadette
Blythe, Bernadette, and Beatrix are my top three, and they all work so well. I am currently having a love affair with Blythe, but Beatrix has been a long term love (And they both have those Scrabble letters!) and Bernadette is a wonderful mix of “elaborate girly” with “sturdy”. Blythe was my choice, but Actual Surname is difficult to spell, and some people spell it with a Y, so this seems like it’d tempt fate. Bernadette is my current winner because I like names with animal meanings. But I could happily go with any of them.
I really do not love any B names. I like how Bishop sounds, but the Catholic association rules it out for me. Bevin is cool, but kinda blends in with Evan, Kevin, Devin, etc. I like Bianca but I have a good friend with that name. Beatrix is kinda cool but I dislike Trixie. Brooke or Brooks. Birdie, but only as a nickname.
I’ll go with Beatrix (Bea) and Brooks.
B: Beatrix (Bea), Brooks
C: Calvin (Cal), Cedar
D: Diana, Dexter
E: Everett (Ever), Estelle (Esti).
F: Francesca (Frankie), Felipe
G: Gwen, Gael
H: Hazel, Harriet
I: Ivy, Ilan
J: Julia, Julian
K: Katrina, Kade
M: Mirah, Matteo
N: Nadia, Nathaniel
O: Ocean
P: Patrick, Pearl
Q: Quill, Quiara
R: Ramona (Mo), Raphael, River
S: Simone, Sylvan, Sage
T: Talia, Theodore (Theo)
U: Uma, Uriah
V: Vanessa, Vaughn
W: Wednesday, Wade
X: Xiomara, Xavier
Y: Yvonne, Yonatan, Yael
Z: Zora, Zayn