The title of the post is the name of a great-grandmother that I never got to meet. Isn't it wild? I remember chanting it over and over as a girl...She was married quite a few times, by the by (as if you couldn't infer that!).
Well, it was a very tough afternoon, but I finally narrowed down the six names that just really stuck with me. I am, of course, not implying these are the best names. No sir! They are, however, my totally non-objective favorites, for one reason or another. The lengthier names tended to get an upperhand (because, well, it's more name!) even though I absolutely adore many of the beautiful first names that were tossed in...Ava, Stella (my favorite girl name), Anabelle, Suki, Fiona, Bridget, Helena, etc. etc.
In the end, though, it was the elderly farming couple that bowled me over...So, my favorite name(s)...Numero Uno (courtesy of Jennifer):
And the 5 second-place names (all so wonderful, too!):
Courtesy of (in order): Nancy, Melissa, Rita, Emma, and Kate, respectively.
Let me say again how overwhelmingly happy I am at the, well, overwhelming response to a girl's request for some good names. I find it interesting the names that come in and out of fashion...and this list really stirred that interest. This recent return to many names that haven't been popular since the 20's and 30's (Stella? Isabelle?) is really fascinating, and I think, a very happy turn-for-the-better. I was also happy at how many names came up that I already know and love (Amelia, my sister...Josiah, my sweet-pea) etc.
Thank you so much for playing along with me, reading through that sea of stories, memoirs & imaginary children the past few days has really been something special and extraordinary for everyone. To end our little contest, I thought I'd rattle off a list of some of the other names that were wonderful in one way or another...real & imaginary:
Jackalope Ronan Chachkes (!!! almost in the final six)
Claudette Featherbottom
Lazslo Valentine
Tanaquil Leclerc
Aubergine (who wouldn't want to be someone's little eggplant?)
Elsa Ophelia
Alethia
Ampersand (signing everything & would be great...in a Prince-ish kinda way)
Hortense Feathercap
Love Lies Bleeding (What an evocative name for a flower!!)
Ann Argyle Vest (I hope to god that one is real...)
Tallahassee Grimstone
Elliot Orelian
Linda Zipper (something about it...so zippy)
Miette (a favorite character from a favorite film)
Lux Malone
Veronica Guitar
Dee Dee Roxirox (you guys have some pretty amazing alter-egos!!)
Maisie Orla Connaghan
Plum
Talbot Sweetapple
Hattie Ringrose
and
Olive Glass.
I hope that everyone's weekend plans are lovely! I'm going to be squirreling away, working and working so that I can live it up during the big 1-2 punch next week of the 13th and the 14th (my birthday and then Valentine's day!).
Hooray for names! Hooray for imaginations!
(((UPDATED NOTE: I am perfectly aware that Brie is not the French word for cheese, although I do think it would be wonderful if there was a whole "cheese-gang" comprised of Piper Gruyere, Artie Havarti, etc.)))
Comments (31)
super names....in english, congratulations!!!!, but in spanish i prefer Carmina, for the carmine color and CARMINA BURANA, and another in spanish just for play, SONORA DE LLEGAR, if you understand chilean spanish you can laugh loudly
Carmen · February 09, 2007 at 09:10 PM
super names!! your great-grandmother (or the couple that named her) are deserving a prize as well...
cristina · February 09, 2007 at 09:11 PM
I adored this contest. I enjoyed watching the list of fab names grow and I am happy that you chose my name as wonderful. Thanks!
Claudette Featherbottom
katie · February 09, 2007 at 09:17 PM
Hats off to the Turnipseed family. That was really fun!
tiffany · February 09, 2007 at 09:23 PM
Turnipseed! My college roommate and I recorded our answering machine as "Constance and Winifred". Something along the lines of "You have reached the palace of Constance and Winifred. We found ourselves frightfully dull, so we headed out to find roguish men and engage in exquisite tom foolery. Perhaps we'll chat again on a new occasion. Cheerio!"
My grandmother's name is Bernice Amelia Augustina Schulenburg, and she's only been married once!
Arianne · February 09, 2007 at 10:27 PM
yay! we share the same birthday!
hope you have a perfect celebration:)
and i love the winning names, i can foresee an exquisite painting of this couple! ....and your grandmother's reminded me (though less lengthy) of one of my friends grandmothers names - Nellie Trundle!
*apologies for dreadful grammar*
!
artandghosts · February 09, 2007 at 10:33 PM
My Great Grandma's name was Ruby Marble
emily · February 09, 2007 at 11:06 PM
i loved winifred & winifred turnipseed too! i think you made a great choice!!!
jill · February 09, 2007 at 11:47 PM
I adore Winifred and Winifred Turnipseed. I have not been able to stop thinking about them. :) What fun this was!! Thank you miss lovely!!! xxo
Vanessa · February 10, 2007 at 12:18 AM
How fun! Congratulations to the winners!
Alexis Allen · February 10, 2007 at 12:19 AM
Oh! Slight correction, if you please =) Le Brie is actually just a brand name of cheese! En francais (in French), cheese is actually "fromage." Thus, it is Eloise Le Brie =) just as that.
I'm happy to have been honorable mention though ;) Thx for the fun contest!
Jeannie · February 10, 2007 at 12:30 AM
And, Happy Quite Early Birthday! - I hope it'll be smashing ;D
Jeannie · February 10, 2007 at 12:32 AM
Yay! I am delighted to see that Lux Malone got an honorable mention! Thank you!
Brandy · February 10, 2007 at 12:50 AM
Many names to love, I like repeating the William Trilliam Puddin Basin Jones over and over in my head now!!
Sounds like a wonderful name given to a child born of 60's rockstar parents :)
Happy Happy pre b-day to you :)
SuzyQ
SuzyQ · February 10, 2007 at 12:51 AM
God, I freaking LOVE the wall color in your last post! Awesome names as well. And SO helpful since we're naming a new pet. =)
RAchelle · February 10, 2007 at 01:09 AM
my birthday is on the 13th too! ;)
excellent choices in good names. your grandmother definitely takes the prize! wow...
sonia · February 10, 2007 at 03:26 AM
Hi! I wanted to make the same correction about "le brie", but it's already done. One or two things more:
-Miette (that's my favorite girl's name, and I loved the movie, of course...) means "crumb" in english... So my boyfriend doesn't want it for our future child, sigh...
-Aubergine. Honestly, in french you just can't name someone like that!!!
-I didn't know Plum meant "prune" in french! It's beautifull, plus, "plume" in french means "feather"!!!!
Hooray for your blog and all the names, I had to paste-copy it to read it quietly!
And you do wonderful things... Keep on!
deedeen · February 10, 2007 at 06:06 AM
How wonderful! PS - my daughter's name is Bridget, and I was going to reply and nominate that name. She's a fiesty little lass, but how could she not be with a name like Bridget??
Melissa R. Garrett · February 10, 2007 at 09:49 AM
My grandmother (Hattie Ringrose) would be so happy to see that her name made the list out of hundreds! I too have found a new name to LOVE- Plum.
Have a great weekend!
Jane · February 10, 2007 at 10:10 AM
darn i almost made it...mine was olive greenly
Kimberly Romero · February 10, 2007 at 10:40 AM
My daughters middle name is Stella. Anais Stella. I love the 30's and 40's eras so it was a natural.
Angela · February 10, 2007 at 10:59 AM
I too put off sending in a name, yet enjoyed so much the wonderful warm banter and swing of all the names swirling around! I named my first born after her only living great-great-grandparent: Mamie. It's actually a southern nickname for women named Margaret, but I liked it so much I decided to forgoe Margaret and just stick with Mamie. Mamie Elizabeth. She's six years old and has blue-blue eyes. My smiling angel. If god were ever to grant me a son I will name him Wright Quinlan. Just to pass that along.....
May happiness flutter around you this week! Happy Birthday!
Lauren · February 10, 2007 at 12:04 PM
Such fun! I was surprised Heidi Peppermint didn't make it - after reading that post, I almost decided to have my last name changed - Emily Peppermint. And when there are babes? Charles Nathanael Peppermint, or Julius Peppermint, or Oliver... well, you get the idea. Have a lovely Saturday, Emily Apple.
emily · February 10, 2007 at 01:01 PM
great blog piece Emily....well done!!!
Michelle Parrish · February 10, 2007 at 02:52 PM
Your names list was great but in the end you have made what I believe to be the right choice. My Winnifred is four this year and she is named after my step-father's grandmother, an epic woman in he daughter's eyes who died in London during the first world war while her children joined the thousands of Londoners who retreated to the countryside. Winnifred is remembered in our family through the eyes of a six year old girl who succumbed to brain cancer just before my Winnifred was born.
Good luck to you,
May she be great in everyone's eyes.
You can check out how cute Winnifreds generally are at:
winnifredblair.blogspot.com
katharine · February 10, 2007 at 05:07 PM
My dear grandmother's name is Winifred. She is the most wonderful person in the world.
Julie · February 10, 2007 at 05:27 PM
Oh I love the name Winifred...It was my grandmothers name and one day I hope to pass the name along.....Hip hip hooray for Winnie!!!!
Qiana · February 10, 2007 at 08:50 PM
my great-grandmother and all of her sisters were named after flowers and such. flora, rose, daisy, violet.
too sweet.
kerry : k8tykat · February 11, 2007 at 12:36 PM
I went to school with a girl from Denmark (I think that's where her family were from) and her name is Pernille Kernape. Pronounced phonetically PER-NIL-A KER-NAP-A. How great is that name!
jammy · February 11, 2007 at 05:48 PM
Loved the names post. Wish I caught it earlier. I definately would have added my great grandmother's maiden name which was Euphemia Gertrude Ironside. Effie Gert for short. I was happy to see Aurelia among the winners. My husband and I are strongly considering Aurelie for our second daughter. (and by 'strongly considering' I mean we both like the name and will end up being too lazy to look up anything else until labor and delivery...just like the first time!)
Judith · February 12, 2007 at 11:28 AM
Oh, I am so sad I missed this - so fun. It almost makes me want to have another baby so I can name her...well almost! My Grammy's name is Alice Miriam. She just turned 100 - my baby Alice is 1. 99 years apart and the name still works.
lisa · February 12, 2007 at 05:52 PM