Well, they’ve gone and done it again.
Last month I posted about birth announcements from the upper crust London Times and Telegraph. Now they’ve had more babies. So I plucked a few that stood out to me. Not all are English, some are quintessentially Scottish or Irish or even Italian. The family that just had its twelfth child has remarkably good taste I think! Though five of the nine sisters’ names do rhyme. They named the tenth Decima, which indeed means “tenth.” There were a lot of repeating announcements, which explains why the Times list is a little thin. I might poach Ianthe, Leonora, Arthur, and Otto. You?
From the Telegraph
Algie Rafe Nicholas Charles
Alice Lily, a sister to Rosa and Mae
Angus Hugh Donald, a brother for Cameron, Archie and Fergus
Annika Sofi Rose
Archibald Frederick Ferguson
Alexandra Eugenie
Aubrey Bernard Quarm
Beatrix Caroline Auriol
Benedict Magnus
Boris Maxwell Darcy, a brother for Emily and Jemima
Campbell Arthur Harbottle, a brother for Talford
Daisy Dolores, a sister for George
David Reid Laing Bathie
Donncha James Patrick, a brother for Saoirse
Eléonore Béatrice Lilly
Ferdinand Rupert Henry, a brother for Otto
Florentina Emilie, a sister for Georgina, Christopher, Charlie, Clementina, Gabriella, Montgomery, Cordelia, Angelina, Seraphina, Decima and Delphine
Frederick Cecil Taylor
Grace Saffron Geraldine Evelyn, a sister for Oscar
Harriet Beatrice, a sister for Phoebe and Matilda
Honor Cecilia Ianthe, a sister for James
Hugo Harold Francis, a brother for Libby and Dominic
Imogen Grace Katharine, a sister to Nicholas, Amelia, Alexander, Theodore and Hugh
India Ruby
Jago Sebastian Anthony
Linus Merlin Alexander, a brother for Florence
Llywela Susan Gardiner
Monty Rupert FitzJohn and Florence Molly, twins, a brother and sister for Felix
Oliver Francesco, a brother for Valentina and Giorgio
Ophelia Jane Atalanta, a sister to Perdita, Cressida and Orlando (mother’s name is Portia)
Ottilie Scarlett Sarah
Otto Bear Oliver, a brother for Tiger
Piers Anthony, a brother for Jemima
Polly Hannah Lyell, a sister for Scout
Poppy Virginia Kirsty, a sister for Oscar and George
Ruby Rosalie
Saul Elmo, a brother for Seth
Somerled Euan Alexander, a brother for Honor
Tabitha Lois
Talitha Leonora Pol, a sister for Orlando and Caspar
Tansy Eleanor Mackenzie, a sister for Matilda
Tatiana Xanthe Perugia Lettice
Wilfred George Stanley, a brother for Samuel
Wilfred Robert Hawksmoor
From the Times
Artemis Blossom
Arthur Frith Newton
Casper Felix Christopher
Cassia Elise, a sister for Sebastian and Augustus
Cosima Else Jane
Florence Susannah Eugenie and Ianthe Laine Dorothea, twins
George Julius Clive, a brother for Cosima
Henry Jean Perry Goodbody
Ivo Blair
Louie Rafferty
Maximillian George, a brother for Frederic
Rocco Samuel Jupiter Nicolo John, a brother for Isabella and Zachary
Rose Christabel Calypso, a sister for Agnes and Beatrice
Sachin Jack Lipscomb
Sinéad Nuala Rachel, a sister for Oliver
Whittaker Jon Oakley
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ll pinch these:
From the Telegraph
Angus Hugh Donald, a brother for Cameron, Archie and Fergus – I thnk the whole set is sweet, despite my wish that Archie be a whole Archibald or even Archer, Arthur or even, Ares!
Archibald Frederick Ferguson – now he’s just darling!
Beatrix Caroline Auriol – How pretty!
Benedict Magnus – Flip him & I’ll take him home, unwrapped!
Boris Maxwell Darcy, a brother for Emily and Jemima – Why does Emily feel odd lady out here? Swooning over Boris & Jemima, liking Emily.
Daisy Dolores, a sister for George – Daisy & George, *sigh* Beautiful!
Donncha James Patrick, a brother for Saoirse – Gaelic names give me fits, but I admire them on other people’s kids.
Eléonore Béatrice Lilly -Princessy!
Florentina Emilie, a sister for Georgina, Christopher, Charlie, Clementina, Gabriella, Montgomery, Cordelia, Angelina, Seraphina, Decima and Delphine – kind of feel sorry for Decima (which makes me think of decimate) but otherwise, the loveliest big sibset I’ve ever seen!
Harriet Beatrice, a sister for Phoebe and Matilda – Lovely set!
Honor Cecilia Ianthe, a sister for James – how simply sweet!
Hugo Harold Francis, a brother for Libby and Dominic – Not thrilles with Libby (she’s canned fruit, to me) But Hugo & Dominic are swoony!
Imogen Grace Katharine, a sister to Nicholas, Amelia, Alexander, Theodore and Hugh – a lovely, lovely sibset.
Jago Sebastian Anthony He’s snappy and happy.
Linus Merlin Alexander, a brother for Florence – I love Florence & Linus! I don’t even mind Merlin, much between Linus & Alexander.
Llywela Susan Gardiner – Interesting.
Monty Rupert FitzJohn and Florence Molly, twins, a brother and sister for Felix – Awesome! (even though Fitz- anything gives me pause.
Oliver Francesco, a brother for Valentina and Giorgio – Giorgio, Valentina and … Oliver? Wow, how.. plain.
Ophelia Jane Atalanta, a sister to Perdita, Cressida and Orlando (mother’s name is Portia) *Swoon*
Ottilie Scarlett Sarah – Huzzah!
Otto Bear Oliver, a brother for Tiger – I hope Tiger’s a nickname.
Piers Anthony, a brother for Jemima – Piers Anthony is an author.. I wonder if they knew? Adoring Jemima, as always.
Poppy Virginia Kirsty, a sister for Oscar and George – Lovely!
Talitha Leonora Pol, a sister for Orlando and Caspar – Awesome!
Tatiana Xanthe Perugia Lettice – I’m loving Lettice, Xanthe & Perugia here, Tatiana’s a bit downmarket for me.
Wilfred George Stanley, a brother for Samuel – lovely!
Wilfred Robert Hawksmoor – I’m digging Wilfred!
From the Times
Artemis Blossom – interesting juxtapostion!
Arthur Frith Newton -Frith? Intriguing!
Casper Felix Christopher – *swoony*
Cassia Elise, a sister for Sebastian and Augustus – Loving Sebastian & Augustus. Cassia’s cool.
Cosima Else Jane – Just divine!
Florence Susannah Eugenie and Ianthe Laine Dorothea, twins – How pretty.
George Julius Clive, a brother for Cosima – Cosima & George. I’ll take them!
Henry Jean Perry Goodbody – I hope Goodbody’s a family name!
Ivo Blair – Ivo’s wicked cool. Blair’s ugly but better on a boy.
Louie Rafferty – Louis Rafferty would have been awesome!
Maximillian George, a brother for Frederic – Love these two!
Rocco Samuel Jupiter Nicolo John, a brother for Isabella and Zachary – Wow! talkmabout a lot of names! can we say “We couldn’t mae up our minds, so just used all of them? I hope Isabella & Zachary have as many!
Rose Christabel Calypso, a sister for Agnes and Beatrice – A lovely set, a touch whimsical and completley lovely. Agnes Beatrice & Rose. *Sigh happily*
All in all, I’m happier reading these than the ones on my local webnursery hospital (the same one my daughter was born at!)
My favourite from that list is Honor Cecilia Ianthe – lovely.
If we ever decide to give our 2yo boy an extra middle name I like Lane, Marsh (or Hindmarsh), Felix, Rafe, Jasper, Reed and Hugo.
~raise eyebrows~ at India Ruby and Artemis Blossom!
Oh, but I love India on a little girl. She needs a more sedate middle name like India Margaret or India Louise.
Most of these names are just tooo much for me. They read like novels and I’m finding myself more and more attracted to names that read like poems lately.
Examples please, dirtyhippy?
Mmm. I think some read like epic poetry.
I actually love Artemis Blossom. The alliteration and unexpectedness of Daisy Dolores has me twitterpated. I agree that the rhythm of Honor Cecilia Ianthe, and the names, are well chosen. Rose Christabel Calypso is ringing my bell, as is the sisterhood: Agnes, Beatrice, and Rose.
From the little men, George Julius Clive and Otto Bear Oliver have my heart. xoxoxxox
Something like Rose Christabel Calypso . . . there’s so many sounds and cultural references packed in there, it makes my head spin. Yes it’s pretty, but I fear it would be hard for a young woman to find her own identity among the flower, Coleridge poem and Odysseus captor.
Something simple and short like Lydia June (just recommended this one to an expecting mother—not my personal favorite or anything, just an example) is so open and light. A girl or woman could make these names her own. They don’t come crowded with a bunch of baggage.
This is a new change in my taste . . . I used to prefer the heavier, fuller sorts of names but lately I’m just drawn to the poetic simplicity of some names. I realize they might be a bit dull for some, but to me they are fascinatingly complex in how wide open they are.
Rose Christabel Calypso brings to mind for me:
A sacred flower, suffragette Christabel Pankhurst, and West Indian music. Beauty with backbone and principles.
I love names that paint a picture, but also think it’s a really valid point about a blank canvas. My own name is long and I have two middle names. They are lovely but were always a bit bland for this artist and dancer. With my luck, my children will grow up to be accountants and stock brokers. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, and frankly, we could probably use a stockbroker in the family, but they are not always the most creative of professions so I’m told.
>LOLA<
I can completely see you with an Angus, Jemima, Cosima, Frederick, Perdita and of course Ottilie!
I’m *swooning* over the sibling set Rose, Agnes and Beatrice too! Although Calypso is one step too far for me…
I find the choice of Piers Anthony interesting, as it is the name of an English born scifi/fantasy author.