A blog all about... names! I've been a "collector" of & obsessed with other people's first names (esp. unique, unusual & uncommon) forever. Read this space for fascinating, fervent, fun (for fellow name nerds): news, facts, commentary & anecdotes on names - the good, bad, ugly & pretty. This is IRN (est. in 2010s via Freewebs) REDUX!
I recently came across literally the most adorable๐ฅฐ name ever: ๐Adora!
But no it's not short for the word: Adorable! ๐ฎ
Adora is the short form of ๐Adoracion— which means:adoration in Spanish. Behind The Name explains, "this name refers to the event that is known in Christian tradition as the Adoration of the Magi, which is when the three Magi presented gifts๐ to the infant Jesus✝ and worshipped him."
๐Nameberry๐ says Adora is, "A name that would lavish your child with adoration, a princess name--as in Princess Adora of She-Ra: ๐Princess of Power."
๐California and ๐District of Columbia are where the most Adoraslive.
I love the name ๐Adora — it's just too cute of a name especially if using it as a ๐princess name (FYI I knew of ๐กShe-Ra growing up and I never realized her name was Adora! ๐คฏ) for a little ๐girl. But it's also very precious and special if using it for the ๐spiritual meaning behind the wonderful name.
My ⬅previous piece was on the name ๐Drake and Aubrey๐Drake Graham — so what better time to present the next ๐Name Of The Day๐ as: ๐Adonis — the adorable name of his ๐จ๐ฆson!
Adorable, however may not be the right word ๐ค... to describe the name of a literal Greek god, Adonis, the god of beauty and desire in Greek ๐mythology. Greek Gods & Goddesses says on Adonis, "When most people hear the name Adonis, they imagine masculine beauty and the desire of women. Even today, the name is synonymous with physical perfection in men."
PerfectName.us discloses, "Adonishas been popular throughout history, appearing in various forms across different cultures. In the Middle East, for example, it is used as both a given name and a surname. It has also gained popularity in other parts of the world, particularly in Europe and North America, where it is often associated with its Greek origins."
Behind The Name goes into depth on Adonis' backstory: "From Phoenician๐ค๐ค๐ค (สพadon)meaning"lord, master". In GreekmythAdonis was a handsome young shepherd killed while hunting a wild boar. The anemone flower is said to have sprung from his blood. Because he was loved byAphrodite,Zeusallowed him to be restored to life for part of each year. The Greeks borrowed this character from Semitic traditions, originally Sumerian (seeDumuzi)."
๐Nameberry๐ describes ๐Adonis as a "high-pressure name often synonymous with masculine beauty." ๐NB๐ goes on to say, "Nonetheless, many mythological names that would have previously been deemed off limits have made their way up the popularity charts—for instance, Penelope currently ranks highly for girls. And indeed, Adonis was one of the fastest-rising boys' names of 2016, moving up 307 spots on the U.S. popularity chart in just one year." Adonis is currently ๐high at #241 on US Top 1000.๐
I know of one ๐Adonis ๐ค in my own life — through a childhood acquaintance from my ๐ฝNYC neighborhood growing up. In ⏪2023 I ran into her after finding out from her father a year earlier she had a ๐ถson named Adonis. When we were catching up, I ๐congratulated her and I remarked I loved her son's name ๐๐พ๐๐พ and made sure to mention how it was ๐Drake's son's name too. ๐ She thanked me with a smile ๐ but didn't share if she named her son Adonis because she was a Drake fan. I think it's really something I know an Adonis only because it was one of my favorite names in either middle or high ๐ซschool (the myth of Adonis stuck out to me when learning about the god in class... I think...๐ค because that's the only way I would have come across the name) ๐ฏ%. I had it stored for the name of my future son (as an adult❗๐ ). I remember telling my old best friend how much I liked the name as a future baby name and she laughed asking incredulously, "Adonis?!" She thought it was "too much" basically. ๐ As an adult I eventually outgrew that name as a choice for a hypothetical son's name of mine ๐ญ but I still liked the name... only in secret kind of. ๐ค I still really love ๐ฅฐ the name ๐Adonis today. ๐คท๐พ♀️
Is ๐Adonis an arrogant ๐ name to give or have? ✋๐พYes. No.⛔ ๐Maybe so... It definitely takes a parent guts ๐๐พ to give a name loaded with the pressure to be flawless, to a little ๐boy (it's like naming a ๐girl ๐Pretty) and to wear the name with confidence (yet humbly hopefully too), as a man. ๐ฐ As for Drake choosing ๐Adonis—it's the perfect name (๐Romeo๐ I'd go with as a ๐ฅrunner up) for the son of Drake.
With ๐rapper Drake breaking ๐ฅ the internet ๐ป with the release of his new ๐ฟalbum ๐งIceman plus two ๐ฎsurprise albums — I will be talking about the ๐ผIn My Feelings (aka "Kikido you love me?") ๐คsinger's stage name and middle name: ๐Drake
The ๐ฃpodcaster BobbiAlthoff had Drake on her show for the first time years ago, and a funny ๐ discussion was had on his name (@๐00:35 & @๐27:33):
Can you introduce yourself?
Drake
That's not your name
That is my middle name
That's not your real name
That's my government name, middle name
Why would you go with that? What's your 1st name?
My 1st name is Aubrey
Mmm hmmm. I see why you go with that
I think my mom named me after a lawyer... My mom named me Aubrey a guy's name
Aubrey's not a guy's name
Yes it is
No it's not
Yes it is
Have you ever met a male Aubrey?
Yeah you're looking at him. I met myself
You don't even go by that because that's such a bad name
No that's not true
Why do you go byDrake?
Because it's shorter. People with two syllables are way less successful than people with one sorry...
Do you like when people call you Aubrey?
If it's genuine
๐Aubrey (meaning: ๐ง♂️elf ruler) ๐Drake (meaning: ๐ฒdragon or ๐ฆduck) Graham is hisfull name.
๐Aubreyis a girl's name also. ๐Nameberry๐ says, "Once an exclusively masculine name, Aubrey tipped towards feminine in 1974, and is now given to girls 96% of the time."
๐Drake can also be a girl's name. ๐NB๐ says, "The name Drake peaked for girls at #10056 in 1997."
๐Drake used as a boy's name, is described by ๐Nameberry๐ as a, "simple one-syllable name that has been on the popularity list since the mid-1980s, Drake is most associated today with the single-named rapper (born Aubrey). The name peaked at Number 197 in 2010 and has since been on a slow decline, but it still can be counted among the stylish contemporary boy names starting with D."
In Canada however, Drake's hometown, the name Drake was not on 2025's most popular baby names list — Drake the baby name is at #1458 in popularity as of 2022.
Drake also is a word name, meaning: a small cannon, used especially in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Behind The Name points out, "this name coincides with the unrelated English word drakemeaning male duck."
Drakeas well, is a surname from the: "English surname derived from the Old Norse bynameDrakior the Old English bynameDracaboth meaning "dragon", both via Latin from Greekฮดฯฮฌฮบฯฮฝ (drakon)meaning "dragon, serpent.""
๐California and ๐Hawaii are the US states where the most Drakes reside.
Initially, I was not ๐ ๐พ♀️ a fan of the name ๐Drake. I thought it was a made up ๐คท๐พ♀️ stage name when I first heard of Drake the rapper's name being that. I equated the name Drake usually with the lusty ๐ฅตleads of ๐ฅฑboring ⏪historical ๐romance novels.๐ I used to even often confuse Drake with the name ๐Declan (I don't like❗). Then I found out years later that Drakewas the rapper's real name ๐คฆ๐พ♀️ —his middle however (I like it more than his first name admittedly. ๐๐พ♀️ It can get tricky, not to mix up Aubrey with ๐Audrey. ๐ฌ It makes me wonder if his first name was that instead, would he have used Drey as his stage name? ๐ค because it sounds like Drake...) and I thought that was really cool. ๐ As I became a fan of his ๐ถmusic, I started to like the name Drake. Still I'm not the biggest fan of ๐Drake the name as a whole. ๐ ๐Drake may not be one of my absolute favorite names —however it's still a ✔good, ✔strong๐ช, ✔masculine name that I can appreciate. ๐๐พ But I am a big fan ๐ of ๐Drake —being the rapper Drake's name.
The only real surprise is that there's one new girl's name: ๐Eliana. ⏪2024's list had ๐Avaat #9.
๐Eliana is the Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of the French ๐Eliane(root: the Greek word Helios or sun. Probably from Aeliana, the feminine form of the Roman name Aelianus, which was derived from the Roman family name Aelius)and means: my God has answered.
I like the meaning of ๐Eliana's name but... I'm not a huge fan of the name ๐คท๐พ♀️ — though it is a pretty sounding name ✔ — and I do like 'E' names. ✔It is nice to see a name with some ๐ถspice enter into the Top 10 list this year. ๐๐พ But I ✨wish there was a truly ๐ฆunique or ๐ฎoutrageous name in one of the spots (male side included).
Maybe in 2035? ๐ซ
๐๐Check out the video version: ๐Top 10 ๐ถBaby ๐Names of 2025 - Official List๐
That is the question... ๐ค The seventh day of the week ๐ Sunday as a first ๐name should be considered more a ๐boy's name solely because of the 'Sun' at the start of the name (as being considered a play on 'son') — but it's instead surprisingly seen as a ๐girl's name first.
Behind The Name sees ๐Sunday as both masculineandfeminine: "from the name of the day of the week, which ultimately derives from Old English sunnandรฆg, which was composed of the elements sunne "sun" and dรฆg "day.""
๐Nameberry๐ describesSunday as a girl's name (but also recognizes it as a boy's name, which peaked at #3472 in 1916) meaning, "'day of the sun.' The name itself derives from Hellenistic astrology, in which each day of the week was attributed the name of what were then known as the seven planets - Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury and the Moon. In modern English, only 2 days retain their "planet" name besides Sunday, Monday (Moon day) and Saturday (Saturn Day)."
๐NB๐ believes:"Sunday is among the most usable of the day names with its sunny first syllable, its sweet sound, and its potential to be both a sassy or a spiritual choice. The name initially made headlines in 2008 when Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban chose it for their daughter, Sunday Rose. A subtly spiritual name, Sunday is the day of rest and worship in Christianity, placing the name alongside other modern Christian choices, like Shepherd, Cruz, and Dove, that aren't directly Biblical, but more quietly give a nod to faith. Sunday could make a meaningful and happy feeling choice. In the popular "Mondays Child" rhyme, Sunday's child is said to be "bonny and blithe and good and gay", while Sunday is also associated with a day off work (for some), Sunday Roasts, Period dramas and older-skewing TV shows, Easter, larger newspapers, baseball, and the sweet dessert Sundae."
SunnySunday (#1072 in US Top 1000) is unusually ahead of gloomy Wednesday (#2425 in US Top 1000) in popularity.
Sunday is most common in ๐Nigeria and other parts of Africa, Behind The Name reports.
In The United States ๐Texas and ๐Hawaii are where the most Sundays reside.
I really like the name ๐Sundayas a first name but mainly when it's used as a ๐son's name (I find it so cute๐ฅฐ). ๐คท๐พ♀️I do like ๐Sunday for a ๐daughter's name but only when it has another girly name after ✔ a la๐SundayRose๐น — or if has the sweet spelling of ๐Sundae๐จ then—it becomes a very pretty, feminine name. But ๐Sunday alone? I see it best as a masculine, boy's name for a ๐son. ๐๐พ
Today's ๐Name Of The Day๐ is the name: ๐Atlas— only because it was mentioned in the ⬅previous post๐ on ๐๐Nautas: "Nautusmight combine the appeal of ancient sounding names — such as Augustus, Titus, and Maximus — with the contemporary love for sea-inspired choices — like Ocean, Cove, and Caspian — with the on-trend sounds of names like Knox, Silas, Nash, and Atlas mixed in too."And I've been waiting for the ✔️right time to cover this relatively ✨new name๐ to me ๐๐พ♀️ that I like ๐ฅฐ a lot.
Atlas is a word name first meaning: a bound collection of mapsor a bound volume of charts, plates, or tables illustrating any subject.
Atlas "possibly means 'enduring' from Greek ฯฮปฮฌฯ (tlao) meaning 'to endure,'" Behind The Name says.
Atlasis known in Greek mythology as: "one of the most famous Titans, the son of Iapetus and the Oceanid Asia (or, possibly, Clymene). He was the leader of the Titan rebellion against Zeus, and he got a fitting punishment after the end of the Titanomachy: he was condemned to eternally hold up the sky. Only once, and for a very brief period, he was bereaved of this burden by Heracles. Perseus, probably using Medusa’s head, turned him into the stony Atlas Mountains."
Meaning: bearer of the heavens: "Atlasis one of those names that was previously thought too powerful for a baby boy, who would have to be strong enough to carry the world on his shoulders. Now Atlashas joined the pantheon of Greek and Roman god and goddess names in the realm of possibility, along with Mars, Zeus and Apollo," ๐Nameberry๐ believes.
๐NB๐ calls Atlasan "audacious choice" for a first name and describes it as "one of the fast-rising names on the list in recent years in the USA, jumping from oblivion in 2012 into the Top 500 in 2015, and climbing several hundred places higher since then [it ranks #101๐ in the US Top 1000]. As well as the mythological connection, Atlasis a cool geographical word name – perfect for the child of parents who love traveling or who hail from different parts of the globe."
Atlasis obviously a boy's name originally but can be used for a girl. ๐NB๐ says, "๐Atlasis used for an increasingly significant number of baby girls in the US. And undeniably, it's a name that imparts strength to any child."
๐North Carolina is where the most Atlases reside.
Obviously I love ๐ the name ๐Atlas. I first ๐๐พheard of it from the work of fiction in It Ends With Us (the 2024 ๐ฅmovie version however of the ๐book by ✍Colleen Hoover). I was caught off guard ๐คฏ by a word I hadn't heard since my ๐ซschool days learning social studies — being used as a first name. I think ๐Atlas is areally ๐cool name. I associate an ๐Atlas as a curious, laid back introverted type or a rambunctious, energetic explorer. I sort of like ๐Atlas for a ๐girl... ๐ค but only if a second feminine name is hyphenated (๐Atlas-Isla) along with it or the middle name (๐Atlas Aria) is really girly and used as one name. But I like it most used for a ๐boy's name. ๐Atlascertainly is not a first name I'd ever thought I'd ๐see become so popular. But it's happened and here's to that๐Atlas continues to rise๐ — it's just a great name choice ๐๐พ full of character, ๐heroic and ๐ชstrong.
the name ๐Adora — it's just too cute of a name especially if using it as a ๐princess name (FYI I knew of ๐กShe-Ra growing up and I never realized her name was Adora! ๐คฏ) for a little ๐girl. But it's also very precious and special if using it for the ๐spiritual meaning behind the wonderful name. 
