When Michelle Williams Met Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams the 🎤singer, former member of 🎶Destiny's Child👩🏽👩🏾👩🏿 — met the other Michelle Williams — 🎥actress and ex partner of the late 🎥actor 🤡Heath Ledger. 

It's very cool the two name twins linked up🆙— but was it bound to happen if they both have a "once superstar⭐" first name (#4📈 in the 70s and currently #465📉 in US Top 1000📊) and the third most popular family last name in the US?  

Now if they both had the same middle name as well, that would truly be kismet.💫 But Michelle the actress' is: 📛Ingrid. Michelle the singer's middle name is... Michelle!  📛Tenitra is her first name! 🤯

Names.org says on the very rare name Tenitra: "Tenitra is a modern African American given name most widely recognized through the singer Tenitra Michelle Williams (of Destiny’s Child), which helps date the name’s emergence to late-20th-century U.S. Black naming traditions. Its structure and phonetics suggest creative coinage rather than direct derivation from a single Old World source; scholars often read such names as blendings or elaborations on familiar elements. Tenitra plausibly fuses the numeronymic “Ten-” (a stylistic prefix also seen in names like Tenisha) with the feminine suffix “-itra” (common in names such as Demetra/Demetra or Lakitra), aligning it with the broader African American onomastic pattern of innovative morphology, melodic cadence, and individualized identity. The meaning is thus primarily expressive and cultural-signaling uniqueness and community style-rather than a fixed lexical meaning traceable to one language."

I like singer William's first name Tenitra (which I never knew was her name until I researched her for this piece. 🤦🏾‍♀️ And I was a Destiny's Child fan growing up! 😖) over the too common Michelle. I also like actress William's middle name Ingrid more so than Michelle. Michelle is a nice name (I like the meaning: who is like God?, French var. of Michael) but it's a neutral name too — there's nothing special about it 🤷🏾‍♀️ — but it's so familiar (I once had two bffs at the same time named Michelle. 🙋🏾‍♀️ In 🏫school they were known as 'the Michelles' and teachers would refer to them by their last names. Even in our friend group, myself and our other friends would refer to them by the initial of their last name often to differentiate the two.) you almost automatically like it. Nevertheless, I can't imagine either Williams going by anything but 📛Michelle.

☔📛IRN RATING OF 📛Michelle: 👎/👍 OR 💗💗💗💗💗/10

☔📛IRN RATING OF 📛Tenitra: 👍 OR 💗💗💗💗💗💗/10

☔📛IRN RATING OF 📛Ingrid: 👍 OR 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗/10

NAME OF THE DAY: Ebony

To end ✊🏾Black History Month, I wanted to discuss the divisive name: 📛🖤Ebony —  and how despite how bold the name is and how controversial (being called "an ebony" because of one's skin tone 🤦🏾‍♀️ not because it's your name 😬)  it can be — it still has been a popular first name choice for Black 👶🏿 baby girls 💗 since the 1970s. ⏪

Ebony is a color 🖤 name and is described by 🌈Color Psychology🧠 as: "a dark, rich color that represents depth, elegance, and sophistication. It’s a shade that is often associated with luxury, power, and mystery. The hex code for Ebony is #555D50, and its RGB values are (85, 93, 80), symbolizing a hue that is deep and grounding."

Ebony as a word via Dictionary.com:

Ebony is also a nature name, being it is a tree 🌳: "The black ebony tree (Diospyros ebenum), native to Southeast Asia and parts of Africa, is one of the rarest and most valuable hardwood species in the world. Black ebony wood is prized for its deep, jet-black color, fine texture, and exceptional density —this wood is ideal for musical 🎹 instruments, luxury furniture, and fine carvings." 

Ebony the word is from the Egyptian word hbnj.

Nameberry🍒 points out that Ebony has "historically been particularly popular in the African-American community" and compliments Ebony as an "attractive and now underused" name. "Ebony joined the most popular girl names list in the US in the early 1970s, peaked 📈 in 1982 at #132, and dropped back below 📉 the Top 1000 in 2006. The name Ebony 📈peaked for boys 💙 at #1658 in 1982." As of current, Ebony is #960 on US ⬆Top 📊1000.  

The 📍District of Columbia and 📍New Jersey are the states where the most women named Ebony live. I knew a girl named Ebony (who was as popular as her name) in middle 🏫school [📍NYC], right around the time when 📛Ebony was regaining traction on the name charts 📈 in the 1980s. 

I like the name 📛Ebony. 👌🏾 I really love color names and 📛Ebony can be a 🖤 beautiful, powerful 💪🏿 name to have if you're an African American woman (btw, there can be / are non-Black women named Ebony 🙃 click here & click here 😮). I don't like 📛Ebony for a 💙 boy's name 😕 however (I'd recommend these cool 😎 names that are the equivalence of "black": 📛Jet, 📛Obsidian, 📛Onyx, 📛Midnight, 📛Noir or 📛Raven even). 

Variants for 📛Ebony include: 📛Eboni 📛Ebonie and 📛Ebonee. I find all of these more playful  and cuter 🥰 than the more ✔strong, ✔sleek and ✔original 📛Ebony.

⭐FAMOUS & 📝NOTEWORTHY 📛🖤EBONYS:

📛Venus 🖤Ebony Starr Williams 🎾(tennis player)

📛🖤Ebony Williams 🏀 (former WNBA basketball player) 

📛🖤Ebony Haith 👠 (former contestant on reality show America's Next Top Model) 

📛🖤Ebony Jones-Avery 📺 (former reality star on VH1's Real Chance of Love)

📛🖤Ebony Obsidian 📺 (actress)

📛🖤Ebony P. Jones 📺 (t.v. producer)

📛🖤Ebony Bones [born 🖤Ebony Thomas] 🎤 (singer)

📛🖤Ebony Riley 🎤 (singer) 

📛🖤Ebony Wilder 📺 (character on tv show Nemesis)

📌STATS ON THE NAME 📛🖤Ebony:

https://www.mynamestats.com/First-Names/E/EB/EBONY/index.html

☔📛IRN RATING OF 📛🖤Ebony: 👍 OR 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤/10

NAME OF THE DAY: Jubilee

📛🎉Jubilee is a fun, word name that means many things:

🎉Jubilee was "first recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English iubile, iubilee, from Middle French jubilé, from Late Latin jūbilaeus, from Greek iōbēlaîos (with ō and ē becoming u and i by assimilation to Latin jūbilāre “to shout for joy”), from Hebrew yōbhēl “ram, ram's horn, ram's horn used as a trumpet, trumpet, jubilee."

🎉Jubilee recently ranked #103 on Nameberry's Top Unique Names list (📝: "the top unique names are those that rank right below the official list of the US Top 1000 Baby Names. Most of these top unique names, ranked 1001 to 2000 on the US list, are given to between 100 and 200 babies a year. That means they strike a good balance between too popular and too unusual"). I'm surprised 🎉Jubilee is not further along on the name charts. 📊🤔 Names.org says: "📛🎉Jubilee was first given to 5 or more babies in the year 1975 when it was given as a first name to 9 new born babies. The highest recorded use of the first name Jubilee was in 2015 with a total of 229 babies." 

The places where the most 🎉Jubilees live are not the party cities one would think (New Orleans or Las Vegas) but 📍California and 📍District of Columbia. 

"While relatively uncommon as a personal name, 📛🎉Jubilee  has maintained its appeal among parents seeking names that convey happiness and significance, particularly in communities with strong biblical or historical connections," Names.org suggests. While Nameberry thinks 🎉Jubilee has a "joyous and jubilant aura, but it wouldn't be an easy name to carry, what with all that pressure to be a living, breathing, 24-7 party." 🥳 

I love the name 📛🎉Jubilee! It's a too cute 🥰 name that has great and significant meanings behind it — plus a joyous, positive vibe surrounding it. 🌟 

⭐FAMOUS & 📝NOTEWORTHY 📛🎉Jubilees:  

📛Jubilation "🎉Jubilee" Lee ❌🗯 (comic book character from The X-Men)

📛🎉Jubilee Sharpe 📺 (👰🏾The Bachelor contestant)

📛🎉DJ "🎉Jubilee" [born Jerome Temple]🎤(rapper)

♂️Masculine Version of  📛🎉JUBILEE:

📛🎉JUBILANT 

💭I believe Jubilant matches Jubilee as its masculine name. 👌🏾 I love the name Jubilant - it oozes good vibes. 👍🏾👍🏾 Jubilee and Jubilant would make really great twin or sister/brother 👧🏾👦🏾 names too!

📌STATS ON THE NAME 📛🎉JUBILEE:

https://www.mynamestats.com/First-Names/J/JU/JUBILEE/index.html

☔📛IRN RATING OF 📛🎉JUBILEE: 👍 OR 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗/10

NAME OF THE DAY: Jubilant

📛🎉Jubilant is an unexpected, exciting 🤗 word name meaning: "feeling or showing great joy, satisfaction, or triumph; rejoicing; exultant." Jubilant was first recorded in 1660–70; from Latin jūbilant-, stem of jūbilāns “shouting,” present participle of jūbilāre “to shout, whoop.”

Names.org says on 🎉Jubilant: "This emotionally evocative name embodies concepts of triumph, celebration, and exuberant happiness, making it part of a broader category of virtue or characteristic names that gained popularity during various naming movements throughout history. While not traditionally found as a given name in classical nomenclature, Jubilant represents a modern English adoption of Latin vocabulary as personal nomenclature, similar to names like Felicity or Joy."

🎉Jubilant is categorized as a gender neutral name by Names.org but 🎉Jubilant is labeled strictly a girl name by experts at Baby Name Meaningz. 🤔 I see 🎉Jubilant more as a masculine name for 👶🏾 baby boys. 💙

The countries where 🎉Jubilant is most popular goes as follows:

"As a relatively uncommon given name, 🎉Jubilant lacks extensive documented nickname traditions, though logical diminutives might include "Jubi," "Jules," or simply "J" in informal contexts. The name shares etymological roots with "jubilee," "jubilation," and the ecclesiastical term "jubilate," connecting it to both secular celebration and religious exaltation. The name's rarity means it lacks significant cross-cultural variations or established international forms, though its Latin foundation makes it theoretically adaptable to various linguistic systems while maintaining its celebratory essence," Names.org details.

For parents looking for an uplifting name to name their child should look to 🎉Jubilant: "In contemporary usage, parents selecting this name likely seek to imbue their child's identity with positive emotional associations and an optimistic outlook."

I really love the good vibes name 📛🎉Jubilant. It's so rare first off ✔— then it's just a 😎cool, confident and strong 💪🏾 name. 

⭐FAMOUS & 📝NOTEWORTHY 📛🎉Jubilants:

📛Jubilant Sykes 🎤 (late opera singer)

♀️Female Version of 📛🎉JUBILANT:

📛🎉JUBILEE

💭I believe Jubilee matches Jubilant as its feminine name perfectly. 👌🏾 I love the name Jubilee, it's too cute! 🥰 Jubilee and Jubilant would make really great twin or sister/brother 👧🏾👦🏾 names too!

📌STATS ON THE NAME 📛🎉JUBILANT:

https://www.names.org/n/jubilant/about

☔📛IRN RATING OF 📛🎉JUBILANT: 👍 OR 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙/10

📰📛Jubilant made it onto the ☔IRN📛 🏆 The Best & Worst 👎👎 📛Names of 2025 📃list!:

https://itsrainingnames.blogspot.com/2025/12/its-raining-names-best-worst-names-of.html

NAME OF THE DAY: June

Today is June 19th (Happy Juneteenth!🎉) so I decided to delve into the name: June   

The name June obviously comes from the month of June. In ancient Roman times, Juno the goddess of fertility, was so important that the month of June was named after her.  

June is primarily a female name meaning 'young' but it surprisingly can be used for males! Nameberry says on this rare usage: "As a masculine name, June has never been common in the United States but represents the tradition of month names used for boys (like August and March). The name carries associations with early summer, warmth, and new beginnings. For men, June offers a gentle, nature-connected alternative to more conventional masculine names. Its simplicity, single syllable, and familiar quality make it accessible despite being unconventional for males in contemporary usage."

I never knew June was used for baby boys. 😮 And I actually like hearing June as a male name because it's so uncommon. 

🌺Hawaii is the state where you're most likely to meet someone named June. Out of 100k Hawaiians 103.48 are named June. I'm not so surprised because of the state's sunny, warm weather so frequently, and June is a 🌞sunny, warm month on average so it probably the best for a month name (over April, May, July or August) for such qualities. But I would have guessed California over it first. 

I like the name June just fine. It has that old-fashioned feel to it. I personally really love month names (January & October are my favs) 🙋🏾‍♀️ and 📛June📅 is definitely a classic.   

📌Check out this great 📄piece via American Name Society by 📛name expert 🤓 Dr. Cleveland Evans: 🗞June seeing revival, rise in popularity as a baby name 

📑📌A discussion by 📛name consultant 🤔 Morgan Timm on June being a popular middle name:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hafKeQ62e6U

⭐FAMOUS & 📝NOTEWORTHY 📛JUNES:

📛June Ambrose 👩🏾 (fashion stylist & designer)

📛June Cleaver 📺  (T.V. show character on Leave It To Beaver)

📛June Lockhart 🎥 (movie actress in 🐕 Lassie )

📛June Duck 🦆 (cartoon character, triplet sister of April & May & daughter of Daisy)

📛June Jones 👴(football coach)  

📛June 📺 (T.V. show character on Reckless)

📛June Freud 🎥 (movie actress)

📛June Diane Raphael 🎥 / 😂 (actress / comedienne)

📛June Steenkamp 🗣 (women's rights South African activist & mother of late model Reeva Steenkamp)

📛April June May (daughter of late comedian Ralphie May)

📛June White 📔 (main character in Love Me, Love Me YA novel)

📌STATS ON THE NAME 📛June:

https://www.mynamestats.com/First-Names/J/JU/JUNE/index.html

☔📛IRN RATING OF 📛June: 👍 OR 💓💓💓💙💙💙/10