The Brilliant Book of Baby Names: What’s best, what’s hot and what’s not. Linda Rosenkrantz

Fairfax

       Finn

       Finnian

       Flavian

       Gaynor

       Gwynn

       Kyle

       Linus

       Xanthus

      BLODWEN. Welsh, ‘white flower’. One of the lessappealing Welsh wen names. Blodwyn.

      BLOSSOM. English, ‘to bloom’. Few parents today would pick this dated generic flower name that had a showgirl aura in the Floradora days. International: Bluma (German), Blume (Yiddish).

      

BLUE. Colour name. Blue is the starbaby middle name du jour, occasionally used as a first. Bleu, Blu.

      BLUEBELL. Flower name. Geri ‘Ginger Spice’ Halliwell joined her former Spice Sisters in creative baby-naming with this adventurous – some might say outlandish – choice. Distinctive and charming? Or better suited to a farmyard animal? Your call. Bluebelle.

      BLUMA. Hebrew, ‘flower’. See BLOSSOM.

      BLYTHE. English, ‘free spirit, happy, carefree’. Embodies a cheerful, carefree spirit and could be the next Brooke. Blithe, Blyth.

      BOBBIE. English, diminutive of ROBERTA, BARBARA. Dated nickname of the 1930s and 40s; Barbie without the wasp waist. Bobbe, Bobbee, Bobbi, Bobby.

      BOHEMIA. Place or word name. More a concept than a place – or a name.

      

BOLIVIA. Place name. If you’re tired of Olivia, you could be the first on your road to introduce this unique sound-related place name with Latin flair.

      BONITA. Spanish, ‘pretty’. Like Benita, had some popularity in the 1950s. Boni, Bonie, Bonni, Bonnie, Bonny, Bunita, Bunnie, Bunny, Nita.

      BONNIE. Scottish, ‘beautiful and cheerful’. Despite its appealing meaning and amiable air, Bonnie’s been out of the fashion loop since Bonnie and Clyde’s 1967 Oscar nomination. Boni, Bonne, Bonnee, Bonni, Bonnibel, Bonny, Bunni, Bunnie, Bunny.

      BORA. Czech, diminutive of BARBARA. ‘Bore’ and ‘boring’ are teasing possibilities; Thora, Nora and Flora are alternatives.

      

BRADLEY. English ‘broad clearing’. Fading boys’ name making fresh start for girls, aided by -ley ending. Brad, Bradlee, Bradleigh, Bradli, Bradlie, Bradly.

      

BRADY. Irish, ‘broad meadow,’ ‘one with broad eyes’. Has the energetic-Irish-slightly-boyish image that many modern parents love. Bradee, Bradey, Braedi.

      BRAE. Modern invented name. A newly hatched cousin of Bree and Brea.

      

BRAEDEN. English, ‘broad hill’. One of several trendy boys’ names now being adopted for girls with feminised spellings. Bradyn, Bradynn, Braedan, Braedyn, Braedynn, Braedynne, Braiden, Braidin, Braidyn, Braidynn, Braidynne, Braydon, Braydyn, Braydynn, Braydynne.

      BRAELYN. Modern invented name. One of the most girlish offshoots of Braeden. Braelan, Braelen, Braelin, Braelinn, Braelon, Braelynn, Braelynne, Braylan, Braylen, Braylin, Braylinn, Braylon, Braylyn, Braylynn, Braylynne.

      BRANDY. Dutch, ‘burnt wine’. The alcohol-laced member of the Randy-Candy-Mandy sorority of 1970s to 80s nickname names; now pretty much on the wagon. Bran, Brande, Brandea, Brandee, Brandey, Brandi, Brandie, Brandye, Branndea, Branndi, Branndie.

      BRANWEN. Celtic, ‘blessed raven’. Attractive Celtic mythological name, possibly a variant of Bronwyn. Branwyn.

      

BRAYDEN. English, ‘broad hill’. One in the currently modish aden family of boys’ names beginning to be used for girls.

      

BRAZIL. Place name. Place name with character. Brasilia.

      BREA. Short form of BREANA. See BRIA.

      BREANA. See BRIANA. This spelling is running a close second in pereference to Briana. Breann, Breanna, Breanne, Breawna, Bryanna, Bryanne.

      

BREE. Variation of BRIGHID or BRIANA. Sophisticated yet upbeat image, preferable to the cheese-related Brie; featured on Desperate Housewives and in several films. Brae, Bray, Bre, Brei, Breigh, Bri, Brie, Brielle.

      BREEZE. Word name. Refreshing middle name possibility.

      BRENDA. Celtic, ‘blade of a sword’. First a glamorous 1940s debutante, now fading in favour of more modern Brenna, Briana, and Bryn. Bren, Brenn, Brenna, Brennda, Brenndah.

      BRENNA. Irish, ‘raven’. As Jennifer begat Jenna, so did Brenda lead to the steady use of this female form of Brendan. Branna, Bren, Brenn, Brennah, Brenne, Brinna, Brynna, Brynne.

      

BRENNAN. Irish, ‘descendent of the sad one’. Poised for popularity, an Irish last name soft enough to borrow from the boys.

      

BRETT. Celtic, ‘from Brittany’. First spotted as a female name in Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, Brett retains its pleasingly brisk, executive air. Bret, Brette, Britt.

      BRIA. Short form of BRIANA. Sweet but spirited shortening of Briana, becoming increasingly popular. Brea.

      BRIALLEN. Welsh, ‘a primrose’. Unusual combination choice.

      BRIANNA, BRIANA. Feminine variation of BRIAN. There are nine different popular versions of this name in the US – a sure sign that, though pretty, it’s getting more and more difficult to make it distinctive. Brana, Breana, Breann, Breanne, Breeanna, Breeanne, Bria, Brianna, Brianne, Brielle, Brienna, Brinn, Brinna, Briny, Bryana, Bryann, Bryanna, Bryannah, Bryanne, Bryn, Bryna, Brynne.

      BRIAR. English, ‘a thorny patch’. Fairy-tale memories