Country Chic
November 8, 2009
Want to go post-style? Give a name to your child with a bit of a wink? Make sure they are the only ones in the class with that name?
Many city parents have this same thought and are going country. In particular, you’ll find the hippest hipster turning to these names as a nod to how ironic and carefree their family is. For a little extra honky tonk twang, go for a double name with Sue or Mae or Bob tacked on.
It’s a natural progression from old lady chic and classic revivals. Even SJP (not exactly what I’d called a hipster) chose Loretta! What originates as a stand out choice may fit in very well, after all.
LADIES
Arlene (and the -eens in general)
Bernadette
Bonnie
Clementine
Coralie
Darla
Dinah
Ethel
Etta
Eulala, Eulalie
Fern
Hester
Hortense
Ida
Inez
Irma
June
Loretta
anything-Lou
Lucinda
Lula
Mabel
Mae alone, or anything-Mae
Minnie
Nell
Oma
Opal
Pauline
Pearl
Polly
Rosetta
anything- Sue
Thirza
Willa
Ursula
Vada
Viola
Zelda
Zora
MEN
Arlo
Bert
anything – Bob
Chester
Clyde
Cornelius
Dale
Dell
Doyle
Dwight
Earl
Floyd
Hank
Herbert
Hubert
Irvin
Jasper
Leander
Leland
Lionel
Lloyd
Milton
Orville
Otto
Raymond
Roscoe
Samson
Sidney
Wilbur
Vern
Zeke
I love too many of these XD
Bonnie, Clementine, Dinah, Ethel, Etta, Eulalie, Fern, Ida, Inez, Irma, June, Mae, Mabel, Nell, Opal, Pearl, Rosetta, Willa and Viola are all high on my list for girls!!
Arlo, Clyde, Cornelius, Dale, Floyd, Irvin, Leander, Leland, Lloyd, Roscoe and Samson (my favourite for a boy!) are all good contenders as well…
Perhaps Virginia and Dewey would fit in on this list? I love those two as well, and I’m sure there are a lot more I love which would be right at home on this list!
Do you consider Maude country? Maybe because I think of Maudette from True Blood
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I’m from the South and My family doesn’t have very many country sounding names in it. I think Lowell is somewhat country. Lowell is my father’s name.
Well I think every name on my list could qualify for this post. I just love country names because they feel so fresh to me. Loving Lula, Nell, Dell, Otto, Clementine and June — to name a few!
Arlo is probably my first pick for a boy at this point. I absolutely love it.
I really love Bernadette as well.. I loved it before I knew this but it’s my mother-in-law’s middle, but adds family significance
I never realized that I love country names, but apparently I do! I love many of these, but Dinah is solidly in my top three. Also love Anything -Mae, Dinah May is actually one I keep going back to.
The first name I thought of when I saw my baby for the first time was Earl. It’s been passed down for 5 generations on my dad’s side, but my parents didn’t like it, so they skipped it for my brother. I always hated it, too… until he was born, my husband wouldn’t let me do it anyway. Little did I know that choosing Earl would have been hip!
We call our 2 month old baby Betty, short for Elizabeth. I think it should be added to this list!
We have some friends with a brand new baby Elizabeth, also nicknamed Bettie. So adorable! I love that you can shorten it to Bette if you want.
I like a lot of these too – mainly on the girl’s list – didn’t realize that they’re “country names”!
DD (born 2005) was almost Lucinda – but I wasn’t quite ‘brave enough’ and DH didn’t really like it. Also considered June, Mae and Willa for her. Polly, Pearl and Opal are very cute too.
Boys list – I liked Jasper a lot for DS, but couldn’t convince DH and couldn’t get over the ‘as’ sound. Floyd is pretty cool – though makes me think of that Nirvana song. I seem to like O names for boys, so Otto is another good one.
Great list. My favorites are Coralie and Eulalie/Eulala, Lula, and for the boys, Arlo, Jasper, and Zeke. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of these when scouring through BA’s. Thanks for sharing.
Clementine is indeed traditionally country, but right now it is most popular amongst middle class Britons and not much in use in the “country.”
I agree with the above commenter that Betty belongs on this list!
I really love Raymond. It’s my grandfather’s name and I think it’s just fantastic. I also love Mabel and Dale since they are the other farming Grandparents. The only farmer grandparent of mine missing here is Gertrude!
What does everyone think of Roscoe? It’s grown on me and I’m not sure whether that’s a good thing or not
My brother’s name is Ross and my dad always used to call him Roscoe as a kind of jokey nickname, which makes me like it that wee bit more.
For girls: Oletta and Lottie, Scandinavian variants adopted by southerners. Stop by Garvinweasel for a visit any time.
I like Rosetta – but love Rosette even more. With the nickname Rosie. This is one I’ll be adding to the top of my girls names list!
Olivie, I’m not a personal fan of the name Roscoe, but it certainly sounds cool and hip!