On Names

      What girl doesn't contemplate the name of her future children?  Or what author doesn't contemplate fitting names for her characters?  For years, I have kept lists of my favorite names, which go on for pages upon pages.  Sometimes I have shared these names and found that not everyone has agreed with my choices or with my perception of them.  This has led me to reflect on the perception of names.
      We may not know the origin of our attraction or repulsion, but we can point to certain elements that evoke those feelings.  Part of our attraction to a name may come from its written shape; for some reason, I love the look of names spelled with "ae" and "ea" like "Meara," "Mikaela," and "Aethelflaed."  Other names roll off the tongue in a way that sounds strong, fluid, rough, or petite to us--or else-wise dependent upon our personalities and connotations associated with the sounds.  For instance, somehow the sound of "mund" falls dully on my ear, so I turn my nose up at the names "Rosamund" and "Edmund" although I  like "Rosalind" and "Edward" just fine.  Our personalities may also determine whether we prefer common "tried and true" names, such as Mary or John in English-speaking countries, or a more "avant garde," "unique," or ethnic name, such as Akela or Shaan Wu, and whether we prefer longer or shorter names.
      Yet, beyond the basic sound, rhythm, and shape of a name, we invariably associate them with people we've known to have them.  Thus, we can never favor certain names because we associate them with unpleasant people, such as "Ursula," which makes me think of the sea witch in The Little Mermaid and the half-crazy old lady in Ivanhoe.  Conversely, certain names attract us because we associate them with pleasant people.  I would likely think little of the name "Blanche," for instance, except that my very first Sunday School teacher went by that name, and it makes me remember her caring, grandmotherly ways.  Our experience with names may also inform our perception of "girl" and "boy" names; Taylor and Ashley may sound like unisex names or solely feminine or solely masculine depending on our culture and experience with their use.
      Furthermore, I theorize that we are attracted to names with sounds similar to our own (assuming we like our name).  As a "Leanna," I have noticed I'm unconsciously attracted to "Lee" and "Anna" and other names incorporating those sounds, such as "Aliana" and "Li."  I have not asked around to see whether other people are similarly influenced, but I suspect the attraction is not uncommon.

      Below, I've presented a short-list of my (current) favorite names--a subjective list influenced by both the sound, appearance, and my own connotations.  You might consider your own connotations as you read them: 

Favorite Boy Names

Alphonse, Ananias, Eric, Daniel, Hayate, James, Johann, Kael, Kirian, Leland, Liam, Josiah, Marek, Matthias, Mikhail, Micah, Nakatsu, Nikolai, Theodore, Wesley             

Favorite Girl Names

Akane, Anara/Inara, Athalia, Ariana, Grace, Izumi, Kaylie/Kaelee, Kaya, Kansa, Kitty, Meridyn, Mikaela, Miri, Miriam, Naomi, Sierra, Serenity, Winter