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

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

Claea, Klea.

CLELIA. Latin, ‘glorious’. Obscure yet not unappealing name of a legendary heroine of Rome.

CLEMATIS. Greek flower name. Flower name that sounds a bit too much like a disease. Clematia, Clematice, Clematiss.

CLEMENCE. (CLAY-mahnz) French feminine variation of CLEMENT. Calm, composed and chic. Clemency.

CLEMENCIA. Latin, ‘mercy’. This ancient feminine form is the kind of name your child will grow into…at least by her fiftieth birthday.

CLEMENCY. Virtue name. May come back along with the more familiar Puritan virtue names, like Hope and Faith; has a nice three-syllable sound, and funky nickname. Clem. Clem, Clemmie.

CLEMENTINE. Latin, ‘mercy’. Fashionable name, but if ‘Oh, My Darlin‘ ’ still rings too loudly in your ears, consider pronouncing it Clementeen – or even using Clementina, which rhymes with Christina. Stylish supermodel Claudia Schiffer chose it for her daughter. Clem, Clemencia, Clemencie, Clemency, Clementya, Clementyna, Clementyn, Clemenza, Clemette, Clemmie, Clemmy, Klementina. International: Clémence (French), Clementia, Clementina (Spanish), Clemenza, Klementyna (Polish).

CLEO. English, short form of CLEOPATRA. One of the few girls’ names to boast the cool- yet-lively o ending, but we prefer Clio’s history. Clio.

CLEOPATRA. Greek, ‘her father’s renown’. A royal name in ancient Egypt that’s never quite made it to the modern world. Chleo, Clea, Cleo, Cleona, Cleone, Cleonie, Cleta, Clio.

CLIANTHA. Greek, ‘glory-flower’. Another flower name that sounds uncomfortably disease-like. Cleantha, Cleanthe, Clianthe, Kliantha, Klianthe.

CLIO. (CLEE-o) Greek mythology name. The name of the ancient Greek mythological muse of history is rich with modern charm and would make an intriguing choice. Clea, Klio.

CLODAGH. (CLO-dah) Irish river name. Extremely popular in Ireland, but here, we’re afraid, a bit cloddy.

CLORINDA. Latin literary name. Romantic name invented by a sixteenth-century poet, but has a synthetic sound today. Chlorinda, Clarinda.

CLOTILDA. German, ‘renowned battle’. Old and aristocratic European name that would be tough for a kid to pull off today. Clothilda, Clothilde, Clotilde, Klothilda, Klothilde.

CLOUD. Nature name. This kind of plainspoken nature name (think River and Sunshine) still carries a whiff of the hippy. Cloudy.

CLOVE. Nature name. Spice name a tad more piquant than Saffron or Cinnamon.

CLOVER. Flower name. Charming, perky choice if you want to move beyond hothouse blooms like Rose and Lily.

COBALT. Colour and nature name. Even among the range of blue names on the current baby naming palette – Blue itself, Azure, Cerulean, Teal, Aqua, Cyan, Indigo – Cobalt remains the most unusual.

COCO. Spanish nickname. A new starbaby favourite, inspired by legendary designer Chanel and chosen by Courteney Cox, that the press loves to ridicule – but we predict it’s heading for more widespread acceptance and even popularity.

COLBY. English, ‘from a coal town’. One of the first reality show-inspired names in the US; hugely trendy for boys but just starting for girls. Colbee, Colbey, Colbi, Colbie, Kolbee, Kolbey, Kolbi, Kolbie, Kolby.

COLETTE. French, diminutive of NICOLE. Modern parents might be attracted to this name because of the French novelist – though pen name Colette was actually her last name, Sidonie her first. Coe, Coetta, Coleta, Coletta, Collet, Collete, Collett, Colletta, Collette, Kolette, Kollette, Nicolette.

COLINE. Feminine variation of COLIN. Wishy-washy, and too similar to Colleen. Colena, Colene, Coletta, Collina, Colline, Niceleen, Nicolene, Nicoline, Nicolyne. International: Colina (Spanish).

COLLEEN. Irish, ‘girl’. Midcentury Irish-American favourite, never used in Ireland itself, being the generic word for ‘girl’; rarely given today. Coe, Coel, Cole, Coleen, Colena, Colene, Coley, Colina, Colinda, Coline, Colleene, Collen, Collene, Collie, Collina, Colline, Colly, Kolleen, Kolline.

COLOMBIA. Latin, ‘dove,’ place name. South American country name, with peaceful connotations.

COLOMBINE. English from Latin, ‘dove’. Flower name too redolent of disaster. Columbine.

COLORADO. Place name. Inspired by the American western state.

COLUMBA. Latin, ‘dove’. Early saint’s name that rhumbas to a modern beat. Collie, Colly, Colombe, Columbana, Columbia, Columbine. International: Colombe (French), Colomba, Colombina, Colombita, Columbias, Columbita (Spanish).

COMET. Nature name. Soaring astral name with two strikes against it: a masculine feel, and the fact that it’s also a well-known cleanser in the US.

COMFORT. Word name. This Puritan virtue name is unstylish, but sympathetic and appealing, in these largely uncomfortable times.

CONCEPCIÒN. Latin, ‘conception’. Enshrined in the Latin and Catholic culture. Chiquin, Chita, Concetta, Concha, Concheta, Conchissa, Conchita.

CONCETTA. Italian, ‘pure’. A name that relates to Concepcion and the Virgin Mary, but feels a good deal more secular. Concettina, Conchetta.

CONCHITA. Spanish, diminutive of CONCEPCIÒN. Concepciòn dressed in red satin. Chita, Conceptia, Concha, Conchata, Conchissa, Conciana.

CONCORDIA. Latin, ‘peace, harmony’. The name of the goddess of peace. Con, Concord, Concorde, Cordae, Cordaye.

CONDOLEEZZA. Modern invented name. Made famous by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, whose parents fashioned her name from a musical term meaning ‘with sweetness’. Conde, Condi, Condie, Condy.

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