Sweet and Southern...
Find a Conversation
Sweet and Southern...
| Fri, 06-16-2006 - 5:19pm |
I need a southern sounding name for a little girl. So far we have Bryson Gage and Shelby Kay. Names we've already talked about: Savannah,Jocelyn,Chloe,Kylie,and Cheyanne.
Thanks!
Dawn

Pages
I love Shelby!
One surefire way to create a southern name is to use a family surname, especially one that isn't commonly used as a name (ie not Jackson, Carter, Cooper, etc).
Shelby Kay is definitely Southern, positively dripping Steel Magnolias. Bryson is not. Not, not, not. I was born and raised in the South, and more than anything, the thing that makes male names Southern is not being made-up, and not being effeminate. Sorry, but Bryson is both. Plus, it rhymes with and resembles Dyson, which is a vacuum cleaner.
Do you have a family surname that would make a good first name? This is an old Southern tradition, for boys and girls. Or is Bryson perhaps a family surname (if so, then I say use it; if not, no). Also, double names for boys and girls are traditionally Southern.
How about one of these:
Caroline
Cordelia
Louise
Estelle
Lillie
Rachel
Ellen
Clara
Eugenia
Mae (as a middle name, much prefer to Kay)
Sarah
Margaret (I love this one, with Meg as a nickname)
Ruth
Grace (I know this one's fairly popular as a middle name, but I don't know anyone born recently with this as a first name.)
Anna Catherine (Anna Cate)
Sarah Margaret (I know the most adorable little girl named Sarah Margaret!)
Sorry, but Savannah and Cheyanne are two of my pet-peeve names, though I can't articulate the reason. I don't like either of them. Plus, Cheyanne is the name of a porn star and a city in Wyoming. What about that screams "sweet and Southern"? Jocelyn is nice. I love, love the name Chloe, but it's...French...? Not Southern. Kylie is fine, but more of a little girl's name to me. I once babysat a little girl called Kylie, though her given name was Caroline. I thought it was a stretch, to say the least, but at least it gave her a grown-up option.
Bryson is for my DF Bryan. Honestly it not a name that I am totally in love with but I love it because its for my DF. Shelby has been my favorite name since I don't know when and Kay is for my mom. I like the double name thing. WDYT of Maggie Brooke?
Dawn
I like Maggie...a whole bunch, really. I prefer Maggie Kay or Maggie Kate, though. Actually, now that I've written it and said it to myself, I really like Maggie Kate. Could you honor your mother with Kate rather than Kay? Or since Kay is a derivative of Katherine, what about Maggie Katherine (or even Margaret Katherine), and call her Maggie Kate? Now that is sweet and Southern; we Southerners do love our nicknames, and especially, our double names! I don't mind Brooke, but it seems a little late-80s, early 90s to me.
As for the whole Bryson thing, I'm not one for smooshing new, made-up names out of perfectly good, traditional names in order to honor someone. I like the name Bryan, and I think it would honor your husband much more to pass on his own name as his son's middle name. What do you think? Gage Bryan? I like it, depending on whether it makes awful initials or something when combined with your last name.
Oh, what fun for a southern girl like me! I'm from South GA. Bryson Gage and Shelby Kay are VERY southern, esp. if Shelby Kay is a double name... Bryson and Brice are used quite often on boys and sometimes on girls. Gage is also used regularly.
I just wanted to point out the list of names in the Games and Fun section below. I posted the topic "Names Lists" It is names of engagements, recent births, and beauty pageant contestants used recently in my local area. These are all genuine "southern" names! *smile*
The most prevalent naming themes in the south are-
1. Double names for boys and girls (James David / Sarah Beth / John Luke / Anna Grace, etc. )
AND
2. The use of surnames (usually family names, but not always) on boys and girls often paired with something ultra-traditional- examples- Spencer Katherine, Mary Butler, John Pennington, Hudson James, Logan Elizabeth, Fisher Paul
Another thing that happens A LOT is that boys are called by their mother's maiden name or given it for a middle name and girls are named for significant men. Ex. Daniel's daughter has Danielle for a middle, Brian has a daughter Brianna, etc.
I hope this helps. Keep me posted! Enjoy the quest, Ginger
Ginger
Oh, one more thing- You can't go wrong with "Gone With the Wind" names for a Southern sound---
Rhett, Scarlett (not exactly sweet, but SO sassy-cute), Melanie, Ashley, India, Ella, Wade, Bonnie, Suellen, Carreen, Ellen, Gerald, Eugenie, Bell, Cade, Butler, Brent and on and on... It even extends to the author's name - Margaret Mitchell and the actors in the movie- Vivian and Clark. The name of the homeplace - Tara - and the state it was written about- Georgia.
I think Rhett is positively appealing on a male of any age.
What's any sweeter than Melanie, or Bonnie?
Listing of Georgia also made me think of Carolina. Another sweet, southern place name.
Keep us up to speed on your thoughts! This was fun! Ginger
Ginger
In response to this, I'd just like to point out that Suellen's given name was Susan Elinor, and her sister Carreen's full name was Caroline Irene. This really makes me love the idea of naming your daughter Margaret Katherine and calling her Maggie Kate.
And, I'm from Alabama, lived there all my life, and though I've met several Bryces, I've never met a single Bryson. Sorry. But, I do like Bryce. Is that close enough to Bryan for you? You may have to rethink the middle name, though, because Bryce Gage sounds a little abrupt, you know?
i love shelby and maggie. but like one person said to me, "you gotta think like a four year old in a play yard and see what names they could call your kid. then turn around and see if your child could use that name in a professional environment too, like on a business card."
which is why i tacked Ana onto my daughter's name. Lilyana. Lily is cute at
&nb
Pages