Of all the colors in the rainbow, I can’t think of one that holds more captivating baby name possibilities than the royal color purple. From the soft Lavender and Lilac to the vivid Violet and Plum, many baby names show a real passion for the various shades of purple.
By far the most popular of the purple names, the sweet and lovely Violet is now in the Top 75 on the U.S. Social Security list -- rising from a low of 996 in 1981 -- and Number 7 on Nameberry! Some credit must go to Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck for choosing the name in 2005. It’s a favorite of kidlit authors and other celebrity parents.
The gentle, sentimentally nostalgic Mauve, similar in sound to the growing-in-popularity Maude and Maeve, gave its name to a whole decade: the 1890’s was known as the Mauve Decade.Its Spanish translation is Malva -- offering another purple family possibility.
The strong purplish-red Magenta was seen in Harry Potter as Magenta Comstock, an experimental artist whose portraits’ eyes could follow a viewer all the way home and who was ‘Wizard of the Month’ in 2007.The color was named for the town of Magenta, Italy, and would fit in well with other Mag-starting names.
The fabulously fragrant Lilac could be in line to be come the next Lila or Lily or Violet. Actor Stephen Moyer has already chosen it for his daughter. The floral lilac has ties to Greek mythology, is considered a harbinger of spring, and in the language of flowers symbolizes first love.
With its tricky spelling, Fuchsia has not found many takers as a baby name, though singer Sting did use it for his now grown daughter -- who currently goes by Kate -- inspiredby a character in the Gormenghast trilogy. The name Fuchsia is derived from a plant named for early German botanist Leonhart Fuchs, becoming an official color name in 1892.
Gem names like Pearl and Ruby are beginning to be joined by more exotic ones like Topaz, Sapphire andAmethyst. The purple birthstone for February could make a unique choice for a girl born in that month. Never in the Top 1000, it is now Number 798 on Nameberry.Trivia tidbit: It’s the real first name of Australian rapper Iggy Azalea.
A lacy vintage name that has the Nameberry stamp of approval, it’s now at Number 527 on on the site. This is one of the many nostalgic names we can thank J. K. Rowling for reviving, via the Harry Potter witch Lavender Brown. Lavender is also a best friend to Roald Dahl’s Matilda and a character in Anne of Green Gables.
The appealing and evocative Indigo, which is a deep blue-purple dye from plants native to India, is a particularly striking choice for both boys and girls.Lou Diamond Phillips used it for his daughter. It’s especially popular for girls in England at the moment, where it ranks at Number 577.
One of the most exotic of blooms, Orchid is a shade of purple, even though the flower itself appears in different colors. With many parents seeking O names, some might consider this striking choice. In the Language of Flowers, the Orchid symbolizes love, beauty, refinement, thoughtfulness, mature charm and having many children.
Pretty plum is showing up more and more frequently as a middle name choice. It was first noticed on Brit-born novelist Plum Sykes, who was born Victoria and given that nickname via the variety of fruit called the Victoria Plum. Also the nickname of novelist P. G. Wodehouse, it wasn’t identified as a color name until 1805.
The romantic Iolanthe is derived from the Greek words for violet flower, as is Ianthe, which was used by the poet Shelley for one of his daughters.Iolanthe is a comic opera by Gilbert & Sullivan and also a character in the X-Men universe.The Spanish version Yolanda is yet another dramatic twist on Violet.
Aubergine
No, we neither expect nor advise you to name your child Eggplant, but the French version of the word does have a nice ring to it, a la the food-related Amandine and Clementine.But since it’s used as the vegetable word in England as well as France, we don’t recommend it for use in those countries.
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What Autism Means
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At first autism meant "scary" to our family. As time went on autism became normal. The littlest things like your child eating a new food puts you in a good mood and warrants a brag post on Facebook! (credit:Andrea Reynolds)
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It means seeing the world through a different set of lenses. (credit:Aimee Heintz)
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It would take at least a dozen pictures. Him reading a book at 3-years-old, even though no one taught him how. Crying because the sun hurts his eyes or his brothers were just too loud. Laughing. Snuggling. Riding his bike. He has taught us so much. He is truly our sunshine. (credit:Erika Strojny Myers)
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Our daughter has Down syndrome and autism and is a small piece of the puzzle. Autism means a little more unique than the rest... (credit:Liz O'Neill DeSantis)
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Autism is enjoying swings, rides and slides! (credit:Bree Beers)
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Autism means your child can be your hero. (credit:Nikki Walling)
(07 of26)
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Autism to me means cherishing every milestone, every bite of food, every babble, every time my son points to something to share interest, every hug, every kiss. We rejoiced when he would tolerate eating a sucker! It was a big deal! Literally every moment or stride brings me joy and hope. (credit:Denisse Edwards)
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To our family autism means compassion and patience. It inspires me to see the uniqueness in all children, even "typical" kids. (credit:Timil Jones)
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Autism means building from our strengths and what brings us joy. (credit:Johannah Maynard Edwards)
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Taking family vacations like everyone else. (credit:Autumn J)
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Autism means that moments like these are rare and treasured and completely unforgettable. (credit:Leah Soderberg)
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Autism means looking at the world through a magnificent set of lenses that only he can provide. (credit:Megan Kuecher)
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Autism is celebrating the accomplishments that others overlook -- even something as simple as touching sand! (credit:Karen LaSalle)
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Autism means sometimes she wants a big hug -- just not from her mommy. Autism means understanding all her nonverbal cues and never taking it personally. (credit:Carey Struss Pruett)
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It means never having the socially accepted "appropriate" answer, but always being a delightful surprise and a ray of fresh sunshine. Also it means hating babies but loving his little brother unconditionally. (credit:Tricia Lewis)
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It means taking a completely different path on the journey you had in your mind, all while learning that beauty is nothing like you ever imagined, it's better. (credit:Amanda Webster)
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Autism to us means knowing that not everyone will understand and that's OK. (credit:Aleana Lopez)
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Autism means learning and changing. I never expected to be here, but I will do everything I can to help my son. (credit:Nicole Baum)
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Autism means that it's not going to be how I thought it would be. It means taking a different path than most. It means I will hold his hand and walk with him through whatever struggle we face or success we have. (credit:Amanda Gutierrez-Taylor)
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Autism means finding joy in each and every accomplishment! Autism means challenges, loving so much it hurts, growth, setbacks, memorizing every line from a movie, picky eating, laughing, innocence. This kid's future is so bright that he needs his shades indoors. (credit:Megan O'Neill)
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It means the rules change every day, food usually doesn't get eaten, and I was lucky enough to give birth to the bravest Superman I've ever known. (credit:Dympna Calandro)
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To us, autism means not assuming that ASD kids are unhappy or un-bonded to their families. Drew is the sweetest, kindest, most loving little boy. In our life, autism means getting stuck in every entrance door because Drew has a fixation on doors. It also means protecting our sweet baby from the mean people who have cussed at him when he's had a meltdown in public. (credit:Jackelyn Eller)
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It's about living out loud; he never censors himself to make anyone feel more comfortable, he is unapologetically himself. When you're a freshman and your sister is a senior and she takes you as her date to the winter formal, that's a pretty fantastic thing. Sure, he may have both Down syndrome AND autism, but he's also got some killer dance moves; neither diagnosis defines him. (credit:Jayne Schroeder)
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It means we learn to take on this crazy world in a whole different way together, we teach each other and the people around us to think and learn a different and unique way. My favorite saying: " I would not change you for the world, but I would change the world for you" (credit:Jess Winter Rivers)
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I believe autism means to have more patience and be more patient and to have an open mind for new ideas to overcome challenges. I believe every child has a story, they are unique and beautiful in their special ways. (credit:Michelle Lora)
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We are a military family with two beautiful boys on the spectrum and to us autism is just love. (credit:Jessi Henry)