Names for July born babies
by Ruth Fitzpatrick
Still looking for that perfect name for your perfect little arrival this month? No fear! We have compiled our favorite names with a July theme, starting with the simplest:
Julius July is named for the Roman general, Julius Caesar, so what better way to celebrate your little July baby than with this historically hefty name? Julius means ‘youthful’ in its original Latin, and definitely has lighter, more modern feel than the more popular alternative, Julian. Caesar too is an option, though it is rarely used by those outside of Latino families. It possibly sounds a little too regal to most prospective parents’ ears, but it could make a quirky middle name.
Julia Julia is the feminine form of Julius, and has been a stalwart favorite with American parents for decades. It’s currently seeing a decline in usage, but has remained in the top 100 every year since 1980. Like its male equivalent, it means ‘youthful’ and as well as generations of American girls, it has been the name given to many Roman aristocrats and Christian saints. If Julia is a little too pedestrian for you, you could consider the exotic Gaia. Caesar’s full name was Gaius Julius Caesar, so choosing Gaia would still give a nod to your little girl’s birth month, while being quite unique, though certainly not flamboyant. It means ‘mother earth’ in Greek, so also a good choice for a future environmentalist!
Quinn Before Julius Caesar was honored with his very own month, July was called Quintilis. Quinn is one of the most popular Q-names for either sex and it’s one of the most popular unisex names, though there are notably more girl Quinns named each year than boys; in 2016, over 3600 girls were given the name compared to the 1040 boys. Quinn has an Irish origin (unrelated to the Latin Quintilis, meaning ‘fifth’), and means ‘son of Conn.
Ruby Ruby is not only a name on the rise in the US, but also the birthstone of July. Its characteristic red color makes it shine bright, and it sounds sufficiently established – though still unique and fresh – to make it big again in the states.
Dara Oaks are one of the two lunar Celtic tree month to fall in July (the other being the very pretty girl’s name, Holly). Oakley is a possibility as a first name, but we really like the Irish name Dara, which literally means, ‘oak tree’. In Ireland it is primarily thought of as a boy’s name, though it is more widely used as a girl’s name here in the States.
America Born in or around the 4th of July? America could be the perfect patriotic name for your little girl. For boys, look to some of the founding fathers for inspiration: Adam, Hamilton, Abraham. Columbus is also a possibility, but has seen some political baggage attached to it in recent years.
Leo Two star signs fall over July: cancer (June 21 – July 22) and Leo (July 22 – August 22). In astrological terms, cancer is controlled by the moon, so you might consider lunar names such as Selena or Sasi. However, one of our current favorite baby names is Leo, so you have a July/August baby boy: we really endorse this name! Saint Leo also celebrates his feast day in July.
Felix On the old Christian calendar, there are 20 saint Felixes; 8 of whom have their feast days in July. Felix means ‘happy’ and is a super sweet and also quite unique sounding name.
Lily Lily is one of two of the flowers associated with the month of July and is also a floral name definitely on the rise in the USA. It is often associated with innocence and virginal qualities, but has plenty of more contemporary links too. Currently it’s ranked #24 in the US, so it couldn’t strictly be described as unique. Still, we think its delicacy and prettiness will see it continue to rise in popularity over next few years. Top 10 in 2020? We don’t see why not!
Delphine Our final name to offer is Delphine. This is a very sweet, light, almost ethereal name, which draws its meaning from the second flower of July: Delphinium. The flower itself (google it!) is extremely pretty, but Delphinium is quite a mouthful. An alternative is the slightly hippy-ish but totally cool unisex name: Lark. The common name for Delphinium is larkspur, so it can definitely be used for a July baby name!
