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  • Writer's pictureDelphina Moon

Name Profile- Nightingale

An out-there bird name choice with a calming aura, this rarity is most often seen as an eye-catching middle name for boys or girls on naming websites, but could potentially work as a middle name for a real child, if you're feeling brave. As for a first name, Nightingale may be a bit bold, but different strokes for different folks! If you feel like Nightingale could be right for your family, or you’re considering putting this name on your name list in a less dramatic case, this article may help with some positives, negatives, and stats on this striking baby name. I’ve even decided to start adding some of my favorite combos for the name at the end of each profile, and might update some of my past profiles with combos in case you’re struggling to come up with names that sound lovely with your favorites. My greatest thanks to Sarah for suggesting this beautiful name for a profile! I love every request, and although I know some of you have been waiting a bit for your recommendation to surface, I really do appreciate all of your involvement in the Warehouse. I think that might be enough background information for now. Let’s get into it!


Pros

If we’re being honest here, Nightingale is positively striking. This lengthy moniker has so many brilliant aspects that draw eyes. From Nightingale’s impressive length of three syllables to that initially shocking and rare Night- beginning, it’s no wonder that Nightingale gets plenty of attention from name fanatics. The sounds and feelings associated with this name really do set Nightingale apart in the midst of the many Henrys and Kelseys that swarm today’s schoolyards and playgrounds.


But although Nightingale does have that shock factor aplenty and sticks out from the crowd, she also does belong to some trends that connect her more to mainstream baby naming, such as the cluster of bird names getting quite a bit of press lately. Sure, Robin and Raven were cool a while back, but Birdie and Lark are the names we’re seeing on the latest little celebabies and plastered all over naming forums today. With bird names back in after a couple decades hiatus, Nightingale may not feel so out of place in his class of Phoenix and Wren, although you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your little boy is the only one. In addition, rare names also often have the danger of being overcome by a single association. Due to a lack of young namesakes, people will immediately drift to one association that completely dominates that name. For instance, if you decide to name your baby girl Clemenza, most people will solely remember the murderer and criminal Peter Clemenza from The Godfather, tarnishing the name and likely resulting in rejection from friends and family. However, Nightingale uses its sole association to its advantage, the primary, and perhaps only, well-known association being Florence Nightingale, caring and revolutionary Crimean war nurse known for her contributions to the medical system and the saving of plenty of lives. Not only that, Nightingale established a nursing school and earned an International Nurses Day on her birthday. Florence Nightingale is remembered very fondly by people today, making her surname one with a heavily positive connotation.


On top of that, Nightingale has multiple aspects that lend themselves to either gender, making her truly unisex. First off, for the girls, Nightingale has a -gale ending, one identical in sound to Abigail, who currently ranks at #11, sitting just outside the top 10 at a very substantial height. As for boys, Nightingale hits that requirement of a surname name which is an incredibly important new stylistic preference for many expanding families, particularly when expecting sons. Sure, Nightingale is no Hudson or Kingston, but it does have a certain quality that does make him more of a masculine name if you wish. Finally, Nightingale brings a certain calm to any name you pair it with. Taming down a loud choice or adding a burst of excitement to a classic without robbing it of its stunning serenity is made easy with a name like Nightingale.


Cons

Nightingale is a whole lot of name to wear, particularly for a newborn baby or even a teen attempting to blend in. One would definitely need a nickname to shave away some of the length, but all Nightingale has to offer is the outdated Gale. While I personally find Gale a light and airy choice, I do realize that it’s not the most fashionable choice for a child today, being most popular in 1951, where it ranked at #36 for baby girls. So unless you’re down for Gale, which I believe I’m alone in that opinion, I think Nightingale must be best confined to the middle spot. In addition, Nightingale wasn’t even given to 5 babies of either gender last year. Now, this isn’t a hard and fast rule, but when a name is so chronically unpopular, it’s normally for good reason. Given Nightingale’s low wearability due to an absence of any truly current nicknames or short forms and likely an inability to truly appear professional as a first name, it’s not hard to see why more parents call their children Fe and Lejend than do Nightingale. Nightingale also clears the possibility of using any other word names, which are very present in today's naming climate However, as a middle name, I see no huge issues unspecific to particular surnames or family opinions.


Combos

  • Felicity Nightingale

  • Nightingale Colette (Potentially Nicolette professionally?)

  • Louisa Nightingale

  • Nightingale Acacia

  • Magnus Nightingale

  • Casper Nightingale

  • Nightingale James


Predictions for Nightingale:

Although I definitely see potential in Nightingale, as do many people I’ve encountered in both the Name Warehouse and other baby naming platforms, I don’t think we’ll see a substantial change in usage in the next few years. This bird name is simply too rare to surface, at least for the moment. That’s all for today everyone! Feel free to comment down below on your favorite combos for Nightingale, your opinions on the name Nightingale, or maybe some feedback for this new format which includes some first and middle name combos. Thank you again to Sarah, and have a wonderful rest of your day everyone!


Sincerely,


-Delphina Moon


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