The Well-Named Podcast

Dori and Kristen take a look back at the top baby names of the 1920s, and find a few that are still topping the lists 100 years later. They also investigate the curious case of the name Arkansas, and the curiouser case of a once-popular nickname for Richard. Don't miss out on an opportunity to win free peanut butter (not from us though)!

Dori and Kristen return from a little break with a guest who is one of only 13 women in the US with her first name! Also, the Social Security Administration's official baby name list for 2025 gets the once-over, and Dori hears a name 'in the wild' (well, on a cruise ship).

Dori and Kristen celebrate Middle Name Pride Day with a look at why we even have them, and how they came to be. They also dig into the origins of some classic band names and some US state names, while Kristen basks in the afterglow of her life-changing fist bump with dreamy rocker Chris Isaak!

Meet Severance, a woman with a name so unique that it's everywhere! Also, the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics inspire Dori and Kristen to take a run at sports names, and Dori's son discovers a new name in the wild. (Don't miss the special nod to "Gone with the Wind"!)

Happy New Year! Are you a January 1st baby, or do you know one? Dori and Kristen kick off Season 2 with a sampling of names given to the first babies of 2026 around the US, and last year's top names in New Zealand. Dori shares a story about a little girl who has named herself, and Kristen recounts the day she laid down the law about her own name.

It's a season to celebrate as Kristen welcomes a new grandson! As usual, there's a fun story associated with the baby's name. Another name heard 'in the wild' sparks a discussion of hippie names, and Dori discovers a list of archaic words that just might inspire a name or two.

November provides a cornucopia of names! Dori and Kristen celebrate the season of gratitude with pilgrims, grandbabies, car talk, and a pinch of Bitch Dust. Happy Thanksgiving!

How many ways are there to spell your name? Dori & Kristen navigate the ways we all abuse the alphabet, including a name with 134 variations. They also run down the top names for dogs and cats, and they can almost bring themselves to congratulate the winners of the World Series (while investigating that team's name).

Dori and Kristen return from a visit to lovely Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Kristen has feelings about poutine.) They talk about "sibsets" and other alliterative naming choices, including Kristen's own family of origin. Dori spots a name in the wild, and she finds another way to cash in on corporate names...with a twist!

Dori and Kristen share some strategies for coming up with names for twins, including the one Dori used for her identical boys. Kristen gives Dori a baby-name quiz and they both pay homage to their beloved Golden State by explaining the surprising origin of the name California.

What names will we find in the C-Suite or the Oval Office in the near future? Dori and Kristen look at some possibilities. They'll also share some cases of name regret, with the names most likely to be dumped or adopted for different reasons. Finally, Pumpkin Spice season is here and some of you might be taking it a bit too far!

Dori and Kristen chat with a friend who has decided to embrace her very unusual first name. Listen in as they discuss the good, bad, and strange things she's discovered. Also, Kristen hears a new name 'in the wild' and Dori wonders how many parents are willing to call their child Pepsi or Jeep!

It's episode #2, and Dori & Kristen talk about names that have fallen out of favor in the US for a variety of reasons. Also, the American Name Society has released its 2024 Names of the Year, and Dori discusses a name she heard "in the wild". Send your questions and comments to welovethatname@gmail.com!

Meet Dori and Kristen, your fellow name nerds. We love talking about, researching, and collecting names from all eras. In this episode, we take a look at the trends in baby names so far this year. We also give you a peek behind the scenes of our baby-name consulting business as we share outtakes from one of our reports. We'd love to hear from you at welovethatname@gmail.com!