Stella's Tag!

Hey! This fun tag will be posted on both my American Girl blog and Name Princess blog just for fun! Anyways, this tag was created by Stella, in order to celebrate her birthday!




1. If you could be born on any day of the year, what day would it be?
Probably a day in November, October, or April, but I love December as well!


2. What do you want your wedding dress to look like?
I guess a Greek Style Dress thats very flowy and light- nothing giant that makes me look like a marshmallow.


3. (confessions time) Tell an odd thing about yourself that nobody knows.
Hmm... I love History Channel shows! I will gladly watch America: The Story of Us any day- for fun! :-)


4. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I think I would make my hair a couple inches longer and wavier, and my eyes brighter.


5. Random time… tell us anything.
I am watching Castle right now- it's one of my favorite crime shows (along with Monk). It's funny and mysterious with being gory.


6. Mac or PC?
Mac- best ever.


7. What's your favorite song right now?
Rolling in the Deep or Set Fire to the Rain by Adele.


8. Do you get very tan during the summer? Doing what?
Nope, never tan. We Scandinavians have pale skin- so the more tan I get an 1/8 of shade darker- and the sunburned.


9. How long do you consider too long for hair to be?
Waist length.


10. Big earrings or small?
I think big earrings are adorable- but I can't handle them if they are too heavy.


11. Do you like lowercase?
Yes, occasionally.


12. Is there anyone famous that you (or any part of you) looks like?
Nope, although Stana Katic (Beckett on Castle) has my eyes. :-)


13. What is the weirdest thing you've ever photographed?
My anklet, my sister's eye, and an oddly shaped bun.


14. What is something you say more than five times a day?
Hmm.... maybe 'like' or 'well'.


15. Which do you think is better or worse: Facebook or twitter?
I don't really care, I don't use either.


16. (time for a super-typical question) What's your favorite food?
Pumpkin-spice cheesecake, strawberry pie, pasta, dinner rolls, potato soup..... The list goes on!


17. Do you like... Antique Stores or Thrift Stores?
I don't go to either. Shame on me. :-P


18. What is something you've always longed to do or try, but never did?
Bungee jumping, except I've never gotten the chance.


19. Do you love or loathe peace signs? Why?
Love them- they are so cute!


20. What's a guilty pleasure of yours?
Eating strawberry cream chess straight out of the container- and watching Castle. :-)


Happy Birthday, Stella and thanks for this fun tag!
~Gabby

Shakespearean Names (for boys!)

Hey! I am sorry for not posting as recently as I used too, but I will try and get back on track. Anyways, let's continue with Shakespearean name for boys!

Jacques- This is a name from As You Like It. It's a gorgeous French name meaning 'supplanter'! This name was most part in the 1970s and has dropped just as quickly as it had risen.

Edmund- Although this name is better known for a character in The Chronicles of Narnia, it's also a character in King Lear. It's a classic English name meaning 'rich protector'. It was very popular in the early 20th century, but dropped very slowly.

Lancelot- You may think of this name as a knight in an Arthurian legend, but it's also a name featured in Merchant of Venice. It's an awesome French name which means.... wait for it.... 'land'. Didn't see that coming did you?

Dion- This name was most popular in the 1970s, and then made a sharp drop in 2005. Anyways, this name means 'God of Wine and Revelry'. Dion is probably a shortened version of Dionysus, Greek god of wine. It's also a character in Winter's Tale.


I hope you enjoyed this post!
~Gabby

Shakespearean Names (for girls!)

Hey! I decided why not have two posts dedicated around the same name theme? Why not Shakespeare? Having just finished Romeo and Juliet, I thought this would be a perfect time!


Juliet- This is such a classic and seemingly timeless name. It can be spelled the simple 'Juliet' or the much more trendier version of 'Juliette'. Not surprisingly, it's an English name and has the interesting meaning of Youthful and Downy. From Romeo and Juliet.


Portia- Although you may not think of this as a Shakespeare name, Portia was character in The Merchant of Venice. Portia is a Latin name and instead of a meaning, it's actually a Roman Clan Name. From the Merchant of Venice.


Regan- I talked about the name 'Reagan' in this post, but I haven't focused on it's other spelling, Regan. Regan is a Celtic or Gaelic name meaning Royal or Regal. This spelling isn't very popular, although I think it's kind of cool! From King Lear.


Isabella- This is a name we've all heard! It was the #1 in 2009 and still is on top on the popularity chart. Isabella, or more commonly shortened to 'Bella', rose in popularity after Twilight. It's is an Italian name and means God Is My Oath. From Measure for Measure.


So, what's your favorite Shakespeare name? I like Audrey from As You Like It and Helena from many of Shakespeare's works. You can find plenty of Shakespeare names here. 


Boy's Shakespeare names will be up tomorrow!
~Gabby

I Love It.

Hey! I now completely admit that I love The Hunger Games.


Wow, they are amazing! 


I knew I was hooked when I couldn't put it down after the first chapter. I thought I was kidding myself, but I know that they are completely amazing.


Like, wow. 


I am only on Part 2 of the first book, but I only got it yesterday!


I'll post how obsessed I get over the next few days, but until now, all I can say is read them!


~Gabby


(my next name post will be coming tomorrow!)

E

Hey! Wow, I haven't done any of these letters in a while, but I feel that I should because I found some very cool, 'springy' names that start with E!

Easter- Although you may not think about it, Easter is actually a used name! I am not personally found of it because it's a holiday- but it's very unique! Anyways, Easter is a girl's name and is from an English origin. Oh and guess what the meaning is? Easter.

Eolande- This is a very unique name that I picked for today's post because of it's meaning- flower. It's a creative American name that's a form of Yolanda.

Elijah- Although this name may not remind you of Spring, but Elijah has a very spiritual meaning- perfect for Easter time. It means The Lord is My God. It's a Hebrew name and great for families who like biblical names.

Elodie- If like the name 'Melody', then Elodie should be right up your alley! Elodie is a girl's name meaning marsh flower, and from a Greek and French origin. Although Melody is currently rising in popularity, Elodie has never been on the top 1000 list, so it would be a nice alternative.

What are some of your favorite 'E' name? Mine are Everett, Emma, Evan, and Elizabeth!
~Gabby

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Hey! It's has been so long since I last posted, but here are some pics of Harry Potter World! I will post more of Universal Studios and Disney later.....
We stayed at the Loews Portofino in Universal. Because of this, we got into Harry Potter 1 hour early and got Express Passes (on select rides, you can skip the lines). If you stay at a Universal hotel, definitely go one hour early- the lines fill up fast! Our hotel was gorgeous, and designed to look like Italy. 


Anyways, we go to take a water taxi to the park. It was a very cool way to get to the park! When we arrived at the park, many people were already there, but not to many so we still got there pretty fast.


To the left is a photo if the entrance to Hogsmeade. It's so cool! For those of you can't read it, it says Please Respect the Spell Limit, whatever that means.... :-P


I also was able to take some photos of the shops at Hogsmeade. They recreated dozens of stores- some you could go in and buy overpriced items, others were just for fun.

Above is a photo of Honeydukes! It's such a cool shop! You can go inside and purchase candy recreated from the books (like U-No-Poo and Honeydukes' chocolate).

Above is a photo of Gladrags Wizardwear. Although it's so cool from the outside, you can't go inside... :-(

Here is a photo of the Owl Post. You can send letters to your friends (although it was crowded so I didn't  do it) and purchase quills and owls.  

Here's a picture of Hogwarts Castle. It's so realistic! It houses the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride- a cool simulator that brings you through exclusive scenes with Harry, Ron, and Hermione and the rest of the gang as well as animitronics. 

I also went back to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at night, at it was awesome! It was less crowded and I went on one of the rides twice. It was so much fun and I so want to go again!

~Gabby

This Girl Scares Me

Hey! I am back from Orlando and I am writing this post about one of my fears.....


Bellatrix Lestrange. I love her and I hate her. I am weird like that. 


Personally, I hate that she killed Sirius Black (I MEAN COME ON!!! Sirius is one of my favorite characters). Anyways, she's also a very creepy villain in general. Just creepy. Frankly, she's almost more scary than Voldemort. I said almost. 


I also really love her character. It would be such a fun part to play, although I don't think I could beat Helena Bonham Carter (the actress who plays Bellatrix), because... well.... if the movie character is down right scarier than the book.... well.... you know she's a good actress.


~Gabby


ps. i don't own the photo of my fear

A List..... of Names

Hey! I like to make lists. It's fun to sort things, or number things, or just list things, so today, I will be listing my favorite names in each of these categories for boys and girls (I will list the girls's name first, then boy's). I got these categories from here.


1. Colour Names
Violet, Grayson
2. Old-Fashioned Names
Delia, Alexander
3. Classic Names
Joanna, Nathan
4. Names from Literature
Helena, Fabian
5. Nature Names
Brooke, Orion
6. Gemstone Names
Jade, Jasper
7. Trendy (popular) Names
Gabrielle (#99), Henry (#27)
8. Names from Mythology
Selene, Sirius
9. Biblical Names
Abigail, James
10. Disney Character Names
Katrina, Christopher
11. Names from Songs
Delilah, Kevin
12. Flower Names
Lily, Nalin
13. Holiday Names
Estelle, Joseph
14. Unisex Names
Reagan, Riley 
15. Virtue Names
Faith, Merit
16. Short and Sweet Names
Claire, Charlie
17. Long (4 syllables or more) Names
Nathalia, Alexander
18. Nickname (and the original name)
Beth (Elizabeth), Nathan (Nathaniel)
19. Occupational Names
Bailey, Mason
20. Celebrity Baby Names
Amy Leigh, Benjamin
21. Pop Culture Names
Sophia, Jacob
22. Harry Potter Names
Ginny, Ron
23. Twilight Names
uhhh... Leah, Edward
24. Shakespeare Names
Helen, Jacques


What are your favorites?
~Gabby

What My Music Says About Me Tag!

Hey! I dug this tag from Quinlyn's blog and I can't wait to share my answers!

1. Put your music player on shuffle.

2. Press forward for each question.

3. Use the song title as the answer to the question.

4. NO CHEATING.

Do you understand if you don't just watch me!

Q: What does next year have in store for you?

Dream by Miley Cyrus (That's nice!)

Q: What does your love life look like next year?

The Story of Us by Taylor Swift (oh yay....)

Q: What do you say when life gets hard?

Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift (well then.....)

Q: Song that reminds you of good times?

Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed Peas (hmm.... possibly true)

Q: What do you think when you get up in the morning?

Cowboy Casanova (awkward....)

Q: What song will you dance to at your wedding?

Kissin' U by Miranda Cosgrove (that's just plain weird, but makes sense)

Q: Song that reminds you of your first kiss?

Better than Revenge by Taylor Swift (oh that's nice....)

Q: Your favorite saying?

Back to December by Taylor Swift (well, my birthday is in December)

Q: Favorite place?

If This Was a Movie by Taylor Swift (interesting......)

Q: Most Missed Memory?

Mean by Taylor Swift (YEAH RIGHT!)

Q: What song describes your best friend?

Innocent by Taylor Swift (huh..... I will have to ask her about this one)

Q: What song describes your ex?

Never Grow Up by Taylor Swift (why all Taylor Swift Songs?)

Q: Where would you go on a first date?

Round and Round by Selena Gomez (that's going to be one awful date)

Q: Drug of choice?

King of Anything by Sara Bareilles (huh)

Q: What song describes yourself?

Mine by Taylor Swift (well then...)

Q: What is the thing you like doing most?

Mean by Taylor Swift (this makes me look like a violent person.....)

Q: The song that best describes the president?

Enchanted by Taylor Swift (awkward.....)

Q: Where will you be in 10 years?

Ours by Taylor Swift 

Q: Your love life right now?

Haunted by Taylor Swift (oh nice...)

Q: What is your state of mind like at the moment?

I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas (got a feeling for what?)

Q: How will you die?

Love Story by Taylor Swift (well, at least it's romantic)

I hope you found my answers interesting! (well, I know I did!)

Anyone, can try this tag!

~Gabby

ps. if you are wondering why I have so many  Taylor Swift songs is because I downloaded her whole album onto my iPod.

Two of My Favorite Photos

Hello! Today, I'd like to share to of my favorite photos with you! Both where taken with my Coolpix L20.

This is the photo that I am most proud of. Without any editing (the black and white was a setting on my camera) I was able to take the macro shot. It may not be professional, but I love it. 

This is a super cool photo that I took of leaves. I flicked my wrist as soon as clicked the button and I love how it turned out!

Have you ever taken an amazing shot? What did look like?

~Gabby

Big Changes

Hello Ya'll! I have recently been reading all of these wonderful blogs like Libri and Claire's Curiosity, written by girls like me, who just want to share their photography and rants with the world, and I realized that I would like a blog like that.


To me, a blog to should express what you love, whether it's ranting, American Girl, or photography, I want to share my joys with the world. As much as I love this blog, I am changing this blog to focus more on me than names.


Although I will still (of course!) be posting about names, this blog will serve it's a purpose for me to rant about photography, my favorite stars etc. However, my blog name will still stay the same. I am the Name Princess! 


I want a blog that can express me, and I feel like this is a great step forward. Sometime in the future, I may also morph my design blog into this, but not for now.


For now, this blog will be about me, names, photography, and mainly, my rants.


Until  tomorrow,
Gabby :-)

I

Hey! Today we are going to talk about the letter 'I'! I is a very cool letter and many of it's girls names are rising in popularity. 


Isabella has been rising in popularity ever since the Twilight Saga came out.  It means God is my Oath and it's an Italian name.


Isla is a new name rising in popularity. It's pronounced 'eye-la'. The meaning of the gorgeous name is Island and it is a Scottish name.


Ince. This is unique name that I found on the baby name website. It's a Hungarian name (that's a first! :-) ) and means Innocent.


So what are your favorite I names?


~Gabby


The next letter is 'E'.

Henry

Hey! As we move into the end of my favorite name week we come to Henry. 

Henry is a very cute and strong name currently rising in popularity. It was most popular in the 1800s but has slowly, gradually, began to rise in popularity. It's currently at #27 on the popularity charts.

Henry is a German name meaning Ruler of the Home! What a strong meaning! I think this is a very cute name that anyone could use (for a boy that is!) 

Henry is such a sweet name! I love the sound of it and it's such a classic name. I honestly don't know where I heard this name, I think I just always loved it. 

So what do you think of Henry?

~Gabby

Helena

Hey! As we are continuing on with my favorite name week, we come to Helena.


I love this name! It's so cute, sweet, classic, and just plain pretty. Helena was most popular in the 1800s and it's still growing in popular. Although it was most popular over 100 years ago, it still sounds very fresh.


Helena is a very classic name and is Greek (this is a first!) and means the simple meaning of 'Light'. Helena is also the name of Helena Bonham Carter, the actress who plays Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter movies. Although her character is a bit of a creep, she is a very amazing actress!


I first got the name Helena from the name 'Helen'. I found that I loved it when my favorite character of Nobody's Princess (an AMAZING book!) was named Helen. I then found that I loved Helena better!


~Gabby

Evan

Hi! Today as we are continuing my favorite name week, we land on the name Evan.


Evan

I am honestly not really sure why I like this besides the fact that's is such a great name! I really like how it such a short name but sounds very strong yet sweet at the same time. Evan is currently #31 on the popularity charts and growing in popularity!


Evan is a very 'short and sweet' kind of name. It's a Welsh name (that's a first!) and means God is Good. What a great meaning? Anyways, I also found out that Evan is a form of the name John. Hmm..... I don't really understand the connection, but nonetheless, I still like the name!


I am not 100% where I heard this, but I'm pretty sure it came from my liking of the name Devon. I actually heard the name Devon in a Barbie movie when I was 7 or 8 and I never stopped liking the name. Although I still like Devon, I prefer Evan better.


So what are your thought on Evan?
~Gabby

W

Hey! I am super excited because this week's letter is 'W'! Yay! A challenging letter. but oh so much fun! 
To start of this post I planned to show you all the W names in the top 100, but there was only one 'W' name- William- at #24. Well, that proves that 'W' is a hard letter! However, I managed to find some good names!


William, this is a very classic and sweet name. It's a very simple and classic English name. I really like it and it's growing in popularity! I think this is a great name choice! It's means Strong-willed Warrior.


Willa, I love this name! It's a such a cute little girl's name! I think this is so cute a great name on it's own. This reminds me of the main character in The Wedding Planner's Daughter series (great read!). It was a very good book, which made me like the name a lot! It's an American (this is a first!!) name and means A Feminine Form of Will.


Whitney, this is a such a cool name! I love the sound of it! It was most popular in the 80s and has a cool retro feel to it. It's a unisex name, an English name, and means From the White Island.


So, what are some of your favorite W names?
~Gabby


ps. the next letter is 'I' 

Favorite Names part 3

Hey! We are continuing on my favorite names week today with one of my all time favorites!


Claire
Yes, I realize I have ranted on how much I love this name before but it's just so pretty! It's such a simple and sweet name. Claire is currently #40 on the most popular baby name list for 2010. It's such a pretty name!


Claire is another one of those beautiful French names. Those gorgeous names that always spark me. Claire is a lovely name meaning Illustrious. What a great meaning?


I don't really remember where I got the name Claire. You could say it just came to me! I think I've always just loved it!


Get ready for the letter 'W' tomorrow!
~Gabby

Favorite Names part 2

Hey! Here, I am continuing on my favorite names! Yes, I realize I have a whole list of favorites, but  there are those special few.


Anyways, today's name is:


Brendan
I love this name! I think it's so cute. It's a very overlooked name because of the other close name 'Brandon'. I think Brendan is a much cuter name and has a great meaning too. It's means Prince and is a sweet and classic Irish name.


What's not to love about Irish names? Many like Bridget, Kaitlyn, Micheal, and Teagan are Irish names. I think Brendan is such a strong yet sweet name. Although there are no nicknames for Brendan (or that I can think of!) it's still a great choice.


I think I stumbled upon this name when I compared it with Brandon. I found that I liked Brendan much better, and with a good reason too! Brandon is English and means From the Broom Hill. I like the meaning of Prince much better!




So what are your thoughts on Brendan?
~Gabby

Favorite Names Part 1

Hi! Throughout this week, I will posting about some of my favorite names (3 boys, 3 girls, and a day for 'W'). I will posting about the name as well as what I like about it and how I came upon it. Enjoy!


Gabrielle
Is there anything not to love about this name? It's gorgeous. It's French and probably the most iconic French name. It means 'God is My Strength'- a beautiful meaning.


I really like this name because it can take many forms. It's a sweet classic name that could belong to a baby, girl, or woman and sounds great with either of them. Gabby, Brielle, and Elle are also cute nick names for this name.


I came upon it one night while I was at dinner. On Babydow, I was about to get another girl and I didn't have a name. Then I began talking about my new little cousin Brielle because her older sister's photo was pinned up on the wall. I really liked the name Brielle and that led me to Gabrielle. It was perfect! And I have loved it ever since.


~Gabby

Presidential Names

Hey! Today, I will be talking about four very popular girls names- after presidents! A lot of times, people honor a president by naming their children with their last names. These names are becoming more and more common so I though I would write a post about it!

(let's do this from left to right)


Zachary Taylor: Taylor is a very popular name! It's #47 for girls and it's not even listed for boys! Taylor is an English name and means Tailor. This is a profession name and is simple and quite classic. I prefer it for boys more, but this name does remind me of Taylor Swift!


Ronald Reagan: I love this name! I think this soooo cute, I don't mind whether it's for boys or for girls. Reagan is #62 and not listed for boys. It's a simple Irish name meaning Little King.


James Madison: Madison is a very popular name! It became a girls name in 1984 when the mermaid in the movie Splash! chose the name 'Madison' after seeing a street named after the president. It's the most popular presidential name at #8.  It's an English name and means Son of Matthew.


John F. Kennedy: This name is the least popular name of these four, but still very popular at #74. It's and Irish name and means Ugly Head. Not the best meaning, but still a great choice. I prefer it more for boys, but it's not even listed on the boys name popularity list!


So what do you think of presidential names?
~Gabby


Also, I gave my blog a new look, do you like it?

Drop 2 Add 1

Hey! While searching for some baby name games that I could try, I stumbled upon a game called 'Drop 2 Add 1'. You are given a list of names, and you then 'delete' 2 that you aren't fond of and then add one name that you do. Cool, right? Let's get started! This name list is from HERE.


Ruby Tuesday
Lucy Eleanora
Lillian Paige
Hazel Marie
Phoebe Jane
Leo Jefferson
Silas Abraham
Jonas Maxwell
Julian Edgar
Caleb Andrew


Okay, I will take away Ruby Tuesday (Really? A restaurant?) and Silas Abraham (This reminds me too much of Nation Treasure 2.)


Now here's the new list:


Gabrielle Faith
Lucy Eleanora
Lillian Paige
Hazel Marie
Phoebe Jane
Leo Jefferson
Benjamin Mark
Jonas Maxwell
Julian Edgar
Caleb Andrew


Although the site only says to drop just 2 and to add just one, I am going to keep going until only four of the original are left (2 of girls, 2 of boys,).

Gabrielle Faith
Lucy Eleanora
Lillian Paige
Helena Joy
Leo Jefferson
Benjamin Mark
Henry Christopher
Julian Edgar


What does your list look like?
~Gabby

B

Hola! This week's (yes, I am now going to try and make these weekly) letter is B!


B, it's a holder of some cute, and odd, and cute interesting names. Today, I will be sharing some celebs with the name B as well as what their names mean. Join me!

Bridgit Mendler! I am one of her biggest fans for her work in Disney's Good Luck Charlie. I wish I had her hair....... Anywho, her name is a from of the name Bridget, it's pronounced the same, even the meanings are the same! Bridgit  is an Irish Name meaning exalted and lofty.

Bella Thorne! This other Disney star in Shake It Up!, I also wish I had her hair..... Anyways, Bella is a very popular name (#50 on the popularity charts, although dropping!) and it has the short, sweet meaning of beautiful. It's also Italian and short for Isabella.

Brad Kavanagh...... I really am glad I don't have his hair. :-) Anyways, he stars in the Nickelodeon series House of Anubis. He's a great actor and I really enjoy the show. His name is a short form of Bradley, an English name, and means  from the broad meadow.

I hope you enjoy the letter 'B'!

~Gabby

ps. The next letter is 'W', quite a hard name, but I'm ready for a challenge!

I'm Very Sorry

Hi.


I just want ot say I'm very sorry for not posting but I Heart American Girl has been my main focus. I really love this blog and I hope to contribute more to it, but I have found out that my favorite parts of doing this blog has been baby name games and ranting and raving on names. I can easily continue this blog, and I hate asking for anything more from my followers, but please, give me a day or two, and I will promise to try and get this blog up and running!


~Gabby