
Molly Bloom was the wife of Leopold Bloom, the Irish Jewish hero of James Joyce's Ulysses. Molly, originally spelled Mally and sometimes varied to Mollie, has roots in both the Irish and the Jewish cultures. In fact, June is taking over as the middle name du jour from Rose and Grace. New baby Molly's middle name June, on the other hand, is a once-dated choice (think '50s supermom June Cleaver) that's finding new favor, especially in middle place, with hip parents. While Frances has the same gently old-fashioned quality as Molly, it's definitely quirkier, a name that's been sliding down the popularity ladder for several decades now and that's in danger of slipping off the Top 1000 radar completely.įrances is more ladylike - some might say stuffy - than Molly, though nickname Frankie has a similar friendly feel.įrances's middle name, Pen, is definitely unusual, a nod both to dad David Benioff's writing profession and Peet's mother Penny's first name. Likeable and down-to-earth, mild yet saucy, Molly makes a safe but hardly attention-grabbing choice.īig sister Frances Pen's name is a bit more off the beaten track. 100 mark ever since, never zooming up to megapopularity but not dropping from sight either. 74 on the annual Social Security administration list. Molly (born April 20 in NYC), which started life as a short form of Mary in the Middle Ages, peaked in the U.S. editors Pamela Satran and Linda Rosenkrantz - who penned the books Baby Name Bible and Beyond Ava & Aiden– are blogging for about why celebs choose the names they do, and what they mean.Īmanda Peet's newborn baby girl Molly June's name is somewhat more conventional and in step with current styles than that of her big sister, Frances - called Frankie - Pen.īLOGS: Read more "What's in a Name?" columns
