Category: Beautiful Awards

Our 8th Beautiful Name Award Winner – Brix Smith Start

Yes, we agree – it’s a tongue-twister and a gem.  RSS – a three syllable name like the chorus of a rock anthem.  Or three pounding bass notes at the beginning of a angst-ridden belter.

Her biography came out a few months and it’s our second rock/ pop biography read of the summer (the first was the 818 page, new Philip Norman, “McCartney” biography) –
brix start

To be honest, we are partial to her real name too – Laura Elisse Salenger.  But hey… congratulations Brix Smith Start – 8th winner of our Beautiful Name Award!

Covadonga O’Shea & “The Man from Zara”

Who is of course… Amancio Ortega, billionaire owner of fashion-chain Zara.

However even Ortega failed to bag our seventh Beautiful Award – which goes to Author of the best selling book about Ortega, Covadonga O’Shea (also one of the most important fashion entrepreneurs and pioneers in Spain).

We like her attitude (and her name). From a recent interview with Dierdre McQuillan, fashion writer for the Irish Times, she says-

“At the time it was a strange thing to call someone Covadonga, but now it has become more popular, though people shorten it to Cova, but I love my name. And Covadonga is such a beautiful place in the mountains. The name means the Cave of our Lady.”

Combine this with an O’Shea surname (an Irish Soldier, Henry O’Shea, who became founder of the Banesto bank) and you have the perfect “Salt and Pepper”, multi-national twist of prose.

Ladies and Gentlemen – our 7th Beautiful Award winner, the name that is, Covadonga O’Shea.

Bond, James Bond – our 6th Beautiful Award Winner

Our sixth Beautiful Award winner, and our first fictional name award winner, is James Bond.

Ian Fleming’s creation has of course stood the test of time and later this week, Skyfall, the 23rd Bond movie, is released.

However – in keeping with out recent romp on Britney’s middle name, we asked ourselves does the most famous name in British Spy history have a middle name or names?

Before, checking it out, we stepped in with our own creations-

James Montgomery Bond

James Sinclair Bond

James Sutherland Bond

James Cornelius Bond

James Ismael Bond

James Isaac Jeremiah Bond

James Rosenburg Bond

James London Harvey Bond

James Golden Silver Bond

James Sterling Bond

James Charles Stewart Bond

James Rupert Salamander Bond

James T. Simon Bond

What do you think? Which are your favourites? What middle names can you come up with?

So did Ian Fleming bless our beloved character with a middle name?

Most fans and commentators believe he didn’t, but in 2006, the Daily Telegragh made the following assertion-

“In On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1963), Bond is being held in a raffia-work cage suspended over a pool of piranha fish while the villain, Dr Peevish, taunts him by saying “Herbert, Herbert, Herbert” over and over again”.

So there you have it – Bond, James Herbert Bond.

The Beautiful Awards

Our passion for names drives us to constantly improvement our processes and ideas, and identify people and examples which typify our understanding of beautiful name creation.

Every month we acknowledge best practice by awarding a person or business that demonstrates best practice in areas as design expertise, skill and craft.

Sometimes, our awardee is a person or business organisation that has given their children or products beautiful names. Sometimes, it’s a person with a beautiful name themselves.

Whatever the reason for merit, we wish to acknowledge it with a small, personal gift and a mention in our blog.

Previous winners can be viewed by clicked on the blog category, “Beautiful Awards,” on the side bar of the home page.

If you wish to nominate somebody or organisation for the award, please drop us a line.

Benedict Cumberbatch – Beautiful Award Winner No. 5

Is there anything that Benedict Cumberbatch can’t do?

From iconic-genius Stephen Hawking to super-sleuth Sherlock, to Star Trek II villain to Smaug the Dragon (forthcoming Peter jackson’s Hobbit), to rumoured next Bond villain?

And of course, personal asset-holder of a magnificent, memorable name. Indeed, from a Theory of Names perspective, we view the name B.C. to have a feminine name-structure bias (adding to the mystery of the beguiling actor?).

Which of course leads us the compelling question – what are his middle name/s?

Answer – Timothy Carlton

Arise, then Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch – winner of our fifth beautiful award.

Zaha

When is a name not a name?

Answer – if you’re Zaha Hadid (we prefer just Zaha for masculine impact).

Probably because there’s no better example of someone who’s has created a brand that exemplifies style, creative and panache from almost everything she’s done.

Could you describe her designs as “Beautiful”, “Memorable”? Yes, yes, without exception, YES. So we have something in common (in value and mission) as well as a huge amount to learn from her.

And our gold medal winner at the London 2012 Olympics? Has to be her London Acquatics Centre-

Zaha- worthy 4th Winner of our Beautiful Award? Oh yes.

Roy Keane – third winner of the Beautiful Award

What??!!!  Bonkers or what?

Beautiful?  Well, yes, we think so.  The name, Roy Keane.  It takes a bit of mind-bending, but the reason we have given it our third Beautiful award is because of its’ simplicity, directness and plainness.  Not every great name has to be a garbled mouthful of syllables. But it does need poetry.  And a certain artistry – even if it’s the Damian Hirst version (from time to time).

Roy Keane.

Roy Keane.

Say, it again.  Get the point?

Marcia Cross – winner of our inaugural Beautiful Award

The Beautiful Award is our mini-version of the Oscars, for the creation of beautiful, memorable names; and our inaugural award winner is (drum roll….) – “Desperate Housewife,” Marcia Cross (Hooray!!).

In addition to having a beautiful real name and the most memorable of the Housewife names (a.k.a. Bree Van Camp), Marcia has the distinction of giving her twin girls, beautiful names too-

Savannah Cross

Eden Cross.

Congratulations Marcia Cross!