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Double names are a dime a dozen where I grew up in Georgia, so it’s no surprise I’ve spent my life clarifying that my name—Maribeth—is one word. Thankyouverymuch . I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve had to tack on “one-word-with-an-i,” but honestly, I’ve always loved my name.

My middle name, Ashton, though? That’s a different story. It’s perfectly fine—lovely, even—but my parents plucked it straight from a baby book. They didn’t even make it past the A’s!

Nothing makes you think harder about names than trying to pick one for your own child. When my husband and I started brainstorming, we came armed with a few non-negotiables: a family connection, easy to say and spell, and not too trendy.

But here’s the thing– vintage baby names , or “

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