Posts Tagged ‘baby names’

Baby naming is a perennial hot topic both on the UB boards and in parenting media in general, but it wasn’t always so. There was a time when babies were named after saints or dead relatives, not given nonsense backwards names (Nevaeh??) or last-names-as-first-names or brand names of alcohol or automobiles. What, pray tell, started this tidal change away from Mary and towards Beckett? Name maven Laura Wattenberg, author of the Baby Name Wizard, has some ideas in the Washington Post.

The Internet, with its emphasis on unique user names, got people thinking in terms of individuality: “A century ago, one Amelia Jenkins might live a few towns from another Amelia Jenkins, and they would neither know nor care. But on the Web, we’re all next-door neighbors. Prospective parents of an Amelia Jenkins now type the name into Google or Facebook and freak out. They find dozens of Amelia Jenkinses. The name is ‘taken.’”

The other force was the advent of the Social Security list of the most common names on newborns’ Social Security number applications, which began in 1997 thanks to actuary Michael Shackleford. “The result of all this,” writes Wattenberg, “has been a sort of reverse arms race, with parents across the country desperate to make sure that their chosen name doesn’t come out too near the top. Half a century ago, 39 percent of all babies born in this country were given a name in the top 25. Today that number is down to 16 percent.”

Ironically however, the rush to distinguish your kids’ names leads them to be more similar to each other than distinctive old-fashioned names like Alice, Thomas, Frederick, and Dorothy. Today’s namers favor lots of vowels, particularly long vowel sounds (Owen, Ava), and ending boys’ names with the letter N: “Call it lockstep individualism. Instead of a classroom with two Williams and two Jameses, today we have one Aydin, one Jaden, one Braedon and one Zayden — not to mention a Payton, a Nathan and a Kaydence. In our rush to bless our children with uniqueness, we’ve created a generation that sounds more alike than ever.”

We’ve discussed the social dangers inherent in choosing a name before in this blog; but a hysterical column in the UK Times has more to say on the subject, parsing what kinds of names teachers see on a class list and immediately think “That kid sounds like trouble.” According to a recently published “Teacher’s Pet and Pest Name Chart,” Liam, Jack, Chelsea and Brooke are troublemakers; Adam, Alexander, Emma, and Charlotte are lil angels.

As Times reporter Melanie McDonagh writes, “In 2005, an informal poll in The Times Educational Supplement found that the names that ‘inspired the most dread’ in teachers included ‘anything with a hyphen’ (Bobby-Jo), variants of common names with weird spellings (Hollee and Kloe) and the chav [trashy] favourites, Tyler, Wayne, (’a terror’), Britney, and worst of all, Paige.”

McDonagh goes on to say that “Children who are called after places, or characters and actors in soaps and American sitcoms are likely to come from families that not only watch soaps but, terrifyingly, model themselves on them. Their children behave accordingly…Naming children after saints was once common to all classes. Now the once ubiquitous Thomases, Johns, Jameses, Marys and Agneses are more likely to be the preserve of classes that don’t need to show off their wilful originality. Or at least, classes that are alive to the social handicap a name such as Crystal would involve. All you have to do is imagine the late Alan Clark pronouncing the name in question to see what I mean: would it be with a grimace or without? The quest for originality is probably the killer. You didn’t get the ruling house of Prussia trying to be original when it baptised all its eldest sons either Frederick or William, now did you?”

LOL. For comparison, here is a list of upwardly mobile baby names in America, compiled by the authors of the book Freakonomics.

Pictured: Chelsea Clinton, a troublemaker?

Baby fever has made you axe any name you’ve ever heard, even if it’s the child of your cousin’s neighbor’s nanny’s nephew.

Beyond Ava & Aiden: The Enlightened Guide to Naming Your Baby will help you navigate the world of baby naming. With humor and a refreshing take on the trends, the book is organized by style, image, sex and tradition. Plus you’ll have a few laughs reading lists like Millennial Names (Maverick, Riley) or Music and Dance (Etta, Gershwin). The authors, experts Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran, will not lead you astray.

Better yet, maybe they can name the kid for you.

Available at amazon.com.

What name haven’t you heard on the playground? Whether it’s your first child or your fifth, coming up with a unique moniker (that won’t get him teased on said playground) is hard work.

The newest addition of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to 40,000 Baby Names will help you find something special, whether he’s named after a president’s kid (like Lyon Gardiner, son of John Tyler) or a rap star (Andre, Kanye or Wayne). Thousands of ideas and 200 lists, culled from everyone from American Idol finalists to vampires, are sure to give you inspiration to the babe-to-be you now call “Sprout.”

Available at amazon.com.

Today you’re toasting to anyone named Colleen or Patrick, but across the Atlantic is a country full of truly cool names.

Cool Irish Names for Babies clues you in to monikers from the Emerald Isle, a place known for ancient, mythological, and sometimes obscure names. From mainstream Irish (Riley, Killian) and old-country legends (Grian, Gael) to the celeb-inspired Aidan or the pan-cultural Edward, this guide is broken down into fun and useful sections — pronunciations included. Parents-to-be in search of something special can trust baby-naming experts and authors Pamela Redmond Satran and Linda Rosenkrantz, who culled the hundreds of choices.

And keep your fingers crossed for a red-headed babe.

Available at amazon.com.

What does one name a baby born in the midst of national excitement and economic panic? You could go presidential with baby Barack, or hope for good fortune with Felicity.

Nameberry’s new baby-naming blog gives great analysis of the baby names du jour (yesterday they pronounced that “regular names” are back — go go George and Joe!). Plus the site gives the scoop on name origin, popularity, celeb trends and everything else that might give you some moniker motivation. It’s the perfect antidote for parents-to-be in the middle of a “If I see one more Ava I’m going to scream” crisis.

When in doubt…Delilah?

Visit nameberry.com.

Tina Brown’s new website, The Daily Beast, is already on top of the baby-naming trend. If you’re currently debating the merits of Magnus and Matilda, put down your list and read baby name guru Pamela Redmond Satran’s funny (and appropriate!) piece, “10 Ways to Avoid Hipster Baby Names.” Her basic tips: Don’t name your kid after a jazz musician, goddess or highbrow writer (use extra caution if you live in Brooklyn or the Bay Area).

Judging by the crowds at pre-natal yoga, last year was a spiritual one. You may even run into a Serenity or Sincere on the playground soon.

Both monikers made the list of the top baby names of 2007, which was recently released by The Social Security Administration. Jacob and Emily held the top spots yet again, and the top 10 goes as follows:

Boys: Jacob, Michael, Ethan, Joshua, Daniel, Christopher, Anthony, William, Matthew, Andrew

Girls: Emily, Isabella, Emma, Ava, Madison, Sophia, Olivia, Abigail, Hannah, Elizabeth

In the paparazzi-infused year, Shiloh, Maddox and Jayden are celeb baby names that made the list, while stars of 2007 Danica Patrick and Miley Cyrus (pre-scandal) influenced a fair share of infants. Perhaps the most surprising entry? Armani.

Now, off to feed baby Cavalli and his sister Tuleh.