Tag Archive for 'baby name advice'

3 Reasons to Keep Your Baby Name a Secret

Published

on July 11, 2011

. 0 Comments

SECRETS CAN BE A GOOD THING

Secrets get a bad rap, but sometimes they’re a good idea. Here are three reasons why keeping the baby name you choose a secret until after the baby is born:

1) Everyone Has an Opinion

Everyone has an opinion and you might not like the ones you hear about the name you have picked out. Some people might be okay with choosing a name after a close friend or family member has said they hate it, but most people would feel awkward about it.

Take Away Advice:

If you think you might be swayed by someone’s snarky comment, keep your name choices to yourself. Only truly rude people will say they don’t like a name after it’s already been bestowed.

2) Change Your Mind Often?

If you tell everyone the top name on your list, it could “stick” and make it hard for you to change your mind later on. It’s not uncommon for parents to change their minds at the last minute.

Take Away Advice:

If you think there’s a chance you’ll change your mind, don’t share your name choice until you’re 100% positive what name you’re using.

3) Avoid Baby Name Theft

There are people out there who will steal your baby name. As soon as you say, “I love the name…,” a baby name stealer has added it to her list. If that person happens to give birth before you, you might have your favorite name snatched away by another eager parent.

Take Away Advice:

If you would be hesitant to use a name that a close friend or relative has already used, keep your name list to yourself.

AWESOME PHOTO

The awesome photo for this post is courtesy of my college buddy, Nathan Yang. He and his wife, Jojo, are expecting soon and they’re keeping their chosen baby name a secret (as you can see from the photo). They’re also keeping all their friends entertained with cute pictures like this with the help of their mobile photo studio. If you want one, check out his site Workit! Mobile Photo Studio.

TO TELL OR NOT TO TELL

Did you keep your name list a secret? If so, why? Was it the right decision or did you regret it? You can email me or leave a comment. When you leave your first comment, you’ll need to take a couple seconds to “register.” It’s a way to prevent spammers from clogging up comment sections with off-topic advertisements. Once you do register though, you won’t have to worry about it again and can leave all the comments you want.

Happy naming,

♥ Amanda

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BABY NAMES MADE EASY: THE COMPLETE REVERSE-DICTIONARY OF BABY NAMES

Baby Name Consultation Service Up & Running

Published

Amanda Barden

on November 10, 2010

in Website Announcements

. 0 Comments

Expert Baby Name Advice is at Your Fingertips

Baby naming just got even easier. My baby name consultation service is now up and running.

What I hear over and over from parents-to-be is that choosing a baby name is the hardest part of having a baby. Expert, unbiased advice is just a phone call away. Thirty minute phone consultations are just $50. We can talk about the names on your list or you can get name ideas from me based on the criteria that are important to you.

How does it work? It’s easy:

1. Go to http://www.amandabarden.com/advice

2. Pay for the consultation through PayPal

3. Return the Baby Name Questionnaire I email you

4. Give me three dates and times you’re available to talk by phone

The perfect name is out there! Email me with any questions at amanda@amandabarden.com

Happy naming,

♥ Amanda

Fun iVillage Article with My Baby Naming Ideas

Published

Amanda Barden

on September 13, 2010

in Baby Name Suggestions & Lists, Baby Naming Tips and My Life

. 0 Comments

iVillage Article

Looking for some of my baby naming ideas? Check out this cute iVillage article by Ronnie Koenig. My tips start on slide 3.

Some of my tips are about Scottish Names, Surnames and Bejeweled Names. Don’t miss out!

Happy naming,

♥ Amanda

WANT MORE BABY NAME INFO?

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HAVE BABY NAME QUESTIONS?

If you have baby name questions, email me at amanda@amandabarden.com.

Your question might appear in a future edition of Ask Amanda.

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Follow me on TWITTER to get up-to-the-minute celebrity baby name news, interesting names I come across and so much more! I’m @babynameauthor!

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BABY NAMES MADE EASY: THE COMPLETE REVERSE-DICTIONARY OF BABY NAMES

Interview with Project Runway designer Peach Carr

Published

Amanda Barden

on July 29, 2010

in Celebrity Names and Notable Names

. 2 Comments

Photo: Barbara Nitke/Lifetime Television

This is the week of Project Runway here on the Baby Names Made Easy website. The show’s new season debuts this week and I’ve scored three Project Runway interviews in celebration! Whoo-hoo! I posted one earlier this week with the lovely model Matar Cohen. Today, I bring you designer Peach Carr. She’s a designer on this season – be sure to tune in and see how Peach does!

Peach was hilarious. She truly had me laughing out loud. The funniest story was about a trick she and her siblings used to play on their new babysitters. Peach also had some really sweet advice for parents-to-be and what they should tell their children about their names. Definitely check out her words of wisdom.

But that’s not all. I also have an interview scheduled this week with another designer competing on this season’s show – McKell Maddox. It’s quite an exciting week around here. J

Read Peach’s interview on my Celeb Interviews page!

Happy naming,

♥ Amanda

WANT MORE BABY NAME INFO?

●Join the free BABY NAMES MADE EASY newsletter list for the latest baby name news and tips from my website

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HAVE BABY NAME QUESTIONS?

If you have baby name questions, email me at amanda@amandabarden.com.

Your question might appear in a future edition of Ask Amanda.

DO YOU TWEET?

Follow me on TWITTER to get up-to-the-minute celebrity baby name news, interesting names I come across and so much more! I’m @babynameauthor!

For more information on baby names and their meanings get your copy of

BABY NAMES MADE EASY: THE COMPLETE REVERSE-DICTIONARY OF BABY NAMES

Romantic Baby Naming Ideas

Published

Amanda Barden

on July 9, 2010

in Baby Name Suggestions & Lists and Baby Naming Tips

. 0 Comments

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Looking for unique baby names? Turn your baby’s name into a romantic affair. Think about all the people, places and events that are important to you as a couple and you just may find the perfect name along the way.

Here are 11 romantic baby name ideas:

1. The name of the street where you first lived as a couple

2. The name of the restaurant where you went on your first date

3. The city/state/country where you met

4. The name of the friend who introduced you

5. The place where you conceived the baby

6. The name of the singer who sings your song

7. The name of the place where you or your partner proposed

8. The name of the site you got married

9. The place where you went on your honeymoon

10. The name of the actor/actress who starred in the movie you saw on your first date

11. The name of the flower you used in your wedding bouquet

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Any other romantic ideas? Share them with me!

Happy naming,

♥ Amanda

WANT MORE BABY NAME INFO?

●Join the free BABY NAMES MADE EASY newsletter list for the latest baby name news and tips from my website

●Subscribe to the RSS feed so you don’t miss any future baby name posts

GET YOUR OWN COPY OF BABY NAMES MADE EASY

HAVE BABY NAME QUESTIONS?

If you have baby name questions, email me at amanda@amandabarden.com.

Your question might appear in a future edition of Ask Amanda.

DO YOU TWEET?

Follow me on TWITTER to get up-to-the-minute celebrity baby name news, interesting names I come across and so much more! I’m @babynameauthor!

For more information on baby names and their meanings get your copy of

BABY NAMES MADE EASY: THE COMPLETE REVERSE-DICTIONARY OF BABY NAMES

ASK AMANDA: A Name Like Zane?

Published

Amanda Barden

on July 7, 2010

in Ask Amanda

. 2 Comments

Welcome to ASK AMANDA!!!

Ask Amanda

Q: I just wanted to start out by saying that I love your book! It makes searching for the perfect name fun and a lot less stressful!

My question is regarding the name Zane. I had never heard of that name until a friend of mine used it for her son. I’ve grown to really love that name, but because we’re so close to these friends, I don’t think I should use it.

I’ve tried to find similar names but so far have only come across -Shane, Caine or Payne- none of which are what we’re looking for. Do you know of any similar names or maybe even similar masculine, unique type names like Zane?

Thank you!

A: I’m so glad you found my book helpful! That’s always so nice to hear.

Zane is definitely a unique name. If you’re really close to the other Zane in your life, I can see why you don’t feel comfortable using it.

There are so many great names out there, I’m sure you’ll find something you love. Here are some ideas for you:

Names that sound like Zane

Here are a few names that sound like Zane:

Dane - my favorite on this list

Blaine

Lane - this is also used by girls, but it’s not “girly”

Maine - kind of quirky

I think you’re right to steer away from Payne — it sounds like “pain” and that might be a tough association. I do like Cain(e) and Shane though.

Names with the same meaning as Zane

Zane is a version of the name John and means “God is gracious.” Maybe another version of John might appeal to you:

Ivan

Sean

Gianni

Evan – my favorite

Names that start with “Z”

If you’re looking for other “Z” names you can consider:

Zachariah – a little more unique than Zachary

Zander

Zebedee

Zeke

Zeus

Zedekiah

Zephyr

Zev/Zevi

Use Zane as a middle name

It might be too much to use Zane as a first name, but you could probably get away with using it as a middle name.

I hope that helps! Good luck to you. Please let me know what you decide.

Happy naming,

♥ Amanda

WANT MORE BABY NAME INFO?

●Join the free BABY NAMES MADE EASY newsletter list for the latest baby name news and tips from my website

●Subscribe to the RSS feed so you don’t miss any future baby name posts

GET YOUR OWN COPY OF BABY NAMES MADE EASY

HAVE BABY NAME QUESTIONS?

If you have baby name questions, email me at amanda@amandabarden.com.

Your question might appear in a future edition of Ask Amanda.

DO YOU TWEET?

Follow me on TWITTER to get up-to-the-minute celebrity baby name news, interesting names I come across and so much more! I’m @babynameauthor!

For more information on baby names and their meanings get your copy of

BABY NAMES MADE EASY: THE COMPLETE REVERSE-DICTIONARY OF BABY NAMES

ASK AMANDA: I Regret My Baby Name. What now?

Published

Amanda Barden

on April 29, 2010

in Ask Amanda and Baby Name Suggestions & Lists

. 0 Comments

Today’s ASK AMANDA is a tough one. What do you do when you’ve already named your baby and then you change your mind?

Ask Amanda

Q: My baby girl was born last year and now she’s 6 months old. I’m really confused because I think I gave her the wrong name. I love her so much and I want to call her a name that I love. I would really appreciate if you could help me since you are an expert in baby names.

My baby’s name is Leia. My husband really loves Star Wars and that‘s how we got her name – from Princess Leia. Now I’m afraid that she’ll be teased in school because of this. I just feel that the name does not fit to her now.

Please help me. I like the name Amelia, Emily and Lily. Do you think I should change her name? I’m afraid that people might think that I’m crazy.

Thank you for your kindness and time! ANDY, Burbank, CA

A: Let me assure you, you’re not crazy. You’re not even the first person to contact me about changing a baby’s name. Choosing a baby name is a huge decision! I know there must be quite a few parents who have “baby name regret” like you.

So what do you do now?

I don’t think there’s one right answer here, but for what it’s worth, here’s my opinion.

You mention a few concerns about your daughter’s name, Leia:

1. You think she might be teased because of the Star Wars connection

I definitely think people will make the connection between your daughter’s name and Star Wars. I’m not sure it’s going to cause a lot of teasing though. Star Wars is an older movie and it’s also a very cool movie. I think both of those things reduce the likelihood of teasing. I bet some people will actually think the connection is cool.

Do any readers think that the Star Wars connection to Leia will cause teasing? Chime in, please!

2. You don’t think the name suits her

How do you decide whether a name suits someone? That’s such a tough question. I think you and your husband need to decide this together.

Ask yourself what’s making you feel this way. Do you think another name suits your daughter better or do your feelings stem from your mixed feelings about the name?

Speaking of your husband, how does he feel about all this? Since he’s the Star Wars fan, I’m guessing he still likes Leia?

3. You worry that others will think it’s weird if you change her name now

People will undoubtedly find it surprising if you change your daughter’s name at this point, but who cares? It’s your daughter and your decision. Do keep in mind that your daughter will eventually learn about the name change and may have questions.

OTHER IDEAS

If you and your husband decide not to change her name officially, you can still change her name unofficially. You could start using her middle name or call her by a nickname.

Another thing you could do is change the spelling of Leia to LIA or LEAH.

OTHER NAMES

I made a couple lists for you…

You might want to consider names that end in a similar -leia sound, so you, your husband or others can continue to call her Leia if they want to. Here are some names you might like:

Celia

Aurelia

Callia

Cordelia

Delia

Magnolia

Malia

Natalia

Ophelia (this is a Shakespearen name though, which might cause the same issue you have with Leia)

Since Leia is a short “L” name, I put together a list of other short “L” names you might like:

Lacey

Lana

Laney

Lara

Leda

Layla

Lena

Lily

Lila

Livia

I’m really glad you shared your question because I know there are a lot of parents feeling the same way you are – maybe some will write in and share their stories, too.

Good luck to you! Please write me with an update about what you decide.

Happy naming,

♥ Amanda

WANT MORE BABY NAME INFO?

Subscribe to the RSS feed so you don’t miss any future baby name posts.

DO YOU TWEET?

Follow me on TWITTER to get up-to-the-minute celebrity baby name news, interesting names I come across and so much more! I’m @babynameauthor!

HAVE BABY NAME QUESTIONS?

If you have baby name questions, email me at amanda@amandabarden.com.

Your question might appear in a future edition of Ask Amanda.

GET YOUR OWN COPY OF BABY NAMES MADE EASY

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BABY NAMES MADE EASY: THE COMPLETE REVERSE-DICTIONARY OF BABY NAMES

ASK AMANDA: A Name that Flows with “Vo”

Published

Amanda Barden

on March 1, 2010

in Ask Amanda

. 0 Comments

Welcome to ASK AMANDA. Today’s question comes from a future-mom who wants to be prepared when the time is right.

Ask Amanda

Q: Hi Amanda,

I just came upon your site and I love it! I’ve been really interested in baby names for a few years now but I’m having the hardest time coming up with any boys names I really like.

My husband and I are not pregnant yet, but I love to think of names.

The girls’ names we love are Lydia and Evelyn. Our last name is Vo. I’ve been thinking I like Lydia Noelle Vo and I’m not sure about a middle name for Evelyn yet. Does Evie Vo sound like too much alliteration?

My problem with boys’ names are many. First, I don’t want anything too common that there might be 5 others in his class with the same name. Second, I’m really unsure of what names flow well with our last name. With such a short last name, I would like it to sound good in the full form and any nicknames or shortened names. I don’t want a super common or boring name, maybe an under-used gem.

Names I like recently (that my husband has nixed) are Elliot, Wesley, Elijah, Caleb, Dominic. My husband likes Ethan, and while I like it too, it’s too common. He also mentioned Maddox a few years ago, but I think everyone will always associate the name w/Angelina Jolie AND our future children will be 1/2 Vietnamese.

My question is, could you help us think of boys’ names that flow well with our last name (Vo) and the potential sibling names of Lydia and Evelyn? I think I would like to use Thomas as a middle name (as long as it flows).

Thanks so much for your help in advance!

MARY, Ohio

A: Your first question is about alliteration and “Evie Vo.” You like Evelyn Vo, but aren’t sure whether the double “v” sound in the shortened “Evie Vo” is too much. I like “Evie Vo” and don’t think there’s too much alliteration at all. I think the “e” in front softens the double “v.” The alliteration would be stronger in a name like “Vanessa Vo.” But I don’t mind that either.

DISCLAIMER: I’m a fan of alliteration.

On to your second question about boys’ names. I like the names you mentioned and they all have a similar feel to them. I pulled out my book and found some other names you might like that have the same feel and go well with the middle name Thomas. Most of these are unique enough that you won’t have five other kids with the same name in your son’s class—though some are more popular than others, so take that into account when making your final pick. These names also have a similar feel to Lydia and Evelyn, which make them nice sibling matches.

Here you go:

ARCHIBALD

BENJAMIN

CLAYTON

CONRAD

DASHIELL

DONOVAN

DUNCAN

EVERETT

FELIX

GABRIEL

GIDEON

GRAYSON

HUGO

ISAAC

JEREMIAH

JOSIAH

JULIAN

LEVI

NATHANIEL

OLIVER

SAMSON

XAVIER

My favorites from this list are BENJAMIN, EVERETT (similar to Evelyn), GIDEON, JULIAN and OLIVER.

Before you make any final decisions, I recommend checking the definitions of the names in BABY NAMES MADE EASY to make sure the name you choose has a meaning you like.

If you and your husband still can’t agree, try to figure out what it is you like about the names you like and what he likes about the names he likes and see if you can find some overlap.

Good luck and let me know what your favorites are. J

Happy naming,

♥ Amanda

Follow me on TWITTER to get up-to-the-minute celebrity baby name news, interesting names I come across and so much more! I’m @babynameauthor!

If you have baby name questions for me, email me at amanda@amandabarden.com.

Your question might appear in a future edition of Ask Amanda.

For more information on baby names and their meanings check out

BABY NAMES MADE EASY: THE COMPLETE REVERSE-DICTIONARY OF BABY NAMES

Baby Names Soaring in Popularity

Published

Amanda Barden

on December 5, 2009

in Baby Name Suggestions & Lists, Baby Naming Tips, Celebrity Baby Names and Celebrity Names

. 0 Comments

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A topic that comes up over and over again with readers is how to choose names that aren’t going to be too common. I’ve blogged in the past about ways to prevent choosing a name that will be popular in the future.

Here’s another great tool from Social Security to help parents. They’ve put out a handy ranking of the names that moved up the chart the most in the previous year. The 2009 stats aren’t due out for another couple months, but here is the data from 2008.

These are the names that showed the biggest increase in popularity from the previous year. What can this information tell you? In the post I mentioned earlier about predicting what names are going to be popular, one of my tips is to avoid names that are quickly rising on the popularity chart. This list helps you figure out what those names are!

So, if you’re looking for a name that will be unique, avoid the names on this list because they might be destined for even greater popularity in the years to come. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a trendy or stylish name, you might want to use one of these names.

No matter your goal, this is a list you need to know about.

Here goes…the top 20:

GIRLS’ BABY NAMES

KHLOE

MARLEE

MARELY

AUDRINA

MARLEY

DANNA

JASLENE

LILAH

PAISLEY

MILEY

LYLA

HARPER

DAYANA

VALENTINA

LONDON

MYLEE

JIMENA

LYRIC

KAYDEN

EMERY

BOYS’ BABY NAMES

JACOBY

KANE

BECKETT

PAXTON

KALE

AUGUST

BRAYLON

RYKER

KINGSTON

KOLTON

ZAYDEN

BRYCEN

RIVER

MILO

LANDYN

ALIJAH

CASH

ALVIN

JUDE

BYRON

What jumps out at me the most is that on the girl’s list there are three spelling variations of the name MARLEY and two variations of MILEY. These are names to avoid (no matter how you spell it) if you want to avoid popular names.

There’s some celebrity inspiration on this list — obviously MILEY Cyrus. We also have AUDRINA — it’s a beautiful name brought into the spotlight by Audrina Patridge of The Hills fame. No surprise that it caught the attention of parents. PAISLEY may be inspired by Brad Paisley (quite a creative baby namer himself with sons Huckleberry and Jasper).

On the boy’s side we have CASH — the snazzy name of Jessica Alba’s husband, Cash Warren. KINGSTON is the name of Gwen Stephani’s oldest son and it’s probably no accident that his name made it onto this list.

Follow the trends… the –en/-on sound at the end of boys’ names is quite hot and this list shows that loud and clear. There’s PAXTON, BRAYLON, KINGSTON, KOLTON, ZAYDEN, BRYCEN and LANDYN. That’s a little more than a third of all the names on the list.

Another trend we see represented here is the popularity of location names with LONDON on the girl’s list. Ditto for KINGSTON on the boy’s list.

Other names that made the list that may increase in popularity next year:

GIRLS’ BABY NAMES

AUDREY

CORA

DELILAH

FIONA

LILA

MALIA

PENELOPE

PEYTON

STELLA

VIOLET

BOYS’ BABY NAMES

EASTON

ELI

ELLIOT

FINN

GRADY

GRAYSON/GREYSON

HOLDEN

HUDSON

JASPER

KELLEN

LEVI

MADDOX

WESTON

WYATT

What names dropped in popularity? Here are the 20 names that took the biggest slide:

GIRLS’ BABY NAMES

ANGELIQUE

YOSELIN

JADEN

KIRSTEN

ANAHI

ALISSA

JULISSA

ASHLEE

MEREDITH

PAULINA

DAYANARA

DIAMOND

JAIDEN

RACHAEL

JOSELYN

ABRIL

PARIS

MEGHAN

JADYN

RYAN

BOYS’ BABY NAMES

ALDO

BRANDEN

OSVALDO

LELAND

BILLY

NOE

RODNEY

JAYLIN

FELIPE

TOBIAS

CAMRON

NATHANAEL

ORLANDO

TERRANCE

JALEN

JADON

CYRUS

SCOTT

JESSIE

CARL

We see some celebrity backlash here (which always happens eventually) — ORLANDO, CYRUS, PARIS, ASHLEE, JADEN/JAIDEN/JADYN.

Now it’s your turn! What do you think?

Subscribe to the RSS feed so you don’t miss any future baby name posts.

You can also follow me on TWITTER to get up-to-the-minute celebrity baby name news, name trivia, interesting names I come across and so much more…don’t miss out! I’m @babynameauthor!

♥ Amanda

If you have baby name questions for me, email me at amanda@amandabarden.com.

Your question might appear in a future edition of Ask Amanda.

For more information on baby names and their meanings check out

BABY NAMES MADE EASY: THE COMPLETE REVERSE-DICTIONARY OF BABY NAMES

Interview with Kojii Helnwein about baby names…and her pain-free birth!

Published

Amanda Barden

on November 18, 2009

in Baby Names in the News, Baby Naming Tips, International Baby Names and Website Announcements

. 0 Comments

I’ve launched my first Notable Names feature - an interview with Kojii Helnwein of Project Runway and Models of the Runway. Kojii told me about how she got her unique name and how she chose her daughter’s name. Plus, she had great tips for soon-to-be-parents. Read it for yourself and leave comments here.

More name interviews to come…Stay tuned!

Subscribe to the RSS feed so you don’t miss any future baby name posts.

You can also follow me on TWITTER to get up-to-the-minute celebrity baby name news, interesting names I come across and so much more! I’m @babynameauthor!

♥ Amanda

If you have baby name questions for me, email me at amanda@amandabarden.com.

Your question might appear in a future edition of Ask Amanda.

For more information on baby names and their meanings check out

BABY NAMES MADE EASY: THE COMPLETE REVERSE-DICTIONARY OF BABY NAMES