Tag Archive for ‘baby name meanings’ at Baby Names Made Easy: The Complete Reverse-Dictionary of Baby Names

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Tag Archive for 'baby name meanings'

Interview with Project Runway model Matar Cohen

Published

Amanda Barden

on July 27, 2010

. 0 Comments

Photo: Aris Ziagos (Irina Shabayeva Spring 2010 Collection)

Check out my latest name interview! This time I interviewed model Matar Cohen – you know her from Project Runway and Models of the Runway.

Matar’s interview is awesome! Here’s one tidbit: Matar and her sisters all have names with water definitions because her parents loved that water represents “life, energy, purity and growth.” How cool is that?

Matar also had some great baby naming advice for soon-to-be-parents, talked about her favorite baby naming trend and she weighed in on the Twilight baby naming phenomenon. Matar also gave me some tips on handling my curly hair.

Read the whole interview on my Celeb Interviews page!

Happy naming,

♥ Amanda

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

It’s a Boy for Singer Robin Thicke

Published

Amanda Barden

on April 9, 2010

in Baby Names in the News and Celebrity Baby Names

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Robin Thicke and Paula Patton had a baby boy on April 6^th. His name? JULIAN FUEGO.

Julian is ranked #81 on the Top 1000. Fuego, on the other hand, is one-of-a-kind. It means “fire” in Spanish.

What do you think of the name?

For more on Robin Thicke:

http://www.robinthicke.com/

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

ASK AMANDA: Baby Names with Religious Definitions

Published

Amanda Barden

on April 9, 2010

in Ask Amanda and Baby Name Suggestions & Lists

. 0 Comments

Welcome to ASK AMANDA. I have a question about baby names with religious meanings.

Ask Amanda

Q: We’re about to have a baby and have decided to use names with Biblical or religious definitions. One name we like is Nathan which means “given by God.” Do you have any other recommendations for boys or girls?

KATE, San Jose, CA

A: There are basically two kinds of religious names – the names of people featured in religious texts and names that have religious definitions. You said you like names with religious definitions, so you’ve come to the right place!

Here’s a list of baby names you can consider that have great meanings:

GIRLS’ BABY NAMES

ANNALIESE – combination of the names Anna (God has favored me) and Liese (God is my oath)

ELIZABETH – God is my oath

EVANGELINE – gospel

GABRIELLA – God is my strength

HANNAH – God has favored me

JOSEPHINE – God shall add

BOYS’ BABY NAMES

CHRISTOPHER – Christ bearer

ELLIOT – the Lord is my God

GABRIEL – God is my strength

ISAIAH – God is my salvation

JEREMIAH – may God praise him

THEODORE – God’s gift

For more names, get a copy of my book BABY NAMES MADE EASY – there’s a whole chapter devoted to names with religious definitions.

You can also read my other posts about Biblical Baby Names.

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

ASK AMANDA: A Vintage Name with a Good Meaning

Published

Amanda Barden

on November 30, 2009

in Ask Amanda, Baby Name Suggestions & Lists and Baby Naming Tips

. 1 Comment

Beverly & Pack

Welcome to another edition of ASK AMANDA. Today I’m helping parents with a very common question — and one of my favorites.

Ask Amanda

Q: We are having our third child in February, a baby girl. My husband and I love vintage names with great meanings. This time, we are struggling a bit. The baby’s middle name will be Constance. We do not want to pick a name that is too popular.

Any ideas? DANA, Austin, Texas

A: So, you’re looking for a vintage name that’s not too popular, has a good meaning and goes with the middle name Constance. I’m so glad you wrote to me!

Here are some suggestions:

ALTHEA: “healthy, healing power”

AUDREY: “noble strength”

CORDELIA: “heart”

DAPHNE: “laurel”

ELIZA: “God is my oath”

FELICITY: “happy, fortunate”

MARGOT: “pearl”

NORA: “honor”

ORLA: “golden lady, princess”

In case it factors into your decision, the name CONSTANCE is Latin for “loyal.” Sometimes people like to coordinate meanings.

I hope you find something you like on this list. If not, there are thousands of options in my book!

For everyone out there looking for names with specific meanings, you should pick up a copy of BABY NAMES MADE EASY. It’s the only baby name book that’s organized by the meaning of the names. That makes it really easy for you to find names with meanings you like. J

Good luck and let me know what you pick!

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

ASK AMANDA: “Watery” Irish Baby Names for Boys

Published

Amanda Barden

on October 16, 2009

in Ask Amanda, Baby Name Suggestions & Lists and International Baby Names

. 0 Comments

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Welcome back to ASK AMANDA. Today we have a question all the way from New Zealand!!!

Ask Amanda

Q: I’m looking for a boys’ name with a watery meaning that is either Gaelic or Irish in origin. Do you have any suggestions? EMMA, Auckland, NZ

A: Glad to see you found my book and website all the way in New Zealand!

This is a great question because you’ve hit on two very popular things — Irish names and water meanings. Here’s what I found for you…these are all names that are Gaelic or Irish in origin with “watery” meanings:

BRENNAN — “moisture”

CALDER — “violent stream”

HURLEY — “sea tide”

KYLE — “narrow strait”

LOCH — “lake”

MERRIL — “bright sea”

RHINE — “to flow”

ROARKE — “heavy rain shower”

I think there are some really good choices here. I’ve always loved the name KYLE — a long time favorite. ROARKE has a cool Irish sound to it. I kind of love the name HURLEY, but it makes me think of the Lost character (which is probably why I kind of love it).

Another option is to use the name of an Irish body of water. Here are some cool options that I found for you:

ALLEN

BANE

CALLAN

CAREY

CONN

CULLIN

DAN

DUFF

FERGUS

FINN

FOYLE

GILL

GLEN

LEE

MELVIN

ROSS

RYNN

Thanks for writing me! I hope you find a name you love. Be sure to let me know what you pick. J

Happy naming,

♥ 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

BABY NAMES OF THE WEEK: Farrah and Michael

Published

Amanda Barden

on June 28, 2009

in Baby Name of the Week, Baby Names in the News and Celebrity Names

. 0 Comments

The news this week has been filled with coverage of the deaths of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. It only seems fitting to choose their names as the Baby Names of the Week.

Here’s a little more information about these names:

GIRLS’ BABY NAME OF THE WEEK

FARRAH — English name meaning “beautiful, pleasant;” Arabic name meaning “happiness”

BOYS’ BABY NAME OF THE WEEK

MICHAEL — Hebrew name meaning “who is like God?”

FARRAH has not been a common name here in the US. According to Social Security, it peaked at 177 in 1977, no doubt due to Farrah Fawcett’s popularity at the time. The last year FARRAH made it into the Top 1000 most popular baby names in the US was 1988. Is FARRAH due for a comeback? I’m not sure. But it’s definitely a good pick for a parent looking for a name everyone’s familiar with, but that is still relatively unique.

MICHAEL, on the other hand, has been an extremely popular name for years. It first hit the Number 1 spot in 1954 and only missed being the most popular baby name for boys one time between 1954 and 1998. That’s pretty incredible when you think about it. Only a few names have that timeless quality to them and MICHAEL’s one of them.

That’s all for now…Have a great Sunday! Check back throughout the week for more baby name info. J

♥ 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

BABY NAMES OF THE WEEK: “Coffee” Baby Names

Published

Amanda Barden

on June 21, 2009

in Baby Name of the Week and Celebrity Baby Names

. 0 Comments

I used to be strictly a vanilla latte girl. Then I moved to LA and discovered The Coffee Bean and vanilla ice blendeds. Amazing and delicious. When I moved back to Northern California (where there are, sadly, very few Coffee Beans), I was back to vanilla lattes. Then the other day, out of nowhere, I had to have an iced mocha. It was pretty tasty and I might have a new drink. We’ll see how long it lasts. I guess you could say I’m a creature of habit when it comes to drinks.

Anyhow, I’ve been dreaming of (and drinking) iced mochas all week and so I set out to find Baby Names of the Week that would satisfy my coffee-craving and also work as baby names.

Here are my picks:

GIRLS’ BABY NAME OF THE WEEK

DULCINEA — Spanish & Italian name meaning “sweet”

BOYS’ BABY NAME OF THE WEEK

NADIM — Arabic name meaning “drinking companion, confidant”

I picked DULCINEA because I like my coffee sweet. I’ve always considered coffee really just a vehicle for cream and sugar—and vanilla and chocolate. Plus, DULCINEA is a cute name. It comes from the name DULCE, which is cute, too. DULCINEA is also the name of a character in Don Quixote.

NADIM was an easy pick because we all know coffee tastes better with friends (or when you’re procrastinating).

Naming a child after coffee might be a little too whimsical for some, but I say you can find inspiration everywhere you look. You don’t have to act on that inspiration, but you can definitely find it.

There’s also a coffee-themed celebrity baby name:

CELEBRITY BABY NAME

JAVA — daughter of Yessica Kumala & Josh Holloway (Lost)

Not sure if they’re fans of the drink or the island, but either way JAVA is a unique baby name. I wouldn’t be surprised if it saw a surge in popularity in the future.

What’s your favorite coffee drink? Let me know. Next time I’m feeling adventurous, I might give it a try.

That’s all for today! Tune in on Tuesday for another edition of INTERNATIONAL BABY NAMES. We’re heading to….ICELAND!

♥ 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

BABY NAMES OF THE WEEK: “Famous” Names

Published

Amanda Barden

on June 14, 2009

in Baby Name of the Week and Celebrity Names

. 0 Comments

This week I flew down to Los Angeles for a meeting. It was a good meeting and the plane ride gave me plenty of time to contemplate my favorite Hollywood names. It also got me thinking about names that mean “famous” or something similar. Turns out there are quite a few good picks in this category and I’ve narrowed it down to two for today.

The Baby Names of the Week feature names befitting a future Hollywood star!

Here are my picks:

GIRLS’ BABY NAME OF THE WEEK

CLARA — Latin name meaning “famous, bright”

BOYS’ BABY NAME OF THE WEEK

RUPERT — German version of Robert, meaning “renowned”

I picked CLARA because it is a pretty and simple name with a beautiful meaning. It also calls to mind the classic Hollywood star, Clara Bow. I chose RUPERT because it stands out from the crowd and has a distinguished feel to it — something a fledgling star might be looking for. Plus, it is an interesting alternative to the popular name Robert.

There are several names in the Glory & Praise chapter of BABY NAMES MADE EASY that have similar meanings you might like. Check it out!

Want to know what celebrity names I came up with? Tune back in later this week. Up first though, check back Tuesday for 24 ways to name your baby after a relative without naming your baby after a relative… you’ll have to read it for yourself to see what I mean…

♥ 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

CELEBRITY BABY NAME ALERT: Alex Lloyd (IndyCar Racer)

Published

Amanda Barden

on June 5, 2009

in Celebrity Baby Names

. 0 Comments

Samantha and Alex Lloyd (IndyCar racer) welcomed baby girl BETHANY AMELIA on June 2, 2009. Congrats!

BETHANY AMELIA is a very pretty name, in my opinion. Bethany reached it’s peak of popularity in the 1980s, but the name Amelia has been steadily rising in popularity for the last 10 years, jumping a few spots every year. In 2008 Amelia ranked as the 68^th most popular baby name for girls, according to Social Security. Sixty-eight is the highest Amelia has ever ranked and I wouldn’t be surprised if it continues to head up the list. Amelia has a classic feel to it without feeling too trendy. It is German in origin and means “energetic, hardingworking; rival.”

Do you think Amelia will become more popular or has it peaked? Post your prediction!

♥ 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.

CELEBRITY BABY NAME ALERT: Lance Armstrong

Published

Amanda Barden

on June 5, 2009

in Celebrity Baby Names

. 0 Comments

Anna Hansen and Lance Armstrong welcomed baby boy MAX ARMSTRONG on June 4, 2009. Congratulations!

Max is Latin and means “greatest.” It was the 126^th most popular boys’ name in 2008, according to Social Security. And it’s been quite popular with celebrity parents lately:

CELEBRITY BABY NAMES

MAX—Brooke Mueller and Charlie Sheen’s son

MAX— Kerry Katona and Mark Croft

MAX LIRON—Christina Aguilera and Jordan Bratman’s son

MAXIMILIAN DAVID—Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony’s son

How do you like the name Max? Post your opinion!

♥ 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.