Tag Archive for 'odd baby names'

ASK AMANDA: How to Avoid Using the Next Most Popular Name

Published
by
Amanda Barden
on August 22, 2009
in Ask Amanda, Celebrity Baby Names and Celebrity Names
. 7 Comments
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I’m back with another edition of ASK AMANDA. This is a topic that I know is on the mind of many soon-to-be-parents!

 

Ask Amanda

Q:    My top baby name list used to include Emma, Jacob and Zachary. All of those names have become really popular now. I still love those names, but I don’t want my baby to have a name that’s too common. How do I avoid picking a name that will end up on the top of the charts?

 

A:    You have really good taste in names. The trouble is that you share that good taste with a lot of other people. Emma, Jacob and Zachary are all great names!

 

Some parents want to pick popular names, some don’t mind one way or the other, but for those that do … how do you choose a cool baby name that you love while making sure it stays unique?

 

I don’t offer any guarantees, but here are some tip-offs that a name is on its way to becoming ultra-popular: 

 

 

1. CELEBRITY NAME

 

If there’s a new celebrity on the scene with an interesting or unusual name, it’s likely the name will increase in popularity.

 

Ex: MILEY Cyrus (MILEY wasn’t even on the charts before 2007) and ISLA Fisher (before 2008 ISLA hadn’t been in the Top 1000 since 1908)

 

It’s also possible that the name will become so closely associated with the celebrity that your baby’s name will always bring to mind that celebrity.

 

Some celebs are so closely associated with their unique first names that they don’t even need a last name to be recognizable — think PARIS, TIGER, OPRAH and BEYONCE.

 

 

2. CELEBRITY BABY NAME

 

Similar to #1 above, if a celebrity picks an interesting baby name, you can almost guarantee it will become more popular.

 

Ex: BROOKLYN Beckham created a wave of baby Brooklyns. Interestingly, more for girls than boys. Possibly because the name’s parts — BROOK and LYN — are each more associated with girls’ names.

 

Now, note that I said interesting baby name, not odd baby name.

 

Celebrity baby names like KAL-EL Cage and PILOT INSPEKTOR Lee haven’t had a similar impact on parents-to-be because these names are just too off-beat for the average parent — but you didn’t need me to tell you that.

 

 

3. CHECK THE NAME’S HISTORY ON THE SOCIAL SECURITY WEBSITE

 

The Social Security website is a great tool for soon-to-be-parents. You can search names to see how popular they’ve been over the years.

 

It’s obvious that a name is popular if it’s already in the Top 25 most popular names, but what if it’s not? Are you parents seeking unique names safe then? Not necessarily…

 

If the name you’re considering wasn’t in the Top 500 list 5years ago, but then debuted at 300, moved up to 100 within a few years and this year is at 60, it’s a good bet that it might be even more popular next year.  

 

Watch out for these fast risers! If a name has been increasing in popularity quickly, even though it hasn’t reached the top of the charts yet, there’s a good chance it will before long.

 

 

4. CHECK NAMES FROM POPULAR TV SHOWS, MOVIES AND BOOKS

 

Remember that scene from Splash starring Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah where Tom’s character tells Daryl’s character than she needs to pick a human name because no one can pronounce her mermaid name? He suggests a few names, including Jennifer, Joanie and Linda. Then she sees the street sign for Madison Avenue and says she wants her name to be Madison. It’s a funny moment in the movie because at that time in our history Madison wasn’t a first name and Tom’s character tells her so!

 

I suspect a lot of people who saw that movie in 1984 fell in love with the name Madison because it was different and interesting. Now 25 years later the name that wasn’t a name has become quite popular — it hit the Top 10 in 1997 and hasn’t looked back since.

 

So before you choose a name, have a look and see whether it’s the name of a character in a popular TV show, movie or book.

 

I wouldn’t be surprised if the name CULLEN grows in popularity now that Stephenie Meyer has used it as the surname for her popular vampire family and the dreamy Edward Cullen in her mega-popular Twilight series.

 

Is anyone else out there on Team Jacob or is it just me…?

 

 

All that said, you can’t completely safeguard yourself from all future popular names.

 

You could choose the perfect, unique name for your baby this year, but if the rumors are true and the next Sex and the City movie features Carrie and Mr. Big having a baby that they just happen to name the exact same perfect, unique name you chose this year, there isn’t a whole lot you can do — you will be ahead of the curve though for having chosen it first.

 

Good luck!

 

♥  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

 

 

24 Ways to Name Your Baby After Your Relative Without Naming Your Baby After Your Relative

Published
by
Amanda Barden
on June 16, 2009
in Baby Name Suggestions & Lists, Baby Naming Tips, Celebrity Names, Holiday Baby Names and International Baby Names
. 0 Comments
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You love your Aunt Dorcas and your Grandpa Egbert more than words can say. Unfortunately, their names don’t resonate well to our modern ears. So how do you pay tribute to your favorite relative without using his or her name for your new baby?

 

Here are 24 creative alternatives that will help you choose a name you love in honor of a relative you love:

 

 

1.       FAVORITE FLOWER: Do you always bring your relative a bouquet of flowers when you visit because they’re her favorite? If so, her favorite flower might make a perfect name. Stylish examples include:

 

DAISY, LILY, ROSE

 

 

2.       NAME WITH THE SAME MEANING: Choose a name with the same meaning as your relative’s name. Dorcas means “gazelle” and so does:

 

AYELET, TABITHA, ZEVI

 

 

3.       PLACE WHERE RELATIVE GREW UP: Does your relative have ties to a particular spot on the map? If so, maybe you can turn it into a great name. Consider examples like:

 

CAROLINA, IRELAND, SIENA

 

 

4.       FAVORITE ACTOR/ACTRESS: If your favorite relative has a favorite actor or actress with a name you like, it might work for your baby. These examples have first and last names you could consider:

 

JAMES DEAN, CLARK GABLE, VIVIAN LEIGH

 

 

5.       FAVORITE GEM: If your relative loves a particular precious stone, it might make for a beautiful name. There are a lot of pretty options from this category, including:

 

JADE, OPAL, RUBY

 

 

6.       RELATIVE’S TALENT: Is your relative famous for a particular talent? If so, it could provide you with some name inspiration. For example, if your relative is a wonderful cook known for a particular dish, you might find a name with a related meaning, such as:  

 

Cherry pie: CERISE

Strawberry jam: FRASER

Apricot jam: MORELA

Apple pie: MILOS

 

 

7.       FAVORITE COLOR: Does your relative have a favorite color? If so, you’re in luck because there are some charming color-names, including:

 

INDIGO, SCARLETT, VIOLET

 

 

8.       FAVORITE HOBBY: Is your relative known for a particular hobby? Hobbies can make for interesting and off-beat names, like:

 

FISHER, PAINTER, POET

 

 

9.       FAVORITE VACATION SPOT: Does your relative have a favorite vacation spot? There are a lot of names that have great “location” meanings, including:

 

KAI — “sea”

NEVE— “snow”

RIA — “small river”

 

 

10.   FAVORITE ARTIST: Does your relative have a favorite artist? Consider options like:  

 

GEORGIA O’Keeffe, HENRI Matisse, VINCENT van Gogh

 

 

11.   MONTH RELATIVE WAS BORN: Some months make great names. Maybe the month your favorite relative was born is one of them:

 

APRIL, JUNE, MARCH

 

 

12.   OCCUPATION: What does your favorite relative do for a living? Maybe your child could follow in his or her footsteps. There are many names that have occupation meanings, such as:

 

ASA — “physician”

BAXTER — “baker”

MARINO — “sailor”

 

 

13.   FAVORITE ANIMAL: There are tons of great names with “animal” meanings. For example, if your relative is a birdwatcher, in addition to obvious choices like LARK and ROBIN, there are names like:

 

MARLON — “little hawk”

MERLE — “blackbird”

TORI — “bird”

 

 

14.   FAVORITE HOLIDAY: Your relative’s favorite holiday might make for a unique name. Consider names like:

 

EASTER, NOELLE, VALENTINE

 

 

15.   NAME FROM RELATIVE’S CULTURAL BACKGROUND: Honor your relative’s cultural background (and yours, too) by choosing a name from that culture. For example, if your family has Russian roots, you could consider names like:

 

LILIA, NATALIA, PAVEL

 

 

16.   FAVORITE SEASON: Similar to months, seasons make great names, too. Consider:

 

AUTUMN, SUMMER, WINTER

 

 

17.   FAVORITE SINGER: If your relative has a favorite singer, he or she might have a name you’d like. Some names that would work are (consider first and last names):

 

DEAN MARTIN, ETTA JAMES, JOHNNY CASH

 

 

18.   FAVORITE RELIGIOUS FIGURE: Does your relative have a special connection to a particular religious figure? If your relative is Catholic, some good saint name options are:

 

CELIA, JUDE, PAUL

 

 

19.   PATRIOTIC NAMES FOR VETERANS: If your relative is a veteran, there are several patriotic name choices you can consider, including:

 

QUINN — “leader”

SHAMARA — “battle ready”

WYATT — “strength in battle”

 

 

20.   COMMON TRAIT: Does your relative share a common trait with your new baby (or do you think they will)? Interesting options include:

 

CALLIOPE — “beautiful voice”

CASSIDY — “with curly hair”

ROWAN — “redhead”

 

 

21.   QUALITY YOU’D LIKE YOUR BABY TO INHERIT: You love your favorite relative for a reason and would probably love to see your baby inherit his or her great qualities. What do you love most?

 

CHARITY, FAITH, HOPE

 

 

22.   FAVORITE CHARACTER: What about your relative’s favorite fictional character? If your relative is a Jane Austen fan, you might like:

 

DARCY, ELLIOT, ELIZABETH, EMMA

 

 

23.   FAMILY RELATIONSHIP: Consider naming your baby after the relationship he or she shares with your favorite relative. For example:  

 

OLA — “ancestor”

TIA — “aunt”

ZAIDA — “grandfather”

 

 

24.   FAVORITE CAUSE: Is there a particular cause close to your relative’s heart? If world peace is your relative’s greatest wish, consider names with “peaceful” meanings, like:

 

FREDA, GARETH, HARMONY

 

 

This is a long list of baby name ideas for you to consider, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. You can get as creative as you want while looking for ways to honor your relatives.

 

Do you have good suggestions for other readers? Post a comment and share your idea!  

 

♥  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

 

 

 

Fiery Picks for Baby Name of the Day

Published
by
Amanda Barden
on May 3, 2009
in Baby Name of the Week and Celebrity Baby Names
. 0 Comments
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Yesterday I went to NERT training — Neighborhood Emergency Response Team. I agreed to do it for work. I learned all about how dangerous fires can be. You didn’t need to tell me that, but I learned a lot anyhow. Here are some of the highlights:

·         Call 911 before trying to put out even a small fire by myself (according to the video we watched small fires turn into large fires very fast!) — if it’s safe, it’s OK to try putting out the fire after calling 911

·         I should keep a pair of sneakers in my car in case there’s a disaster and I end up needing to walk (heels, cute flats and flip-flops aren’t made for long-distance walking)

·         I need to keep at least a five day supply of food and water on hand for my cat (and me, too) in case we need to shelter in place during a disaster

·         Triage is NOT for the faint of heart

Next week we’re going to learn about search and rescue and go through a simulated disaster scenario. We’re even going to get to put out an actual fire!

Anyhow, all this fire talk got me thinking about fire as a symbol. Fire can be dangerous, but it’s also essential for survival. It’s a symbol of passion and energy and life. I decided to put this inspiration to good use and to choose these fiery picks for Baby Name of the Day:

 

GIRLS’ NAME OF THE DAY:

AZARA — Persian for “red, flame”

 

BOYS’ NAME OF THE DAY:

IGNATIUS — Latin for “fire”

 

Azara is a beautiful name — unique without being weird or too difficult to spell and pronounce. Ignatius feels very classical — Cate Blanchett chose it last year for one of her sons. What do you think about these names?

 

 

 

 

Post a comment and let me know how you like these Baby Names of the Day.  

 

♥  Amanda