Baby Names

[Yankee Fan]

So we are expecting (again, and this is it!!!!) and the daunting task of picking names is upon us.

I wanted to reach out to UP to see if you could help:

We do not know what we are having, yet, but we would love to come up with a good list of unique, yet not off the wall ridiculous (i.e. Coldplay singer names kid Apple) names. If you have a suggestion, we would really appreciate it!

Going through books and books of names makes you feel like you are researching for your thesis. Hopefully someone out there has a great name to suggest!

My wife appreciates your help, too. Currently, this Yankee Fan has narrowed boys names down to the starting line up for NY. And she is none to hip on Melky...

[Kib]

Guidry (nice new age ring to it...)

Thurman (a little old school, but would sound great if he/she grows up to be a lawyer)

Bucky (?)

Sparky (??)

Chambliss (again, new age)

Winfield

Murcer

Mattingly

Scooter might be a bit much...

Good luck !!!

[John E]

A unique boys name that is starting to pop up is Arcadian.

For a girls name Piper is kind of cool.

~John

[Allison Slater]

I'm a fan of giving children names founded in meaning rather than a collection of sounds that sounds neat. Maybe try an approach from there?

[Veloise]

Check out the Social Security baby names list for a year that is somewhat displaced from the current one. Great ideas on there, and helps avoid the Emily-Michael-Christopher-Hannah trap.

(How about Karen?)

[crinzema]

keep in mind your last name when considering a first name. It must flow and sound professional. Google "random name generator" for ideas

[zenstyle]

Please, please try to refrain from giving your baby a last name in place of a first name; e.g. "Hunter," "Campbell," "Madison," etc.

How this egregious custom got started, I'll never know.

Two excellent names for girls: Sally and Nina.

I would suggest Frances, but that's an awful lot to live up to.

[gvsusean]

I like Olivia for a girl and Gauis (pronounced guyis) or Augustus for a boy

[crinzema]

Please, please try to refrain from giving your baby a last name in place of a first name; e.g. "Hunter," "Campbell," "Madison," etc.

How this egregious custom got started, I'll never know.

Two excellent names for girls: Sally and Nina.

I would suggest Frances, but that's an awful lot to live up to.

[Rhino6885]

A few ideas for inspiration:

A Native American friend of mine told me that she was named after her father was given a sign. This "sign" was simple--he saw butterflies almost every day after he found out he was going to be a dad. So, she was given a name that means graceful butterfly.

Another friend, who comes around here frequently, chose her son's name by looking at street signs around Grand Rapids. I always thought that was a cool idea, and she ended up with a great name.

Of course, there are lists of common names everywhere online. Also, I highly recommend reading "Freakonomics" (or at least the chapter about names).

Good luck and congrats!!

[Allison Slater]

A Native American friend of mine told me that she was named after her father was given a sign. This "sign" was simple--he saw butterflies almost every day after he found out he was going to be a dad. So, she was given a name that means graceful butterfly.

[Veloise]

...Another friend, who comes around here frequently, chose her son's name by looking at street signs around Grand Rapids. I always thought that was a cool idea, and she ended up with a great name....

[monsoon]

This is the kind of naming I feel modern western culture lacks! Meaning!

[mejane]

Just keep in mind that someday little precious is going to be 80 years old. A lot of the 'cute' names that

have become popular are adorable on a two year old, not so much on an adult. Names befitting the

kiddies in daycare wearing name tags don't necessarily translate all that well to the brass nameplate on

an office door. Consider traditional family names to give your new child a sense of their own history.

Oh, and keep in mind this opinion is coming from a 52 year old who just doesn't 'get' names given that

are either too cutesy for their own good or too full of their own self-importance. Keep it real. And Congratulations!

[Veloise]

When my sister the doctor was naming her almost-daughter, we spent some time paging her: "Dr Barbie to the ER, stat!"

The subject kid, a recent HS grad, is often on Facebook whining about her (our) name. I dug up a trendy chica fashionista 'zine out of New Zealand that shares the moniker.

[Rhino6885]

Don't leave us hanging like that.

[MuskeMI]

Seven

Although jokingly posted, it's not half as bad as most of the kids' names these days. My nearly-2-year old is Sarah. At one point in time, she probably would have had 5 other Sarah's in her class - now I bet she's the only one.

Also, this website is super cool - check the popularity of any name for the past 120 years.

[Allison Slater]

And wonder if/when Ethel will ever come back as a common name.

[Veloise]

Lance

Fabian

David

Maxime

Stef

Mikhail

Gustav

Bradley

Luis

Andreas

Tony

Cadel

Sylvain

Vladimir

Christophe

Guess what type of sporting event I am watching on the Y-Fi.

[amylynne]

And wonder if/when Ethel will ever come back as a common name.