Baby Boy Names Its All About Tradition

So, it's a healthy, bouncing baby boy....now what are you going to name him?

Well, if you want him to grow up to become a rough, tough icon of manliness, I suppose you could call him Marion - at least that's what John Wayne's parents did!

But seriously, if you are an American, there is a big chance that the baby boy name you choose will be something biblical. My own name, Michael was the most popular baby boy name in America every decade from the 1960s through to the end of the century. I supposed I'm biased, but I love the name. The literal meaning is Who is like God; Michael was one of the original archangels and the leader of God's armies. Pretty powerful stuff for all the rest of us Michaels to live up to, eh?

Since the start of the new century, Michael has been at number 2 in the list of American baby boy names, beaten into first place by Jacob - another biblical name meaning Held by the heel. 3rd in the list is Joshua (God is salvation) - the biblical figure who led the Israelites into the promised land, and 4th is Matthew (A gift of God) - one of the 12 Apostles. With Andrew (Manly, courageous) and Daniel (God is my judge) also in the top 10 baby boy names, it is clear that Christianity is alive and well in America - at least in the baby boy names!

The evidence is that Americans are quite conservative in choosing baby boy names - much more so than with girls. The UK is a little less conservative - over the last 5 years, the most popular baby boy name has been Jack. Interestingly, this name has no special meaning and is just a derivative of the biblical name John (God is merciful), which now seems to have fallen out of favor.

This trend towards less conservative names in the UK is increasing; at the beginning of the century, 7 out of the top 10 baby boy names were biblical names. This has now reduced to 5, while at the same time, the names William (Valiant, protector) and Harry (derivative of the traditional name Harold) have both entered the top 10 - anything to do with a certain pair of Princes perhaps??

Part of the trend away from traditional boy names is the tendency to use names that are more modern - or modern-sounding - derivatives of traditional names. As shown, Jack is the ultimate example of this and Harry is the other derivative name in the UK top 10. And there are a host of other derivative names in the top 100, including Jake (from Jacob), Charlie (Charles), Alfie (Alfred), Joe (Joseph), Billy (William) and Freddie (Frederick).

But is there any evidence of a move towards much more unique or unusual baby boy names? Well, sadly, the answer is No. In the UK the most unusual names in the top 100 list last year were Kian at number 65, Kai (Sea, willow tree) at 67 and the Italian name Luca (ringer of light) at 83. Meanwhile, over in the US, Angel (Angelic) at number 44, Hunter at 49 and Jayden/Jaden (God has heard) at 62 and 83 respectively, were the only slightly unusual names.

The overall evidence is that, when it comes to baby boy names, we tend to keep it traditional. Probably this has something to do with our expectations of the roles of males in society and the need for them to be respected. This is understandable, but perhaps we should be thinking a little creatively about how we name our baby boys. Mr and Mrs Morrison did when they called their son Marion - and look what happened to him..!
About the Author

Michael Barrows' website has great info on baby names and lots of baby resources. Get your lists of baby names and a free ebook packed with baby tips for new parents, visit the baby boy name website.

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English Baby Names

Pure English baby names have some qualities that make them unique, as they tend to be beautiful, special, and elegant with a deep and personal meaning at the same time. If you decide to choose an English baby name for your little boy or girl, you?ll find that it?s rather difficult to choose, as you?ll have several great options to choose from.

Most of the names will have an Old English origin, so that is why almost all of them tend to sound pretentious and sophisticated. This could prove to be an advantage later on, as your boy or girl will surely be taken seriously, instead of being made fun of, if he or she would have a name with ?Bully me? written all over it.

Here are some examples of English baby names that might convince you as a parent to go for one for your little bundle of joy. First up is Addison, a name that originates from Old English; it is a boy?s name and it closely relates to ?Adam?s son?. Abelard is also a sophisticated, meaningful English baby boy?s name. The name originates from the Old and Middle English. The meaning of the name Abelard is ?resolute?.

Next up on our English baby names list is Edward, another boy?s name. Edward (the name) originates from Old English and the meaning of Edward is ?guardian of prosperity?. Edward is also a resonating name in English history, as it was bore by many of the English Kings, the most noteworthy ones being Edward the Third and Fourth, which obtained numerous victories over the French in the Hundred Years War.

Another English name that originates from Old English is Garrik and it means ?one who governs with a spear?. A feisty name, no doubt.

But let?s turn our attention to a few ladies? names as well. Skylar has controversial origins, as some suggest it might be Dutch, whereas others think it?s of Breton origin. The same controversy sheds out different meanings for the name, some of the variations being ?eternal life?, ?strength? or ?love and beauty?.

Another popular English baby name for girls is Kelsey. Kelsey is a name with an Old English origin and the meaning ?beautiful island?. Next on the list is a name with both Greek and Old English origins. Kirsten is a beautiful name with different meanings. To the English, the name means ?Christian? or ?stone church?, whereas to the Greeks, Kirsten means ?Follower of Christ?.

There are several other English baby names out there that are beautiful and have a religious and historical meaning, but it all comes down to what the parents want for their baby. English people are used to naming their babies with their originated English names, but other people from different backgrounds or different cultures and different social and economic statuses may not be so comfortable using such fancy and sometimes elegant names. That?s why most experts agree that it is important to be firm about what you want when choosing your baby?s name.

Because Your Baby Deserves The Best Name

Fraser Wheaton is the founder and publisher of The Baby Name Kit website.

http://www.BabyNameKit.com

We aim to be the worlds largest content provider for baby name information on the internet. If you have a baby naming question, chances are, we have the answer.

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Baby Names

Okay, you only get to do this once so let's get it right. Remember that it's not about you! Your little boy or girl is going to have to live with this name for the rest of their life. If they change it on their 18th birthday, you probably did a bad job of naming your baby.

In this article, I'm going to take you on a tour of the Internet as I look for baby names. I'll be your guide, so sit back and relax. I know what I'm doing here. Trust me.

Before we start, though, no drinking on this tour. It results in baby names like Justin Case, Sandy Castles, Paige Turner, Rusty Hook, Shaunda Lear, Candy Kaine, or others just as bad. As a matter of fact let's start out by searching for what not to name your baby.

So, you want to be original. Great. Remember, your kid's gonna be mad when he or she finds out there were much better choices! Ok, that's not bad enough? Well there are websites that make fun of bad baby name choices too. Some quotes from websites about people's baby name choices.

These are actual questions posted on the Internet about naming babies;

I love this one I once met a lady named Rodana. I think she runs a successful Internet business. In her spare time she destroys Tokyo.

And this one too. I've suggested to my sister that she name her little girl to be - Manchester. She's not sure about it but she's considering. What do you think? Clever. Like being named Pittsburg or Schenectady. Kid'll grow up to be beaten to death by Liverpool fans.

We'd kind of like something that sounds good with Mikayla (our 3-year-old). Dear God, they're tailoring them into box sets!

What about the name skylar or raven? Thanks, 14-year-old-Goth-girl!

What about Bubba for a boy. a great unusual name Since when did your Ozark shack get Internet access?

Do you like the name Alexia? I think it's exotic and all 3 of my other girl's names begin with an A too. Though Alexia sounds like a pretty name for a girl... alexia is actually an inability to read, caused by brain damage. So maybe she should another A name. Something pretty, like Amnesia.

I am not pregnant yet but thinking about names...I just thought of the name Lourdes Solange. This baby will be 75% latina and 15% european :) ...and 10% polyester

...and finally Anyone ever thought about Sierra Joy? I love the name, but husband is less than thrilled with it. But he'll love the pine-fresh scent!

And for all the geeks, nerds, and Internet junkies out there, yes, the Internet and your computer can conspire to name your baby for you! Try this one for unique baby names. http://www.babyzone.com/babynames/nameinventor.asp I just love the categories, aby boy names, aby girl names, and aby boy or girl names for those parents who want to name the baby before it's born and before they know what sex the baby will be.

That website makes up names each time you click the links. Okay, this website doesn't exactly prove that technology is an actual improvement to our lives, but wait! There's more! This one claims to have 11,000 names from origins all around the world so you'll surely find exactly what you're looking for. http://www.babynamesworld.com/names1/name-generator.html
This one is a little better at names that reflect different cultures. http://www.baby-name-generator.com/Names.html But Teutonic names? Are there still people who claim the nationality Teuton?

Okay, now, let's try to get serious about naming that baby. Now this article gives good, sensible advice about choosing baby names. http://www.babyport.info/776.php and if you are still intent on being unique, read this first, http://www.babyport.info/59689.php

If you are gonna have twins, not that I advise it, here is another good article about naming your baby twins. http://www.babyport.info/3647.php

I hope this little tour has helped you with naming your baby and that you have enjoyed the trip. Please look around and make sure you have all of your luggage and babies with you as you leave. Good luck on naming your baby!

About the Author

Robin Darch, of PRT Specialised Services Limited has a website, http://www.babyport.info to help parents find all the information they need about babies, baby names, baby showers, products for babies, baby clothing, and more. There is also more about choosing baby names at http://www.babyport.info/42831.php Chris McElroy runs missing children's organization at http://www.kidsearchnetwork.org

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Baby Names and Growing Up

Not sure if the name you are about to choose will suit your baby when he grows up? Don?t worry you?ll be able to find a lot of advices on names that can give you a helping hand when you?re facing that tough choice. No one said it was easy choosing a baby name. When you have to do this task you have to take in consideration so many factors like choosing the appropriate name for you baby based on your culture, or your social status, choosing a name that is unique, beautiful with a certain meaning and choosing a name that will suit the baby when he will grow up.

That is probably the main reason why parents are so undecided when it comes to choosing a baby name. Here are a few advices along with some examples that might just help you find the right name for your baby and not worrying about the fact that your baby?s name will not fit him as he grows older. Many parents use common names to name their babies, this way avoiding the difficulty that their children might experience, by having an inappropriate name when they are in their teens or growing into mature adults.

Such common names are for example Smith, Thomas, John, Mary, Betty, Lisa, Sarah. All these names are common in America and other countries because of their simplicity and because these baby names do not stand out like others, this way avoiding the embarrassment of not having a strange and inappropriate name. It is important and useful to the baby especially when he grows up to name him with a classic or a serious name if your culture does not tolerate original, trendy and unique name or if you have high expectations from him when he gets older.

For example, many parents want and think of their child as a future doctor, a future scientist, or future business man so that is why they name their child with classic and formal names like Baron. Baron is a boy?s name and it is originated from England. The meaning of the name is ?noble man?.

Another formal name used by parents who have high hopes for their children?s career is Elizabeth. Elizabeth or Elisabeth as an alternative name is a girl?s name. Its origin is Hebrew and its meaning can translate to something around ?God is my Oath? Christians often opt for religious characters found in the Bible to remind them of God and their spiritual life. Opting for this type of names eliminates the risk of embarrassment when the baby grows up and steps up in society.

Remember, there?s a close connection between baby names and the way they grow up. Hundreds of studies have been made on this particular subject and although no one can say that there are ?good? names that will benefit a person over another, it?s a certainty that there are several ?wrong? names that you can choose from. Weird names or names that are not in-line with the current standards of your culture, society or religion can often affect your child?s growing up process in a negative manner.

Because Your Baby Deserves The Best Name

Fraser Wheaton is the founder and publisher of The Baby Name Kit website.

http://www.BabyNameKit.com

We aim to be the worlds largest content provider for baby name information on the internet. If you have a baby naming question, chances are, we have the answer.

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Choosing Bible Baby Names Ready Set Go

There are many things to consider when choosing bible baby names. Are the biblical baby name meanings important to you and your family? Do you combine that with someone you respect from an old testament story? Do you want uncommon baby names, or something a little more popular to today's culture? If you pick one of the Christian baby names that are a little weird today, will your shorten it to an acceptable nickname? One thing's for sure, when you are seeking out bible baby names, you need to do your research!

Naming your children can be a blast, and it's one of the first things expectant parents think of once they've found out they are pregnant! Fun, fun, fun! I personally enjoyed choosing our children's forenames based on the significance of the meaning. I have a wonderful friend who likes to choose based on their favorite bible heroes. Her latest little one is an Abigail (king David's wife; which means father of exaltation). The perfect scenario would be to find a great hero of the old testament or new testament with a strong definition, such as David who was the greatest king of Israel and the definition of his name is eloved.

There are a couple things about choosing forenames from the bible that can be tricky. For example: the person and their accomplishment versus their name definition. For instance, Mary, the Mother of God had such an impact (an understatement) on generations to come, but her definition is itter. Or Job, one of the greatest heroes of the faith, means afflicted. Another touchy subject is that the chosen name would not be popular in today's society. For example, you love the powerful definition of God gives strength, but would you really call your new bundle of joy Hezekiah? Well, it would definitely be one of the most unique, uncommon baby boy names in his class! If you're really passionate about a definition, maybe you could shorten the name into an acceptable nickname, just a thought!

On the other hand, maybe you don't want a bible hero. Maybe just the meaning is important to you (that was the case with us). You could choose a modern name like Ian which is Scottish and derived from John with a strong biblical definition of God is gracious.

I really enjoy going through the following naming game with my family:

Hi, I'm God is my oath, this is husband God is my judge, my daughter little woman who is like God and my son wise, God is my judge, nice to meet you! There are times that I tease my daughter should have been called little woman who is a great listener! :)

Whatever route you choose, have fun with the process. Browse these Christian meaning of names lists , buy a baby naming book, discuss it at the park or over dinner. But do it before you go into delivery! You don't want the stress of what to put on the birth certificate at the very end.

Oh, and here's a thought, if you find a name with a great definition, put it on the birth announcement ... your family and friends will enjoy it! Also, tell them WHY you chose to use bible baby names (for King David) , and keep your announcement ... it will be a wonderful keepsake for your scrapbook!

For more baby naming articles, or name meanings, visit us at http://www.best-baby-names-list.com!

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Baby Name Meanings

Speaking as a Michael (a Hebrew name, meaning Who is like God), I'm really proud of my name. And I think that I - mostly - live up to the title! Of course, my mother would probably disagree; I think the phrase little devil would probably pass her lips if she was describing me during many stages of my childhood.

But then, my mother has her own issues; apparently her name (Kathleen) is a Celtic name meaning Little Darling. Hmmm, that isn't the way I used to think about her during those regular occasions when she was punishing me for my ot like God behaviour?!

And that's the fun of baby name meanings - parents make naming decisions based on many, many different reasons, including family traditions, religion, culture, uniqueness and it just sounds really nice. But - in the Western world - we rarely do any real research into the history or real meaning of baby names. So when the poor/lucky child finally finds out the meaning of his/her eally nice sounding name, the results can be interesting, ironic, unfortunate or just sometimes hilarious.

You can have a lot of fun thinking up family/friends names, finding out the meanings and trying to make a connection between the two. For example, my eldest brother Clive is apparently a cliff dweller, which is coincidental, since he lives at the top of a very long steep hill! Or why not play the game with celebrities - consider the following:

Badu (as in r n'b singer Erykah Badu): African name meaning Tenth born child

Winona (as in actress Winona Ryder): Sioux name meaning Firstborn daughter

Aaliyah (the late r n'b singer): Arabic name meaning High, exalted

Hilary (as in actresses Duff/Swank): Latin name meaning Cheerful

Some cultures have very interesting traditions when it comes to baby name meanings. For example, Hindu names usually have connections with very positive things such as truth, beauty, happiness, blessings, etc, or one of the Hindu gods. In the Sikh culture, girls traditionally have the middle or surname Kaur, meaning Princess, whilst the boys have the middle or surname Singh, meaning Lion.

An African friend of mine once mentioned that many Africans are given a second name corresponding to the day of the week on which they were born. I think is a really nice tradition, but in my case, my middle name would be Sondo (born on Sunday)!! Hmmmm?

Whatever type of name you have chosen, or are thinking about for your undle of joy, its worth doing a little research into the meaning. And it's never been easier, with the wealth of Internet resources and books available, including my own site at www.all-about-baby-names.com, which is jam-packed with resources, tips and information on baby names, baby name meanings and baby products.

Your search may yield some surprises; for example, the lovely-sounding name Malory is French and means Bad luck. You could get round this by spelling it Mallory, but this means Without good fortune in Old German!

Alternatively, you may end up a little confused by different meanings of the same name; for example Leah is a beautiful girl's name, but what does it mean? Well?

In Hebrew it means Cow or Weary one - uugghhh!
In Greek it means Glad tidings
In Assyrian, it means Mistress, ruler

And a final warning: if you are planning to go for a funky, unusual-sounding name, be sure to avoid Bacia, - its Ugandan meaning is Family deaths ruined the home!

About the Author: Michael Barrows' website has great advice for choosing baby names and lots of great baby resources. Get your free ebook packed with baby tips for new parents, visit http://www.all-about-baby-names.com

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Baby Middle Names

When you decide to put a middle name on your child?s birth certificate it is important to choose a name that bodes well together with the first and last name. You may even choose two, three or four middle names if you?re feeling really inspired! The number of middle names usually depends on the parents will, it depends on their culture and last but not least, it depends on the society and country they live in. It is well known that Brazilians (well, South Americans in general) tend to have the longest full names, composed out of a first, last and at least two or three middle ones. Parents can use the same guidelines that they used in choosing the baby?s first name; but in this case they can be more creative. The middle name is hardly ever used; it?s more of an element of uniqueness and often serves as a middle point between the will of the parents and a slightly weird, uncommon name that couldn?t be used as a first.

It?s often the case that parents give their babies middle names similar to famous locations, or even countries. As parents sometimes choose a middle name that represents something meaningful in their life, or something beautiful that they want to always remember, they might choose the location they spent their honeymoon in, or the location where they conceived their baby as his or her middle name. A lot of babies? middle names got to be Paris, London or York that way.

Country names are also popular in this sense. Some parents went in a spiritual journey in Israel for example and were left with a memorable experience. Therefore, they choose Israel as a middle name for their baby boy. Other popular countries for baby middle names include Holland, France or Italy. They all resonate nicely and also represent beautiful countries.

Another situation is naming your baby after a special person that you love or have a certain feeling of gratitude or respect for, such as a family member, a celebrity, or a friend. Parents can use that person?s name as their baby?s middle name, thus showing them gratitude.

Statistics show that middle names are becoming more popular these days than they were before in the United States, which is why so many people look for a unique and beautiful middle name for their babies. Another interesting thing about choosing baby middle names besides those written above, is the fact that parents can choose more than one middle name. If you and your spouse can?t decide on a single name, you can each choose a middle name for your baby! There?s really no problem in having two middle names and this way both you and your spouse will be happy.

Choosing a first name for your baby is definitely not an easy task. That?s a hard choice and you?ll have to be extremely picky about that first name. Middle names on the other hand tend to be more ?fun? to choose, because they offer a bigger freedom of choice. Just make sure everything falls in well together and you don?t get first and middle names that spring cacophonies or are otherwise too hard to pronounce.

Because Your Baby Deserves The Best Name

Fraser Wheaton is the founder and publisher of The Baby Name Kit website.

http://www.BabyNameKit.com

We aim to be the worlds largest content provider for baby name information on the internet. If you have a baby naming question, chances are, we have the answer.

Read More