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Naming Your Baby |
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Deciding on a name for your baby is one of the most delightful and defining tasks of early parenthood. There are so many options, whether you choose a family name, a name of cultural or ethnic significance, or one that simply sounds "right."
If you're having a hard time choosing a name, keep a few things in mind. First, try saying your baby’s name aloud over the course of a few days. Does the name resonate with a positive sound and meaning? Project forward to all the potential nicknames and schoolyard taunts! Is it a name that will "grow up" well with your child, from the diminutives of childhood ("Tommy") to the authority of adulthood ("Thomas")?
Check the initials. Don't create a similar fate for your child that befell Patricia Iris Gatsby! Choose a name that will not cause your child to be relentlessly teased by her peers in elementary school.
Some parents also think of the syllable count in a name, as it can contribute to whether a name is rhythmical or not. In general, names with an even syllable counts are not as nice on the ear. Consider how Henry Patrick Gardner sounds versus Sean Patrick Gardner. The one-syllable name “Sean” allows for varying emphasis.
Here are a few lists of popular names by culture and decade. These are growing lists, so feel free to add to them.
Irish names
Irish names are becoming increasingly popular with the 20 million-plus Americans of Irish extraction. While the first waves of immigrants generally tried to downplay their ancestry in order to fit in, the third and fourth generations are celebrating the beauty in both the sound and meaning of many Irish names.
Girls
Boys
African
Names were incredibly important in ancient African cultures, capturing a unique mysticism and cultural diversity that has carried over into the baby naming celebrations in many African American homes today.
Girls
Boys
French
Just ordering a sandwich in the French language sounds beautiful. If you have French ancestry, consider some of the names below for your baby.
Girls
Boys
Top 10 baby names in America in 2005
Girls
Boys
Top 10 baby names in America in the 1880s
Girls
Boys
See also
If you're having a hard time choosing a name, keep a few things in mind. First, try saying your baby’s name aloud over the course of a few days. Does the name resonate with a positive sound and meaning? Project forward to all the potential nicknames and schoolyard taunts! Is it a name that will "grow up" well with your child, from the diminutives of childhood ("Tommy") to the authority of adulthood ("Thomas")?
Check the initials. Don't create a similar fate for your child that befell Patricia Iris Gatsby! Choose a name that will not cause your child to be relentlessly teased by her peers in elementary school.
Some parents also think of the syllable count in a name, as it can contribute to whether a name is rhythmical or not. In general, names with an even syllable counts are not as nice on the ear. Consider how Henry Patrick Gardner sounds versus Sean Patrick Gardner. The one-syllable name “Sean” allows for varying emphasis.
Here are a few lists of popular names by culture and decade. These are growing lists, so feel free to add to them.
Irish names
Irish names are becoming increasingly popular with the 20 million-plus Americans of Irish extraction. While the first waves of immigrants generally tried to downplay their ancestry in order to fit in, the third and fourth generations are celebrating the beauty in both the sound and meaning of many Irish names.
Girls
- Adelle – noble, kind
- Ashling – dream or vision
- Cara – a friend
- Carly – champion, strong
- Gráinne (pronounced GRAWN-yah) – love, pirate queen
- Hannah – flower
- Leah – light of the sun
- Oonagh – Queen of the fairies
- Saoirse (pronounced SEAR-shah) – free
- Zoey – life
Boys
- Aidan – little fiery one
- Carey – from the river (also girls)
- Ciaran – (pronounced KEER-ron) dark, black
- Conn – leader, chief
- Declan – goodness
- Desmond – the world
- Fintan – fair
- Liam – guardian
- Ryan – little king
- Senan – old and wise
African
Names were incredibly important in ancient African cultures, capturing a unique mysticism and cultural diversity that has carried over into the baby naming celebrations in many African American homes today.
Girls
- Abeni – girl prayed for
- Aissa – grateful
- Dafina – (pronounced Dah-FEE-nah) unexpected gift, treasure
- Faizah – (pronounced Fah-EE-zah) she who is victorious (Swahili)
- Keisha – favorite
- Lisha – mysterious (Nigeria )
- Mandisa – sweet
- Ona – fire (West Africa)
- Saidah – happy, fortunate
- Zarina – golden
Boys
- Asad – lion (Somalian)
- Bron – origin
- Denzel – wild one (African American)
- Dinari – (pronounced Dee-NAR-ree) shinning star
- Gahiji – hunter
- Jabari – brave, fearless
- Lakin – found treasure (African American)
- Kenan – Traditional male name (Malawi)
- Oji – bearer of gifts (Nigeria)
- Tahir – (pronounced ta-HERE) pure (Egypt)
French
Just ordering a sandwich in the French language sounds beautiful. If you have French ancestry, consider some of the names below for your baby.
Girls
- Aubrey – rules with elf-wisdom
- Carine – pure
- Clarisse – bright, shining and gentle
- Cosette – victorious
- Francine – from France, free one
- Ghislaine – sweet pledge
- Isabelle – devoted to God
- Lela – loyalty
- Marguerite – pearl
- Nichole – people's victory
Boys
- Audon – old, rich
- Carel – strong
- Chase – hunter
- Corbyn– raven-haired
- Devin – divine, perfect
- Dilan – like a lion.
- Garren – guardian Iven - little archer
- Justin – just, upright
- Ray – kingly
Top 10 baby names in America in 2005
Girls
- Emma
- Emily
- Madison
- Kaitlyn
- Sophia
- Isabella
- Olivia
- Hannah
- Makayla
- Ava
Boys
- Aidan
- Jacob
- Ethan
- Nicholas
- Matthew
- Ryan
- Tyler
- Jack
- Joshua
- Andrew
Top 10 baby names in America in the 1880s
Girls
- Mary
- Anna
- Elizabeth
- Margaret
- Minnie
- Emma
- Martha
- Alice
- Marie
- Sarah
Boys
- John
- William
- Charles
- George
- James
- Joseph
- Frank
- Henry
- Thomas
- Harry
See also
