Posts Tagged ‘
baby name help ’
Tuesday, September 18th, 2012
Reader Jill wants a little guidance on her baby name choice: “I am pregnant with my first child—a boy! My problem is that I love a first name which starts with a J. My husband’s name is Josh and my name is Jill. We are not interested in getting asked every time we introduce our family if we are going to be “just like the Duggars” and have all J-named children. Our top two names are Jeremy and Marlow. I like Marlow because I think it is unique, but not weird. I am afraid to use that name though, because it might be seen as feminine—especially if we use the nickname “Marley.”
Honestly, I think both names are great. Jeremy is a beautiful name that’s in the top 200 names, a variation on the Biblical Jeremiah, and it means uplifted by God. And while less popular, Marlow has a picturesque meaning—driftwood—and has become a hot choice for celebrity babies, with actress Sienna Miller most recently choosing it for her daughter.
But I think neither name is without its problems. You will likely get a few jokes about being the new Duggars if you choose Jeremy—though that should go away with time, as everyone gets used to your name. And as for Marlow, you’ll need to consider the fact that several celebrities have recently chosen Marlowe, Marlo and Harlow for their daughters, so people may assume that your bundle of joy is a girl. Marlow is one of those unisex names, and its unclear whether it’s going to stay unisex, or become one of those names that the girls take over.
Given the choice of those two names, I’d choose Jeremy, just it really seems like Marlow is skewing toward the ladies at this point.
What do you all think of Jill’s dilemma? What name would you choose?
Have a baby name dilemma? Feel free to send it my way at lamilbrand AT gmail.com.
Photo: Question mark by PZ Designs / Shutterstock.com
Thursday, August 23rd, 2012
We’re kicking off our new In Name Only feature this week by helping reader Nicole with a very timely dilemma—finding a boy’s name just before she’s due. Here’s her question:
Need a boy’s name. We didn’t find out the sex, baby is due in two weeks and still no boy’s name. We tossed around Austin, Logan, Jude, Zander. I hate Zander (hubby loves it so I thought it could be added to the list). I like the other three but I don’t love them… Any ideas?
I actually love all four of the names that you’ve chosen, but I can give you a few other alternatives to add to your list.
Based on the names you’ve chosen, I’m figuring you want shorter names (one or two syllables), and you like that ending “n.” What about a name like Brandon, Nolan or Kieran? All are names that have a bit of uniqueness to them (they currently rank number 47, 93 and 475, respectively), but without being so out there that your kid risks bullying over them.
Names that fall along the lines of your pick Jude would include Joel, Jonah or Luke. Personally, I’m a huge fan of Luke as a name, and that was on my short list of boys’ names.
And I know you weren’t a big fan of Zander, but if you’re looking for a two-syllable name that ends in -er, try on Dexter (a white-hot name currently in England), Oliver (yeah, it has an extra syllable, but it’s still an awesome choice), Trevor or even Jasper.
Nicole, let us know how everything goes—and what you ended up naming your little one! What do you think of Nicole’s short list (and my additions to it)? If you have a baby-naming dilemma you want to share with me, please feel free to put it in the comments below, or e-mail me at lamilbrand AT gmail.com.
Photo: Question mark by PZ Designs / Shutterstock.com
Tuesday, August 14th, 2012
We’ve all been there—trying to break the tie between Chloe and Zoe, battling over how exactly we plan to spell Aidan. So partner American Baby is calling in the experts to help a few lucky parents-to-be who need some help settling on names for their future offspring.
Share your biggest naming dilemma here, and if you’re picked for the article, the baby-naming experts from Nameberry will offer their brilliant name suggestions, which will hopefully help you settle on the perfect one—no drama required.
But even if you aren’t picked for the Nameberry glory, I’d love to hear about your baby-naming dilemmas—and hopefully, I’ll be able to answer a reader question or two each week. You can send all inquiries to my handy-dandy new e-mail, lamilbrand AT gmail.com. Share your dilemma and your first name(s), and if you want to be considered for the American Baby story, I’ll need your city and state, too.
Looking forward to seeing what burning questions and gut-wrenching dilemmas you’re all facing—and hoping I can help you avoid the kind of drama I had when I named my oldest…
Photo: My Name is Trouble by Keith Bell/Shutterstock.com
Friday, June 8th, 2012
It’s the Apples and Pilot Inspektors of the A-list celeb set that tend to steal all of the headlines. But there are plenty of stars who opt to give their kids names that won’t stick out on the playground—or make it harder for their future children to be taken seriously. (Just imagine if a resume for “Moon Unit” appeared on your desk!) Here are some celebrity couples who chose cool, yet still a little conservative, names for their offspring.
Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner Some baby naming experts believe that their decision to give their eldest the name Violet helped lead to that name’s current streak of popularity (it’s nearing the top 100)—and they paired it with the ultratraditional middle name, Anne. But their choices for their other children may prove to be just as trendsetting. Middle child Seraphina Rose Elizabeth has dual middle names, which is another strong trend we’re witnessing, and son Samuel Garner uses his mother’s last name as a middle name, an old-school naming idea that they could reignite.
Matthew Broderick & Sarah Jessica Parker Matthew and Sarah went with James Wilkie for their oldest son—with James consistently ranking in the top 20 names in the country. Daughters Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge were born in 2009, and showcase those double middle name and last name as middle name ideas as well.
Jennie Garth and Peter Facinelli Jennie and Peter gave the name choices for their three daughters a decidedly Italian flavor: Luca Bella, Lola Ray and Fiona Eve. But even if your family isn’t Italian, you might fall in love with one of the choices.
Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard This acting duo chose two classic, yet slightly off-beat names for their daughters: Ramona is their oldest, and Gloria Ray was born earlier this year.
Felicity Huffman & William H. Macy This award-winning acting pair chose the names Sofia and Georgia for their daughters—choosing both an ultrapopular classic and a cool place name. And they paired both their daughters’ names with that stellar middle name, Grace.
Dean McDermott & Tori Spelling The names this duo chose—Liam Aaron, Stella Doreen and Hattie Margaret—would be just as popular in 1912 as they are in 2012. Look for their fourth child, due later this year, to have a similarly classic handle.
Photo: Tori Spelling & Dean McDermott by sbukley / Shutterstock
