Thinking of some fun and unique names for your new baby?
Baby names and their popularity come and go. The trends follow the social mindset of the times. Babies are named for celebrities and famous political figures on decade and the next may bring names that sound more like exotic places or even food.
Are you struggling with what to name the baby you’ll be delivering in the next few months or weeks? Or are you planning on increasing the size of your family over the next couple of years and like to plan ahead? Then this article is for you.
Trends for 2013
The trend predictors and watchers say that over the next year or so, the names we’ll be seeing pop up on birth certificates around the world will be tied to things of old and things of new and memorable. Parents are reported to be naming their children after Roman and Greek gods and goddesses, natural disasters, flowers, pop culture and the world of Hollywood celebrities. The following are names you’ll likely be hearing thanks to Greek and Roman gods and goddesses and our Olympic favorites:
BOYS GIRLS
Adonus Athena
Angus Camilla
Apollo Carman
Arthur Clio
Damon Daphne
Finn Gabrielle
Griffin Grace
Michael Helen or Helena
Paul Missy
Tim Lilith
Tristan Penelope
Troy Rhea
Sandy
Names chosen for nature include: Forrest, Woodson, Leif, Birch, Ridge, Rocky and Bear for boys. For girls: Autumn, Daisy, Fern, Holly, Ivy, Sparrow, Sunny, Willow and Wendy.
Where else to look
Baby name websites and books haven’t always been around. I know, that comes as quite a shock to many of you. But it’s true. There was a time when the Bible, family members past and present and dear friends were the sources from which parents derived the names for their children. Well, you know what they say… ‘if it’s not broken, don’t fix it’. Using the Bible can provide unique and beautiful names for your children. There won’t be 3 kids in the class with the name Darby or Zephan, now, will there?
About those family names…
Naming your baby after a family member or members is an honorable and lovely thing to do. In the instance that there is already a junior or family name tradition, naming baby in the same fashion may be assumed. That’s fine, but don’t feel obligated.
Also…you do run the risk of hurting feelings if you choose one grandparent over another or one aunt or uncle over another. We avoided this by announcing early on that each of our children would be named for family members. That way both sides were honored and no one got hurt. Another way to avoid hurt feelings is to use a name from each side of the family. Example: My oldest daughter’s name is Elizabeth Elaine. Elizabeth is my mother’s first name. Elaine is my mother in-law’s middle name.
Famous folks
I actually know people who have named their children for their soap opera crush or the newest up and coming star. By the time the child is 3, that person is either fallen from grace or you can’t stand to look at them, so…how wise can that truly be?
You just like it
There’s nothing wrong with simply browsing the web or thumbing through books and picking something the two of you like. Period.
Things to consider
When naming your baby, remember that their name stays with them for life. That’s why you need to avoid names that are too childish, incredibly long or just down-right ridiculous. Think about it…how seriously do you think anyone is going to take a business executive named Muffy? Do you really want to put your child through the agony of learning to spell Alexandria Vandivert?
A name…there’s much to be learned by a name.
For more related articles on your baby and names, see:
The baby naming process – getting inspired