60,000+ Baby Names

1282 Pages·2011·3.63 MB·English

by  Bruce Lansky

Contents
Introduction
How to Pick a Name You and Your Baby Will Like
The Most Popular Names through the Decades
Names around the World
The Most Popular Names around the World
Names from around the World
The Impressions Names Make
Names Inspired by People, Places, and Things
Girls’ Names
Boys’ Names
Introduction
Searching for just the right name for your baby can be a pleasure if you have just the right
book. Let me tell you why I think 60,000+ Baby Names is the right book.
It contains the most names—complete with origins, meanings, variations, fascinating facts,
and famous namesakes—of any book in its price range. Here you’ll find the most names from
major ethnic origins, such as:
• Nearly 7,000 American names, many of which African-American families choose for their
children
• Over 5,000 names Hispanic families commonly use
• Over 4,000 French names; 9,000 English names; 6,000 Latin names; 4,000 Irish names; and
6,000 Greek names
• Nearly 6,000 Hebrew names; 2,500 Arabic names; and 4,000 German names
• Thousands of Scottish, Welsh, Italian, Russian, Scandinavian, Chinese, Japanese, Polish,
Native American, Hawaiian, African, and Hindi names.
But there’s more in 60,000+ Baby Names than just pages and pages of names. There are also
over 200 fun, helpful lists that will get you brainstorming names without having to read the
book cover to cover. If you’re interested in tracking names over the years or just looking for a
timeless name, you’ll love the lists of popular names over the last one hundred years.
Want to know what parents in Canada, Australia, Sweden, and Japan are naming their
babies? Want to find that perfect name to reflect your heritage? 60,000+ Baby Names features
lists of popular names around the world as well as lists of common and interesting names
from many different origins. Want to name your baby after your favorite movie star, religious
figure, or locale? Check out the lists featuring names inspired by people, places, and things.
These lists will get you thinking about names that have special meaning to you. Don’t miss
“How to Pick a Name You and Your Baby Will Love.” In three simple steps, complete with
easy-to-use worksheets, you can select a name that has personal meaning but is also practical.
It’s the perfect approach for parents who find the idea of reading over 60,000 baby names a
bit overwhelming.
60,000+ Baby Names also has an exclusive new feature to help parents make informed
choices about names. Recently, naming trends have been heading in less traditional
directions. One such trend is to use traditional boys’ names for girls and vice versa.
Throughout the Girls’ Names and Boys’ Names sections, you’ll find special icons highlighting
names that are shared by both sexes. The icons will indicate whether a shared name is used
mostly for boys B, used mostly for girls G, or used about evenly by both sexes BG. Some
parents want androgynous or gender-jumping names and other parents want names with clear
gender identification. Either way, the icons will help you make an informed choice.
As you browse the names with these special icons, you may be surprised to learn that
certain names are shared. It’s important to keep several factors in mind:
1. The data may include errors. Amanda is listed in the boys’ section because records show
that 1 out of every 100,000 boys are named Amanda. It’s reasonable to think that some boy
“Amandas” are simply recording errors, but perhaps some aren’t.
2. Names have different roles in different cultures. In the U.S., Andrea is primarily a girls’
name, whereas in Italy, it’s often used as a boys’ name (for example, opera star Andrea
Bocelli).
3. This book defines a name by its spelling, not by its pronunciation or meaning. This explains
why a name like Julian is listed as a shared name. Julian (pronounced “JOO-lee-en”) is a
form of Julius, and therefore in the Boys’ Names section. Julian (pronounced “Joo-lee-
ANN”) is a form of Julianne, and therefore in the Girls’ Names section. You could argue
that these are two different names, but because this book defines a name by its spelling, it
treats them as one name.
4. The gender “assignment” of names change—often in surprising ways. For years, Ashley
was used often for boys. (Remember Ashley Wilkes in Gone with the Wind?) Twenty-five
years ago, it was in the top 300 of boys’ names. Today it doesn’t crack the top 1,000. In
2000, over twice as many boys than girls were named Reese. By 2004, actress Reese
Witherspoon had helped those numbers switch places—now nearly twice as many girls
than boys are named Reese.
I hope you find this book fun, helpful, and easy to use as you search for just the right name
that will help your baby put his or her best foot forward in life.
How to Pick a Name You and Your Baby
Will Like
The first edition of The Best Baby Name Book in the Whole Wide World, which I wrote back
in 1978, had about 10,000 names on 120 pages. So, you could read the introductory material
about “15 Things to Consider When You Name Your Baby” and browse all the main listings
(and even pause to read the origins, meanings, and variations for names that appealed to you)
in a few hours. It’s something a couple could even do together.
60,000+ Baby Names has, of course, more than 60,000 names on nearly 700 pages. I
don’t know how long it would take you and your partner to browse all the main listings and
pause to read more about your favorites, but it could be a daunting task. If you’re up to the
challenge, go for it. You’ll certainly find your favorite names and discover some new names as
well.
But if the idea of wading through a sea of 60,000 names sounds overwhelming, I’d like to
propose another method. The method I suggest involves generating lists of names you and
your partner love and then narrowing down the lists based on how well the names might work
for your baby. It’s a fun, easy way to come up with a name that has special meaning but is
practical as well. Let’s get started.
Step 1: Make a List of Names with Special Meaning
Make a list of names to consider by writing down your answers to the following questions.
(You can each make your own list.) These questions are based on the lists starting on page 9.
Browse those lists to help you answer the questions and to brainstorm other questions specific
to your background, preferences, and experiences.
The Most Popular Names
What are your favorite names from the lists of most popular names over the past 100 years?
If any of your relatives’ names appear in the popularity lists from previous generations, what
are your favorites?
Names around the World
What country are your parents or grandparents from? What country are you and your partner
from?
If any of your relatives’ names appear in the international lists, what are your favorites?
What are your favorite names that are currently popular in other countries?
What language(s) do you speak?
What language(s) do you speak?
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
Where do you like to vacation?
Where did you conceive?
The Impressions Names Make
What might your baby’s personality be like?
How might your baby look physically?
What impression would you like your baby’s name to make about him/her?
Names Inspired by People, Places, and Things
Who are your favorite artists?
Who are your favorite athletes?
Who are your favorite musicians?
Who are your favorite movie stars?
Who are your favorite authors?
Who are your favorite fictional, biblical, and mythological characters?
Who are your favorite presidents and military figures?
What are your favorite flowers?
What are your favorite gems?
What are your favorite aspects of nature?
Once you answer these questions, turn to the Girls’ Names and Boys’ Names sections to find
interesting spellings or variations based on the names from your list. (As you flip through the
book, you might stumble across a few new names that capture your attention, too.) That will
give you a long list of names to consider for the next step.
Step 2: Narrow the List Based on What Will Work Best for Your Baby
Now that you’ve each created a list based on personal considerations, it’s time to narrow them
down based on practical considerations. This way, you’ll choose a name that works well for
you and for your baby. You may love a particular name, but if it doesn’t hold up to these basic
criteria, your baby probably won’t love it. It can be unpleasant going through life with a name
that for whatever reason doesn’t work for you.
Make enough copies of the table on the following page for each name on your list. Have
your partner do the same. Rate each name on twelve factors. Example: Consider the popularity
of the name Jacob—if you think there might be too many Jacobs in his school, check “too
popular.” Consider nicknames—if you love Jake, check “appealing.”
Another example: Consider the way Rafael sounds to you—if it’s music to your ears, check
“pleasing.” Consider its fit with your last name—if you don’t think it goes so well with
Abramovitz, check “doesn’t fit.”
Abramovitz, check “doesn’t fit.”
When you’ve completed the table, add up the score by giving three points for every check
in the Positive column, two points for every check in the Neutral column, and one point for
every check in the Negative column. Scoring each name might help make the subjective
process of selecting a name more objective to you.
(Note: If you’re pinched for time, mentally complete the table for each name, keeping
track of a rough score. The important part is to narrow the list to your top five boys’ and girls’
names.)
Use This Form to Rate Your Favorite Names
Name:__________________
Factors Positive Neutral Negative
1. Spelling easy medium hard
2. Pronunciation easy medium hard
3. Sound pleasing okay unpleasing
4. Last name fits well fits okay doesn’t fit
5. Gender ID clear neutral confusing
6. Nicknames appealing okay unappealing
7. Popularity not too popular popular too popular
8. Uniqueness not too unique unique too unique
9. Impression positive okay negative
10. Namesakes positive okay negative
11. Initials pleasing okay unpleasing
12. Meaning positive okay negative
Final Score:_______________
Step 3: Make the Final Choice
List your top five boys’ and girls’ names in the chart below, and have your partner do the
same. It’s now time to share the names. If you have names in common, compare your scores;
perhaps average them. If you have different names on your lists, swap names and rate them
using the same table as before. In the end, you’ll have a handful of names that work well for
you, your partner, and your baby. Now all you have to do is make the final decision. Good
luck!
Mom’s Top Five Names
1.______________ Mom’s Score: ____ Dad’s Score: ____
1.______________ Mom’s Score: ____ Dad’s Score: ____
2.______________ Mom’s Score: ____ Dad’s Score: ____
3.______________ Mom’s Score: ____ Dad’s Score: ____
4.______________ Mom’s Score: ____ Dad’s Score: ____
5.______________ Mom’s Score: ____ Dad’s Score: ____
Dad’s Top Five Names
1.______________ Dad’s Score: ____ Mom’s Score: ____
2.______________ Dad’s Score: ____ Mom’s Score: ____
3.______________ Dad’s Score: ____ Mom’s Score: ____
4.______________ Dad’s Score: ____ Mom’s Score: ____
5.______________ Dad’s Score: ____ Mom’s Score: ____
The Most Popular Names through the
Decades
The popularity of names, like the length of hemlines and the width of ties, is subject to change
every year. The changes become even more noticeable when you think about the changes in
name “fashions” over long periods.
Think about the names of your grandparents’ generation: Margaret, Shirley, George,
Harold. Very few of those names are popular today.
It seems that every decade a new group of names rises in popularity and an old group of
names declines. So, when choosing a name for your baby, it’s wise to consider whether a
name’s popularity is rising, declining, or holding steady.
To help you assess name popularity, you can track popularity trends over the years with
the lists of top names given to girls and boys in each decade since 1900.
Enjoy the following data, but remember that the popularity issue cuts two ways: 1)
Psychologists say a child with a common or popular name seems to have better odds of
success in life than a child with an uncommon name. 2) A child whose name is at the top of
the popularity poll may not feel as unique and special as a child whose name is less common.
Most Popular 2010–
Girls Boys
Isabella Jacob
Sophia Ethan
Emma Mason
Olivia William
Ava Jayden
Emily Michael
Abigail Noah
Madison Alexander
Chloe Daniel
Mia Aiden
Elizabeth Anthony
Addison Joshua
Ella Matthew
Natalie Elijah
Natalie Elijah
Lily Andrew
Samantha David
Grace James
Alexis Logan
Avery Christopher
Sofia Joseph
Most Popular 2000–2009
Girls Boys
Emily Jacob
Madison Michael
Emma Joshua
Olivia Matthew
Hannah Daniel
Abigail Christopher
Isabella Andrew
Samantha Ethan
Elizabeth Joseph
Ashley William
Alexis Anthony
Sarah David
Sophia Alexander
Alyssa Nicholas
Grace Ryan
Ava Tyler
Taylor James
Brianna John
Lauren Jonathan
Chloe Noah
Natalie Brandon
Kayla Christian
Jessica Dylan
Anna Samuel
Victoria Benjamin