Speaking of baby names...

triple_sevens · February 2010

Did I ever tell you ladies that I write professionally about baby name trends as a freelance job?

(cuz I do)

So if you ever want expert name advice from an opinionated name nerd, let me know.

pepomntpat · February 2010

What an interesting, but very specific job. How did you get into that niche?

islelily · February 2010

Sweet! What are some of the classic names you see gaining popularity?

Ashley858 · February 2010

islelily:
Sweet! What are some of the classic names you see gaining popularity?

This

JuJuBe3 · February 2010

Wow, that's cool. I'm going to make a mental note of that because I WILL need to know soon. And I love to hear what opinionated nerds think. I just might be one too.

Starfly13 · February 2010

That's cool. I have always been obsessed with names even before we were TTC. I will keep that in mind for when we go to actually name our baby.

swanck · February 2010

That's good to know!

I'm gonna need you when I get my BFP. I have a bonkers last name that's hard to match. And I'm crazy about the meaning of names.

Last time we got our BFP we were really stuck.

Maybe you can name our babies for us!

triple_sevens · February 2010

islelily:
Sweet! What are some of the classic names you see gaining popularity?

Well, the big news in baby naming is the fact that the "most popular" names are much less common than the fifth or tenth most popular names three decades ago. So while Emma overtook Emily as number 1 last year, it's not because more babies were named Emma, but because many fewer babies were named Emily.

BUT, if you look at rhyming names, the story is different. About 9% of baby boys last year had a name that rhymed with Aiden (including Hayden, Jayden, Braeden, Caden, Aiden and all their variant spellings). That's about the same percentage of men who had the name John in 1902.

Similarly, more and more parents are choosing the same NICKNAMES rather than first names. You'll find tons of Ellies in Mommy and Me classes right now, but they are a mix of Eleanors/Elinors, Eloises, Elizabeths, and Ellas.

Other names on a definite upward trend are:

Lydia, Marin (and variant Maren), Alice, Adeline, Annalise--and I strongly suspect Esme will rise given the frequency with which it's discussed on name boards and the Twilight connection. Maeve is not yet very popular, but has shot up in the last few years. I think it could do well, with its strong sounds and Irish flair.

Boys names are always a little less susceptible to trends but some rising classics are:

Sebastian, Silas, Jasper (it's overtaking the Julian demographic and will only rise following Twilight). My wacky rising pick is Enzo--it's jumped hundreds of places in only a few years.

And I got into this in a really roundabout way--I was a frequent commenter on a baby name blog for years (I've been fascinated by names since I was a child) and when the author of that blog/book decided to branch out into a syndicated column, she asked if I'd like to co-write with her (she knew I'd worked in magazine journalism and was studying for a PhD).

denise_m · February 2010

That is all so interesting.

I have always loved Ellie

In Kaitlyn's K class, there are 7 boys. Aiden, Brayden, Hayden and Jayden are all in her class. With of course Michael, Brian and Richard.

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