Q: What’s in a name? A: A whole lot more than what meets the eye.

By Suelain Moy

Attaching Meaning

This year, names are more than just a moniker – and more than a reflection of mom and dad’s personal style. As parenting becomes even more of a focus in people’s lives – with many moms or dads making it a priority to be home full or part-time with the kids – we’re seeing that names are increasingly chosen for the emotional significance they carry. Parents are looking for names to evoke positive memories of places and things that are important to them – a blissful honeymoon destination, a favorite relative, a song, a childhood experience (or all of the above).

When Kimberly B. of Attleboro, Massachusetts, started her baby name list, Salem was on it right from the start because her family would always visit Salem, Massachusetts in the fall. Years later, Kimberly returned to Salem as a wife and a soon-to-be second-time mom–and that’s where she first began to feel contractions for her daughter. After the baby was born, Kimberly says, “My son and I held her and said different names to her – she didn’t even bat an eye – but when we called her Salem, she opened her eyes and looked right at us.”


Presidential Names

Although European royal names such as Isabella, Elizabeth, and William have long reigned among tradition-minded parents, there’s an American equivalent gaining in popularity. Presidential names - famous surnames of popular presidents used as first names. Jackson, Carter, and Grant are in the lead for boys and Madison, Kennedy, and Reagan are in the lead for girls. On the rise: Lincoln and Jefferson, and Clinton is in the top 1000.

For Lisa R. of Manchester, New Hampshire, Reagan proved to be an ideal choice for her daughter: “It’s a really strong name on its own. There are no nicknames for it,” she says, and the name is perfect for them in other ways, too - the couple met as Young Republicans on a bus to the ‘96 presidential debates. It wasn’t until after their daughter was born that they discovered she also shared a birthday with the former president.

For their second child, a boy, the couple ran down a list of presidential first and last names, considering Alexander, Hamilton, George, Theodore, Harry, and Taylor, before casting their votes for Carter Rutherford (Rutherford is the first name of the nineteenth American President and is also Lisa’s maiden name). “We joke that we’re bipartisan,” says Lisa, who plans to throw a party for her children every year on Presidents’ Day. And there may be more presidential names in the family’s future: “At 5, Reagan has decided she wants to marry a boy whose last name is Kennedy.”

Isabella, Elizabeth, William, Jackson, Carter, Grant, Madison, Kennedy, Reagan, Lincoln


Customising or Inventing a Name

Modern parents are getting inventive by creating new names and inventing spellings. Now in addition to popular choice Brayden, we’re seeing Braydon, Braden, Bradin, Bradyn, Braedon, and Braiden. There’s also Kaitlyn, Caitlyn, and Kaitlin – all spin-offs of Caitlin, a long-popular choice for girls. More recent twists on that girl name include Kaelyn, Kaylin, and Jaylin. Losing a consonant in a name – Madison to Addison or Madelyn to Adelyn, for example – is also a fresh way to customise a hot name.

When they create a new moniker, parents are using the Internet to make sure there aren’t any undesirable associations. “We Googled the name to make sure it wasn’t being used for some strange purpose,” says mother of Phenix, Dina T. of Worcester, Massachusetts. “You never know these days!”

Brayden, Caitlin, Kaelyn, Kaylin, Jaylin, Madison, Addison, Madelyn


Just Say the Word

Everyday nouns have immediate impact when used as names, like Lake, Phoenix, or Lyric - and this year parents are choosing them in increasing numbers. Two added bonuses: There’s no need to explain what the name means-and no shortage of places to find inspiration.

Parents can look up names in dictionaries, dig for flower names in gardens, or read labels to find new uses and contexts for common, everyday words. Food Network chef Giada De Laurentiis named her daughter Jade, which also happens to be the English translation of Giada. Jessica Alba and Cash Warren named their daughter Honor. And Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban chose Sunday for their baby girl. Other examples of word names on the rise? Well, Cash, for one - also Haven, Paisley, and Aria.

Phoenix, Lyric, Jade, Cash, Haven, Paisley, Aria


Foreign Names

Many parents are choosing to bestow glamorous foreign names on their new arrivals. Irish and Italian names have long been popular choices, but other languages and cultures are becoming quickly adopted and adapted as well. Feminine and foreign names ending in -la, -ella, and -ia are currently fashionable. Isabella, Ava, Sophia, and Olivia are all in the top 10 for girls.

In their quest for a unique and meaningful name, Esther S. and her husband of Palo Alto, California, found foreign names beguiling. They got down to two choices-Thea and Nyah. “In the end we decided Nyah Nichols sounded too much like it was straight out of a comic book story like Lois Lane or Kitty Kowalski, plus I very much liked the meaning of Thea: ‘Goddess or gift from God’ from Greek roots or ‘littlest princess’ from Spanish roots.” Thea has a Hawaiian middle name, Kalei, which means “the beloved.”

Isabella, Ava, Sophia, Olivia, Thea, Nyah


Last Is First

Last names used as first names continues to be a hot choice for new parents. Surnames as first names suggest power, prestige, and tradition - they’re also appealingly gender-neutral. And this year, they’re increasingly popular for girls. Nancy O’Dell named her daughter Ashby, after a beloved grandfather’s last name. Nicole Richie chose Harlow (think 1930s platinum bombshell Jean).

For boys, surnames that follow a masculine trade or occupation - like Mason, Cooper, and Hunter - are on the rise this year. But surnames can also be playful and cool. One rocking surname that’s been popping up: Jagger. It’s the name of Lindsay Davenport’s son, Soleil Moon Frye’s daughter, and Rascal Flatts’ Joe Don Rooney’s son.

Mason, Cooper, Hunter


Short and Sweet

Nicknames currently rule, too, as Max, Jake, Jack, Alex, and Jace (short for Jason) come into play in their own right this year. Other examples: parents choosing Ben over Benjamin and Maddie over Madeleine or Madison. One mom we know adopted twin daughters and simply named them Bess and Sam, rather than the longer forms of those names. Tiger Woods and his wife are among the ranks of parents who went for the monosyllable Sam - but they bestowed it on a daughter rather than a son. And the quirkier Miley, a nickname for Hannah Montana’s Miley Cyrus (born Destiny Hope), is poised to be as popular as Britney once was for girls.

Names are getting shorter, too, to accommodate how people communicate in cyberspace - popular new names like Ty, Coby, Dax, and Cali are all names that can be e-mailed or texted quickly.

Max, Jake, Jack, Ben, Maddie, Sam, Britney, Ty


Heavenly Creatures

Religious or angelic names are no longer restricted to Old or New Testament Biblical names these days. Instead, new creations like Nevaeh (Heaven spelled backwards) has zipped up to #31 on the Social Security Administration’s list of popular names. Also flying high: Heaven, Grace, Faith, Trinity, Genesis, Miracle, and Messiah.

Nevaeh, Heaven, Grace, Faith, Trinity, Genesis, Miracle, Messiah


All of the Above

In the increasingly obsessive quest for names that are creative and unique but not too far out there, parents are often following more than one trend or style-pairing a foreign name with a flower, city, or word name, creating a trendy spelling for a surname, or mixing a short nickname-name with a longer, more substantial or traditional choice for a middle name. There are no hard and fast rules - just choosing names parents love and can live with long-term is the, um, name of the game.