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What Your Child’s Name Says About You

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Naming your child can be a pretty daunting task.  Sure, it sounds fun.  But when you get down to it, the realization that your kid will have this name for the rest of his or her life sets in and you may go into panic mode.  Chances are, at one point or another, you MAY regret what you name your child.  I know I’ve had those days, you’re not alone. 

The names I chose for my kids aren’t necessarily “weird.”  But they aren’t names you hear every day either.  And they aren’t too difficult to spell or pronounce.

So what does the name you and your partner say about YOU?  Well, Parents Magazine broke it down.  Find out what category your child’s name falls in, and determine whether or not you agree.

1.  If your child has an unusual name, you crave the spotlight.


Over the past few years, more and more parents (and not just celebrities) are choosing offbeat monikers for their little ones–and don’t expect that trend to end anytime soon.  Past generations worried more about their child fitting in, but today’s parents want their kids to stand out. And some are in a race to be more distinctive than the next.  For parents who choose such names, it’s a possible combination of being a creative person (like actors and musicians) and liking the attention that the name gives not only to their child, but to them for choosing it. “When you tell people your child’s name, it will lead to a lot of questions–they’ll want to know the back story,” says Maryannna Korwitts, founder of “So it does put the parents in the spotlight.”

In fact, these parents often have ordinary names and probably found themselves being one of four kids with their name in school. They don’t want their child to experience the same thing–they want him to be noticed.

2.  If your child has an old-fashioned name, you’re on the conservative side.


Don’t mistake conservative for boring. Choosing an old-fashioned name is also on trend right now, so it’s a way to be in fashion without going over the top. For parents, their own names sound boring, the baby’s grandparents’ names are old, but the great-grandparents’ names go far enough back that they actually sound fresh again. This is why names like Emma, Amelia, Jacob, and Lillian came back into popularity.

These names stand apart from the pack, but they’re not made up and they don’t sound weird to others. Although names like Ava and Emily are in the Top 10, most of the old-fashioned names are not used on a regular basis, so the child is standing out. They’re trendy, but in a safe way.

3.  If you choose a creative spelling, you dare to be different.


Many parents are taking a traditional name and putting their own spin on it by changing the spelling. We see extra vowels, silent H’s, and Y’s where there would traditionally be an “I” or an “E” (think Aayden, Khate, Rhyan).

But this technique can backfire. Parents say they want a unique name, but not something so wild that the kid will be made fun of, so they think this is a good alternative. But you’re actually burdening your child with having to spell her name for people the rest of her life. When it comes to using a different spelling, it’s best to be cautious. It’s one thing to decide whether to spell Alison with one L or two, but choosing a spelling like Allysynn will likely just lead to confusion for others and possible embarrassment for your child.

4.  If you choose a family name, you’re sentimental.

Celeb baby names: Charlie (Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O’Connell’s daughter is named after his brother), Vivienne Marcheline (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s daughter shares her middle name with her maternal grandmother), Ava (Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe’s daughter is named after his grandmother).

People aren’t going to ask you about it, so they won’t know it’s a family name unless you tell them. That could be why these types of names have lost some steam in recent years. But you can be creative while also honoring a beloved family member. Will and Jada Smith’s kids as examples: son Jaden was named for his mom; daughter Willow is a play on her dad’s name. Put a twist on a traditional name and give it a more modern flair.

5.  A pop culture name means you’re looking for a confidence boost.


The names Bella and Edward have been moving up the ranks with the success of Twilight, and even celebrities use their child’s first name to honor a favorite star: Mariah Carey recently named her daughter Monroe after Marilyn, Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher named his son Lennon after John, and Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O’Connell’s daughter Dolly is named after mom’s favorite singer, Dolly Parton.

Many who name their child after a celebrity are speaking to their own desire for optimal fame. For instance, Mariah Carey has struggled a great deal during her career with her self-image, etc. No doubt in her mind she has held favorites stars of the past in high esteem, so in naming her daughter Monroe, she is paying homage to that admiration.

These are also celebrity watchers who name their babies either after celebrities or after the names that celebrities have given their babies. We’ve seen more babies named Shiloh (Angelina Jolie) and Coco (Courteney Cox.)

6.  If you name your child after a destination, you’re adventurous.


These names often have a lot of meaning for parents. It can be where they met, spent their honeymoon, or even where the child was conceived. And this is their way of making sure their baby is given a bit of that particular place’s personality. These names also send out a signal to others that the parents are worldly travelers. After all, if you name your little one London, people are going to ask (or simply assume) that you’ve spent some time there. So the name serves as a way to show off some of your personal adventures while also giving your child an exotic and unusual name.

7.  If you go with a unisex name, you focus on success.


A couple recently made headlines when they named their baby Storm, and then decided they weren’t going to divulge the child’s sex to family and friends after it was born. This is an extreme case, but names like Dakota, Riley, and Avery are choices for parents who want to give their child a strong but gender-neutral name. Many parents of girls do this because they think it will give her an advantage later on in life. Those names have a more assertive, aggressive quality they feel will make her more successful as she grows up.

But unisex names can have the opposite effect in the technology age. People are communicating more and more over email and the Internet, and others can’t tell whether they’re talking to a man or a woman. Many people with unisex names eventually alter it so that it’s clear which gender they are.

Did you choose an unusual name for your baby?  Why did you chose it?

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