baby names

Having a baby can be pricey, but would you go so far as to sell the right to name your baby in order to help with expenses?

As the winner of Baby Ballot's National "Belly Branding" Contest, Los Angeles mom-to-be Natasha Hill will receive $5,000 for allowing strangers around the world decide the name of her baby.

Baby Ballot will create a list of baby names based on what's trending and their sponsored advertisers, then post the final list of names online on March 18. Users worldwide will be able to choose one girl name and one boy name each from the list of names provided until March 22 when voting closes. The name with the most votes for each gender will be the name of Natasha's future boy or girl.

Read the whole story (heraldonline.com)>>

Would you let someone else decide your baby's name?

When the United States census data from 1940 became available online (amid all the resulting chatter about comparing that decade to the present one), we started wondering how the passage of 70 years has influenced something that fascinates us as parents. Yep, we’re talking about baby names!

Just for fun, we took a look at the most popular baby names for girls and boys in 1940, according to the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) and then checked how popular they are today. The comparison revealed some interesting insights into how our baby name preferences have changed over the years.

Click through to keep keep reading.

When picking children’s names, parents often want something that is pleasing to the ear. Some even turn to poetic conventions, using alliteration to create names and initials that are memorable. 

For example, Circle of Moms member Christina S. named her three boys with the same first letter: Corey, Codi, and Coy. Similarly, Kay S. named her sons Aidan and Aaron.

Moms like Grannia Q. approve, noting that "names with the same letter [are] nice." But Katie G. questions whether the practice is too confusing: "I never understood why people do this," she says. Sydni M., too, wonders whether picking names that start with the same letter is a good idea.

Many Circle of Moms members defend their choice, saying that picking the same first letter for all siblings’ names is not that absurd. Here, they explain their reasoning.

1. The Names Match

Some moms simply use the same initial for their children's names to make the names “match,” says Patricia L., who picked the letter J for all of her children. "I like the J names, so I went with Justin for my first pick. [My] next son needed something to match Justin, so I picked Jacob . . . then Jaylian," she says.

Lee U. is searching for a good S name for her third baby, after naming her first child Sophia Kathrice, and her second Shawn Jacob. "[I] just thought of this so there would be uniformity on their names," she explains.

Sharon T. says there simply was a ring to Kayne and Keith.  Even Nancy R., who did not pick the same letters for her children’s names on purpose, says matching names makes it feel like they’re part of a unit. "You have to admit Kyle and Kayla sound good together," she says.

2. It's an Accident

Not all parents purposely pick matching names, however. Some simply like the sound of certain names, then realize later that the first initials are the same. Patricia S., for example didn’t intentionally pick the letter D. "I wanted my kids to have names also that were unheard of, unfamiliar and different," she says. "My kids' names (Deirdre, Dreanne, Durrell, and Dirrah) just came to me; not really sure [from] where, but they just popped into my head and they stuck."

Dee H. also reveals that using the same first initial for her children’s names was an accident. "I have done this, not on purpose though, just because we liked those names and they just happen to start with the same letter," she shares. "I know you’re wondering how I could not think of it, but it just happened."

Kim says with her first two children, the names she and her husband liked started with H. "When I was expecting my third, we just thought it would be fun to come up with a unique boy name that started with H, and with my fourth, well, hey, we had to continue the tradition." Kim now says the names Hannah, Heidi, Harbor, and Hazel are especially fitting because her family owns a farm, now called 4-H Farms, and her family is heavily involved in the 4-H program.

3. To Follow Tradition

As with Kim’s family, some naming conventions become tradition. Tricia L.’s family, for example, uses Irish names, so she settled on Aileen and Aiden. Kathi P.’s two daughters are named Kristina and Katelyn because she wanted "to do a twist on the Jr. thing," but didn’t want her to have the exact same name. "The K names give us all a special connection," she says.

Following the tradition her husband’s family set, Cassidy M. says if she has a boy, he will have a J name. Her husband’s grandpa is named Jerry and his two sons are Jay and Jerry Jon. "Jay is my husband's dad, and he married Jody. Their two boys’ names are Jayson and Johnathon. Jody's sister's name is Jill, and her husband's name is Jeff. They have three daughters: Jessica, Jordan, and Jaclyn. To think I met everyone in his family all on the same day for his brother's graduation party. I could barely remember his parents’ names," she laughs.

4. It's Economical

Taking a more practical stance, Jody K. says she also picked J names — Justyce, Jayse, John, and Jody — but did so to save money. "Do you know how easy it is when you have hand-me-downs and you have to have your kids' initials in it?" she says

When it comes to naming your children, "the bottom line is that it is all personal preference," says Judy G., who named her children Jada, Jaysen, Jalen, and Julia.  Tina G. agrees, concluding, "It doesn't matter what you name [your children] as long as you feel happy with their names."

Image Source: kvanhorn via Flickr/Creative Commons

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

Perhaps the most significant decision a parent makes is choosing the perfect name for her child. But nowadays, with committed partners having different last names, hyphenated married names, single parents, same sex parents, divorced parents, and other relationship scenarios, determining a child’s last name can be an unexpected challenge.

"What do you think about kids' last names? Should they have dad’s last name whether you are married, defacto separated, single or whatever?" a Circle of Moms member with the screen name "Kel80" asks. 

Single moms especially like to discuss the last name topic. "I am very close to my due date and I am still deciding if I want to give her my last name or her dad’s last name," Kayla O. says, for example. "Me and the dad are off-and-on dating … it’s been complicated. So my question is, should I use my last name or the dad’s?"

If you, too, are wondering what last name to write on the birth certificate, Circle of Moms members recommend considering the following four questions.

1. Does Either Parent Have a Preference?

Generally speaking, your child’s chosen name should be something both parents agree on, says a Circle of Moms member named Jodi. So it’s important for parents to talk about their preferences in advance of the birth to avoid making a last-minute decision before being discharged from the hospital. 

For example, a mom who calls herself Firebird B. shares that a friend who kept her maiden name when she married also gave her daughter her maiden name, with her husband’s blessing. Firebird adds that the husband even considered taking his wife’s last name too: "Not because it's an excessively awesome name; he just doesn't get on well with most of his family."

Charlotte R. is another parent who felt strongly about the chosen last name, giving her son both her and her husband’s name. "There are only girls in my generation of my family, so the name would have died out," she explains, adding that she also wanted her child to have a last name that represents mom and dad equally.

Single moms Chelsey H. and Amanda W. suggest moms consider how they will feel about a name long after the child’s birth. If you are unmarried and your child has the father’s last name, it can create a little confusion for mom in school, at doctor’s offices, and when traveling, they say. 

"Maybe you don’t think about it now, but you’ll have people assume you have the same last name and then people start calling you Mrs. …and then you [will have to explain], 'Oh no, we have different last names; he has his dad’s last name,'" Chelsey says.

"I’m constantly called by his last name at doctors, I always get looks about the different names, [and] people assume [my children’s] fathers are different and [even] that he's not mine!" Amanda says of her son who has her ex's last name and her daughter, who has her last name. 

2. Is Dad Going to Be An Involved Parent?

The consensus in the Circle of Moms community is that if the father will not be involved in the child’s upbringing, then he’s also abandoned baby naming rights. Despite tradition, "I don't see the point in giving a child the last name of a father who is only marginally involved, or not involved at all, from the time the baby is born," Becky F. says.

Candice N. agrees, saying, "If you believe the father will not be in the baby's life very much except to buy diapers here and there, then in my opinion, I'd say to take your [last name]."

Tiffany B. goes even farther: "Your child should have your last name unless you are married to the father," she asserts.

On the other hand, "If you believe the father will be around and will be a good father, then I say give the baby his last name. It will make him feel more connected. And, honestly, he has just as much [of] a right to want the baby to take his last name as you do," says Melanie L. 

After all, "If the guy is willing to sign the birth certificate and take ‘ownership’ so to speak, why not let him?" Keshia W. says. 

3. Do You Want Your Child to Choose?

A good compromise, of course, is to hyphenate your child’s last name using both partners’ last names. That’s the option Montana E. chose, saying she didn’t want her daughter to have a different last name from her, but didn’t want to deprive her dad of the last name either.

Angela V. also hyphenated her children’s last names using her name and their dad’s last name because she says she really wanted her name in there somewhere.

Hyphenating the last name can be an especially good pathway if parents want their child to eventually choose their own name once they are older, or have some connection with the father even if he isn’t an active parent. "You never know when the father may come around," Amber M. says. "[By hyphenating] at least you give your child the option of choosing what they want as they get older. My son is 10 now and I am glad that I gave him both. His dad came around, and my son is proud to have both names."

Hyphenation is becoming more typical in today's world, says a mom named Ponda A. "If both names are on the birth certificate, then both names are to be listed on documents. When the child is old enough to make a legal decision, then they can... legally change their name to one or the other."

Yet even if no legal changes are made, a child often will choose to drop one of the hyphenated names if he no longer has any connection with it. Kathy F.’s daughter has two last names (one from her father, one from Kathy), and used both in elementary school. When she started middle school she just used Kathy’s name on school papers that don’t require her full legal name. 

Ponda says this is a common occurrence. "I have talked to a school attendance administrator who deals with this. She indicated that she sees several of the students [who] have two last names... [drop] one of the names... in everyday conversations."

4. Keep Your Child in Mind

Whatever last name you decide to bestow upon your child, remember to keep your child’s best interests in mind, Circle of Moms members caution. 

"Trust yourself to know what to do: His name, both? It's not about how the mother feels about the father," Kara C. says. "Too many mothers think about how they feel, when it's not about them."

"Regardless of your relationship with [the dad], it's not about either of you, it's about your child," agrees Liz. A. 

And in the end, "It doesn't matter what their name is as long as [you’re] their mom," reminds Lisa B. 

Image Source: TiggerT via Flickr/Creative Commons

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

While many baby names are chosen by parents from the newest trends in baby names, others are chosen for reasons more unique than the name itself. Here are some interesting, uplifting, and even amazing stories from Circle of Moms members about special ways to chose baby names.

1. Honoring a Loved One

Several Circle of Moms say their child is named after a loved one. My own oldest child is named after a combination of people I loved and lost. Her first name is that of a childhood friend of mine who passed away when we were in high school and, like another Circle of Moms member named Leah, we chose her middle name in honor of our daughter's great-grandmother.

2. From a Dream

Mom Vicki E. tells a beautiful story of a recurring dream she had while pregnant of walking through the park with a little girl. "She had bright blonde hair and big blue eyes and she was called Megan," she recalls. Two years later, Megan, the daughter she was carrying at the time, has the same blonde hair and big blue eyes Vicki dreamed of.

3. A Meaningful Story

Leisha C. explains that she and her husband had a very difficult time conceiving their daughter. They found that the biblical story of Hannah (whose infertility was overcome when she appealed to God in prayer) was analogous to the blessing that came out their struggle to conceive. Leisha and her husband now not only have a daughter named Hannah, but also a son.

4. Sudden Certainty

It may sound odd, but I wholeheartedly believe Herding Kats in Kindergarten blogger Jennifer K. when she says she suddenly had a feeling come over her and she just knew her daughter should be named Moira. That’s because it happened to me, too. Like Jennifer, my husband and I hadn’t looked at any baby name books and one day, independently of each other, we each just knew our baby’s name should be Benjamin.

5. Significant Meaning

One Circle of Moms member, who goes by the name Camilla, says she and her husband chose their son’s first and middle names for their meanings. When it’s put all together with his last name, her son Birk-Nesta’s name means protector, messenger, and freedom fighter. A very strong name!

6. Matching Initials

Dixie W. is one of many moms who says she chose her children’s names for their initials. Her son's initials match their father’s, while her daughter’s initials are the same as Dixie’s. For mom Michelle H., the process wasn’t as complicated. "We wanted our son to have the same initials as Daddy," she explains. "So we picked the best name starting with 'J' and gave him the same middle name."

7. T.V. Characters

A number of moms say they named their babies after characters on T.V. shows. Circle of Moms member Lynne B. borrowed names from the soap opera Ryan’s Hope. Mom Gina S., who admits it’s “silly” to have named her daughters after Star Trek characters, says that, surprisingly, both girls' temperaments are much like the characters they are named for.

8. Video Game Characters

Choosing a baby name from a favorite movie, T.V. show or book isn’t all that uncommon, but mom Mia S. says she "went even stranger" and named her daughter after a video game character named Sera. 

How did you choose your baby's name?

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

I had picked out a name for my first born son back when I was in college. I recall being at work and hearing a mother yelling after her son, "Blake!" He wasn't listening, but the name stuck with me. Later, when I was pregnant for the first time, I shared it with my handsome husband and he said, of course, "We'll see." 

My husband's family, of the Jewish faith, shared the tradition of naming a new-born after a family member who had recently passed. I was told that if you use the first initial of that person's first name, it will give them eyes in heaven to see.  

As it turned out, my father-in-law passed shortly before my beautiful boy was born. His name was Robert, but we called him Bob. So to stick with Jewish tradition, we needed a "B" name. Blake fit the bill!

Then it came to the middle name. On my side of the family we have Japanese middle names. However, since I picked Blake's first name, my husband insisted that he should be able to select the middle name. He chose David, after his grandfather. I really liked the sound of Blake David, so was in agreement.  

We went by the same set of rules for baby number two. We started off with my husband's favorite name for a girl, Melissa. Since he selected our princess' first name, I chose Rei for her middle name. Rei, meaning lovely and inspirational, is also part of my mother's middle name, Reiko, and satisfied our Japanese tradition. 

It was really fulfilling to be able to combine our preferences with our families' traditions to create our children's names. But it's ironic that after such careful thought and consideration, my kids really only hear their full names when they're being disciplined!

Image Source: Courtsey of Jennifer Willey

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post about how royal baby names are chosen.

The royals tend to use the same traditional names, generation after generation. This may seem repetitive, but when looking for baby-name inspiration, it means you're almost guaranteed to find a name that's elegant, respected, and, most importantly, timeless.

Related: Ohio Cop Delivers Christmas Eve Baby

With Queen Elizabeth II celebrating 60 years on the throne, and speculation rife about Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (aka Kate)'s pregnancy, the spotlight on royal names has never been stronger. Here we look at the most influential royal baby names of 2012.

The Year of Elizabeth?
With the queen celebrating her diamond jubilee, 2012 is definitely the year of Elizabeth. Baby-name trends have reflected the nation's fascination with the queen. In 2012, the popularity of Elizabeth is set to increase by 264 percent. It's the perfect name for parents looking for a name that's traditional yet feminine.

The name Elizabeth was made popular by Elizabeth I, and it's been a royal favorite ever since. The queen shared her name with her mother, the hugely popular Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. And three of the queen's granddaughters — Zara, Beatrice, and Louise — have Elizabeth as a middle name.

Elizabeth isn't only a popular choice in royal circles; it's also a firm favorite with the Middletons. Both Kate Middleton and her mother, Carole, have Elizabeth as a middle name.

The Middleton Effect?
Since the announcement of her engagement to Prince William in 2010, Catherine has had a huge impact on popular culture, and baby-name trends are no exception. In 2012 the name Catherine is on track for a 188 percent increase in popularity. The name Catherine, meaning pure, also has a strong royal history, with three of the wives of Henry VIII sharing the name.

Kate is a nickname for Catherine, and one that's been widely adopted by the world's media when referring to the Duchess of Cambridge. Debate continues over whether the duchess herself prefers Kate or Catherine. Whatever her personal favorite, she's no doubt had an influence on the popularity of the shortened version of Catherine, with Kate on track for a 260 percent increase in popularity this year.

Keep reading to find out more about Kate Middleton's baby-name options!

It's not only Kate Middleton who's been making an impact on baby-name trends. There's never been more interest in Kate's younger sister, Pippa. This year, the name Pippa is on track for a 633 percent increase in popularity. It's the perfect choice for those who want something a little less formal than the traditional royal choices.

And for those who prefer something a little more regal, there's Philippa, which Pippa is a shortened version of. This is a name with a strong royal heritage. Philippa of England was the daughter of Henry IV, King of England, and was the queen of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in the early 15th century. Interestingly, Philippa was the first documented princess to wear a white wedding dress during a royal wedding ceremony. Perhaps Pippa was following in her namesake's footsteps when she wore white to her sister's wedding in 2011?

It's not just with girls' names that the Middleton effect can be felt. The name of Kate's brother, James, is on track for a 374 percent increase in popularity in 2012. Of course, James has also been a popular choice in royal circles over the centuries. In the 17th century, James I was King of England and Ireland. The queen's eighth grandchild, son of the Earl and Countess of Wessex, is also called James.

What About Royal Names For Boys?
Prince William has always been in the spotlight, but the attention has never been greater than since his marriage to Catherine in 2011. Unsurprisingly, the interest in the prince has seen his name surge in popularity. William is on track to be 654 percent more popular in 2012 than it was last year.

William, meaning resolute protection, is a name with a rich royal past. It was introduced to England by William the Conqueror. In the 17th century, William III ruled England along with his wife, Mary, and in the 19th century, William IV was king. When Prince William inherits the throne, he will become William V. Prince William has always been known as Will or Wills, and these nicknames have gradually replaced Billy and Bill as the popular short forms of the name.

Another royal favourite is George. The name George is on track for a 500 perecnt increase in popularity in 2012. St. George has been the patron of England since the 14th century, but the name did not become popular until the accession of George I of England in the 18th century. George is also the name of Prince William's great-grandfather George VI. Edward is another royal name that's trending upward in the jubilee year, on track for a 366 percent increase in popularity. Edward has always been hugely popular in royal circles, with eight English kings going by the name. It's still a popular choice and is the name of William's uncle, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Edward.

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We lost my oldest son on December 24, 2004. Up until that point I had two healthy boys and two healthy girls; I had the perfect family.

When tragedy struck we were sent reeling. There was a huge void. We tried to carry on for the sake of the younger three (then three years, five months, and five months; yes, twins). I played pretend... how did I used to act before my world came tumbling down around my ears?  I just put one foot in front of the other; that's all I could do.

After Gabriel had been gone for two years, we began to think about having another baby. We knew that no other child could ever, ever replace our Gabriel, but we knew that we did not like the number three. Three is not a good number for children, someone is always left out. We were already beginning to discover that. We began to try for baby number five. Getting pregnant for us had always been so easy (although staying pregnant had not). We tried for over a year, and nothing. We were no longer young; I was 36, still young, but not in terms of fertility. When we stopped trying was when I finally conceived.

I learned the hard way that pregnancy is really best left for the young. I had so many aches and pains that I had never had with any of my other pregnancies, and that includes the twins. When I was 31 weeks pregnant my OB informed me that I had placenta previa and needed to be in the hospital. I had had placenta previa with all of my pregnancies and it always corrected itself, but this time it did not. He told me that I need to pack a bag and be back that night.

I told him that was not going to happen. I had three children at home that I needed to make preparations for. I had nothing in place for baby number five, including a name. I told him that I would be back in two weeks. He gave me a look."You know that you could bleed to death with this?" he asked.  "It would kill you and the baby." I reminded him that I have never gone into labor early, and that I would be back in two weeks with my bags packed, ready to stay away from my babies for a month.

Naming My Miracle Baby

I had been certain that I was having a boy. Every ultrasound said "girl", but I knew that they were wrong. I could feel it in my bones that this was my little boy. His name would be Thaddeus; it meant "God's gift" and this baby was "God's gift." Christopher had planned to have a vasectomy when the twins were six months. The urologist recommended waiting for babies to be six months old before sterilization because of sudden infant death syndrome. The twins were five months old when we lost our nine-year-old in a car accident. This baby was a gift, a miracle.

As I was on the way to the hospital I bought a baby names book. We still didn't have a girl's name picked out, because I knew we were having a boy.  I had lots of time to spare in the hospital.  I made lists of names I liked, then itemized them into number rankings. I would then call my husband and get his rankings. Our top three names were: 1. Elisha - and we would call her "Elly." 2. Lyra - very pretty, but maybe too offbeat. 3. Savanna - we loved that name, but others kept criticizing it.  

On October 15, 2008, weighing a staggering eight pounds even, our Elisha Gabrielle made her first appearance.  Her first name was beautiful, and her middle name was special.  Even though she never got to meet her big brother, she would carry him with her forever.

Image Source: Tristan Lindsay

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.