LilSugar

Would You Rely on Facebook to Name Your Baby?

LilSugar — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:04:10 PST

Plenty of people rely on social media to ask for restaurant advice or their friends' favorite movies, but we'd never heard of anyone using Facebook to name their baby - until now. According to Yahoo, an Illinois couple recently turned to the social network to choose their baby's name.

Dave and Lindsey Meske had selected the name Cooper for their baby boy, but when their doctor informed them that a little girl was actually on the way, the couple launched an online poll - "Name My Child" - in which family, friends, and even strangers could weigh in. From the options Addilyne, Madelyn, Emily, and McKenna, Madelyn won out with 1,310 votes. Madelyn Rae Meske was born on January 31.

Celebrity Baby Names: the Best and the Worst

Celebrity Baby Scoop — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:36:39 PST

We're excited to share this post from our friends at Celebrity Baby Scoop! Every week, we will be bringing you the best celebrity baby stories from the Celebrity Baby Scoop, including this post from Jenny Schafer about the best and worst baby names in Hollywood.

With the recent arrival of Blue Ivy Carter - the first child of R&B royal couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z - we couldn't help but reminisce on the best and worst baby names out of Hollywood.

Who will be the next Shiloh, Suri, Pilot Inspektor, or Moxie Crimefighter?

There's a fine line between unique and just plain cruel when naming your child, and nobody does that better than our favorite celebrities! Let's take a look through some of the best, worst, and wackiest celeb baby names . . .

Best of 2011: Favorite New Celeb Baby Boy’s Name

Natasha Dantzig — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:33:23 PST

It's raining boys, hallelujah! Hollywood saw no shortage of interesting lil boys names this past year, from interpretations of classic boys names to original choices honoring family or cultural heritages. Natalie Portman and her fiancé, Benjamin Millepied, chose the distinctive Aleph - the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet and the Hebrew number one - for their lil boy, while Kate Hudson and Matthew Bellamy went with Bingham, an old family name for their new addition. Bear was the interesting choice Alicia Silverstone and her husband, Christopher Jarecki, chose for their lil boy, and stunning French actress Marion Cotillard and fiancé Guillaume Canet went with the thoroughly French Marcel. Whatever your preference - classic or boldly unique - this year's celebrity parents certainly came up with some creative monikers for their bouncing baby boys.

The Biggest Baby Naming Trends of the Year

BabyCenter — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:33:23 PST

We're excited to share this post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we will be bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Lindsay Weiss about the most popular baby names of 2011.

Drum roll please…Babycenter just released the results of its highly anticipated annual Top 100 Baby Names of 2011.

(Note: am I the only one whose heart starts pounding when I read this list? Don’t get me wrong, I love the names but my palms are sweating because I do not want to see my kids names on this list! Sadly, they are. Darn Kate Middleton…it’s all her fault.)

As Carolyn noted, there’s no surprise on the most popular names - Aiden tops the boys’ list for the seventh consecutive year while Sophia holds tight to the lead for girls for the second year in a row. But never fear, 2011 definitely yielded some interesting trends in naming:

The Anderson Cooper Effect
He’s got a new talk show and, apparently, a lot of ‘mini-Coopers’ too. While Cooper rose 3 percent to number 58 on the list, the name Anderson made a meteoric ascent, up more than 100 spots!

Fist Pump…Jersey Style
In addition, this year’s list reflects America’s obsession with the Garden State, as names like Nicole (Jersey Shore) make their way up four spots while Briella (Jerseylicious), Jacqueline and Caroline (The Real Housewives of New Jersey), and Kimberly (Jersey Couture) all experienced hair-raising leaps. And if that’s not enough, the name Jersey itself is up 16 percent!

Keeping Up With…Mason?
Another reality baby name star to take note of is Mason, Kourtney Kardashian’s son, who toddled up eight spots to claim the number three spot for boys. Not to be outdone, the first names of power couple Victoria and David Beckham are both on the rise as well as that of their newborn daughter, Harper, whose name is up an impressive 34 spots.

The Royal and the Political
Keeping the reality show stars in check is the royal duo William and Kate, whose names are both on the rise along with Harry and Pippa, whose name is up a whopping 45 percent. Moms also looked to politics, as evidenced by the rise of inspirational congresswoman Gabby Giffords’ name, as well as the names of the Palin, Obama, and Clinton daughters.

Superheroes…Real and Fictional
Additional inspiration for this year’s crop of top baby names came from superheroes, with names like May (Spider-Girl) swooping up 98 spots and Peter (Spiderman) climbing 22 spots. NASCAR and nature also left their mark on this year’s list, with names like Matt (Kenseth) and Kyle (Busch) on the rise along with Summer and Storm.

Do any of these trends resonate with you?

P.S. full disclosure: I may need to get pregnant (with a girl, please) in 2012 so I can name her Pippa. Who wouldn’t love to squeeze the cheeks on a little Pippa?

More great stories from BabyCenter.com:
6 ways to stretch your holiday dollars
Homeless by choice family: cool or lame?
Don't tell me about your sleeping baby
9 Hanukkah craft ideas for kids
5 reasons my baby won't start solids - ever

The Name Game: Which Names Were More Popular in 2011

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:32:12 PST

One of the biggest joys and most stressful parts of pregnancy is choosing your unborn child's name. Parents-to-be stress that they won't please family members with their choice, that they'll pick a name that 10 other kids answer to on the playground, or that they'll just grow tired of it in the future. Name trends may come and go, but each year two names - one boy's and one girl's - rise to the top. BabyCenter recently unveiled the most popular names of 2011. Take this quiz to see if you know names landed on the list!

Take the Quiz

Guess the Cultural Inspiration For These Popular Baby Names!

Rebecca M Gruber — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:33:41 PST

Ever walk out of a movie and think to yourself that you loved the main character's name? If so, you're not alone! Pop culture influences all areas of life - just think about the fashion - including baby names. Take this quiz to see if you can guess which names rose to the top of the popularity list after appearing in TV, movies, and literature!

Take the Quiz

Say My Name! Guess the Most Popular Baby Names From Around the World

LilSugar — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 08:31:16 PDT

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." That line might have worked for Romeo, but for most parents, choosing a name for their baby is pretty important. Of the many things that parents-to-be obsess over, baby naming is always at the top of the list. Some parents merely have to find a name that they like the sound of and hope not to offend any family members; others have to worry about the legality of their pick. In this globally interconnected world, names aren't necessarily region or country specific. Take this quiz to see the most popular monikers from around the globe.

Take the Quiz

Recent Deliveries: Test Your New Celebrity Baby Name Knowledge

LilSugar — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 09:25:17 PDT

The celeb baby boom is well under way, and with it, we're seeing a lot of new (an unusual) names! Have you been paying attention to the children who've made their debuts over the past few months? Take this quiz and test your knowledge.

Question 1 of 10

Though not the Pippa Middleton Kimmel name Jimmy Kimmel suggested on his show last week, Jessica Alba and Cash Warren gave their baby which other name?

What's in a Name? Guess What It Takes to Give Your Tot a CEO Name!

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 06:01:21 PDT

Are you raising the next Fortune 500 CEO? On the series premier of Pregnant in Heels, maternity concierge Rosie Pope was tasked with helping a couple select a name for a child, a name that would "brand" their child and lead him to a successful future. Perhaps they should have simply logged on to their LinkedIn accounts. The professionals social network just combed through its data to determine the most popular names of CEOs. Take this quiz to see if your tot is destined for the corner office.

Take the Quiz

Gorgeous Baby Name Necklaces For Less Than $50

Angelica Marden — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 06:03:19 PDT

What's in a baby name? Everything. Naming baby is the first big decision a parent makes for their child and there are endless elements to consider. Once you have finally settled on the right signature, you want to sing it from the rooftops and coo it over the cradle. If you can't be with baby every second of the day keep her name close to your heart with a trendy trinket necklace that spells out your favorite letters of the alphabet.