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Baby Names You Never Thought Of
8 Current Baby Naming Trends of the Times
By Melinda Copp
Like Maidenberg, many parents are shunning nicknames for their little ones. Although the reason behind this emerging trend isn't clear, kids these days get one name – and one name only – even if the name is traditionally shortened. For example, Nicholas, not Nick; Alexander, not Alex; and Katherine, not Katie are preferred. Fancy spellings of traditional names are also popular, but Corder cautions parents not to get too creative with their spellings because many private schools require kids to spell their name successfully to enroll.
"I've seen lots of kids struggle through preschool to spell these long names, and then they struggle on their entrance exams to spell them too," Corder says.
Deciding what to call your little one doesn't have to end on the first and middle names. According to Raleigh-Durham, N.C.-based naming consultant, Kelly Utt-Grubb, Dad's last name isn't the only option for baby. She says modern possibilities include Mom's maiden name; a hyphenated version of the two; a new name that combines Mom's and Dad's names (for example Wilson and Field could be Wield or Filson); a new name with special significance, such as Carolina if Mom and Dad met there; another relative's name, such as a grandma's maiden name; and giving Mom's last name to girls and Dad's last name to boys.
"These creative new solutions will be especially important to the growing number of women who don't take their husband's name when they marry, as well as to unmarried or divorced parents and same-sex couples," Utt-Grubb says.
So there you have it, Moms and Dads – the hottest names and naming strategies you never thought of. Although the baby name possibilities are endless, keep in mind that your little one's name will take on a whole new meaning as he or she grows into it, regardless of where the name came from.
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