Comments on: How to Give Your Baby a Popular American Name

on 11/22/2005 Browsing through the Census figures gives you more scope for names. For example the ever-popular names like - "John", "Mary", "George", and "Tom". Most traditional American names are from the Bible, classic literature, or from Great Britain (though some, like Derek, Honoria, and Perpetua, didn't make it over). Browsing through anthologies can give you ideas beyond "Jason", "Jennifer", and "Tiffany".

Try for names that aren't diminutives or nicknames for some other name. While Jerry, Sherri, Vinnie, or Lilibet might sound cute while you're cuddling your pink bud of flesh, it's going to wear awfully thin when they have to look or sound professional. Spell the name out - Jerome, Cheryl, Vincent, Elizabeth. Remember their names are to be theirs for a lifetime.

Clever idea names, like - Miqqi, Reignbeaux, or Theoline don't work in actual use. It doesn't matter if some entertainer or celebrity decides to name their child Rebop, Lourdes or Dweezil (or for that matter Paris or Pierre, both girls, for the location of their conception), in ordinary America. It's more of a hassle than a distinction to bear forever a relic of someone's bad judgment (and a lot of these cleverly named kids tend to change their names to something else as soon as they can). My acid test is this: Would the name look good engraved?

on 11/22/2005 Athena (Greek goddess).