Baby Names and News Too Good to Miss!

Perfect Baby Names Home : Baby News Blog : February 2005

I keep seeing news stories about the most popular baby names of 2004. The trouble is, they're all different names! What's up with that? Well, the baby names are from one hospital, one town, one city, or one state ... and everyone wants to be first in announcing the most popular baby names of 2004. Baby names are a hot topic right now. There are 988 baby names books listed at Amazon.com right now!

Babycenter.net published the 100 most popular baby names for 2004 -- according to their internet visitors. Visitors got to vote for their favourite names for girls and boys (some probably voted several times). I've noticed there aren't any Spanish names on the list and there definitely were Spanish names in the top 100 popular baby names of 2003 (like Jose and Juan). So this list is definitely representative of of loyal Babycenter.net visitors (of which I am one! ).

OK, now for a smattering of popular baby names of 2004 from various hospitals, towns, cities, and states ... I'll add to this list as I get the news.

St. Cloud, MN -- Emma, Andrew
Flagstaff, AZ -- Jose, Emily
Wisconsin -- Jacob, Olivia
Sioux City, IA -- Alexandra, Madison, Noah, Kaden
San Mateo, CA -- Aiden, Ethan, Caden, Madison, Emma and Abigail

It's hard for me to wait until May, but I guess I'll surive. Then we all can know the top baby names for 2004 for the whole US and also by State.
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Hey ... this is kind of like the magazine with their Best and Worst dressed articles!

Yep, today we have showcased "The Worst Baby Names for 2004"! I'm asking you to please hit the comment button under this entry and just tell me a name or names you think are the worst!

Personally, I don't mind babies being named after some fruit (yes, even Apple -- definitely not Banana), cars (Mercedes -- probably not Honda) and places (Dakota -- not Timbuktu).

I get a bit uptight about spelling baby names with too many unnecessary letters (Bryyce or Ccameron).

I really dislike apostrophes in names (K't'l'n). A lot people spell my name Glennys (rhymes with Dennis) with an apostrophe before the "s" -- like this -- Glenny's. So it could just be a pet peeve of mine.

At Mister Poll, there's a Bad Baby Names Poll running from now until Valentine's Day. If you'd like to vote, hop on over there. Oh yeah -- remember these worst names are her opinion. I kind of liked some of the names on the list. Have fun!
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I made this little piece of software for YOU, for FREE -- for a few days. I'd like you to test it out for me.

I've already told you we adopted five children. Two of them were two and a half week old twins -- close to five pounds each. We only waited seven days for the "big phone call". Were we ready? Nope! We were told we wouldn't get the phone call for at least a year! We only had 1 sleeper and 12 cloth diapers for two teeny, tiny boys who needed lots of care.

All normal thoughts left my mind and it was difficult to remember everything we needed to take with us to bring them home.

So ... I made this little software program for you to download. Unzip it, double click on the .exe file, and then start answering the questions. When you're done, you'll have a filled in list to print off (or save). It's called "Things I Need to Take to the Hospital When I Have My Baby.."

If you click here you'll see what the blank form looks like. Of course, the moon and the baby won't rock back and forth when it's printed!

Click here to download this little software program.

I just thought you might want to be a bit more prepared than I was when you adopt or give birth to your sweet baby (or babies). Use the program now and have it handy as you gather up all the things you need to take with you. You'll have peace of mind that you won't forget anything.

I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think.

This is from me to YOU, because you came to my website ...

Baby Naming Tip:

Names that have one syllable go best with names that have two or more syllables.

I keep seeing news stories about the most popular baby names of 2004. The trouble is, they're all different names! What's up with that? Well, the baby names are from one hospital, one town, one city, or one state ... and everyone wants to be first in announcing... Read Article

Today I'd like to talk about the relatively new name "Neveah" which is Heaven spelled backwards.

How do you think it's pronounced? Nu-vae-UH, Ne-VAY, Ne-VAY-uh. I had always pronounced it Ne-VAY-uh, but someone sent a note to me asking how it was pronounced. That's when I started wondering if I was right in my pronunciation.

After a bit of research, I found out that a member of the musical group P.O.D. named his baby girl Neveah and said so on national television. Since then the name's been very popular. But I can't find how to pronounce it anywhere.

My question to you today is ... how do YOU say Neveah?

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Before delivering your baby, fill the freezer with snacks and meals. When friends and family come to visit, or when you're especially tired, it's easy to make a nice meal or snack by heating food straight from the freezer.

And if you do find time to cook or bake something after you get home with baby, double the amount and freeze the rest for another meal.

Do you have good tips we can post here for other Moms? If so, please click here and send in the "contact us" form. We'll post your tip here for all to see!

There are no sure cures for morning (all day) sickness.

What works to alleviate the nausea is different for everyone. One thing that does seem to apply to everyone, however, is eating before you get out of bed in the morning. Ask your partner, or anybody willing, to bring you a couple of pieces of toast or crackers in the morning. Eat them before you get up.
If no one is around in the morning, put something to eat on your bedside table the night before. In the morning, slowly munch on crackers or toast while you read for a while (this may be a little difficult if you have 2-year old twins to care for, like I did!). It's true you may still feel awful during the day, but, without that morning meal you're sure to feel a lot worse.

These tips have been sent in by Real Mums -- like YOU. If you have some tips about pregnancy, baby care, baby names, baby health -- anything about babies and their Mums -- please Click Here and send us your suggestions.

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The best time to decorate the baby room and shop for the baby is during the second trimester. This is when you'll have the most energy. I left this for the last trimester and I didn't even feel like getting into the car.

Whose pregnant tummies are they going to choose?

That's right ... there's a contest on ... Puronyx, Inc., the makers of Soothies (R) Gel Pads!will choose 10 beautiful "bellies" to use as billboards. Each woman chosen will receive $250!

The whole idea behind advertising the gel pads on the chosen bellies, is to promote breastfeeding. Breastfeeding has many benefits not available from formula.

Nipple pain, especially during the time when mother and baby are learning the process of breastfeeding, is the number one reason mothers stop breastfeeding. Soothies (R) soothe sore nipples and promote healing. They're reusable, they prohibit bacterial growth, and they provide natural moisture to the nipples.

OK -- here's what you do! Send a picture of your pregnant "belly" and a short explanation of why you think it would make a good billboard for Soothies (R) Gel Pads.

Send your photo and letter to:

billboard@soothies.com, OR
Puronyx, Inc. 9853 Pacific Heights Blvd., Suite L San Diego, CA 92121.

If you have any questions call Leslie Sebastian at 1-800-944-4006.

Good luck!

Plain weird -- Kwynncey, Aeryk, Kathwren.

Kids from the kitchen -- Sushi, Nutmeg

By parents who now drink at home: Chianti, Chardonnay.

Oh, oh -- these might be a copywright infringement! Disney, Wrangler, Infiniti, Zenith.

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It's true about rocking chairs. Babies fall asleep sooner and sleep deeper and longer when you rock them to sleep.

The best speed to rock your baby is about 60 soft rocks a minute. This simulates the beating of your heart as it was heard by your baby in your womb!

African Baby Boy Names   |   African Baby Girl NamesTraditional African baby names often reflect the circumstances at the time of birth. You'll find lots of names that tell what day the baby was born -- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday .... Also, times of theyear,... Read Article

This was a suggestions sent in by a mother in South Africa:

"I only made use of a night nurse for the first time now with my third child. What a difference it made! I would especially recommend it for second and third babies as the other children feel insecure and the nurse takes the edge off the pressure and allows you time to attend to their needs too. My nurse was also a paediatric nurse so I learned so much through her, for instance about latching. Textbooks do not always suit everyone's lifestyle. Your nurse can get a sense of your situation and offer you appropriate options."

I know that in Canada I never hear of someone having a night nurse. But I think it would be a great idea! For me, it would have been great when I had twin boys who were just barely 2 and one new baby! Perhaps we can learn from our friends in South Africa.

If you've had experiences with a night nurse, or something similar, please make a comment through the link below. We'd all like to know! Thanks!
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Rules of Thumb for Choosing a Baby Name By Laura Wattenberg author of The Baby Name Wizard: A Magical Method for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby From Aaliyah to Zvi, the range of name choices is dazzling. If you're a sleepless parent-to-be,... Read Article

Most sets of rules for naming babies state you shouldn't rhyme your baby's names. For example, if your last name is Ferry, try to resist naming your children Terri or Sherri. Rhyming names, while not necessarily sounding bad, often provoke teasing, or sound "funny" to others.

However, there is a group you can join only if your names rhyme, which would be kind of fun to belong to.

And -- I always rhymed my kids names to show endearment -- like Daniel spaniel and Robyn bobbin -- and my Mum sometimes called me Glennys the menace -- which I thought was funny.

What do you think about rhyming names? Do you have a rhyming name? Leave a comment. I'd love to discuss baby names with you!
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Ann Douglas says that a lot of pregnant women are worried that morning sickness is depriving their baby of needed nutrients.

Her advice is that you don't need to worry if you can only keep soda crackers and dry toast down. Your body draws upon its nutrient stores.

If you start losing weight and become dehydrated, if you're ill for a long time, or you are a diabetic who need insulin, you should talk to your doctor.

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Some acquaintances of mine, who have a last name of "Carmichael", had the poor judgement to name their daughter "Iona".

So ... "What's your name? ... Iona Carmichael ... "I don't care how you got here, what's you name? And Please ... STOP calling me Michael!"

Another story for the poor girls of the "Bra" family. The first girl's name is Ineda "Bra" and the second girl is Iona "Bra". Kind of embarassing.

I guess it all depends on how those specific kids think about the differnet names.

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We've gathered 400+ African baby names and listed at them at African Baby Names.

Most of these names have the meaning, and some have the pronounciation (the most difficult ones).

These names have been gathered for your use and enjoyment. If you know of any more African names you would like to see in our lists, please use the contact us form to let us know. We'll add them to the collection. Thanks for your help!
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Kanji is a delightful language to learn. Different combinations of Kanji characters make new words, and the young people of Japan put new combinations together every year.

I thought you'd especially like this new combination for 2004:

For another article on Japanese Kanji Baby Names left-mouse-click here (More on this Topic ...)

Will having sex while I'm pregnant hurt the baby?

In most pregnant women, having sex won't hurt the baby. Women with low-risk pregnancies can enjoy sex and it's perfectly safe for the baby.

Your doctor will tell you to abstain from having sex when:

1. you're experiencing vaginal bleeding,


2. you've been diagnosed with placenta previa, or


3. your history indicates you could have a premature baby

Have a great day!

She found him face down in the dirt at one o'clock, his bloated face and body barely alive. Amazingly, when she put him to her breast, he suckled. When she had no more milk, she passed him to one of her friends, and thus it went, passing him from woman to woman... Read Article

I've just finished reading THE BEST baby names book I've ever read. My ddl and I looked at it and we were thrilled. "The Baby Name Wizard: A Magical Method for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby" by Laura Wattenberg is now available and it's only $12.95... Read Article

Two American cities are fast becoming favorites in baby names ...

Trenton is the 181st and Camden is the 255th most common male baby name in the US (SSA statics).

Most expectant parents aren't thinking of the city of Trenton or the city of Camden when they name their boys. They just like the sound and the feeling of the names. Two-syllable names and the "en" sound are very trendy right now in baby names.

Parents also want an original name, but not too original. Personally, I love these names! :-)

Some other cities? Burlington ... Oaklyn ... Layton ... Denver ... Burkley ... Diego ... there are lots to choose from!
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Do you want to have a bit of fun with baby names? Yes?

Go to http://babynamewizard.com/namevoyager/

Click on Launch Name Voyager. Then type in a name and watch what happens!

All the instructions are on the page. You'll need Java to run the program. Have fun! :o)
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I'm glad that in North America it is so easy to register your child at birth.

I was shocked to find out that in South Asia, 63% of births aren't recorded and in parts of Africa, 55% of births aren't recorded. In the Phillipines, right now, there are over 5 million children unregistered children!

At first you may wonder why that's a bad thing. Then you start remembering that birth certificates are the first way of identifying someone so they can prove basic rights of citizenship.

If you don't have proof of that, you can't get a driver's license, vote, or run in politics for your country.

Lots of children can't get free or subsidized vaccinations. And how about going to school -- they can't be admitted to school -- so there goes their education. A child with no birth record doesn't have much of a future when it comes to health, education, and employment.

Unfortunately, in our world, there are sex crimes and cybersex. You need to prove your age, but with no birth documentation there's no way. What if your parents died of AIDS? How would you establish property rights? And child labour laws -- without birth documentation and no parents a child could be exploited.

When I was a kid, I read about other kids who were found abandoned or for some other reasons didn't know when they were born. It horrified me then and as an adult it horrifies me more.

I guess what horrifies me is the exploitation of the children. Exploitation of children sickens me.

Many countries have a long way to go to rectify this problem. Let's hope they have some success as they try to impress on their citizens how important it is to have a birth record for every child.

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These are the names of the first sextuplets who survived in Ohio. They turned one on February 26th.

Imagine having six babies. I thought it was hard with twins!

Lots of people have helped get them to their first birthday -- six dozen people in all -- that's 72 people! Let's see ... if I had the same proportion of help with my twins, I would have had 72/3 = 24 people helping me wash clothing, feed bottles, read stories ... Nice!

At least I had enough arms for the twins though -- 2 for 2 babies.

Jennifer Hanselman (the sextuplets mother) said:

"The babies gradually are developing their own personalities:
Lucy, the bossy one;
Isabella the diva, who was first to cut teeth;
mild-mannered Sophia;
easygoing Kyle and Alex;
and Logan, who's "a little touchy,".

I'm glad they're healthy and happy and have lots of help.

Go here for the full article about the Hanselman sextuplets

January 2005 «  » March 2005