Generation X: Shopping online for Children’s Names

A rose by any other name might well smell as sweet, but would your maiden aunt Gertrude have seemed as fierce had her name not conjured up the smell of boiled cabbage and damp socks?

Our culture has changed. We live in a fast-paced world of online shopping, hybrid cars and virtual nannies. Gone are the days of passing on our parent’s names - naming trends now depend on a myriad of style-shaping variables like earning potential, education level and the age when women marry and have children. Each country and demographic boasts a unique set of underlying principles when it comes to naming and these provide an interesting perspective on the time and culture they live in. Most of us assume that the name we bestow upon our little bundle of joy is the fruit of divine inspiration but in most cases this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Popular media and intricate trend waves influence our choices more than we think.

Take for example Angelina Jolie. Trend authorities await her naming decisions like children do birthday parties. The occurrence of both Maddox and Shiloh as registered baby names sky-rocketed straight after the world got wind of their monikers. Next up we have Vivienne Marcheline and Knox Leon. A breath of fresh air in the midst of a spate of place names (Paris, Brooklyn) and ‘word’ names (Ever, Craven), the choice of these strong traditional names caused a stir in naming circles. Suddenly Apple and Sunday Rose (Nicole Kidman’s baby who will conjure up images of golden roast potatoes and succulent beef wherever she goes) seem a bit over the top, don’t you think?

With naming becoming more and more abstract it is interesting to note that favourites like Anne, Catherine, Susannah and Sophia are still going strong. Even this though, can be construed as a trend. Films like Pride & Prejudice, Atonement and Marie Antoinette all glamorize an era of bygone romance and chivalry. Traditional feminine names such as those mentioned above and sturdy men’s names like Jasper, William and Everett all received a boost as a result.

Baby name trends, much like weather predictions, can only be substantiated with hindsight. Therefore potential parents can never really know if the baby name they pick is truly unique or the result of zeitgeist – a German word translated as “…a general trend of thought or feeling characteristic of a particular period of time.” With originality regularly stated as one of the foremost factors when selecting a name, this realization might be enough to send a few hormonal mothers over the edge. Baby naming books are a dime a dozen, so do some online shopping and check a few price comparison websites before you make a purchase – this will ensure you get the most baby naming bang for your buck.

Further more, one has to contend with the fact that the associations you have with a name might not be relevant further down the line. Take for instance the boy’s name Damien. The name of a lead character in the hit 1970’s movie, ‘The Omen’, it used to be associated with all that is evil and grim. Three decades later this same name carries a feeling of mystery – just the ticket for today’s stylish parents. The same goes for Regan (the name of the possessed girl in ‘The Exorcist’) - once imbued in forbidding undertones, this name is now firmly ensconced in the realm of super-trendy androgyny.

It seems that whichever way you turn, deciding on a name for your baby is no mean feat. It’s best to remember not to get too caught up in the minutiae. Shop around online and get together a list of names you like, discuss these with your partner and decide which naming elements are most important to you. Take care of the basics – make sure the combination of first name and surname initials don’t spell something rude or embarrassing, keep in mind potential nicknames and remember what may be cute on a blubbering, blue-eyed baby boy might not suit the 100 kg man he could become. Oh, and be kind – ‘unique’ spellings may seem like a novel idea now, but in the end it is going to be your kid that has to go around spelling his/her name to every person they meet. That said, best of luck and enjoy the singular journey to the perfect baby name.