Article: Halloween-Inspired Names!

Scary Baby Names: Halloween-Inspired Names


Love Halloween? Curl up with some candy corn and enjoy this list of Halloween-inspired baby names!
By Melanie Monroe Rosen



Do you love the chills you get from horror movies and the oh-so-convenient excuse to jump into your partner's arms? Did you make your Halloween costume plans months before the holiday and go trick-or-treating long after elementary school? Fortunately, you can continue to celebrate Halloween long after all that candy has gone stale!



Scream-Worthy Baby Names on the Big Screen

Horror movies are the perfect inspiration for scream-worthy baby names. While some of these names aren't inherently scary, the characters who share these names certainly were!

Remember Michael Myers from Halloween, the 6-year-old boy who murdered his sister after trick-or-treating? How could you forget his escape from the mental hospital to kill the babysitter, a young Jamie Lee Curtis? Despite this Michael's evil deeds, the name itself has been one of the top two boys' names for the past 50 years, according to the Social Security Administration. Michael Myers has shown staying power as well, stretching his legacy for six sequels.

Speaking of sequels, A Nightmare on Elm Street's frighteningly scarred Freddy Krueger's reign of terror lasted through six nightmare-provoking sequels as well, helping to launch the career of a young Johnny Depp in the process.


Competing for a place in horror history is the infamous Friday the 13th, a film so popular that it spawned nine sequels, ultimately transporting the evil Jason Voorhees with his trademark hockey mask and machete from his original haunting ground of Camp Crystal Lake to outer space in the 25th century.

Let's not forget more recent releases, though. The 2002 film, The Ring, adapted from the Japanese horror film, Ringu, has been the source of many nightmares and, of course, a popular sequel. It has also helped the name Samara jump from the 920th most popular name in the U.S. in 2002 to the 365th in 2004.

And while naming a baby is far from child's play, some infamous child-like characters from Hollywood-horror have real hair-raising appeal for horror buffs, like Chucky from Child's Play and its sequels, although its root name, Charles, and other variants, are far more popular choices. In 2003, Russell Crowe and Danielle Spencer named their son Charles, and the following year, CNN News anchor Soledad O'Brien and husband Brad Raymond chose the name Charlie for one of her twin boys.

Damien from The Omen and Regan from The Exorcist would also make for unforgettable choices. One mom from Michigan wrote, "I babysit the little girl across the street and her name is Reagan. She is 2, and sometimes when she gets mad she points her head down at the ground, but looks up at you with her eyes and makes this growling noise -- it actually kinda scares me. When I mentioned it to her mom, she said it would freak her out sometimes too!"


Cunning Cartoons

Animated films offer a wealth of ne'er-do-wells and sinister characters as inspiration for creative Halloweeny monikers.

Don't let them fool you! Animated evildoers can be just as scary as their live-action counterparts. Whether they're trying to make fur coats out of puppies or tormenting a down-on-her-luck young girl, these characters may be even scarier than some of their names sound! Cruella De Vil, and her henchmen, Jasper and Horace, were certainly creepier than the town dogcatcher in 101 Dalmatians. And in Cinderella, who could forget the evil Drizella, Anastasia, and Lucifer, the cat, who enjoyed making life so miserable for Cinderella?

There's also the greedy Prince John, Robin Hood's nemesis in Sherwood Forest in Robin Hood, and Ursula, the seawitch who tortured Ariel underwater in The Little Mermaid. Even characters in faraway lands can't escape the evil clutches of their animated enemies, like Aladdin who is plagued by the crafty Jafar, in Aladdin.



Novel Names and Literary Labels

Movies aren't the only source of inspiration for Halloween baby names. Books can also inspire some terrifically scary baby names, as well as some terrifically scary movies!


Creepy Classics

Terrifying legendary tales like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Bram Stoker's Dracula are certain to get any reader Halloween-ready. But it would be a frightful mistake to forget about Robert Louis Stevenson's tale of Henry Jekyll in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which continues to haunt readers over a century after its publication, or Washington Irving's short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, featuring the unforgettable Ichabod Crane, the Headless Horseman, a frightening piece of literary history.


Modern-Day Mayhem

Stephen King's novels are a surefire hit with any fan of Halloween, as he has spun some of the scariest tales around and inspired some of the scariest films of the century. His invention of the misfit high school student Carrie White in his 1974 novel, Carrie, was rendered unforgettable with the help of a pig blood-covered Sissy Spacek in the film version.

And Jack Nicholson's portrayal of Jack Torrance, the tormented caretaker of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining, was sure to inspire fear in everyone. Gabriel Byrne and Ellen Barkin weren't so scared to keep from naming their son Jack, though, and neither were Kirk Cameron and Chelsea Noble, or Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley, who also have sons by that name.

But who could look at their car the same way again after reading about Christine, Arnie Cunningham's 1958 Plymouth Fury, in Christine? Equally, the obsessed fan, Annie Wilkes, in Misery, terrified readers and moviegoers alike as she tormented writer Paul Sheldon.





Source: American Baby

Josie Maran Welcomes Rumi Joon

Model Josie Maran, 28, and longtime boyfriend, photographer Ali Alborizi, welcomed daughter Rumi Joon, on June 20th in Los Angeles. This is Maran's first child.



Source: Celebrity Baby Blog

Tammy Etheridge Explains New Twins' Names

Tammy Etheridge (known for her role on the cancelled-too-soon show Popular) and wife musician Melissa Etheridge recently welcomed twins Johnnie Rose and Miller Steven. Tammy's Blog, Hollywood Farm Girl blog, explains the origins of the names:

*Johnnie is named after Melissa's father John.
*Rose is the middle name of Tammy's former babysitter.
*Miller is the last name of Tammy's music teacher.
*Steven is the name of Melissa's bodyguard.

Article: 21st Century Baby Names

21st Century baby names
By Columnist Jim Cegielski


When I think of the people of south Mississippi, I think of decent, level- headed people with a lot of good common sense. However, apparently under the duress of childbirth, even the best of people can lose their minds.

This past week, a Biloxi couple, Leann and Rusty Real, became the parents of a bouncing baby boy named ESPN Montana Real. That’s right, the baby was named after the sports channel, ESPN, as well as football legend, Joe Montana.

Apparently, Mrs. Real promised her husband that if they ever had a son, he could choose the name for the baby. Let this be a lesson to mothers-to-be everywhere. Unless you really want a child named ESPN, Budweiser, NASCAR, Ford Tough, Air Jordan, Big Mac or Peyton Eli Archie NFL on Fox, then never, ever, let your husband choose the names of your children.

Believe it or not, the Reals aren’t the first couple to name their baby after the cable sports channel. There is an ESPN Blondeel in Michigan. And residents of Texas have an original ESPN, ESPN Malachi McCall of Pampa, Texas, as well as an ESPN 2, ESPN Curiel of Corpus Christi. Now all Texas needs is an ESPN News and a ESPN Classic and they will have completed the ESPN baby name cable lineup.

Apparently naming your kids after a cable channel isn’t as unique as it sounds. According to those snooty Brits at the BBC, “Americans are increasingly turning to the world of popular culture to name their children.”

In a report cited by the BBC news, clothing and cars seem to be the two of the bigger sources of inspiration when it comes to Americans naming their children. Apparently, there are over 300 girls named Armani. There are six boys named Timberland and another seven boys named Denim. There are also 22 girls named Infiniti and five more named Celica. The report doesn’t list how many baby Maximas, 4-Runners or Hummers are out there.

Unfortunately, crazy parents are not limiting their baby names to clothes and automobiles. The BBC also reports that there are 49 American boys named Canon after the camera and there are even seven kids named Del Monte after the food company. If you’re getting your baby’s name out of the pantry, than maybe you should reconsider whether or not you’re truly ready to have a baby. Can you imagine introducing your family to friends? “These are my sons, Del Monte, Green Giant and General Mills and this is their little sister, Hormel.”

I think that most of us can agree that naming your child Oscar Meyer or Proctor and Gamble is a really stupid idea. However, I still resent the fact that it is the British who are making fun of our baby naming skills. Maybe the bloody British have forgotten that they have a Duchess who answers to Fergie. What makes the Brits think they are so much better at naming their babies when Prince Andrew has two children named Beatrice and Eugenie, and Princess Anne has a daughter named Zara?

Oh, and that’s not all. Famed British musician and Live Aid founder Sir Bob Geldolf has three daughters named Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches Honeyblossom and Pixie. It’s going to take a lot of shillings to pay for all of the psychiatric care that those kids are going to need.

I blame the entire crazy baby name movement on celebrities, no matter what nationality. Sylvester Stallone has four daughters named Sage Moonblood, Sophia Rose, Sistine Rose and Scarlett Rose. At least Sly realized that Rose made a better middle name than Moonblood.

Of course, the original inductee into the crazy celebrity baby name hall of fame was the late Frank Zappa. With two sons named Dweezil and Ahmet Emuukha Rodan and two daughters named Moon Unit and Diva Muffin, Mr. Zappa set the bar extremely high for wacky celebrities to shoot for.

I’m the first to admit that naming your baby isn’t easy, but there is a right and a wrong way to do it. When my wife, Carolyn, and I were searching for a name for our first daughter, we spent countless hours perusing through seven or eight baby name books. When we finally decided on the name, Emily for our first daughter, we were very excited because we thought it was a beautiful name and we didn’t know of any other children with that name.

I don’t know what happened, but 16 years later, you can’t turn around without stepping on an Emily. They’re everywhere. What we thought was a unique name at the time turned out to be something akin to naming your dog Spot.

Fortunately, by the time our second child rolled around, we learned not to agonize so much over the name. Carolyn and I hadn’t even talked about coming up with a name for our youngest until my wife went into labor and we were on our way to the hospital. It was in the car that I told Carolyn that maybe we should start going through the baby name book.

As I was driving to the hospital, we had just ruled out Abby, Abigail, Adeline, Agnes, and Alice when my wife said, “What about AHHHHHHLLLLLLLISON, just as she felt a contraction hit her. I responded, “Well, I think we should shorten it to Alison and maybe we shouldn’t shout it.” As the baby name book smacked into the side of my head, I knew that we had named our youngest. Whereas it took six full baby name books to name Emily, it only took six names to name Alison.

I’m just glad we didn’t have a boy. I’m pretty sure he would have been named KFC Original Recipe Dark Meat Only.



Source: The Laurel Leader-Call

Fan Mail #37

Dear Zen Angel:

Both found on www.growingfamily.com.

The first was born in Salisbury MD (near where I live) last month: Heaven Trinity-Amour. I vote we make a new category of BBN's: Hookers in Heaven.

The other was born in July on the Crow-Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana: Indian Wynter. This burns me right up. Are they planning on CALLING her Indian? As a form of ADDRESS?! As in "Hey, Indian, put down that sand pail and come eat your lunch!"? Obviously they ARE Indian living among other Indians so why make such a big deal out of it? Do you see Polish-Americans going around calling their kids Polish Summer? OR Russians with kids named Russian Raine?

And I've heard of Indian summer, but not Indian winter, and DEFINITELY not Wynter.

Sign me Snarling Starla (who is Cherokee herself and thinks it's just dumb when people name their kids Cherokee, especially since all the ones she knows of who've done it are only Cherokee where their butt hits the seat of their Jeep.)
___________

Dear Snarling Starla,

Being Qualla Cherokee myself...I can definately see what you mean!

Thanks for reading!


---Zen Angel

Article: UK Baby Named After Chip Shop

Baby named after chip shop


When it comes to naming new babies, many parents are influenced by relatives or favourite celebrities, but one Stockport tot has a more unusual namesake.

Eleven-month-old Taylor is named after her mum's favourite chip shop, which she visited every day during pregnancy to satisfy her cravings for chips and curry.

Clare Ricci, 21 of Bredbury was hooked on meals from Taylor's Fish and Chip Shop in Woodley throughout her pregnancy and so when her daughter was born, Clare and partner James Cormley decided there was only one name for her.

Ms Ricci said: "My mum kept saying the baby was going to end up looking like chips and curry. It's quite a story for Taylor to tell her kids and grandkids. My family and friends weren't surprised at our choice as they knew I lived off the chips."

As Taylor is now on solid foods, inevitably she has taken a liking to{hellip}mashed-up chips and curry!

Anne Wallace, proprietor of Taylor's said everyone who works at the shop is very flattered at the honour and added: "It's quite a thing to have a baby named after us. It's unbelievable. Taylor has been coming in and she's a lovely little thing. We may even give her a job when she's older!"

Unusual baby names are becoming increasingly popular, with many new parents taking influence from the likes of Brooklyn Beckham and Gwyneth Paltrow's daughter Apple.

Urban myths of a baby named after Swedish furniture store Ikea turned out to be true and a jaundiced baby was named after yellow Tellytubby Laa Laa.



Source: Manchester Evening News

Britney's Baby: The Saga Continues!

Most recent reports claim Britney Spears and husband Kevin Ferderline have named their baby son Jayden James, not Sutton Pierce as was earlier rumored. We'll keep you posted!

Strokes Guitarist Seeing Double!

British celebrity Amanda de Cadenet, 34, and her rocker husband, Nick Valensi, 25, guitarist for the Strokes, welcomed a set of boy/girl twins in Los Angeles over the weekend. It is rumored that the names are Mitzi Nicholle and Viktor Jamison. The babies join older half sister Atlanta Noo, 14.



Source: Celebrity Baby Blog

Article: Nebraska Not Conservative with Baby Names

Nebraska not conservative with names


The baby names flow in Nebraska from some creative fount. Take Aracely Ruby, born Thursday night at Saint Elizabeth.

From the beginning of her pregnancy, 20-year-old Victoria Lozoya knew that if her baby was born female, she would be Aracely.

Her sister, the newborn’s godmother, loved the name because she really likes the actress — Aracely Arambula — popular on Spanish channel soap operas.

Aracely, the actress, is beautiful, Lozoya said. Aracely Ruby is chunky, with black hair and fat cheeks.

She turns red when she cries.

Nebraska may have the reputation of conservative politics and values, but it’s more liberal and inventive with the baby names, said Cleveland Evans, associate professor of psychology at Bellevue University and highly quoted baby name expert.

Alaysia Sun Rose made her debut earlier this month at BryanLGH East, born to Mariea Pumel and Justin Britton.

“We wanted (a name) that stood out a little,” the father said.

The parents were thinking her name should be some derivative of Asia, since Mariea is Korean, he said.

Sun came from Mariea’s mother, Sunnam. And Rose, well, they just liked it.

The BryanLGH nurses confirm Nebraskans’ creative tendencies.

Fleetwood. Jaxzen. Krayton.

Ryder Rae Marie. Jastacia. Ciera.

And Nevaeh (heaven spelled backward).

But nursery attendant Luana Petsche has an all-time favorite.

Precious Loving Darling.

Petsche’s recommendations when deciding on a name: Stand in a room and yell it a few times. Say it with the middle name. And then see what the initials spell.

Daniel Ulysses Moore? DUM.

Bradley Allen Dinsmore? BAD.

Brianna Uma Matthews?

BUM-mer.



Source: The Journal Star

Contest: Name Rajnikanth's New Grandson!

October 20, 2006

Megastar Rajnikanth became a proud grandfather when his daughter Aishwarya gave birth to a baby boy on October 10.

Now, the baby's name has not been finalised yet. But there's a lot of curiosity factor in Tamil Nadu, with radio stations holding contests to suggest names for the infant.

Now, wouldn't you love to have a chance to name the superstar's grandson yourself? Send in your choice of baby names, and lend Rajnikanth a helping hand. You never know, he might just take your pick!

Click here to name your choice!



Source: rediff.com

Fan Mail #36

Dear Zen Angel:

Seen posted on the Behind the Name Opinions board, it's very recent, as in this week I think:

Banjo Jackson

Jackson is his middle name. He joins a brother named Diesel. What are these boys, the Dukes of Hazzard, next generation?
xoxoxo Starla Roxanne
*******

Dear Starla,

Great. Now I can't get "Dueling Banjos" out of my head.

Thanks for reading!


---Zen Angel

It's a Boy for Actress Kelly Rutherford

Melrose Place actress Kelly Rutherford, 37, and her husband, Daniel Giersch, 32, welcomed their first child, baby boy Hermés Gustaf Daniel on Wed.

A great site with some funny commentary on this latest CELEBRITY BAD BABY NAME can be found on The Defamer.

Name Choices Bring Up Interesting Difference for Couple

COLUMN: Name choices bring up interesting difference for couple


Every so often, Brian and I turn the conversation to baby names.

No, we're not planning on having one any time soon, but we still have fun talking about what we will name him or her -- whenever that day comes.

It's almost a game for us, I guess because the whole baby thing is theoretical right now and we can talk about names without having to figure how to pay for or take care of "Junior."

That will all change one day, but for now we're content with throwing out names during long car rides or late-night talks.

We discovered very quickly our tastes in baby names are quite different.

I like more traditional names, such as Jack, Jake and Ben. Brian likes names that have an unusual twist, such as Kristopher. (I assume because he wants his son to have to correct the spelling of his name his whole life.)

I think Brian gravitates toward the more unique names because he has a more common name. I lean more towards the traditional names because I am forever cursed with "Wizard of Oz" jokes about my name and I rarely meet another Dorothy who isn't the age of my grandmother, my namesake.

Don't get me wrong, Brian and I both love our names and each other's, but I think our preferences are shaped by our experiences with those names.

For girls names we agree on a few more, including Eleanor, Lauren and Samantha. But we also each like names that the other can't stand.

Often Brian will jokingly throw out a name that he would never consider using. That sometimes leads to problems, though, when he then throws out a name he is serious about and I think it's awful and laugh it off. And that usually leads to an angry exchange and quick end to the "game."

But we always return to the exercise, premature as it is, because it's fun to think about having that naming experience.

Chances are, when the time comes, Brian and I will have changed our minds about the names we're dead-set on now.

My mom claims that she didn't know what she was going to name me or my siblings until she actually saw us. I don't know if I believe that entirely, but it would be nice if our baby's identity becomes crystal clear when we see him or her for the first time.

If not, I told Brian we can fall back on my favorite character's name from Dr. Seuss' books: Oliver Boliver Butt ... Wallheimer.



Source: The Norwich Bulletin.

Fan Mail #35

***REMOVED BY REQUEST OF AUTHOR***

The Baby Named Rumsfeld

A great fictional story here about baby names and political climate:

The Brooklyn Rail: He Named His Son Rumsfeld

Top Baby Names in NYC for 2005

Michael And Emily Top List Of Baby Names In NYC For 2005


For the girls, Emily still tops the list, followed by Ashley, Kayla, Sarah and Isabella.

For the boys, Michael is still number one, followed by Daniel, Joshua, David and Justin.

All the names on the top ten are familiar favorites, with the exception of two.

For the first time Rachel and Nicholas have made it onto the list, edging out Brianna and Ryan.

For the full list of list of 2005's most popular baby names, visit the city's website at www.nyc.gov.



Source: NY1

BAD BABY NAMES #39: Let's Get Ready to Rumble!

BAD BABY NAMES #39



THE RUNNERS-UP:


Jollie
You know, every holiday season, some wiseacre is gonna sing, "Have a holly Jollie Christmas!" in her vicinity. You just know it.

Harsh
Wow...that IS Harsh.

Jacob-Thai
Hi, Jacob-Thai. I'm Zen Angel-Native American. Nicetameetcha.

Godiva
From the chocolates, or the naked horseback rider? You be the judge.

Le'land
I'm not sure what the parents were hoping to accomplish with this bit of APOSTROPHE ABUSE...but you really can't improve on a name like Leland. You really can't.

Nafia
A naming tip: if it rhymes with "mafia," probably not a good name to give a baby.

Kreekor
It's been awhile since we've seen a SCI-FI SYNDROME name on this blog. I guess the nerds just aren't procreating as much as they used to. I blame broadband.

Kylie Juniper
I can't help it; every time I see this middle name, I want to yell, "My juniper bushes! Those are my juniper bushes!" (Monty Python reference there)

Trinitie
There are bad CRE8IVE SPELLINGS...and then there's this name.

Rex
Look, people: if it's something you'd name your dog, DON'T USE IT FOR YOUR KID! And yes, this includes Fido and Muffy.



SECOND RUNNER-UP:


Zi'onnala'nelle

Just when I thought I'd seen the worst, the most tongue-twisting and heinous example of a MOUTHFUL/APOSTROPHE ABUSE combo name ever, someone comes along and steals the prize.



FIRST RUNNER-UP:


Ya'Majesty Zaiina

Another handy tip: don't take naming advice from Jermaine Jackson, the man who gave us JerMajesty. Changing the "J" to an "Y" and adding a little APOSTROPHE ABUSE does NOT make it an acceptable name. It makes it even worse...which, before now, I thought was impossible.



AND THE WINNER OF BAD BABY NAMES 39 IS....


Riot J. Thrasher

Oh...my...goodness. What can I say about this name, except: ZOINKS!



Please feel free to comment...

Sports Fan Names Child ESPN Montana

Sports Fan Names Child ESPN Montana


When Leann Real gave birth to a son this week, she knew she would have to follow through with her promise to her sports fan husband. She promised him that if they ever had a son, she would let him choose its name.

Her husband, Rusty Real, chose ESPN ( pronounced Espen) after the sports network and Montana after football legend Joe Montana. The baby was born this week at Biloxi Regional Medical Center.

"We were the talk of the hospital," Rusty Real said. "The nurses kept asking my wife if she was really going to let her husband name him ESPN. She said, 'Oh, yes.'"



Source: shortnews.com

Article: Top 10 Names of the 20th Century

The mother of all baby names lists -- the top 10 baby names of the 20th Century. The top names from 1900-1999 in the United States, based on Social Security card applications for births in the United States. Top 10 boys' and top 10 girls' names.

(PRWEB) October 4, 2006 -- We often see "top lists" of baby names -- top ten of 2005, most popular of the decade -- and so on. Readers find these lists fascinating. Now, based on an analysis from the baby names website http://www.babynamesgarden.com comes the mother of all names lists: The Top 100 Baby Names Of The 20th Century (USA).

This fascinating list, based on Social Security card applications for births in the United States, determines and ranks the top 50 boys' names and the top 50 girls' names spanning the entire 20th century. It was compiled using the same methodology as used by the Social Security Administration in compiling their most popular names of the decade lists, i.e. by totaling the raw numbers. But in the analysis by Baby Names Garden, the time period studied is the entire 20th Century.

There are plenty of surprises: Donald in the # 13 all time spot; and Dorothy a top 10 girl's name, to name a couple. Plus, you'll see some fascinating trends such as the top 10 boys' names accounting for nearly 35 million names over the century, while the top 10 girls' account for only about 15 million names, clearly demonstrating the huge variety of girls' names versus boys' names, going back to 1900.

So what were the Top Baby Names of 20th Century?

1 James Mary
2 John Patricia
3 Robert Linda
4 Michael Barbara
5 William Jennifer
6 David Elizabeth
7 Richard Margaret
8 Joseph Susan
9 Charles Dorothy
10 Thomas Betty


You can see the numbers behind these rankings, plus the full list of top 50 boys' and top 50 girls' names of the 20th Century, at: http://www.babynamesgarden.com/decade.aspx



Source: prweb.com

Jade Jagger Speaks Out on Her Name & Her Daughter's

What’s in a name?
By KEE HUA CHEE


The new breed of upper-class Brits tend to have exotic names like Jolly, Josh, Tara, Tamara, Zara, even India and China. Jade sounds very Chinese. And she was born in Paris. So how did she get the name?

“My mother couldn’t conceive for ages. Then Mum’s friend lent her a lustrous jade pendant to wear. True enough, I was conceived soon after, so mum named me Jade in honour of the precious stone. Too bad she had to give that jade back! I would love to wear it today!” says Jade Jagger.

If you think Jade is unusual, her second name is even more outrageous – Jezebel, who was a manipulator, liar, and murderess.

“Ah yes, can you guess who gave me that name?” she chuckles mischievously.

Sir Mick Jagger?

“Right! Dad gave me that name. Of course it’s kinky but he said I was such a naughty baby, he was convinced I was an incarnation of Jezebel. Well, that’s dad for you. I kinda like the name as you don’t bump into too many Jezebels walking down high street. I am going to open a disco in Ibiza named Jezebel which I think is the ultimate name for a cool club!"

She also has a project named Jezebel which fuses fashion with music through original recordings, remixes and unplugged sessions.

Growing up famous

Jade’s childhood was not exactly typical. Sure, her mother dressed her in designer Cacharel clothes but threw a blanket over her when nosey photographers were around.

“My parents explained they didn’t want my face seen for fear of kidnapping. I accepted it but it was unnerving to suddenly have the lights switched off just like that! I could be watching the ducks in the park or flowers and then whoosh, everything went black.

“Mum preferred me in pretty, demure and dull dresses so maybe that sparked the wild child in me!

“Dad was a liberal, open-minded and easy-going father and allowed me to be myself. I don’t remember him being stern. I didn’t see much of him as his career was really taking off and he was always doing concerts with The Rolling Stones.’’
Mick Jagger and Bianca divorced in 1980 and Jade lived with her mother in New York until age 14, when she was shipped off to the posh St Mary’s School, the all-girls boarding school in England.

A jadeite mum

AT 16, Jade had her first taste of the media when she was expelled from St Mary’s. The papers trumpeted how she ran away with her boyfriend Josh Astor (from the millionaire Astor clan) and hid in his London pad.

She sighs, “I snuck out, got caught and was thrown out of school. I didn’t do anything naughty but the tabloid-reading public expected me to do naughty things!’’

She insists she is a good mother.

“My daughters’ father is Piers Jackson. We never married and were together for about eight years. Assisi, 14, is named after St Francis of Assisi. I visited the cathedral in the town of Assisi, Italy where the saint was born. I was so captivated by its beauty, I vowed to name my firstborn Assisi.

“Amba, 11, is named after the Hindu goddess, an earth mother and a much beloved goddess. When she was born, she was so round and plump. She had a round face and body, and reminded me of Amba and fertility.

“We have five dogs so we are a big, happy family.”

The oft-asked question . . .

What is it like to be Mick Jagger’s daughter?

“I don’t know. You see, I have never been anyone else’s daughter.”

Bravo!



Source: The Star Online

Article: Biblical Names

I ran across an article ("Finding Faith in Popular Culture"), and amongst other things, it mentions several unusual Biblical baby names:


Who loves you, baby? --Biblical names for babies are becoming popular among some Hollywood celebrities, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Consider these names of glitterati newborns:

Aaron, Robert DeNiro's son; Isaac, Annie Potts' boy; Delilah Belle, for Harry Hamlin's daughter. Oh, yes. Let's not forget (is it possible?) Shiloh Jolie-Pitt.

It seems that parents want names that have a "meaningful, spiritual" quality, says Judith Tropea, author of "Classic Biblical Baby Names."

So, if you want to avoid the oh-so-common Scriptural handles for your child, Tropea offers some less familiar ones:

For girls:

Damaris -- She listened to Paul preach in Athens.

Elisheba -- She was the wife of Moses' brother Aaron.

Kezia -- She was Job's second daughter.

For boys:

Aeneas -- A paralyzed man who was healed by Peter.

Nicanor -- He was an early disciple of the church in Jerusalem.

Zuriel -- He was a Levite ruler during the exodus from Egypt.

Clearly, parents don't want just any Tom, Dick or Sally for their children's names. (How about Shealtial?)


Read the whole article at: kansas.com

Fan Mail #34

Hi, Zen Angel,

I spend a lot of time with elementary-school-aged children in a rural area
with fairly low average income, and situated quite close to a penitentiary.
Not saying this necessarily raises the rate of interesting names (fewer
status symbol names certainly), but... well, here are a few I've collected:

Rayvyn - Attack of the Ys and baby goth in one! Double your value!

Acaydya - Partly attack of the Ys, but also a historical globetrotter name -
Acadia was the name originally given to parts of Eastern Canada by early
settlers.

Jordynn (female) - Extra consonants are hott. Or something.

Drayven (male) - I have no idea.

Maggan - Let's try and find the least attractive spelling of 'Megan'
possible! It'll be fun!

Reggie-Dane (male)

Chantzlyn (female)

Bryley (male)

Bambreigh - Poor kid was nicknamed 'Bambi'. By her parents.

A couple names of older people I've run into:

Bryttynie - cashier at the grocery store

Pamie-Sue - girl I went to school with. No kidding.

Feel free to post,

~Chris

**********

Dear Chris,

Wow! Those are some really, really bad names. I think my favorite has to be Reggie-Dane. It sounds like some sort of mixed-breed canine.

Thanks for reading!


---Zen Angel

Josh Turner Proud Daddy to New Son

Country singer Josh Turner has had a great week! His song & video "Would You Go With Me" is #1, and his wife Jennifer gave birth to their first child, Hampton Otis, on October 6th.


Source: Celebrity Baby Blog

It's a Baby Boy for Model Linda Evangelista!

Supermodel Linda Evangelista, 41, welcomeded a son. Augustin James Evangelista was born on October 11th.


Source: Celebrity Baby Blog

Article: Name Your Kids Creatively

Name your kids creatively
Zane Ecklund
Issue date: 10/6/06 Section: Opinion


The intended result of sex in the traditional sense is to produce offspring. Give or take nine months, baby comes sliding out of mom and the next step is to name the little sprout - a task few have enough fun with.

Now if an individual were to take a look at a list of popular baby names, one will certainly notice that a lot of these names come from the Bible. This is fine except for one teeny tiny little thing. If you do this you are plagiarizing God! If you think plagiarism gets you in trouble, wait until you die. This is a joke, so religious zealots please don't show up at my door with a lynch mob in tow. My point is people should be more creative when naming their kids. I mean, you cannot throw a rock into a crowd and not hit someone named Bob.

Probably the best way to make sure your kid is cool is to name them after Star Wars characters. Star Wars (the originals) are pretty much the best movies in the history of cinema.

A word of warning though, naming your kids after Star Wars characters needs to be done the right way. For example if you name them after Han Solo and your last name is Johnson, your kid cannot be Han Johnson. They will have to be named Han Solo Johnson. Include the full name, otherwise it won't be cool.

Another way to make sure your kid has a cool name is to take names from ancient Greek culture and mythology. Odysseus is a pretty cool name. Agamemnon is also a winner. I guarantee that when people meet your kid they will not forget him if his name is Agamemnon.

A good Greek name for women is Helen. Now this name is fairly common today, albeit for old ladies. Other names appropriate for the fairer sex are Athena and Aphrodite. However a word of warning is necessary for those of you who name your daughter Aphrodite. If she grows up and becomes a slut, people will point at her and yell, "How ironic!"

Something else that would make cool names for people are the names of capital cities. Now there are already some famous instances of this in today's culture. For example, the social tick and sex tape enthusiast Paris Hilton. However, no one wants their kid to be like Paris so I'll offer some better suggestions.

Name your kid Mogadishu. For those of you who are not geographically inclined, Mogadishu is the capital of Somalia. Damascus (the capital of Syria) would also make a cool name for your little one. The best city to be named after, though, would have to be Stockholm.

Speaking of Stockholm, maybe it would be best to just name your kids after all things Swedish ? except lutefisk. Sweden is a great place. It is not just any group of people who can make socialism work. Also the Vikings discovered North America, and were honored with an NFL team whose name is not insulting to the ethnic group.

Good names for sweet little Swedish girls are Pernilla, Svea and Agda. However if you're really lucky you'll have a boy. Nothing against having a daughter, but if you have a son you can name him Thor. In Norse mythology, Thor is the god of thunder.

In addition to being named after a god, it would be impossible to fail at life with this name. Even if you were a fat, disgusting middle-aged slug working at Burger King with wispy strands of hair clinging to your profusely sweating neck, you would be cooler than 99.9 percent of the population.

For all you expecting preggos out there who were having a hard time deciding what to name your little one, I hope this helps. I look forward to meeting all those little Admiral Ackbar Smiths and Agamemnons in the future.



Source: westerncourier.com

Fan Mail #33

Dear Zen Angel:

From some Florida birth announcements:

Cyreniti Deseree (a girl) I had to look at this for a minute before I figured out this is just a stupid stupid stupid way to spell Serenity.
B'Lovid Casod (a boy) Oh, my beloved casod! What in god's name is a casod? Or shouldn't I ask?

Plus, they listed some siblings for the new babies, and these included a boy named Touchdown and a pair (don't know which is which but I can guess) called Depina and Cleturs. Call me dirty-minded but don't those sound like somebody's attempt to make cute names out of body parts? What's next: Jenna Talia? No, forget I said that, somebody's probably already used that one.

Bomb Florida today!
Starla
______________

Dear Starla,

I fully expect to see a Jenna Talia any day now, lol.

Thanks for reading!


---Zen Angel

Quiz: Celebrity Baby Names

Celebrity Baby Names Quiz

Ten multiple-choice questions...a lot of fun!

Dear Annie...

A mention of bad names in a column called "Dear Annie":

An-Knei, why can't parents spell?


Dear Annie: I read the letters about children with odd names. In my experience as a parent, daycare provider and educator, I've heard some doozies. But the spellings of names also can be embarrassing and cause the name to be endlessly mispronounced.

I knew a little girl named Jenuhfur and a boy named Jairohmee. I amuse myself reading the alumni journals from my kids' colleges and noting the most bizarre name for a new baby in each issue. I've seen Coal, Teggre, and the many variations on Aiden, Tjaden, Kaden, Rayden, Maydon, Graydon, Braden, Braydon and Braidyn. Lynn


Dear Lynn: Thanks. Surprisingly, we actually like most of those names, although a couple make you wonder what the parents were thinking. Fortunately, the increase in unusual names and spellings means such diversity will be better tolerated. And more tolerance is a good thing. Annie




Source: The Wilmington Star

Article: Parents in the UK Love Bad Names, Too!

Parents put Kofi, Spike and Blade on list of baby names
29.09.06

Kofi, Spike and Blade will be among the pupils arriving at primary schools in four years time, new research reveals.

The secretary general of the United Nations, a reformed blood-sucker and a crime-fighting vampire have apparently influenced parents' choice of names for their offspring.

They have been highlighted by Bounty, an organisation which supports new parents and mothers-to-be and compiles lists of the most popular baby names.

It studied the details of about 380,000 babies born in the last year and discovered a crop of new names, according to the Times Educational Supplement.

For the first time, six boys have been named Blade, possibly after the vampire-fighting film character played by actor Wesley Snipes.

Some 22 have been named Spike, an undead character from the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Fourteen boys were named Kofi which could be in honour of the UN's secretary general.

It is unclear whether the 94 Mylos are a misspelling of Milo or a deliberate homage to the dance music artist and DJ.

Girls have also gained their fair share of unusual first names including Kiki, Bronte, Luna and the unpronounceable Fds (correct)

Some old-fashioned names are making a comeback such as Lucien, Clementine and Bernadette.

However the most popular girls' names remain Jessica, Grace, Olivia and Emily and for boys they are Jack, Joshua, Thomas and Harry.

Simon Williamson, managing director of Bounty, said: "Celebrities, films and TV programmes are often the inspiration behind trends in newsworthy names.

"However over 90 per cent of parents still choose from the top 100 popular names in Bounty's annual Baby Name Poll of 380,000 babies.

"It's no surprise that Jack and Jessica are the top names for boys and girls so far this year reflecting the fact traditional names have an enduring appeal."

Bounty, the UK's largest parenting club, delivers guides and support packs to pregnant women and mothers of newborn babies.


TOP TEN BOYS' NAMES


Jack, Joshua, Thomas, Harry, James, Charlie, Oliver, Callum, Daniel, William.


TOP TEN GIRLS' NAMES


Jessica, Grace, Olivia, Emily, Ruby, Sophie, Chloe, Lucy, Katie, Ellie.


TOP TEN MOST UNUSUAL NAMES


Mylos, Kofi, Franco, Spike, Blade, Fds, Kiki, Bronte, Luna, Cadence.




Source: thisislondon.co.uk/

A Son for Orioles' Kevin Millar

Kevin Millar, the first baseman and a designated hitter for the Baltimore Orioles, and his wife, Jeanna, welcomed their son, Kanyon Edward, on Sept. 25. The couple also have 16-month-old twins Kylie Faith and Kashton Charles.



Source: Celebrity Baby Blog

Article: Baby Name Roulette

Baby name roulette
by Lucky Tomaszek


“It’s nice to meet you, Samantha. I’m Lucky… Lucky... Yes, it’s my real name… Yes, it’s very unique… You feel ‘lucky’ to meet me? That’s a good one, I’ve never heard that before…”


The quote above is my side of a conversation I have almost daily. As an adult, the name Lucky isn’t so bad, but in seventh grade it was a nightmare. Back in 1972 my mom and dad desperately wanted puppies, but instead they ended up with me. As a result, I’ve been making the same jokes and excuses for my name for as long as I can remember.

I’m not writing this to offend my parents (both of whom read my column loyally), but to entreat anyone who will be baby-naming in the future to think about the choice you’ll be making. Naming is a sacred thing, one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. It will affect the person your child becomes for his or her whole life.


The legal side of things


In Chihuahua, Mexico, they have recently passed a law insisting that parents give their children “an appropriate Spanish name.” Also, trying to fancy up a normal name with an unusual spelling will no longer be allowed. The government insists the purpose of this new law is to protect children “from a lifetime of ridicule and legal troubles.”

Here in Wisconsin, you won’t encounter anything like that. We have the right to name our babies anything we like. Additionally, you don’t need to give in to pressure from friends, family or well-meaning hospital staff to name your baby within 48 hours. By law, you have up to a year to name your baby. Your birth certificate can be filed without one and amended later. As an interesting point of fact, you can also change your baby’s name (for free) anytime in the first year if you realize you’ve made a terrible mistake.


So many names, so little time


If you type “baby names” into any Internet search engine, you will find hundreds of sites. Some are simply lists of names, while others focus on name meanings, traditional ethnic names and how astrology should play a role in your decision. It’s a little overwhelming. I recommend going to the library or book store and paging through actual books.

Linda Rozenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran have written two very good ones. The first, Beyond Jason and Jennifer, Madison and Montana, is a pretty weighty volume with more than 400 pages discussing name meanings, spiritual history and people’s perceptions of a name. Their other book, Cool Names for Baby, is a much smaller collection of lists of names, organized in categories like Literary Names, Old Lady Cool Names and Names No One May Be Cool Enough For.

I have also enjoyed the books that spoof traditional baby name books. One of the all-time classics, Don’t Name Your Baby (What’s Wrong With Every Name in the Book) by David Narter, tells it like it is while making an excellent piece of reference material as you’re narrowing down your choices. Think perhaps you’ve finally found the prefect name? Think again.

“Josie: You say Josie, the world thinks hot pants and pussy cats,”

“Oliver: Insurance rates run higher for Olivers since they are more likely to get beat up.”

Sometimes even with the aid of the Internet and several good books, a name is hard to find and harder to agree on. A good friend of mine told me how she and her husband picked the names for all six of their children. They divided a piece of paper into a boy’s side and a girl’s side. Both had the right to add any name they liked, and both had the right to cross any name that simply couldn’t be tolerated. No fuss, no muss, no questions asked. At the end of nine months, they had a small collection of names they both liked. They would spend a few days getting to know their new baby and then agree on a name.


Will they like it? Who counts and who doesn’t


You and your partner have poured over the books, looked through magazines, made the list and checked it twice. You’ve found THE name. It might be the best name EVER. Don’t tell other people until you’ve put it in writing! Because here’s the thing, your friends and family (especially your family) are going to have very strong feelings about it. And they’re going to share those opinions with you. With brutal honesty. Take this actual conversation (July 1995):

“I think we’ve finally picked a name for the baby.”

“It’s about time. She’s two days old. Who is she going to be, then?”

“We’re thinking of calling her Laura Rose for Laura Ingalls Wilder and her daughter Rose Wilder. This name really speaks to me. I really like it.”

“Laura Rose? Really? Laura Rose?”

“Yes, really. Why, Mom? What’s wrong with it?”

“Sounds like a country and western singer. I think you could do better for my first grandchild.”

We didn’t call her Laura Rose. We chose Lena Anne instead. It’s a good name and it suits her. But it wasn’t my first choice. As I said, keep it to yourself until it’s been inked on to the birth certificate.


In the end…


The most important thing to remember is that the name should suit your baby, but not be a cause of future pain. Try rhyming it with a few other words to make sure it’s safe (hint: Lucky Ducky Plucky *ucky – Oops!). If it’s a moniker you and your partner agree on, and one that won’t hinder your baby as the years pass, you’ve done well.




Source: Vital Source Magazine