the name game.

lyndsay, lyndsay bo binzy banana fana fo finzy.

where do i start?  the name game...

picking a name for your little one...a name that, in many ways, defines them...makes a first impression...makes an impression before you even meet someone.

how do you do this?

so many factors.

take my name, for example.  lyndsay.  not your traditional spelling, but a popular name in the 80s when my parents chose it.  i was one of many "lindsays" growing up and actually had many friends who shared my name...albeit not the spelling.

then, there's jake's name.  or, more formally, jacob.  only the most popular baby boy name for many years...and still topping the charts.

let me go on...

i used to be in love with the name olivia.  in love.  i swore that was my name.  i also felt the same about aidan.  they were both a little unique...at the time.  now check it out.

top names in 2011.

now, there's every version of of aidan out there.  aidan, jayden, brayden, kaden, hayden... i think i have one of each on my current caseload (exaggeration).

i love the name owen.  but it is currently #51 on the charts...and projected to grow.  most popular, so far, in 2009.  plus, my neighbor has an owen. 

how do you pick a name?!!

speaking of my caseload.  then, we get into those names that i do have an affection for...however...how do i say this...i don't exactly have an affection for the children who hold those names.  because of confidentiality, i won't give you specifics.  ...like the 'elliot' who couldn't say his "r" sound and picked his nose and ate it in the third grade.  you get the picture.  and with 50ish kids on my caseload each year, not to mention kids who are just infamous around school...that cuts quite a few names.

then there's this.  menz is a real word (i.e. men's department, men's room).  i also have a thing with pairing other real words with menz.  like reid menz.  and my all time biggest bummer because i totally fell in love with the name: fischer.  fischer menz.

nope.  can't happen.

other factors:  the number of syllables.  i tend to venture toward one syllable names, but 'menz' is one syllable (e.g. liv.  liv menz).  ehhh...doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.  i like a few 'm' names but a first name with 'm' and a last name with 'm'...not sure.  many many names also have 's' and 'z' in them.  pairing that with 'menz', and throw in a kid with a frontal lisp...and you have a mess.  am i thinking too much??  yes.

then jake sent me this article:  what your child's name says about you.  which is an interesting read, actually.  the author discusses exactly what your top name picks say about your personality:

unusual | crave spotlight (e.g. blue ivy)

old fashioned | conservative (e.g. henry)

creative spelling | dare to be different (e.g. zowie...or lyndsay)

family name | sentimental (e.g. ellington...jake's middle name and the middle name of his great grandfather, roscoe)

pop culture name | looking for a confidence boost (e.g. lennon)

after a destination | adventurous (e.g. egypt)

unisex | you focus on success (e.g. kelly, mason, jordan)

i'd have to say, after reading this article, that we fall in the sentimental/focus on success categories.  which i'm okay with.

so on that note: i will share the names that are currently on top for us, that dodge many of bullets i stated above.  not popular and certainly not in the top ten.  not incredibly unusual, but a little unique.  no crazy spellings.  no odd associations.  ...but don't even ask me about middle names.

fine print: the reason we're ok with sharing is because we're not finding out the sex, so either way it's a surprise.  and i know this opens the opinion floodgates, but maybe keep negative ones in your head  ;)

{girls} drew, parker, sawyer, rowan, adler

{boys} brooks, bennett, ellington [eli], owen

and there they are.  but, chances are...none of those will be on the list next week.  hmmppfff.