What's in a Name?

I thought this was fun. As I expect two new grandsons, one will be Patrick Joseph, and the other may be Luke.

What happened to the old names? Ever hear of Frideswide [pronounced frid es wid ee] (Patron saint of Oxford) ? How about Arabella, and my all too favorite Hortense? Have you considered Hermine or Fredrika or perhaps Canice? My youngest is Anne Canice. What about the really Victorian names like Gertrude, or Alice or Florence or Agnes? My daughter in law is Agnes. My husband's favorite aunt (left in picture) was Agnes. Dorothea is not to be shunned or even Eusibius for a boy or Endeavor. Such fun. If I had another boy, I would name him John Cassian for the 3-4th century desert father. If I had a girl, it would be Mary Agnes and I would call her Maggie.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Still Mad About Madison
BabyNames.com Announces Top Name Trends for 2006

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 4, 2006 -- According to over half a million new and expecting parents who visit the website BabyNames.com, Madison made the number 1 most popular girls' name for the 4th year in a row.

"It's an interesting name," states Jennifer Moss, BabyNames.com Founder and Partner. "It means Son of Matthew however it is now being used primarily for girls."

Madison was the "English" name given to the mermaid played by Daryl Hannah in the 1984 movie Splash, however it didn't hit the top of the charts until almost 20 years later.
"The name not only conveys glamour," says Moss, "but also power - as it is also associated with New York's Madison Avenue."

As for boys' names, the recent Celtic trend has knocked the traditional Biblical names down the charts. Michael, Jacob, Mark and Matthew are now being replaced by Aiden, Caden, Braeden and Jaden - a recent trend that started appearing on the charts in 2003. What's up with the rhyming? Moss states, "Clearly the '-aden sound' is extremely appealing to the
younger, newer parents."

So, any Apples or Cocos on the charts, yet? "Not yet," says Moss, "but perhaps 10-15 years down the line when today's teens are tomorrow's 20-something parents!"

THE TOP NAME TRENDS for 2006
BOYS GIRLS
1. AIDEN 1. MADISON
2. CADEN/KADEN 2. AVA
3. CALEB/KALEB 3. ABIGAIL
4. ETHAN 4. EMMA
5. BRAYDEN/BRAEDEN 5. CADENCE
6. HAYDEN 6. RILEY
7. DYLAN 7. CHLOE
8. JADEN 8. BAILEY
9. LOGAN 9. ISABELLA
10. NOAH 10. OLIVIA

ABOUT BABYNAMES.COM:
BabyNames.com receives over a million unique visitors a month and provides a database of over 10,000 names and meanings along with parenting advice, baby news and over 40 themed message boards. BabyNames.com is owned and operated by sisters Jennifer Moss, Mallory Moss, Kate Moss Glinsmann, Sue Moss and mother, Peggy "Grandma Maggie" Moss.

Jennifer Moss
jennifer@babynames.com
http://www.BabyNames.com