Traditional Names Trendy Again
We knew if we waited long enough, traditional given names would make a comeback, and they are. More and more parents are turning away from trendy oddly spelled names, in favor of old and familiar traditional names. What is old becomes new again.
A name is something we carry around for a lifetime, says Jennifer Griffin, who has written several books on the subject of naming your baby.
Griffin says new new parents should avoid names that are "popular" at the moment, and look for a name that's distinctive and stands out, without being ridiculous.
A sure win is what she calls "a Colonial graveyard name," which has stood the test of time and oozes character. For her, a name like Charlotte - a feminization of Charles - is a prime example of "a good, solid, traditional name."
Griffin cautions against falling into the trendiness trap, and she rejects unorthodox spellings and substituting nicknames for proper names.
"Why name your kid a nickname?" she asks. "Don't don't name your son Jace. Name him Jason and keep Jace as a nickname."
Griffin says parents searching for a name should picture their children as adults, sitting down for job interviews. She warns a name that's trendy today won't be trendy 20 or 25 years from now and it could make them appear flaky and low-rent.
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