Hunger Games Name
Dear Jennifer,
I’m fifteen and writing a Hunger Games fan fiction. It takes place after the last book and the main character is the daughter of Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen. I named her Willow. → full article
Going Places by Peter and Paul Reynolds
Going Places, by twin brothers Peter and Paul Reynolds, is a wonderful read aloud for children in the early elementary age range. As children grow, we tend to focus on following the rules, listening to instructions, and falling in line. → full article
Crib rockers helps crying babies sleep
The DreamMover baby rocker “gently rocks at the speed of a mother’s heartbeat,” says its maker RoboPax, to “creates just the right amount of ambient noise.”
The company says its rocker “eases the transition from the womb into the world,” to “significantly reduce baby crying,”
The gadget works with all strollers, seats, pads, push chairs, etc., the company adds, and is easy to set up and clean. → full article
Llama Llama and the Bully Goat by Anna Dewdney
If you aren’t familiar with Anna Dewdney’s Llama series, you are missing out! My children, nieces, and nephews have all enjoyed Llama and his drama. Each book highlights a common early childhood problem and, more importantly, how to resolve it. → full article
Grandmother’s Name: Alvietta
Hello Jennifer!
I want to ask you about a name from my family history. My however many greats grandmother’s name was Alvie Etta. I’ve also seen it spelled Alvietta. I love the way it sounds and I was wandering what it meant. → full article
Name from History
Hi Jennifer,
My son’s name is Patton. My husband likes WW2 history and got the name idea from General George S. Patton. Do you know the meaning?
Thanks,
Elindsey
Dear Elindsey (great unique name!),
Patton is an Anglo-Scottish surname.
BabyTech DIY: Highchair for twin babies
This is crafty: take a table and turn it into a chair for twin toddlers!
Using an Ikea dining room table, this father “made a modified activity table for a fraction of the price” of the commercial models he coveted. → full article
Have You Seen My Dragon? by Steve Light
Steve Light has created a masterpiece. The cover of this book gives you a clear indication of the fun that lies inside. Its intricate, detailed black and white cityscape shows only two things in color — a little boy and his dragon. → full article
Will new gadgets result in paranoid parents?
That’s the question the BBC asks in a recent news story — and like most headlines that are questions, the answer is “No.”
Or at least, probably not…
“Babies may feel more comfortable about new technologies than their parents,” the article says. → full article
The Name Hakizimana
Hello Jennifer!
My husband and I recently welcomed our son into our family in a nontraditional way. He is a refugee from Africa, 17 years old. I am curious about the meaning of his name, Hakizimana. → full article
The name Levron
Hi Jennifer!
My great-grandmother’s maiden name was Levron and I was wondering if you may have information about it. Could it be French? I know her family has ties with France.
Thanks,
LAURA
Hi Laura,
Levron is originally a French surname, which is geographical for a family from Vron, France.
→ full articleEmbedding Dad’s Name
Hi Jennifer,
I’ve been a long time lurker on BabyNames.com, even before I was married or expecting. Now I’m pregnant with my first child and would appreciate your help; I love the name Declan and the meaning ‘full of goodness.’ My husband’s name is Clay and I was trying to make the baby’s name more meaningful by adding a ‘Y’ to produce the title “Declayn.” My husband thinks that everyone will mispronounce the name and it will cause confusion. → full article
Creating a New Name
Hi Jennifer,
Well, I like the name Tavia, but I don’t want to name one of my kids after someone I know who’s name is Tavia. So I added a suffix, “anna”. I looked on your site, and “Tavia” was listed as an abbreviation of “Octavia”, meaning eight, and “anna” was listed as “gracious, merciful”. → full article
Doug Unplugged by Dan Yaccarino
When I first saw the title Doug Unplugged, I was able to guess the moral of this story. On the cover, there was an adorable young robot boy holding the plug of his cord and smiling. → full article
Perfectly Percy by Paul Schmid
If you were a very prickly porcupine whose favorite thing in the whole world was a balloon, I’d tell you that you were not setting yourself up for happiness. But in the delightful picture book Perfectly Percy, we find just such a situation… and a happy ending. → full article
