First/Last Name Makes a Phrase
Dear Jennifer,
My husband and I just found out that we’re expecting. We don’t know what we’re having yet, but I’ve been thinking about names for a while and really like the name River for a girl. Read More
Jennifer Moss (she/her) is the founder of BabyNames.com, author of The Baby Names Workbook, and Producer of The Baby Names Podcast. Jennifer is widely regarded as the leading expert on popular baby name trends and the naming process, serving as the authoritative source on the subject for national and international media.
Jennifer entered the tech arena in the 80s as a software developer and database architect, and became a pioneer in the Internet industry. In addition to operating BabyNames.com, Jennifer owns a web development agency in central California.
Baby Name Briggs
Hello Jennifer!
My husband and I are looking to adopt an infant boy. Last year we had the pleasure of developing a wonderful relationship with a birth mom that grew up with my sister. Her baby was born 8 weeks early and we got to be there with them in the hospital. Read More
Two names, Different cultures.
Hi Jennifer,
I am a transgender man and one of the greatest joys of transitioning was getting to choose my own name so that I would feel more “me.” I am now legally Aaron Kai. I chose Aaron because 1) I liked its meaning (exalted, strong) and 2) it is gender neutral when spoken but masculine on paper. Read More
Graham or Jared?
Dear Jennifer,
My husband and I are trying to decide on a name for our baby boy. It’s between Graham or Jared. We like Jared because we would use Leroy (which is my dad’s middle name) as the middle name so the initials would be JLB which is my husband’s father’s initials. Read More
Beyond the Meaning of a Name
Megan Swanek @MrsSwanek@babynamesdotcom #AskBabyNames Do you agree that names can have meaning beyond what the name book says?
Hi Megan,
Absolutely, a meaning and perception of a name can be very personal and different for each individual. Read More
Polish Name Roots
Dear Jennifer,
I have always been fascinated by names, especially since I have an unusual name myself. I am of part-Polish heritage and have always struggled to get information on the Polish names that I have found on my family tree. Read More
Soundalike Names for Mom & Daughter
Jennifer,
I recently came across the name Kenley and fell in love with it. I am just concerned if I ever decide to use it if it will clash with my name, Mckenzie?
Thanks!
Mckenzie
Hi Mckenzie,
You have to decide if there would be confusion in your household between the names Kenley and Mckenzie. Read More
Popular and Trendy Names
Hi,
I am currently pregnant and I don’t know the sex of the baby yet, but I already have a two-year-old named Owen. It seems that I am drawn to some of the more popular names, like Olivia or Henry. Read More
Feliz Navi – What does Navi mean?
Dear Jennifer,
Navi (NAH-vee) is a name I wanted to add to my list but you do not have it in your database. Looking up other databases I found different results.
I found Navi (nay-vee) as a boys name, based off of “navy”. Read More
Name Suggestions
Dear Jennifer,
My husband and I adopted a Maine Coon kitten last night…and of course went through the sweet agony of finding a name for her. We finally picked the name “Maya”. I checked your website AFTER we named her and found that yall had suggested that the following names would also please us: Ava, Mia, Olivia, Ella, Isabella, Emma and Chloe! Read More
Olivia’s True Meaning
Hello Babynames!
My name is Olivia Marie and I love your website. I do not have children but I have a very lengthy baby name list saved for when the time comes. I think there is so much in a name; I was that girl picking names out when I was 8 years old! Read More
Gender Bender Names
Jennifer,
Me and my husband are expecting our third baby and are having trouble agreeing on a name. We already have two girls Lydia Rose & Clara Lorraine. I really like the names Leo, Theo, and Greyson for boy names and if its a girl I would like to name her Myka or Hazel. Read More
All about Nene
Hi,
Just wondering if you would know where the name Nene comes from. Pronounced like “knee knee.”
Jess N.
Hi Jess,
The name Nene can be traced back to many cultures: Aztec (Nahuatl), African and even Japanese. Read More
Pronouncing Maille
Hi Jennifer!
First off, let me just say I love looking at your website. I’ve been coming to your website since I was young just to look at names for fun and I love all the advice you give! Read More
Hubby’s Name Choice
Hi Jennifer,
My husband gets final say on this baby girl due in June as I named our two year old. The two-year-old is named Noelle Elizabeth and I have called her my little Noelle Bell ever since she was very little. Read More
