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. For example if you and your partner have a special place that you’ve shared–for a romantic getaway, honeymoon, or even just a favorite spot–you may want to use that place name for your baby.

Many people will name a child after a favorite fictional character or hero/heroine, mentor or influencer in his or her life.

It’s always great to have a backstory of a name, a story to tell your child that goes beyond the onomastic meaning.

Thanks for writing!
Jennifer
@mossifer
@babynamesdotcom
p.s. You can ask me a question via Twitter by using the hashtag #AskBabyNames

Headshot of Jennifer Moss

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.