A friends of mine who is due to give birth to a girl later this month recently told me she and her husband had finally agreed on a name for their precious bundle of joy. And that they had made it up.
I braced myself. This could go either way, of course, but in my experience, made up baby names are usually the stuff of nightmares. You smile when you hear them and try not to think of that poor kid's lifetime of explanations, always spelling-after-saying and the puzzled looks they'll get when introducing themselves as Lakynn, Braxlee or Izander in a job interview.
Had my friend suddenly lost the ability to think long-term? My mind raced. She and her husband had come up with it by combining both of their first names, she added. I braced myself a bit more.
Then she told me the name, and I hope the look on my face didn't reveal the intense relief I felt. It wasn't horrible! In fact, it was beautiful! I love it, and I told her so. And I can't recall that ever happening before (for a made-up name, at least). A first for everything, I guess.
Most people are not so, ahem, brave, when choosing a name for their child so they consult baby name books and lists of what's popular.
This year, BabyCenter has come up with a list of the top baby names for 2013, even though the year isn't yet over. I guess all of the December babies (there are two in my house) can take your combination Birthday-Christmas-Hanukkah presents and sit in the corner, because you don't count.
At the top of the list are the usual suspects: Sophia and Jackson. They knocked the 10-year favorites Emma and Aiden from (or near) the top spot. And whether you gravitate to classic names (Olivia, Lily, Noah, Ethan, Jacob) or the as-yet-to-become classics like Zoe, Mason, Liam or Chloe, you'll find plenty of familiar names in the top 20.
Or, you can always wait for the official Top Baby Names of 2013 list published by the Social Security Administration in May. But what fun is that?
Here are the top 20 Baby Names for girls and boys:
Girls Boys
Sophia Jackson
Emma Aiden
Olivia Liam
Isabella Lucas
Mia Noah
Ava Mason
Lily Jayden
Zoe Ethan
Emily Jacob
Chloe Jack
Layla Caden
Madison Logan
Madelyn Benjamin
Abigail Michael
Aubrey Caleb
Charlotte Ryan
Amelia Alexander
Ella Elijah
Kaylee James
Avery William
Find the top 100 at BabyCenter.
See the Zoo's California sea lions perform acrobatic and athletic feats, including Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, flipper walks, frisbee tosses and plenty of surprises. While on stage with the sea lions, the Zoo's trainers explain sea lion behavior and positive-reinforcement training, in addition to the need for conserving the sea lion's ocean habitat.
Young visitors and their families are invited to the Energy Stage to enjoy interactive read-alouds of science-themed picture books. Story times are followed by a short demonstration or discussion connected to the book's main concepts.
Enjoy two hours of horse and pony rides at Castlewood Stables during Parent & Me Pony Rides. Your little ones will also get to interact with other farm animals, like mini potbelly pigs, bunnies, tortoises, a miniature donkey, a zebra and more.
Explore the Saint Louis Zoo in the evenings at the new Animals Aglow exhibit. Bring your family to experience the luminous glow of 50 towering lanterns depicting animals, plants and traditional Chinese elements. Don't miss this celebration of culture and art!
Dinoroarus is back for a limited time at the Saint Louis Zoo. This engaging attraction for all ages features 14 groupings of animatronic and stationary dinosaurs - colorful, prehistoric creatures that move realistically, some roaring and spiting or placidly munching on lush vegetation.