Names and Trends -

Some cultures have very interesting traditions when it comes to baby name meanings. For example, Hindu names usually have connections with very positive things such as truth, beauty, happiness, blessings, etc, or one of the Hindu gods. In the Sikh culture, girls traditionally have the middle or surname "Kaur", meaning "Princess", whilst the boys have the middle or surname "Singh", meaning "Lion".

An African friend of mine once mentioned that many Africans are given a second name corresponding to the day of the week on which they were born. I think is a really nice tradition, but in my case, my middle name would be "Sondo" (born on Sunday)!! Hmmmm…

Whatever type of name you have chosen, or are thinking about for your "bundle of joy", its worth doing a little research into the meaning. And it's never been easier, with the wealth of Internet resources and books available, including my own site at www.all-about-baby-names.com, which is jam-packed with resources, tips and information on baby names, baby name meanings and baby products.

Your search may yield some surprises; for example, the lovely-sounding name "Malory" is French and means "Bad luck". You could get round this by spelling it "Mallory", but this means "Without good fortune" in Old German!

Alternatively, you may end up a little confused by different meanings of the same name; for example "Leah" is a beautiful girl's name, but what does it mean? Well…

" In Hebrew it means "Cow" or "Weary one" - uugghhh!

" In Greek it means "Glad tidings"

" In Assyrian, it means "Mistress, ruler"

And a final warning: if you are planning to go for a funky, unusual-sounding name, be sure to avoid "Bacia," - its Ugandan meaning is "Family deaths ruined the home!"