Additional Online Resources
About.com
About.com offers the history and pronunciation of Chinese baby names and Chinese written characters. It also provides links on how to transliterate Western names into Chinese characters.
Baby Name Guide
Baby Name Guide has a searchable database of more than 18,000 names, sorted by name origin or theme, like Arabic, Celtic, or Floral. Each name entry includes information about gender, meaning, and origin, and can be saved to a personal favorites list.
BabyNames.com
This database of more than 6,500 names includes meaning and origin. For many names there is a pronunciation sound file and famous namesakes. There is also a favorites list, message board, online comics, and a personalized naming service for the indecisive.
Baby Names India
This list of Indian and Hindu baby names are arranged alphabetically. The site gives general meanings and has parenting articles and reviews of baby name books.
Baby Name Network
In addition to a growing list of baby names that includes information about meaning, origin, popularity, and famous namesakes, this site has a pregnancy calculator, a calendar, and an easy way to browse by gender, origin, or first letter.
Baby Name World
Provides lists on names by origin including more than 150 Arabic names, 25-plus Russian names, nearly 500 Greek names, as well as Scottish, Hawaiian, Italian, Spanish, Hebrew, Celtic, French, African.
The Baby Namer
Boasting over 100,000 names, meanings, and origins, The Baby Namer allows you to browse names not only by origin but under headings such as Celebrity, Nature, Unisex, Classic, and more. Entries include meaning, origin, alternate spellings, nicknames, and suggested middle names.
Babynamer on Oxygen
Oxygen Media cable television network's "Babynamer" has more than 23,000 names in its searchable database. Name entries include origin, nicknames, alternate spellings, and popularity. The "Try It Out" function allows you to view how a first, middle, and last name appear together in different combinations and variations, with sound files for some names.
Baby Names of Ireland
A resource for 200 Irish baby names, including pronunciation guide, sound file, meaning, usage, and English equivalents for each name. There is also a list of Irish naming traditions, and retellings of several Irish legends. The biggest draw, however, is that Frank McCourt, author of "Angela's Ashes," provides audio narration, and with those unusual Gaelic spellings, it really helps to hear the names said out loud by a native speaker.
BabyNamesWorld
This site features more than 11,000 baby names searchable using a number of criteria, including origin, length, and popularity. You can also view top names by year going back to 1990, save names to a favorites list, and post messages on their forums.
BabyZone
In addition to search and browse features, this site contains an archive of articles and lists to help you get ideas for your baby's name. Name entries include origin, meaning, and sometimes alternate spellings and nicknames. There is also a discussion forum and a favorites "basket."
Behind the Name
This Web site provides information on etymologies and history of first names from around the world. Some entries have phonetic pronunciation help. Names can be browsed or searched by linguistic or ethnic origin, as well as by categories such as history, literature, and mythology. Just for fun, there are lists of namesakes, anagram names, names for twins, and a helpful online forum where you can chat with people about their names—especially helpful if you want to see what a real live person thinks about growing up with the name you're about to bequeath to your child.
bubbaboo
Bubbaboo has thousands of names and meanings, searchable by origin, gender, or first letter. The site also includes a pregnancy calculator and a list of shopping and information links.
Celtic Names of the British Isles
Here is a listing of male and female names from different regions of the British Isles and Brittany, with meanings, alternate forms, and a separate pronunciation guide for each language. There are also lists of surnames, saints' feast days, and a names forum.
German Names
A list of popular German names for boys and girls, but without any definitions or pronunciation guides.
Hawaiian Shop
Here you'll find hundreds of English-to-Hawaiian name translations, plus (even more helpful) pronunciation advice for saying Hawaiian names and using the Hawaiian alphabet.
Indian Baby Names
An alphabetical compilation of baby names from India and their Sanskrit meanings, chiefly Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain names.
Japan-Guide.com
Contained within this guide Web site is a resource to search for names and information on Japanese baby naming customs as well as a long list of names.
Jewish Baby Names.net
Learn the custom of giving your baby a Hebrew name in addition to his or her given name. Find out about rituals and ceremonies for newborns in the Jewish tradition. Presents the issues in choosing a traditional Jewish name.
The Name Machine
Type in a name and the site creates a fever chart on the popularity of the name over the last 102 years, utilizing data from the Social Security's 1000 most popular names.
Parenthood.com
Search for baby names by specific name, meaning, origin, or gender, or just browse the alphabetical listing. There are also listings of most popular names by state and a handful of articles on choosing the right name for your baby.
Persian/Iranian Names
This site lists boys' and girls' names and their meanings, and includes a list of "ancient" names that go back centuries and aren't used much anymore.
Talk Islam
This is a source for many names derived from Muslim, Arabic, Persian, and Turkish culture. The site has a glossary of Islamic terms and offers guidelines on what would be considered forbidden names.
U.S. Social Security Administration
This governmental Web site tracks the popularity of baby names according to applications for Social Security cards. Since this is where most of the names in this book come from, you can quickly type in a name you like from our list and find out whether it's been gaining or losing popularity in the last 15 years. You can also look back through the decades to see which names came out on top for the last 100 years.
The Utah Baby Namer
Tracks the decidedly different names that members of the Mormon Church give children.
WeddingVendors.com
This listing of 30,000 baby names can be searched using a number of criteria including meaning, ethnic origin, and gender. You can also browse the most popular names by year, first letter, or origin from African to Yiddish.
*Disclaimer: We have no involvement in these Web sites and can't guarantee the accuracy or even the continued existence of these sources of information. We also have no idea whether these sites contain cookies or viruses and you should approach them as you would any Web site on the public Internet.
About.com offers the history and pronunciation of Chinese baby names and Chinese written characters. It also provides links on how to transliterate Western names into Chinese characters.
Baby Name Guide
Baby Name Guide has a searchable database of more than 18,000 names, sorted by name origin or theme, like Arabic, Celtic, or Floral. Each name entry includes information about gender, meaning, and origin, and can be saved to a personal favorites list.
BabyNames.com
This database of more than 6,500 names includes meaning and origin. For many names there is a pronunciation sound file and famous namesakes. There is also a favorites list, message board, online comics, and a personalized naming service for the indecisive.
Baby Names India
This list of Indian and Hindu baby names are arranged alphabetically. The site gives general meanings and has parenting articles and reviews of baby name books.
Baby Name Network
In addition to a growing list of baby names that includes information about meaning, origin, popularity, and famous namesakes, this site has a pregnancy calculator, a calendar, and an easy way to browse by gender, origin, or first letter.
Baby Name World
Provides lists on names by origin including more than 150 Arabic names, 25-plus Russian names, nearly 500 Greek names, as well as Scottish, Hawaiian, Italian, Spanish, Hebrew, Celtic, French, African.
The Baby Namer
Boasting over 100,000 names, meanings, and origins, The Baby Namer allows you to browse names not only by origin but under headings such as Celebrity, Nature, Unisex, Classic, and more. Entries include meaning, origin, alternate spellings, nicknames, and suggested middle names.
Babynamer on Oxygen
Oxygen Media cable television network's "Babynamer" has more than 23,000 names in its searchable database. Name entries include origin, nicknames, alternate spellings, and popularity. The "Try It Out" function allows you to view how a first, middle, and last name appear together in different combinations and variations, with sound files for some names.
Baby Names of Ireland
A resource for 200 Irish baby names, including pronunciation guide, sound file, meaning, usage, and English equivalents for each name. There is also a list of Irish naming traditions, and retellings of several Irish legends. The biggest draw, however, is that Frank McCourt, author of "Angela's Ashes," provides audio narration, and with those unusual Gaelic spellings, it really helps to hear the names said out loud by a native speaker.
BabyNamesWorld
This site features more than 11,000 baby names searchable using a number of criteria, including origin, length, and popularity. You can also view top names by year going back to 1990, save names to a favorites list, and post messages on their forums.
BabyZone
In addition to search and browse features, this site contains an archive of articles and lists to help you get ideas for your baby's name. Name entries include origin, meaning, and sometimes alternate spellings and nicknames. There is also a discussion forum and a favorites "basket."
Behind the Name
This Web site provides information on etymologies and history of first names from around the world. Some entries have phonetic pronunciation help. Names can be browsed or searched by linguistic or ethnic origin, as well as by categories such as history, literature, and mythology. Just for fun, there are lists of namesakes, anagram names, names for twins, and a helpful online forum where you can chat with people about their names—especially helpful if you want to see what a real live person thinks about growing up with the name you're about to bequeath to your child.
bubbaboo
Bubbaboo has thousands of names and meanings, searchable by origin, gender, or first letter. The site also includes a pregnancy calculator and a list of shopping and information links.
Celtic Names of the British Isles
Here is a listing of male and female names from different regions of the British Isles and Brittany, with meanings, alternate forms, and a separate pronunciation guide for each language. There are also lists of surnames, saints' feast days, and a names forum.
German Names
A list of popular German names for boys and girls, but without any definitions or pronunciation guides.
Hawaiian Shop
Here you'll find hundreds of English-to-Hawaiian name translations, plus (even more helpful) pronunciation advice for saying Hawaiian names and using the Hawaiian alphabet.
Indian Baby Names
An alphabetical compilation of baby names from India and their Sanskrit meanings, chiefly Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain names.
Japan-Guide.com
Contained within this guide Web site is a resource to search for names and information on Japanese baby naming customs as well as a long list of names.
Jewish Baby Names.net
Learn the custom of giving your baby a Hebrew name in addition to his or her given name. Find out about rituals and ceremonies for newborns in the Jewish tradition. Presents the issues in choosing a traditional Jewish name.
The Name Machine
Type in a name and the site creates a fever chart on the popularity of the name over the last 102 years, utilizing data from the Social Security's 1000 most popular names.
Parenthood.com
Search for baby names by specific name, meaning, origin, or gender, or just browse the alphabetical listing. There are also listings of most popular names by state and a handful of articles on choosing the right name for your baby.
Persian/Iranian Names
This site lists boys' and girls' names and their meanings, and includes a list of "ancient" names that go back centuries and aren't used much anymore.
Talk Islam
This is a source for many names derived from Muslim, Arabic, Persian, and Turkish culture. The site has a glossary of Islamic terms and offers guidelines on what would be considered forbidden names.
U.S. Social Security Administration
This governmental Web site tracks the popularity of baby names according to applications for Social Security cards. Since this is where most of the names in this book come from, you can quickly type in a name you like from our list and find out whether it's been gaining or losing popularity in the last 15 years. You can also look back through the decades to see which names came out on top for the last 100 years.
The Utah Baby Namer
Tracks the decidedly different names that members of the Mormon Church give children.
WeddingVendors.com
This listing of 30,000 baby names can be searched using a number of criteria including meaning, ethnic origin, and gender. You can also browse the most popular names by year, first letter, or origin from African to Yiddish.
*Disclaimer: We have no involvement in these Web sites and can't guarantee the accuracy or even the continued existence of these sources of information. We also have no idea whether these sites contain cookies or viruses and you should approach them as you would any Web site on the public Internet.
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