Baby Name of the Day- Poll Winner: Brody

Today's baby name is Brody.
Brody was the poll winner- Which name is best?

Brody won with a total of 7 votes for 30% of the vote.

BRODY
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: BRO-dee [key]
From a surname which was originally derived from a place name meaning "ditch" in Gaelic.

Brody is the number 70 name for the year 2008 on the US's SS list. Brody first appears on the SS list in 1976 at the number 980 spot. Brody stayed pretty low on the list during the late 70s and early 80s, and was even absent from the list in the years: 1977-78, and again in 1982-83. Brody didn't make it to the top 100 until 2008, sufing pretty low from number 612 in 1992 till 2007 when it made the number 105 spot. Brody's jump was significant within the last five years.

I personally think that Brody is a very nice masculine name. It's modern and yet familar. Brody has a certain appeal to it that has the same feel to it as Logan, Nolan, Wesley, and Owen. A bit spunky, a bit laid back and "down home". It's certainly reminds me of being a bit Southern in feel as well. There is a style to Brody that is very flexable and versitle. I can imagine this name on an infant as well as a toddler, a tween, teen and adult...and even a little old man. It's a wonderfully full sounding name, yet retains a kind of nickname-ish feel to it that's not too formal.

Brody is a great laid back name for someone looking to completement their easy-going out look on life. It's a very Earthy name as well to me. It's not too "hippie" yet not so preppy you picture the little tyke wearing baby Ralph Lauren.
I can definately see Brody gaining in popularity even further over the next 3-5 yrs, and I'm not sure if I like that idea at all! There are some names that are unique and wonderfully origional and you never want to see them become cliche. I do feel Brody will be one of these flash in the pan names for some namers. For true lovers of this name however, it will be treasured for the brilliant handsome name that it is, and will see it's potential as a true classic name, and not a fad.

Middles/First for Brody are so easy to find, pair and love that it's impossible to list all the name I find fantastic with Brody. I will try to break them down into categories to make it much easier.

Classic Style:
Brody James
Brody Thomas
Brody Matthew
Brody Alexander

David Brody
Aaron Brody
Kevin Brody
Nathan Brody

European *upper class* Style:
Brody Charles
Brody Luca
Brody Alejandro
Brody Manuel

Edward Brody
Harrison Brody
Victor Brody
Leopold Brody

Trendy Style:
Brody Rylan
Brody Decker
Brody Peyton
Brody Jenner

Heath Brody
Carson Brody
Kai Brody
Trenton Brody

Predictable/Filler Style:
Brody Lee
Brody Scott
Brody Dean
Brody John

Michael Brody
Ethan Brody
Jacob Brody
Jared Brody
etc.

Some common alternatives for the name Brody might be something like these:
Brock
Broden
Broderick
Brogan
Bronson
Brooks
Bruce
Byron
Burton

I quite love the names Broden, Brogan, Bronson and Byron. I find them a bit modern feeling with a bit of the same Gaelic feel of Brody. Broden espcailly sounds like the more grown up version of Brody. Broden would make a wonderful proper name with Brody as a nickname. Brogan as well is a great name with a rich full masculine feel to it. I like Bronson and Byron because they sound very cultured and refined. A tiny bit more "country club" than the other names. For public opinion of the name Brody please view the question I've asked on Yahoo!Answers about it by following this link:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091227164120AAzvMZj

Overall I find Brody to be a wonderfully delightful name. I do see the down side of this name though as it becomes steadily popular, thus perhaps it might lose it's sparkle. I still hold hard onto this name as one of the cutest names to hit the name scene since the Logan, Owen, Hunter, Mason 'phase'. Here's hoping it's just a fluke and it stays in the uppper 100s for years to come, making it a great choice and an uncommon (but fabulous) name to see.

J. Kristen

Baby Name of the Day- Noah

Today's name is Noah.

NOAH (1)
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Biblical
Pronounced: NO-ə (English) [key]
Derived from the Hebrew name נוֹחַ (Noach) meaning "rest, comfort". In the Old Testament Noah was the builder of the ark which allowed him, his family, and animals of each species to survive the great Flood. After the Flood he received the sign of the rainbow as a covenant from God. As an English Christian name, Noah has been used since the Protestant Reformation, being common among the Puritans.

The Social Security List, lists Noah at the number 15 spot for 2008. Noah first appeared on the SS list at the number 130 spot in 1880, but fell into a decline in the years following. By 1893 Noah was at the number 205 spot. In the 1950's Noah was in the height of its disfavor in the 600's, but after 1968 Noah quickly went from the number 574 spot to the number 180 spot by 1981. Noah made it into the top 100 by 1995 at the number 100 spot and by 1996 jumped 50 spots up to the number 50 spot, the next (1997) at number 38. By 2000 Noah was the number 27 spot and by 2008 now rests nicely at the number 15 spot.

I personally predict Noah to gain in popularity for another year or two before settling into a top running place for a while. I do not particularly care for this name, simple due to the fact that it is very much over used. It's a new "fad" name...one that will fade out sooner than later. As one can tell from it's sporadic history, Noah has always been a bit faddish; jumping in favor for a couple years then dramatically falling out of favor.
I do find Noah extremely masculine and old world sounding. A traditional name, I think it suits many different cultures well. I can see this name in middle America as well as the UK and see it fitting each child carrying this name very well.

I do not like the more modern trend of some parents naming their daughters Noah and Noa. Any way you slice it, it looks extremely masculine and down right cruel to name a baby girl Noah/Noa. Nora/Norah is a perfectly wonderful feminine alternative and I do not see the need for the "fad" use of Noah/Noa on a girl. dropping H's doesn't make things feminine....Mica(h), Jona(h), Noa(h), etc. It's just odd; in my humble opinion, to do that to a little girl.
The accepted feminine alternative for Noah/Noa would be No'ah.

NO'AH
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical Hebrew
Other Scripts: נוֹעָה (Ancient Hebrew)
Hebrew form of NOAH (2)

Derived from the Hebrew name נוֹעָה (No'ah) meaning "motion". In the Old Testament this was the name of a daughter of Zelophehad.

Still for me, Noah/Noa or No'ah on a girl is just tacky.

Middles/firsts for Noah are vast. Noah seems to fit with a wide variety of names from classic to trendy. Here are a few that I find pleasing to the ears and eyes:

Noah Blaine

Noah Thomas

Noah Wyatt

Noah Parker

Noah Sean

Noah Kevin

Noah Gavin

Noah Kyle

Marcus Noah

Bradley Noah

Austen Noah

James Noah

Oliver Noah

Brody Noah

Dylan Noah

William Noah

Justin Noah

Jonathan Noah

There are many possibilities for a first/middle name for Noah. Noah seems to be a well rounded name in sound to fit just about any name big or small (2 syllable to 4 syllable).

Alternatives for Noah might include the following:

Nolan

Noam

Norton

Norwood

Noel

Noble

Norman

Norris

I think Nolan, Noel, Noble and Norris would be fabulous alternatives to the super popular and on the rise, Noah. Nolan has a bit of a "good 'ol boy" feel to it, which I liken to baseball legend Nolan Ryan. Noel is a great masculine name (said no-wul). A fabulous pick for a December baby. Noble is a virtue name that truly speaks of masculinity to me...seldom do virtue names appear masculine but Noble (and Valor) do. I think Noble might be a cute middle as well. Norris is a great well rounded name in the family of "surname turned given name" category. Such a category I am fully open to and embrace even, considering such names as Connor, Brandon, Whitney and Lesley are also common surnames turned given names. Norris reminds me a bit of Harris which I find a bit lacking, preferring Harrison. Norris however has a nice round feel to it, nothing is lacking, nothing is flat. I can definitely picture a little boy with big brown eyes named Norris (nicknamed Norr- *said noor*). For public opinion on the name Noah, please visit the link to the question in Yahoo!Answers where I asked about the name:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091202111414AACdG2u

Overall I find Noah common, over used and a bit predictable. I do find Noah to be extremely masculine however and I'm not totally opposed to the name if it were to be used as a middle. I do not like the "masculine boy name stealing for girls trend name" crowd, and actually find it quite a bit more annoying that usual for this particular name. I tend to prefer the alternatives for Noah as a given name rather than Noah itself, but I can (and do) appreciate the masculinity and history behind this well used name.

J. Kristen