Your name stays with you all your life, so the questions and decisions surrounding a chosen name are vitally important for parents. Today, I'll focus on one often-asked question: are Catholic parents required to choose a saint name for their baby (or adopted child)? The short answer is "no." However, there are important guidelines to follow. In 1935, Edward Smith wrote in his 1935 naming guide, "It is the desire of the Church that at Baptism and at Confirmation her children receive the Continue Reading
The BEST and Most Comprehensive Baby Name Books for Parents
With twelve children in our family, my husband and I have had ample reason to consult baby name guides over the years. Here is a round-up of our favorites, both in print and online. Name Your Baby by Lareina Rule (the author's name means "the queen") is a classic, first published in the 1970's. It includes the origins, meanings, nicknames and namesakes for thousands of names. A very popular book for its time, Rule's baby name guide sold over two million copies. The first half contains female Continue Reading