What's in a name

So I was listening to my favorite podcast Jumping Monkeys, and the guest on the epidose I was just listening to was the author of the book "The Baby Name Wizard". Now this is my favorite book for picking names, given that Larry and I are each engineers it has a graph for each name showing the popularity over time, and I have to say, this satisfies a lot of our inner geek. But I also like the way she shows similar in genre names for girls and boys so if you find one you like but something stops you from making it your favorite, you can continue on to other similar names.

A few things I found interesting. First she said "when you hear a name, you hear a culture that is formed by all the people who have worn that name for generations". I found this really interesting. As a parent picking names, I think I obsessed about it being too popular, but not about who has worn it before. Yet when we hear a name, all we remember is that kid in the 6th grade we didn't like or our Aunt who made a special pie... someone who has worn the name...
I also thought it was interesting that today parents are all seeking for different and unique names, thus those are the names that are the most popular, and the traditionally popular names are not as popular. Also when a name is popular it is used by a much lower frequency becuase of the larger number of names.

Check it out for yourself, and check out her Baby Name Voyager to look up your own name. Please comment and let me know your thoughts!!

Here is Erica (they don't have a graph for Eryca)

Popularity of names starting with ERICA

Larry

Popularity of names starting with LAWRENCE

Isabel

Popularity of names starting with ISABEL

Ellie

Popularity of names starting with ELLIE

Elisabeth

Popularity of names starting with ELISABETH

First full day of work - most of us survived

Today is Ellie's 2nd birthday. I can't quite believe that she is 2 months old, but the calendar said so. Today I was at work all day for the first time. I was helping on an interview panel, and although I don't want to be back at work, it is helping slightly to ease into it. I got up at 6:30, meant to get up at 6 and get on the elliptical, but that didn't happen. I showered, pumped, made breakfast, nursed Ellie twice, made my lunch and then started the daunting task of finding something presentable to wear. I didn't get dressed first, because well Ellie is a spitter-up-er and I thought it would be futile. As it was, she didn't urp on me at all, but had I been wearing nice clothes, yes she would. I left the house at 8:45 slipping into the office right at 9. Larry then brought the girls to me at 11:15 for my lunch break so I could nurse Ellie. He took them to NW Kids Club and Ellie slept and Isabel ran around, so sounded like an easy morning. Ellie nursed for a full 40 minutes, then was grinning and smiling, seemed like a happy baby. I went back in for the rest of my day, and Larry went home. Apparently Ellie still isn't taking a bottle, so the afternoon was really rough for Larry. I got home and she is much happier, I told her not to be so hard on daddy.

So here is the picture of a milk induced coma for Ellie, I have a feeling we will be up lots of the night nursing and sleeping. Tomarrow I meet with day care and see the infant room and home to get the girls part time schedule extended through January...

A few links for today:

Sarah Palin name generator I'm "Chalk Revelations"

YouTube Video on many reasons to vote republican.

Favorite Daily Show: September 30, 2008. I find the best part to be about 7:30 into it, but the entire thing is very good including the interview with Bill Maher on his new movie Religulous.

Coming up soon: the adventures of my cauliflower puree making experience and my yummy dinner tonight.