Baby Names: Where did they come from?

Couples have every problem what name should be given in their first baby. Some couples have already the idea what should be the name. They prepared it before the baby comes out so it will be easy for other processes. Some look over the ultrasound for the gender of the baby months before the baby comes out. Some baby names didn’t come from their parents but from other relatives, maybe from their grandparents or others.

Here in the Philippines, population growth is in a big percentage as babies born in many places every time. Filipino couples have their own unique way to think and secure the name of their babies. One of the most popular names given by a Filipino parent is his/her Father’s name. In most cases, usually if the gender of the baby is male, his name is really after his father. For instance, Leonardo Perez is the name of the father, the name of their baby boy will be, Leonardo Perez Jr. and the father’s name will be changed to Leonardo Perez Sr. just to do the equal thing. And for their grandson, Leonardo Perez III until they break the record of the longest name used in family clan. Filipinos want to lengthen their names for usage as a title of proud.

Filipinos are very environmental people that they do name their babies next to the nature. I have heard stories that couples name their babies after the name of the storm. When a storm is raging through the country minutes before their baby comes out, couples usually name them after the storm because of the unexceptional experience during the labor of the baby. From the storm Undoy that caused great disaster in some part of Manila, for sure that during its domination, some women are giving birth and surely name her baby after the storm Undoy afte it comes out.

For other Filipinos, they get their baby names after the name of their favourite actors and actresses. They idolize Piolo Pascual, they name their baby boy PIolo. They idolize Sharon Cuneta, they name their baby girl Sharon. Some used many names just like Dennis Lloyd from Dennis Trillo and John Lloyd Cruz, Kris Anne from Kris Aquino and Anne Curtis. In other cases, they also combine names just like Jerson from Jericho Rosales and Gerald Anderson.

Not just from actors and actresses, but from some other icons internationally like in sports like Rafael from the Grand Slam King Rafael Nadal, James from the Miami Heat star player Lebron James, Tigerwoods from the Fallen Golf God, Kobe from Los Angeles Lakers star player Kobe Bryant, or even from the World Boxing Champion and icon Manny Pacquiao.

They also get the names from characters in any movies and TV shows like Miho from the “My Girlfriend is a Gumiho”, Xavier from the character Charles Xavier or Professor X in the movie “X-Men”, Edward from the character Edward Cullen from the movie “Twilight”, Hannah from the character of Miley Cyrus in “Hannah Montannah” and even cartoon character like Taz for Tazmanian Devil in Looney Toons.

Before, baby names are usually repeated by syllables like Pot-pot, Lot-lot, Nene, Pepe, Toto, Mimi and other repeated names you usually heard around. They are actually nicknames but some really owned these names. Some parents give names after them, like Linel from her parents’ Lisa and Ronel, Kristine from Kris and Justine, Jocel from Jose and Maricel and many more. In some cases, parents name their babies the most popular or the top votes after a long survey from the community.