An American who worked as an au pair in Italy found that children there didn’t seem to react so positively to fun sayings like, “No way, Jose” or “Ready, Freddie?” Yet some research suggests we’re primed to love...
Giving your baby an unusual moniker may seem like a great idea at the time. But what if you have second thoughts? One mother of a newborn had such bad namer’s remorse, she poured out her heart to strangers online. Speaking of mothers and...
Ralston in Dallas, who was born in Jamaica and is the youngest of seven, asks about Jamaican English washbelly, the youngest child in a family. The word can carry a teasing sense of being spoiled or indulged, not merely young. It appears in Frederic...
Why do department stores label their infants’ section “Baby” instead of “Babies’” à la “Men’s” or “Women’s”? For one, the Baby department includes more than just clothes;...
If you’d like your son to become a statistician, Martha suggests naming him “Norm”! This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Statistician Baby Name” Grant, I have another aptronym for you. What do you call...
What do you name your baby if you want her to become a bank teller? “Penny.” And if it’s a boy? Try “Bill.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Bank-Teller Babies” Grant, I have another couple...