Q: What makes your website different from all the other "baby name" websites?
A: What makes BabyNameAddicts.com different is we are not run-of-the mill. Not only do we have a rather
extensive list of names (count 'em!), we have a variety as well (from Adam to Lobotomy to Za'netra). We
personally research our names, striving for accuracy. We don't "dress up" or "water down" a meaning to
make it sound flattering (Charlotte means Man, not Feminine, Petite) nor geared to a specific
gender (Madison means Maud's Son, even if you use it on a girl). We have polls where you can leave your
feedback on names, and we include visual graphs to show the ebb and flow of the top 1000 most popular names
since 1900.
Q: I see BNA Original listed in the origins. What is a BNA Original?
A: BNA Original names are created by members of our website, most commonly on our
Discussion Boards.
Q: What do I do if I find a BNA Original that is an established name?
A: Simply e-mail us and we
will make the correction.
Q: I noticed you have the name Helen down as having an Old English origin. Isn't Helen a Greek name?
A: This is a common misconception, but no, Helen is assuredly Old English. Helen derives from the Greek
Helena. Many people incorrectly assume because a name derives, or comes from, another name, that they
share the same origin. That would be like if you saw the name Kimberly (an Old English name), and from that,
created the name Kimberlina. Kimberlina is Modern English because it was created by you, and not used in Old
English times. For more on this subject, read our
Common Misconceptions page.
Q: You have so many names. Where do you get them all?
A: BabyNameAddicts.com receives names from many sources: other name websites, web nurseries, lists submitted
by contacts via e-mail, as well as names posted and submitted by members of our website. Members will take down
names viewed on movie credits, in birth announcements printed in their local paper...the list goes on.
Q: I found some really unusual names on your website. Jello, Dynamite, Placenta. Are these for real?
A: Yes, there are actually people walking around out there with those names. All names spotted by our members
get entered into the database, and that includes the names you've mentioned.
Q: You say your names are accurate, but I have found some inaccuracies. What source do you use to verify
accuracy?
A: If you find inaccuracies, please
contact the owner. If you have
accurate information, the database will be updated to reflect your find. If your information is inaccurate, we
will let you know why. Often it's a common misconception that is easily explained. Although most of the
information on this website has been personally verified, it is an on-going process, and information is being
researched daily. We use many sources in researching name accuracy, not just one. Genealogy websites and books,
etymology websites and books, and other sources of information geared to the origin and evolution of names.