Recently, I read an article in the “Toronto Star” that reminded me of the first time I decided what I would name my future son, should I be lucky enough to have a little boy. I was in my twenties and a decade went by until my son came into the world with a massive head of spikey hair and a smile to melt my heart. Noah fit his name perfectly. I am not religious but loved the biblical story of Noah and the ark. I am a huge animal lover and rescuer and hoped that my son would be too, and having the perfect animal-saving name definitely couldn’t hurt!
In the Star article, the writer interviews a family with four children. Lorenna and Carlos Yturbe, who are originally from Peru, chose unusual names for their children– Arantxazu, Agnes, Thiago and Gemo — instead of following what was popular. They say that they wanted their kids to “feel that it’s special and nice to have something nobody else has”. They have a distinctive reason for naming each of their children. Arantxazu is a Basque name from the northern Spanish area where Carlos’ grandparents lived. Agnes is Greek in origin (this name is actually becoming more common as I know several people named Agnes – maybe they started their own trend!). Thiago is an original Portuguese name. Gemo is in honor of Carlos’ deceased brother. I applaud these parents for not going with the flow and choosing names that mean something to them.
Of course it’s always fun to discuss the outrageously original names that celebrities come up with for their children. Some of my favorites are: Jason Bateman’s daughter Maple Sylvie, Alicia Silverstone‘s son Bear Blu, and Soleil Moon Frye‘s daughter Poet Sienna Rose. And I think most of us know that Beyoncé and Jay Z named their daughter Blue Ivy and Kim Kardashian and Kanye West named their little girl North West.
And let us not forget the baby names that are banned in other counties! A French court has forbidden parents from naming their child Nutella. In the Mexican state of Sonora, the government banned the names Virgin, Scrotum, and Robocop. Hmmm, suddenly Apple sounds pretty good.
As for my Noah, he has definitely fulfilled the name prophecy because he is more passionate and dedicated to saving the lives of animals than anyone I have ever met.
Photo: Getty
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