Sunday 24 February 2013

Baby name ideas

If you've liked my Facebook page, you will have been finding out about a different name every day.
The names I have written in the sand and photographed so far were the most popular 100 boys' and girls' names of 2011 plus a few other requests and different spellings.
I'll be adding more soon, including names which made it into the top 100 for 2012 - new pictures will be appearing in the next few weeks on www.Sand-Writing.com.

One piece of advice I always thought was good when choosing a baby's name was to put a more unusual first name with a common surname. And to put a plainer first name with an unusual surname.
The names I looked at on my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/SandWriting) this week were:

Alfie was a nickname for names beginning with Alf-, like Alfred.
But now it is a very popular name in its own right and was number 15 on the boys' baby name list for 2012.
The loveable character Alfie Moon in the BBC soap EastEnders may have contributed to this along with the remake in 2004 of the 1966 film Alfie which starred Michael Caine.


Number 90 of the girls' names of 2012 was Sarah, meaning princess.
It was a popular name when I was young and I think it is beautiful, not least because it is the name of one of my very best friends.
In the Old Testament, Sarah was the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac.
I hope you like this picture taken in Abersoch of Sarah written in the sand.

 
Prince William has been in the spotlight even more since his marriage and the name William is now at number 10 in the boys' name chart.
William means resolute protection and was introduced to England by William the Conqueror.
Shortened versions include Will, Bill and Billy.

 
Maya  is the 41st most popular name for a baby girl.
The origin of the name is not clear.
Some say the name is of ancient Greek origin and may have meant nurse or greater.
It may also be linked to the Sanskrit for illusion.
There is also a colour version of this picture available at www.Sand-Writing.com.


Michael has been a very popular name since the 20th century.
Today it is the 53rd most popular name for a boy.
It is based on the Hebrew for 'Who is like God?'
There are various shortened versions including Mike, Mick and Mickey.
 See www.Sand-Writing.com for many more names and messages written in sand and selling as beautiful personalied presents.

Saturday 16 February 2013

Baby names

 
Choosing a baby's name is so important - your boy or girl will have it their whole lives!
On my Facebook page, I take a look at a different name each day, illustrated with a www.Sand-Writing.com picture.
I hope it will give people inspiration https://www.facebook.com/SandWriting
I reveal the position each name is in the baby name charts as well as some interesting facts.

This week I've looked at:

 
 
 
Harry was the top boys' name of 2012 according to babycentre.co.uk.
I love this black and white version of my picture of Harry written in the sand.
The name Harry developed as an informal version of Henry or Harold and Prince Harry may be helping its current popularity.
 


 
Isabelle is number five on the most popular baby names of 2012.
It means My God is a vow.
Isabelle is the French version of Isabel, and belle is French for beautiful.
And the picture of this name s written in the sand is one of my favourites - all available from
 
 
Number six on the most popular baby boys' names of 2012 is George.
George means farmer or earth worker and is of course, the name of the patron saint of England.
This photograph makes a beautiful present for a boy or baby boy.
 
 
 

Daisy is 34 on babycentre.co.uk's list of most popular names for 2012.
It is an English name and comes from the flower of the same name.
It can also be a nickname for Margaret because the French word for daisy is marguerite.
Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do is a popular song, which I learned to play on the organ at the age of three!
 
 
 
 

The 39th most popular baby name for 2012 was Sebastian.
It is the English form of the Roman Sebastianus meaning 'of Sebasta', which was a city in Asia.
Saint Sebastian was a Roman soldier and became a very popular saint in the Middle Ages.

 
 


The name Scarlett was number 27 in 2012.
Scarlet is a shade of red and the name Scarlett for a girl was made popular by the character Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind.
The name was originally given to a dyer or seller of bright fabrics.

Keep checking the Facebook page for more names and pictures https://www.facebook.com/SandWriting
And of course go to www.Sand-Writing.com to choose from hundreds of names and messages written in the sand and selling as canvas pictures.
The personalised gifts make a great present for a boy or girl, they look great in children's bedrooms and also are a unique new baby or christening gift.
Other pictures are wonderful for wedding, anniversary, birthday or Christmas presents.

Wednesday 13 February 2013

Sale now on!



Just a quick one to let people know that you can get 20 per cent off everything at www.Sand-Writing.com using the voucher code SALE20 now!

Brighten up a wall with a beautiful personalised, canvas picture from Sand-Writing.com.

Or stock up on birthday/christening/wedding/anniversary presents, even Christmas presents now!

Happy shopping xxx

Sunday 10 February 2013

The top baby names 2012


Writing the top 100 boys' and girls' names individually in sand and photographing them was a challenge! In a good way.

And as I wrote the last name (which happened to be Mya) I felt a certain sense of achievement. However a new list has been published of the most popular baby names of 2012, so I'll soon be returning to the beach (also armed with quite a few requests).

Baby boys' names now in the top 100 which I haven't already got include Hugo, Seth and Austin. Violet, Clara and Martha are among the new girls' list that I am missing.

According to babycentre.co.uk, Harry is now the number one name, maybe due in part to Prince Harry's popularity.

I love the name Harry and I love this black and white version of one of my photographs of  Harry written in the sand, available as a canvas from www.Sand-Writing.com.

 

 

The top 10 boys's names of the moment are mainly traditional and thankfully I have written them all in sand:

1. Harry
2. Jack
3. Oliver
4. Charlie
5. James
6. George
7. Thomas
8. Ethan
9. Jacob
10. William
 
Top of the girls' names is Amelia. Many of the most popular girls' names end in a soft a sound.

Here is my colour picture of Amelia written in sand, again available as a canvas from www.Sand-Writing.com.

 

 

As with all my photographs, it was written individually on a beach in Abersoch, north Wales.

Here are the top 10 girls' names for 2012 according to babycentre.co.uk:

 
1. Amelia
2. Lily
3. Emily
4. Sophia
5. Isabelle
6. Sophie
7. Olivia
8. Jessica
9. Chloe
10. Mia


What do you think of the popular names of the moment?

Which are your favourite or do you prefer more unusual names?

Let me know and please visit my website and tell me what you think.