By Leslie Savisky
Pittsburghers know Donnie Iris’ most popular song, “Ah! Leah!,” which he co-wrote with Mark Avsec and released in 1980. When my husband and I were brainstorming baby names, I kept going back to Leah. I loved that it was short and sweet, which I thought was important because of our uncommon last name. My husband’s favorite baseball player is Hall of Famer Lynn Nolan Ryan Jr. And so it was settled… Leah Ryan.
Many parents have a story behind naming their child, but it can be tricky choosing one that Mom and Dad both agree on. Oftentimes, parents use family names. Going with Mom’s maiden name as a middle name has also become popular.
Here are some ways families have discovered their ideal baby name, which parents-to-be can keep in mind as they prepare to welcome the newest member of their family.
A Fond Childhood Memory
Baby names can come from a fond childhood memory. Like Julie Kramer of
Penn Township, who named her daughter
after My Friend Mandy, a doll she had growing up.
“I was such a girly girl and loved my dolls,” Kramer says. “Mandy was my
favorite because she was a full-size doll, not a baby. She went everywhere with me.”
Kramer’s husband, Erik, loved the name Amanda. “I knew it was the perfect
opportunity to use my Mandy name!” Julie says. Mandy’s middle name is Elizabeth, which is Julie’s middle name, as well as her mother’s and grandmother’s middle name.
A Special Meaning
Some names have a profound meaning, like with Jazmin and Evan Henkel of Ligonier.
“When my husband and I first met, we set out on an adventure in a cargo van across the country to ‘find home,’ since neither of us ever felt we had truly found our place and our people,” Jazmin says.
Jazmin never thought she’d have children. “Many doctors confirmed that having kids would be difficult or impossible for me,” she says. Since becoming parents was a surprise, the process of picking a baby name wasn’t something Jazmin and Evan were invested in.
The couple watched a television show, and the main character’s name was Xavier. “We loved it and had just found out we were having a boy,” Jazmin says. The parents-to-be looked up the name. “Xavier means a ‘new life, a new home’. And we knew. We had found our home in him.”
Jazim Henkel wanted their son to have some of her name as well, so instead of an “X,” they used a “Z.” “Zavier has given us a much bigger purpose in life, and he is that home we had always been in search of.”
A Blessing from Above
Mischa and Ben Wiedemer of New Kensington were on a family vacation when they found out they were expecting. It rained that day—the only day it rained during their trip—and there was a double rainbow above their beach house.
Mischa had two miscarriages previously, but knew this time it was meant to be. When the couple found out they were having a boy, they knew that God had intervened, and they named their son Noah.
A Treasured Trip
Brittany and Tyler Martin had moved from Southwestern Pennsylvania to Atlanta, Georgia, during the height of Covid. Looking for something to do Labor Day weekend, Brittany remembered one of her students mention he’d just come back from Tybee Island.
“Being new to the state, I didn’t know where Tybee was, only that it was close to Savannah,” Brittany says. “We made plans to drive down and stay for the weekend.”
Brittany jokes that they were in their “honeymoon phase.” “Lots of eating, lots of drinking, lots of shenanigans,” she says. “I believe we were two or three fishbowls deep in some kind of fruity drink when Tyler said that Tybee would be a cute name for a little girl.”
When Brittany found out she was pregnant, Tyler brought up the name again. “We never looked back,” says Brittany, adding that Tybee is also a combination Tyler and Brittany. The family once again resides in Pennsylvania with Tybee and her younger sister, Lucy.
Brainstorming Baby Names
Not everyone has a story behind their child’s name; sometimes parents just want something unique. If you’re in need of ideas, here’s a list of charming names for girls or boys—or both!
Short First Names
One- or two-syllable names are a good choice if you have a long or uncommon last name that may be hard to spell or pronounce.
Girls: Mia, Ava, Luna, Zoe, Nora, Ruby, Lila, Gia, Joy, Mae, Rose, Cleo
Boys: Wes, Neil, Rey, Remi, Alec, Case, Trey, Seth, Drew, Zane, Jack, Levi
Vintage Names
These sophisticated names may pay homage to a grandparent or great-
grandparent.
Girls: Dorothy, Marjorie, Mabel, Bessie, Hattie, Goldie, Virginia, Ruth, Lucy
Boys: Perry, Nelson, Warren, Victor, Maurice, Ira, Marshall, Felix, Clyde
Gender-Neutral Names
Here are some fun unisex monikers: Charlie, Jackie, Onyx, Ridley, Lowen, Everest.
Nature names like Ocean, River, Rain, Wren and Sage are also gender-neutral, as well as places like Dakota, Austin, Quebec, Rio, Destin or Camden.