WHAT’S IN A NAME

OK all you parents of Madisons, Jacksons, Avas, Jadons, Reeces, Hannahs, Yales, Cashs, Mackinzies, etc., this article is for you.

“We live in a marketing-oriented society,” says Bruce Lansky, a former advertising executive and author of eight books on baby names, including “100,000 + Baby Names.” “People who understand branding know that when you pick the right name, you’re giving your child a head start.”

“Names have become a matter of fashion and taste,” says Harvard sociologist Stanley Lieberson.