The Social Security administration recently announced the most popular ten names used for kids born in 2011, which is shown below.

The SSA data went well beyond just the top ten.  They also published a full list of 2,000 most used girl and boy baby names in 2011.

For those of you that know a little bit about URL web addresses, you won’t be surprised to know that every single one of the top 2,000 baby domain names are already owned and registered.

Most of the popular first name and common last name URL name combinations are already taken as well.

Now, do babies need domain names? Not right away of course.  But there’s a reason some parents change the original choice of first name just to be able to pick a first name and last name domain that hasn’t already been registered.  Odds are, a decade or two from now when your kid wants to use a website in his name for any one of a multiple reasons, the matching domain name will already be registered.

So why risk it?  Grab your kid’s matching URL name now; it’s inexpensive. When they are old enough to understand what you have done, they will be grateful to you for doing it. Remember, the world they will live, will be a web ‘connected’ world.

Top Baby URL Names in 2011| Register babies URL address

Establishing a baby’s digital identity by registering their name as a domain website address is a growing trend among parents.  The baby digital identity trend also includes setting up Twitter, Facebook, and even email accounts for their toddlers – sometimes when they’re still in the womb.

GoDaddy.com doesn’t track how many domain names were registered for baby names.  However, Go Daddy did research all new domain names with the most popular baby names of 2011.  What did they find out?  The number is up significantly from 2010.

“The domain name is like 21st century real estate, 21st century identity,” said Warren Adelman, president and Chief Operating Officer of GoDaddy.com to KVAL. “As a result, they want their kids to have it. So yeah, more and more parents are making sure they get that [domain name] for their child at birth.”

Parents think owning their baby’s domain name and Twitter handle will not only serve as a possible digital baby book for friends and family post finding a web host, but set-up their baby well if he wants to work in the computer industry one day if the baby chooses.

Google may have kick started the trend of babies with URL names and other digital identities with their ad campaign for Chrome web browser.  In the commercial, a father marks the milestones of his young daughter’s life by sending her email messages, starting on the day she is brought home from the hospital.  It’s a touching ad that I’m sure influenced parents to consider their baby’s future personal website address, email, and Twitter handle – perhaps even more than the intended commercial message of downloading Chrome.

So register your child’s own URL website address now to make sure no one can snatch it up before you.  It could already be taken.

Establishing a Baby’s Digital Identity by Registering Their Domain Name

Beyonce and Jay-Z were thrilled to welcome into the world their first child on January 7, 2012.  Her name is Blue Ivy Carter.

So where did Blue Ivy’s name come from?  Blue may be a reference to Jay-Z’s three Blueprint albums.  Ivy may be a play on the Roman numeral IV, as in the number 4 – as in the Blueprint 4.  This is just speculation of course as the power couple have yet to explain the origination of their daughter’s name.

Some crazy numerical conspiracy theories are running rampant on the internet.  Ivy, they say, is an acronym for “Illuminati’s Very Youngest”.  “Blue Ivy” is supposed to be a secret code revealing her membership in an ancient and all-powerful occult secret society – ya, right.

Another crazy rumor floating around is Blue Ivy’s is a child of Lucifer.  See this tweet from the Katt Williams Parody Twitter account:

I.V.Y. = Illuminati’s Very Youngest B.L.U.E. = Born Living Under Evil. Blue Ivy spelt backwords (Eulb Yvi) = Latin for “Lucifers Daughter”.

— Katt Williams Parody (@KattWiIlliams) January 8, 2012

Other, more pragmatic, thoughts on where the name came from include a tie to a jazz singer Ivy Anderson who sang the blues with Duke Ellington.  However, it’s not known if Beyonce and Jay-Z even know the singer.

So what are your thoughts on where the name came from?  Feel free to leave a comment.

I just think the name is good branding.  Blue Ivy Carter is a catchy, memorable name.  Jay-Z and Beyonce are wealthy celebrities who are masters at self branding.  So lets see how good of a job they did in obtaining the digital assets necessary for an online presence for Blue.

Twitter @BlueIvyCarter

The Twitter handle @BlueIvyCarter was already taken.  The account is unverified.  It has 180 followers when this blog post was written, and had yet to tweet.  It isn’t known if Jay-Z and Beyonce control the Twitter account or not.  Most likely they do not.

Domain Name (baby URL address) BlueIvyCarter.com

The domain name BlueIvyCarter.com was registered on January 8th, 2012 to an unknown person.  This most likely means Jay-Z and Beyonce dropped the ball and don’t own the domain.  A savvy digital expert most likely snapped it up as fast as they could type when the name of the famous baby was announced.  The reason we don’t know for sure who owns it is the “whois” information is masked.  See the image via GoDaddy.com, where the domain was registered.  In the future the person who owns the domain could find a web host and build a website on the website address.

So it appears Jay-Z and Beyonce’s team will have to do some work and pay some money to get the digital assets for their newborn child.  Don’t make the same mistake.  Register your baby domain name now.

Update:

According to a story today in the Washington Post, Jay-Z and Beyoncé  have filed a trademark application on their baby’s name Blue Ivy Carter, On January 26th.

The application was filed by TBGK Trademark Holdings,  Beyoncé’s company to cover all things fashion as well as baby carriages, baby cosmetics, and diaper bags.

So this is a good lesson for all parents, especially celebrities – make sure you check URL availability and buy the matching .com domain name of your baby before announcing it to the world, especially if you’re planning on trademarking the name.

In our still-maturing digital world, where public and private circles interact in unpredictable ways, it’s not surprising that soon-to-be parents now routinely make sure to buy their baby’s domain name.  It’s almost as if buying a baby website address and obtaining other digital assets is now part of the baby preparation checklist.  Buy baby formula – check – assemble crib – check – register baby’s website address domain name – check.  You get the idea.

Yes, it’s become important to a growing number of parents to secure domain names for their newborns, along with email accounts and Twitter handles.

Parents are also taking into consideration related online identities that may already exist before even naming their child.  And, you guessed it, their using the internet to help.

The New York Times published an interesting article reporting that Googling is an important first step that some parents take before choosing their baby’s name; it’s a vetting process of sorts to make sure the name isn’t already popular among, say, strippers. Others hope to select a name unique enough that their kids will have an easier time showing up first when someone searches for their name in Google post building a simple website design.

One couple quoted in the article settled on their daughter’s name through the app “Kick to Pick.”  They Googled it and after being satisfied with the results, they went on to register it as a domain name and secure Gmail, Twitter and Tumblr accounts.

So if you’re a new parent, and haven’t bought your kid’s domain name yet, what are you waiting for?  Buy your baby URL now …

So lets play the “how digital savvy is the movie star”?  Next up, Robert De Niro, who is a proud father again.

Robert De Niro, the 68-year-old actor, and his 56-year-old wife, Grace Hightower, welcomed a healthy 7-pound, 2-ounce baby girl named Helen Grace Hightower into the world recently.  They leveraged a surrogate mother.  The “New Year’s Eve” and “Limitless” star has four other children from previous relationships.

The baby girl is the Hollywood couple’s second child. Their son, Elliot, is 13.

So lets see if De Niro bought the domain names for his kids.

HelenHightower.com is actually still available for purchase at the time this blog post was written.  See the GoDaddy screen shot below.  Pretty surprising actually.  I’ll bet someone snatches that up quickly.  Actually, if De Niro’s publicist is paying attention and has his Google alerts set properly, he should buy this domain name as soon as he reads this post.  It’s easier than finding a good web host.

Surely the name ElliotHightower.com has been secured.  Lets check … Nope, it’s still available too, at least for now.  Get on it De Niro employees!  Oh, and thank me with a comment when you do.

Traditionally, it’s perfectly normal for parents to invest in their baby’s future.  You know, start a college fund, make sure they have life insurance, etc.  But now, a new trend has started.  Parents are investing now in their child’s digital future by securing digital assets for their kids.

In the internet age we live in, parents are registering domain website addresses for their kids.  Some are even buying budget web hosting and putting a website up to share baby photos.

The first quarter of the year is an especially busy time for buying website addresses, according to Go Daddy’s CEO, who said some of the more popular baby related domain names are Liam, Lily and Isabella.

“People really understand that the domain name is like 21st century real estate, and so they are having their kids and they think, they will go online at some point, so let’s reserve that for them now,” Go Daddy’s Warren Adelman said.

Adelman also says they’re seeing more of the “.me” extension sold than ever before.  So, if the .com domain is already taken by another parent or even adult with the same name as your child, you can get the .me version of the name.

But whatever you do, make sure to save a real estate spot on the internet for your child now.  It’s a good choice, especially if you have a common last name.

Internet-smart adults are giving their kids a leg up in life.

There is a new list of “needs” to provide your new baby, over and above the necessities. Have you obtained a URL address for your baby yet?

Here’s where picking and choosing a baby name comes into play. Names more than ever are being chosen for first-/last-name combination viability and availability. Babies of the world that have inherited the name of “John Smith” will have a harder time finding an available URL and standing out compared to say, celeb child of Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow, Apple Blythe Alison Martin.

There is also a fine line to keep in mind in using a name that is unique, but not ridiculous. Biggest case in point here includes the most recent news story of the Israeli couple that named their child “Like” after the Facebook Like feature. Like’s siblings also include Dvash (Hebrew for honey) and Pie. “Like” pie, as in apple pie.

Here are a 3 thoughts on why buying a URL early is a good idea to give your newborn a “head start” plan:

1) Intellectual Property vs. Physical Property

Domain names are pulling a significant financial weight, moreso these days than ever before. An article on domain baby names from the USAToday reflected on the matter with Warren Adelman, president of GoDaddy.com saying, “It is the starting point for your online identity.”

Claiming a name online today is growing harder and harder as available URL’s keep disappearing. By the time your child has grown to be a teenager or even just reached preschool, that name could be gone. Creating a site to establish an identity afterward will be all the more difficult, with combinations of first, middle, and last names being used.

Parents today are catching on to the trend and buying the names before they’re gone. The purchase of a site URL also serves as a valuable investment- an inexpensive buy for children to later inherit.

2) Your baby URL doesn’t get used? No worries.

Domain names come cheap, you’d be paying about $10 a year to secure one. If your child doesn’t find the site necessary to their future ambitions, you haven’t invested too much money to lose.  If you’re ready to put a website on your baby’s URL, find web hosting here.

3) It’s An Early Years Portfolio

Purchasing a URL address for your child doesn’t come with the requirement of having to frequently update the content. Many parents choose to keep these sites free of information, ensuring the safety of their little one.

Others however, view it as an early portfolio of work to showcase. Does the name Tavi Gevinson ring a bell? Tavi is a fashion blogger whose written blog posts on her blog Style Rookie have garnered the attention of the NY Times and Teen Vogue. The latter most appropriately because Tavi is 14 and already a huge presence both online and offline.

See the site as a way to show off your child’s talents and awards they have won. By doing so early on, these sites will prove to be an excellent place for high schools and colleges alike to view the work of an incoming student. It also provides a look at the reputation of the child at hand- a far cry from the messy and too-loud Myspace profiles of the past.

So get your baby URL now, and secure it before another baby with more internet savvy parents snap it up.

You’re just a few months away from having a newborn baby. You’re making sure everything is in order for your new addition’s arrival:

• Diapers – check.
• Wipes - check.
• Car seat – check.
• URL name – … ?

URL name.

Enter in your son or daughter’s first and last name and let BabyURL see if it’s available.  See a worthwhile URL address?  You’re only a click away from registering your new baby’s URL name.

Today’s internet smart parents are buying their baby’s domain name before the child is born! More than just movie stars are buying baby domain names. More parents realize the expanding digital influence of social media and maintaining a professional reputation online.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt bought www.ShilohJoliePitt.com and other domain names variations the day their daughter was born. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes did not buy Suri’s baby domain name. Now there’s a website on SuriCruise.com that counts the days until the star’s baby turns 18. Tom and Katie probably wish they would have spent the few dollars to secure their babies domain name.

More than just famous people buy their baby’s URL name. Parents have many reason for wanting to make sure their baby’s name is safe on the internet. The child may want to make a future brand out of their name (lots of doctors, lawyers, consultants, etc. use their name as their business website address – find best website host). Parents may even want to do something as simple as sharing photos with distant family. For around $9 a year, companies like GoDaddy.com make buying your baby’s domain name easy.

“In this day and age, I think it’s important to own your name as much as possible,” said a mom, who said she recognized early on celebrities buying their URL names to control the content put up on the web. “I purchased my own URL domain name and a combination of my and my husband’s names so I could have them, or use them eventually as I saw fit. That way if another person came along who became famous or infamous for any reason, I could control at least partially how it affected me.”

The mom went on to say that she purchased her son’s URL name when she was still pregnant with him. “When he’s old enough, we’ll give it to him to control for himself.”  Perhaps even buy him a budget web hosting plan to build a website on the baby URL.