- Jaylene writes baby names on The Bump and loves exploring how pop-culture trends impact caregivers’ top choices.
- She holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and Leadership, which is super handy when writing relatable content for those expanding their family.
- Jaylene recently moved from Toronto, Canada to the wonderfully rainy Galway, Ireland.
Calling all fans of elf lore and fantasy fiction! Sure to steal first on your list, Alvara is a girl's name of Italian origin. This fantastical name derives from Aelfhere, meaning "elf warrior." Although it never made the cut when J.R.R Tolkien was creating the beloved characters of his trilogy, its obscurity may be a gift. As your darling grows, they're sure to love all things magical, creating their own epic story worthy of a Lord of the Rings spin-off. Look out, Spiderman! There's a new favorite Halloween costume, and it comes with adorable ears and a majestic bow.
Jaylene works alongside a talented and quirky team of writers to bring life to baby names. Together, they are on a mission to accurately represent nearly every name imaginable while inspiring a hearty laugh or sigh in readers. Jaylene loves to explore trending baby names, from fiery picks inspired by Game of Thrones to obscure choices from fantasy romance novels. When she’s not guzzling macchiatos and tapping away at her laptop, she’s reading, kicking butt at the boxing gym, or cooking something extravagant for dinner.
Education
After an unsuccessful go at studying English Literature and Creative Writing, Jaylene shifted to studying child development. She was most interested in how early reading and writing skills developed during pretend play. In her final year, she conducted research on pre-service educators and helped fine-tune her program’s curriculum. After working with families in Toronto, Canada, Jaylene took a sharp right turn and received a diploma in Marketing before deciding to follow her sister to Ireland. She really loves to study! Now, she’s found the perfect job for blending her two loves—writing and learning about kids’ brilliant minds.
Experience
Jaylene spent about a decade working with families as a program facilitator. She sang silly songs, did the chicken dance, put her left foot in and out, and shared belly laughs with adorable toddlers. For a bit of a challenge, she also planned her agency’s annual summer event for a few years but soon developed a debilitating fear of binders and color-coded tabs. Jaylene sees a long future in writing, Search Engine Optimization, and content strategy, and hopes to make Galway, Ireland her forever home.