Remember that your child will have this name for their whole life, and is your first gift to your child, so make it something special.
Are you a soon-to-be new parent? Choosing a name for your new baby can be daunting and the cause of many debates. Here are some pointers to help you find the perfect name.
Consider personal history and traditions. Your family may have particular naming traditions that you want to continue. Some families like naming a son after his father, some families have naming “schemes” like using the same first letter for all their children’s names. Whichever tradition you use, make sure each child feels unique and has an individual name. Naming twins Jordan and Jordana, for example, could lead to future difficulties.
Write lists of names you love, people you want to honour, names that have special meanings, etc. (both you and your partner should do this). Compare the lists – are there names you both love? Maybe your partner likes a name that you can’t stand. Cross off the names you don’t like and add names you do like to your list. These lists will probably change over time.
Make sure it’s a name that you both love. Try saying your child’s name over and over to see if you’ll get tired of hearing it. As a parent, you’ll be saying it a lot.
Be Aware of Gender Affiliations. In these modern times, names are often not exclusively male or female. Avoid naming a child a name that is more typically the opposite gender kind of name. Your son Kelly, Dana, or Ashley may not be happy to be presumed to be a girl on the first day of preschool.
Historically male names are usually more acceptable for girls (such as Madison). It may not be clear on looking at the name alone if your child is male or female, and that may cause confusion.
Some names are neutral in gender (such as Chris, Dakota, River) or sound masculine but can be spelled in a feminine manner(Toni, Bobbi, Jo). Names such as these have their own problems as well as advantages.
Will the Name Age Well?One very important factor is if the name will age gracefully. What fits a baby or young child may not fit an older individual. Can you see a grown-up named Coco? Or it fitting a senior citizen?
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Make sure the name sounds good with your last name. You may want to avoid using a name whose last letter is the same as the first letter in your last name (i.e. Eva Anderson, Phillip Piper, Roger Rine).
Consider if you want a traditional, popular, or unique name. Consider carefully if you want your child’s name to stand out or be conventional and classy, stand the test of time, or be flashy and make a statement.
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Consider carefully ‘ethnic names’. Unfortunately, a name that clearly marks an individual as part of a group that often meets with discrimination may make the child’s life harder, such as finding a job. But it could help foster pride in that child’s background. So pick carefully.
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Consider carefully names inspired by your beliefs. In many ways, this is a beautiful way to affirm your religious beliefs. Or your hopes for the child (Joy, Faith, Grace, etc.) But sometimes the child grows up and it does not suit them. He or she may convert, or may not embody his or her name name – for instance, Grace might turn out to be rather clumsy!
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Decide ahead of time when you want to reveal the name. Some couples wait until the baby is born, while others tell their family, friends, and anyone who asks right away when the pregnancy is announced.
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Think about how it might be shortened. Lots of people shorten their names, and you need to choose one that you like and will still sound good with your surname. The names Richard Wickes might sound OK, for example, but what if he prefers to be called Rick?
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Spelling Counts. Sometimes there are several variations on a name, and different spellings of the same name. A unique spelling may help your child stand out, but may make for headaches when it comes to correcting people and paperwork! In addition, your child may never be able to buy something with his or her name on it, such as novelties as embossed pencils.
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Consider if you really want the names of your children – particularly if they are the same sex – to have the same initials. When they are older and a letter arrives for J. Smith, how will you know if it’s for Josh, Jack, Joseph or Jordan? (Although many families do this and are happy with the results.)
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Ignore the Rules! A safe, traditional, nice-sounding name is all well and good and, perhaps, most desirable for most parents. But there’s a lot of room for the unusual, unique, and offbeat, and the choice is yours.
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Think about your hero. Role models, whether real or fictional, can be a source of inspiration. “Hermione” has suddenly become popular with the writing of the “Harry Potter” series, for instance. If you admire Mother Theresa, maybe you have a little Theresa on the way. Just be aware, though, that some heroes are controversial and don’t cross cultures well.
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If they are born with curly hair, don’t name them after famous curly haired people, like Shirley Temple. They are likely to grow out of the curls and the name.
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Try out the introduction test. Finally, once you’ve narrowed down your name choices, introduce yourself as your child using only the first and last name. Will the name be able to grow with the child? How would it sound to a future employer? Fifi may sound cute as a baby’s name, but can she be a CEO?
Here are some of the weirdest baby names registered in the US in 2012 – read them and weep!
Ace
Admire
Americus
Sanity
Couture
Deva
Excel
Twista
And boy names:
Hippo
Neon
Villiam
Goodluck
Hurricane
Espn
Mango
And here are some of the more bizarre celebrity baby names:
KAL-EL – Nicolas Cage names his son Kal-El, after Superman’s father
APPLE – Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin named their girl Apple because, according to Gwyn, apples sounded sweet and are wholesome
BLUE IVY – Beyonce and rap-star husband Jay-Z had their first child, Blue Ivy Carter, on 7 January 2012. Rumor is still out on why they chose a color as their baby’s first name, but Ivy resembles the roman numeral four (IV), which is the couples favorite number.
BEAR BLU- While we couldn’t be happier for Alicia Silverstone and the arrival of her bundle of joy, we can’t help but feel less than crazy about his name.
BUDDY BEAR – British chef Jamie Oliver and his wife, Jools, cooked up quite a name for their fourth child when he entered the proverbial kitchen. Although, it doesn’t come as a complete surprise since Buddy’s three big sisters are named—wait for it—Poppy Honey, Daisy Boo and Petal Blossom Rainbow.
SPARROW – We’re not really sure if Nicole Richie and Joel Madden had Captain Jack in mind when their son was born, or if they simply have an affinity for our fine-feathered friends. Either way, it remains to be seen if this particular name is going to, err, fly!
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