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Beyond Tom, Dick, Harry and Mary: Choosing Your Baby’s Name |
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Choosing your baby’s name is one of the most important roles you have to prepare for as new parents. Your baby will carry the name you choose from the first day of his existence and even after his death. A name spells an individual’s personality and you had been given the honor to give it to your child, something he or she will carry on for life. It is therefore important that in choosing your baby’s name, choose one that will fit your baby and your family.
Choosing your baby’s name should be included in your overall preparation during your pregnancy. You should plan because many unprepared parents decide on the name of their baby on the spur of the moment.
Think and choose a name for your baby long before he is born. Start keeping a list of names that are in the running as soon as you get pregnant. With more than 50,000 common names and spelling variations available, you will have a hard time choosing a name for your baby.
Many resources are available to help you in choosing your baby’s name. There are hundreds of books available for you to peruse, or you can browse the internet and thousands of websites can help you choose possible baby names. Software generating baby names are also available.
Get your partner’s participation and be open to suggestions from other people as well. You can have fun trying to find a name for your baby. Try coming up with a list, crushing out the most common ones that would divert your purpose of giving your baby a unique personality.
In choosing your baby’s name, try to think of the future because some parents deliberately or unintentionally give their children names which could prove annoying to the child. It may also be a cause for other children to tease your kid. Try coming up with different combinations of names, jot it down and try to pronounce it, check if the name sounds and rhymes with something unpleasant. You can also ask a second opinion from friends or family members.
In choosing your baby’s name, consider your child’s future. Many parents give their children names with weird and unique spellings and pronunciations which may give adverse effects and may even trigger teasing from other children.
Give your child a name that he/she will not resent later. You should also consider the spelling because if you choose to alter a common spelling like Christopher to Kristoffaer, or Daniel to Dayniel, your child may spend his entire life checking and correcting the spelling of his name everywhere.
It is best to prepare names for both sexes because even if your doctor has performed an ultrasound and confirmed your baby’s gender ahead, there is always a chance of being wrong. You can wait until the baby is born for a final decision.
When you ask for opinions, you will be flooded with suggestions and recommendations from friends and family members and this may confuse you. However, you must remember that your child’s name is for you to decide. You alone have the final say.
Choosing your baby’s name is a very important task you will ever undertake and it is your lifetime gift to your child. You should select your options carefully because your baby will be carrying the name that you choose for life.
Here is a list of the most popular baby names. |
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