Baby Names: Choosing the Perfect One for Your Baby
When you’re pregnant, you hear a lot of questions. “When are you due?” “Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?” “Where are you delivering?” Probably one of the most asked, though, is “have you picked out names yet?” Some parents-to-be share their chosen names with the world, and others keep it mum until the baby is born. Either way, naming a baby is one of the things that we think about from the time we even begin to think that we might want to become mothers. I remember writing down potential baby names when I was still a teenager! If you are expecting, hoping to be expecting, or just love thinking about baby names, here are some things to consider:
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Always say the names that you’re trying to decide between out loud, with your last name. Do you remember the character named Julia in the movie, The Wedding Singer? She realizes that she’s about to marry a man with the last name Gulia. While most moms-to-be won’t make this type of mistake, it’s a good idea to make sure that the first and last name can be said together easily. Ending the first name with the same consonant that the last name starts with, for example, can create a tongue-twister or make the names hard to decipher when said quickly.
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Check the initials. What would your child’s initials be, with and without the middle initial? In 25 years, when he’s initialing the pages of his first mortgage application, will he be embarrassed? You might consider adding a second middle name, switching the first and middle names or choosing something else altogether if the initials are offensive or too giggle-producing!
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Check the list of top 10 or top 25 baby names for the previous year. It’s up to you to decide whether you want to give your child a unique, unusual, common, or top-10 name. If you didn’t want something too common, though, you don’t want to be surprised in five years when you sign up your child for kindergarten and see that there are three other Sophias or Aidens already enrolled.
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Think hard about creative spellings. While there’s nothing wrong with substituting a “y” for an “i” or a “k” for a “c” in most names, getting too creative could lead to a lifetime of people asking your child several times how she pronounces or spells her name. On the other hand, if you love a particular spelling, then just realize that you’ll probably be answering these questions until she’s old enough to field them on her own.
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If you’re choosing something very unique for his first name, consider something common for his middle name. This will give him the option later to go by his middle name if he decides that he’d rather.
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Don’t be afraid to use — or not use — a family name. Has every first daughter in your family been named Millicent for the past four generations? If you want to use the name, or then do it! If you don’t, though, then feel free to deviate from the tradition. You could try an updated version of an older name, or you could use it as the middle name. Or you can choose something else entirely, secure in the knowledge that you are allowed to name your own baby whatever you want..
Naming a baby is definitely one of life’s pleasures. How did you choose your child’s name? Or, if you’re currently expecting, what names are you considering?
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My friend is having her first child. She’d be interested in this. It’s especially unique to check the top names from the previous year, at least it’s a new unique idea to me. Thanks for the posting.
I have to admit when it comes to naming a child I subscribe to that a name is the first gift you ever give your child and that you would not want to give them a name that they would want to return! I also feel like it’s good to wait until after the baby is born to really pick a name. SOmetimes the name you choose just doesn’t fit the wee one. I also guess I’m getting older too because I really dislike “creative” spellings of names. It took me a long time to figure out that the name Kahne was pronnounced (Connie). Not very intuitive is it? I had to roll my eyes recently when I met a young girl who named her daughter “Heaven.” Really? Heaven? Oh dear.
According to my experience picking name to our baby is not that easy for me. My cousin is having a baby in the near future, I think your tips could be count as additional input to consider. Thanks.
Lol, I like the “check the initials”–that is what went through my head when choosing our daughter’s name.
These are all great ideas and I would add on more: consider the nicknames or variants of the name.
I had a friend who had three brothers and sisters. Whir they all had very common names like Michael and Jillian, the parents made sure that the kids would have the option to adjust/pick out their out name as they got older. Michael chose to become Mikey, then Mike. Jillian eventually preferred Jill, William Bill and so forth.
This track may not be for every parent, but if you wish to consider it, in the case I saw it certainly gave the kids that added sense of ownership and joy in their names.
I inadvertently named my son an overly popular name, Aidan. Would not have done that had I known, but none-the-less I love that name. Just love it. His middle name is the name of a mountain, as is my middle name. And since my and my husband’s name both begin with an A, we both wanted our son’s name to begin with an A as well.
I could never name my babies until they were born. I had several names in mind, but had to see them first 🙂 They are now 25 and 28 and I still think their names are perfect!!
I thought about all these things when selecting my daughter’s name. I first thought of naming her after my middle name Alexis but when I found out how popular it has become I skipped that and onto my second favorite name – Holly. This is a beautiful name, it has no family connection but I have always loved it. It is not very common here in the US. I wanted the spelling Holly because it is the most common and I dislike all the weird spellings Holleigh, Holli, Hollie, Holeigh. Holly just looks familiar and is simple. The middle name and spelling were chosen by my husband – Leanne it is a combo of my mother’s middle name and his mother’s middle name.
According to the Chinese, every name has a specific meaning and the name given to a child will greatly affect his/her future.
Your tips are certainly helpful to parents who are choosing names for their babies.
Ah, what name do i choose. Lucky me I discovered your site just searching around, and I am so grateful. A name is forever and it isn’t a decision one should take lightly.
I bookmarked shopaholicmommy. Keep up the good work.