Choosing a Name for Your Baby

Your baby's name is probably the most important thing you will ever pick out for him.  Whether you choose a good name or a terrible one, it is likely that your child will be stuck with it for the rest of his life.  Names have meanings, traditions and insinuations attached to them that can impact the childís life, or even his personality.  Here are some tips to help you pick out a good name for your baby.

 

1.  Don't use a traditional family name that sounds like something only an eighty-year-old would be named.  If your grandpa's name was Myron and you really feel you have to name your child after him, couldn't you make it his middle name?  The poor kid has to live with this name for the rest of his life.  Do check your ancestry for good names, but only use them if they are still fairly popular.

 

2.  Research the meaning of the name.  Don't give your child a name that has negative connotations.  He or she may end up living out the meaning of the name.  You don't want to give your child a name that means "coward" or "thief".  Look for names with positive meanings, such as "beautiful",  "pure of heart", or "courageous and strong".  Your child will be proud of his or her name.

 

3.  Make sure it sounds good.  Try not to give your child a name that will make him an easy target for teasing when he gets older.  Pay attention to initials.  Before I got married, my first and last initials were B. O.  Body Odor!  Talk about an easy target.

 

4.  Think twice before naming your child after a celebrity, especially if the celebrity has a unique name.  You never know how long that person will remain popular.  Even worse, if they are ever arrested or publicly embarrassed, your child will suffer along with them.  He or she will be taunted by other kids at school.

 

5.  If you are considering an alternate spelling for a name, make sure it is not so strange that no one will be able to figure out how to pronounce it.  Write the name down and show it to a couple of friends first, and see if they get the pronunciation right.

 

Whatever you decide on for your baby's name, it is best for both parents to come up with the name together.  Doing so can help bring you closer together as a couple.  And, as they say, two heads are always better than one.  If the two of you brainstorm together, you may end up with a name that neither of you would have thought of by yourself.