One of the most exciting parts of
pregnancy is coming up with a name for your new baby. In fact, many
of us have baby names picked out long before we are pregnant
or, in the case of girls, before we even hit puberty! It's fun to
read the many baby name books and hear about the weird names people
give their babies. But, as entertaining as this can be, picking out
a baby name is serious business. It's not like cute clothes or baby
toys; it's something that will be with your child for the rest of her
life. In this vein, here are a few things to consider.
- Spelling and pronunciation. Few things are more annoying than having to constantly correct people who get your name wrong. While I haven't had this problem, my husband has an unusual name that most people (myself included) get wrong when they meet him. Foreign-sounding names might be a good tribute to your religion or heritage, but try to steer clear of first names that aren't easily spelled or pronounced. If the name has a special meaning to you, perhaps it can be a middle name.
- Association with the name. Sorry, but names such as Adolph or Judas will probably never outlive their association with certain unsavory people from the past.
- Sound. How does it sound when paired with your last name?
- Can it easily be made fun of? Hopefully your child won't have this problem, but some names can be easily used by others to annoy or harass. Dweezil Zappa or Destry Spielberg might be able to get by because of their famous fathers, but most kids don't have that luxury.
- Nicknames or initials. Some parents give their children nicknames as 'real' names. This can work well with names like Christy or Sue, but having to explain that your name isn't actually Christine or Susan can get old after a while. It can also be embarrassing to see DUD or HAG stamped on your luggage at the airport. :)
- Popularity. Common names are great in that people can usually pronounce or spell them, but some children don't like having several classmates with their name.
- Gender. It's been a trend in recent years to give girls names like Mackenzie or Ryan that were previously associated with boys. There are also names like Robin or Dana that have become unisex over time. Names like this make it easy for parents to name children before knowing their gender, but it can be frustrating for a child to constantly have to correct others about their gender. Boys tend to be more insulted when taken to be girls than the reverse-Think of the Johnny Cash song 'A Boy Named Sue'!
- Naming after their parents or other family members. Naming your child after them is probably one of the best ways to honor someone. However, some people think this is too confusing or can make the child feel like they don't have an identity of your own. One way to get around this is to give the name as a middle name. That, or call the child by their middle name or initials (AJ, etc).
Now,
for what's probably the most important thing-
Don't let anyone
pressure you! As you've probably noticed by now, everyone has
an opinion on what your child's name should be. Don't let anyone
pressure you into picking a name you don't like. Also,
don't let anyone (including me!) talk you out of
using a name that means a lot to
you. If pressure from others is a problem, consider not
telling anyone what your final decision is until after the
child is born. At that point, it's too late for 'suggestions'!
In closing, here's your laugh for the day-
The 20 Most Bizarre Celebrity Baby Names
:)
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