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Choosing your baby's name can be a very emotional
experience. Sometimes it's easy. Usually, it's not. There's so much
to consider, but the most important thing to remember is to love
the name. Here are five tips to help you make the right decision:
Don't
rush! - It's a good idea to have one or more names in mind,
but don't decide until you hold your baby in your arms. When you
look into those beautiful eyes, you'll know.
Talk
about it - Other than, "Is it a boy or a girl?" the
question you'll be asked most is "What will you name your baby?"
You've probably already heard that one a hundred times. Talking
with your spouse, family and friends makes it a team effort and
it's fun, too. You might even have a baby naming party. Check out
your family tree. Call relatives, especially those you haven't talked
with in a while. Of course, don't expect a unanimous decision, but
everyone will feel like they helped play a role in an important
family decision.
Say
it out loud - How does it sound? Whisper is softly and then
loudly. How about when it's said with a middle name or your last
name? Does it rhyme? If it does, does it sound good? Think about
associated nicknames and say them out loud too. Does the name pass
the "playground test?" Kids can be pretty tough. Would
you say it loudly at a mall? If not, don't give it to your child.
Do you have another child with the same sounding name or even the
same first letter? Sometimes, that can be confusing when said aloud.
Spell
it out - It's amazing how creative parents can be. Unfortunately,
that's not always best for their child. Creative spellings or pronunciations
of popular names will have your child constantly correcting those
who mistake it with its more popular version. You can't forget the
initials, either. What do they spell or represent? And, if you plan
to call your child by a pet name, it's probably best to register
the full version at birth, so your child has the option to later
use a more formal version.
Make
it meaningful - Your baby's name should evoke happiness and
pleasant feelings. It should reflect qualities and traits that you
hope your child will possess. Family names are great and give your
baby a rich heritage, but if you don't like the name, it probably
won't feel right, even if it pleases relatives. A unique name may
make your child stand out and feel extra special. But, if it's too
unusual, it could cause problems. It's also very important that
your child has a name with clear gender identification. And finally,
it's always tempting to pick today's most popular name, but will
it be popular 10 or 20 years from now? And, do you really want your
first-grader with the same name as four others in the same class?
We
know this is not a easy decision, so we've developed a few "babynamer"
tools to help. You can review lists of popular names, search our
databases for the origins and meanings of names and search by the
name's first letter. These databases are updated every day and we
are always looking for more handy tools to help you make the best
decision.
Good
Luck and Congratulations!
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