10 Quick Tips For Naming Your Baby
Image Credit: Марина Вельможко
Choosing a name for your baby is a serious business!
There are so many things to think about. Do you want to give your child a name to aspire to? Do you want a classic, timeless and traditional baby name? Do you (or your family) have names that have been handed down through the generations - and it might cause a major argument if you don't use that name!
Then again maybe you want a name that is a bit different or unique (check out these wild, wacky and downright weird celebrity names!)
Just remember that it is your child is the one who will have to live with their name, so you need to choose it carefully. Here are some tips for choosing a baby name.
10 Baby Naming Tips
- If your surname is long, I would suggest that you be wary of giving your child a long first name; apart from being a bit of a mouthful, every time that they have to fill in a paper form it will be very hard to fit their whole name in!
- On the other hand, if your surname is only one syllable, a longer name will tend to sound better than a short first name.
- The next thing to think about when naming your baby is, will the name sound right when said out loud? Say the whole name, out loud, to make sure that it is not difficult to say. It might be a lovely name but it just sounds plain wrong with your surname. Do the same if you are going to give them middle names, making sure that the whole name flows nicely.
- Check carefully that your child’s initials will not spell out anything rude or that their initials could mean something else and cause them to be teased.
- Beware of naming your baby after a favourite celebrity. This year’s big star can so easily be next year’s big joke; your poor child could be terribly embarrassed and again is quite likely to get teased.
- Your family may have expectations that your baby will be named after a family member. Ultimately it is your baby, so it is your choice. If you really feel that you don’t want to upset someone, you give the family name as a middle name.
- Many names have a nickname that is often used, or a usual way of shortening it. Think about whether you like that nickname as much as the full name, as your child’s friends will probably use it even if you don't want to.
- Will the name be as appropriate to an adult as to a child? Some names which are cute for a small child can sound rather silly for an adult. (My rule of thumb is, does this sound like a person who could be Prime Minister/President?)
- Unusual spellings of common names are asking for your child to endure a lifetime of being misspelt.
- One middle name is nice and will help differentiate your child from others who might have the same name. Two middle names can sound quite aristocratic; more than that is over the top and distinctly chavvy unless you are genuinely tenth or less in line to the throne.
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