What's in a name?

Posted by The Popular News Today on Sunday, May 29, 2011

By Dom Stephenson


Whilst some people know what they are going to call their baby from the outset, others struggle to decide on boys names and girls names and spend much of a pregnancy worrying about such an important decision. After all, a baby will spend its life with the name that is chosen. Getting it wrong is not, therefore, an option. There are a number of different factors that can be taken into consideration when thinking about baby names and, by narrowing down the search so that is more manageable, it is possible to replace worry with excitement at the prospect of compiling a shortlist of boys names or girls names.

For some families it is important that their baby has ties to its past and they wish to reflect this in the name they choose. As a result they choose to name their baby after a family member. Boys names may be chosen to give continuity with the names of dads, grandfathers or uncles. Girls names may reflect the names of mothers, grandmothers or aunts. Whilst the tradition of handing names down the generations can be a excellent way of making families closer, it is worth bearing in mind that those whose name has not been chosen can feel a little left out.

When looking outside the family for inspiration, one of the first things to consider is whether it is important to you that your baby has a well known name or whether you prefer something a little more unusual. There is a great deal of comfort to be had in selecting popular girls names or boys names, particularly when it comes to the worry of being teased by others at school. The main benefit of going for a more unusual name is that it will ensure that your child stands out from the crowd and is not judged in relation to other children with the same name. More unusual names may be inspired by many things, such as places visited, names chosen by celebrities or have their roots in different cultures.

Nowadays, the ease with which information is shared and the growth of people moving between countries means that the variety of names to choose from has grown significantly. Where once there were a handful of traditional names, there is now a world-wide pool of names on offer. Different spellings, even of more common names are increasingly popular and the scope of what it considered to be a "popular" name has widened. It is easy to see why it is possible to become overwhelmed with the sheer volume of girls names and boys names available when carrying out research.

Searching for names with a personal meaning is one way of reducing the number of options available. Names of favourite characters in films or books can be a good source of inspiration. Names that have a specific meaning with which you identify with is another. Choosing a name that originates from your place of birth can be one way of keeping in touch with your roots.

It is important, however, to look at the wider picture a little and make sure that your chosen baby name meets all requirements. Is it a name that will fit throughout life or will it only be appropriate during a particular age? If your chosen name has connotations such as strength or patience what will happen if your child is not particularly strong or patient?

There are further considerations too. What happens when your chosen name is put together with your surname. Is the result Stan Still, Paige Turner or Hazel Nutt? Can the name be abbreviated and, if so, what is the result when combined with your surname. Will your son Timothy become Tim Burr? Will the postman get to chortle when delivering letters to little Anthony because your surname is Burke? A little thought now can make sure that the name chosen for your baby will not haunt them later.

Once you have decided on a name for your baby, you will need to think about when you will tell friends and family. You may decide not to and wait until the birth of your baby, especially if you think you may change your mind. You may, however, wish to draw on their experience and mull over ideas with them. They can also be invaluable in pointing out any potential future embarrassments.




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