Easy Guidelines For Naming Baby

The name you give to your baby will undoubtedly stick with him or her for the rest of their life. Therefore, the decision is not something to be taken lightly. On the other hand, naming your child should be a pleasant and enjoyable experience. Fortunately, there are a few guidelines you can follow that will make the process easier. Keeping these things in mind will insure that the name you pick for your new baby is as wonderful as she is!

Harmony:

· The name you choose should sound balanced with your last name. The full name should have a pleasant rhythm and be melodious. Generally speaking, first and last names that have unequal numbers of syllables sound the best together.

· Longer surnames tend to suit shorter given names and visa versa. For example, a short last name such as "Jones" goes well with a longer first name such as "Alexandria". On the other hand, a longer, more elaborate last name goes perfectly with a short and simple first name. "Anne Litchensteinson" rolls off the tongue easier than "Anastasia Litchensteinson"!

· First names that end in vowels don't generally sound good with last names that also start or end with a vowel. For example, Amanda Alda has too many "a" sounds and is just plain hard to say!

· First and last names that rhyme are not a good idea. Jason Mason not only sounds strange, but it can be a source of all kinds of playground jokes.

Significance:

· The name you pick should have a special meaning or significance for you. It should convey positive feelings and bring pleasing thoughts to your mind.

· Consider names that are important to you because they are from family members, other world figures you love or respect, or from your ethnic background and heritage.

· Many names can be particularly suited to your child, and because of this they have extra meaning to you and to your child later in life. For example, "Noel", for a child born on Christmas day.

· Don't forget that your child's middle name also lends itself to being something very special and meaningful for you. Many people use this name instead of the given name to carry on family traditions or attach a significant meaning to their baby's name.

Ancestry and Heritage:

· A name choice can reflect your heritage and culture, and therefore be even more meaningful to you. If your ancestry is of a specific ethnicity, consider a name from that country.

· You may follow a religion that makes certain names particularly appealing. Those of the Roman Catholic faith often pick Saints' names. Jewish parents often choose names from the Old Testament. Many Protestants name their children from both the Old and New Testament.

Individuality:

· One of the most difficult decisions for a parent to make is whether they want a very unique name for their child, or one that is more "popular", and as such, more common. Making this decision first will help you limit the many name choices that are out there.

· Consider that with a very trendy or popular name, your child is likely to have several other children with the same name in their class at school. Remember the Kathy 1, Kathy 2, Kathy 3, and Kathy 4 that might have been in your classroom? (Or was it Jessica G., Jessica S., Jessica P., and Jessica M.?) This can leave your child struggling for individuality, but at least their name will be well accepted by the group.

· Very unique names can make your child feel distinctive. However, if it's too unique and sounds very odd to their classmates, they might be in for some teasing because of it. Be careful about being too creative.

· Also be careful of pronunciations and spelling. If the name you choose is very difficult to spell, your child will constantly need to correct people and this can become tiring after a while. On the other hand, slight variations in spelling can be a good way of making a common name more unique, and making your child feel special.

· Inventing a name can be fun and insure that your child has a very distinctive name. However, be aware that they may become embarrassed or grow tired of explaining their name to others time and again.

Appropriateness:

· Make sure that the name you pick will be appropriate for your child during all the stages of their life. Think about them using that name on their first day of school, at the time of their first interview, while saying their wedding vows, or accepting retirement gifts, etc...

· If you choose a very trendy name, try to determine if that name will stand the test of time. Or, will your child be saddled with a name that was popular at one time but seems very dated by the time they're 45! Remember Bambi?

· Consider that same gender names can be difficult for a child because they must continually explain their gender. This is usually more difficult for boys who have a name that could cause them to be mistaken for a girl.

· It's important to think carefully before giving a child a name the carries a lot of positive or negative connotations. This may prove too difficult for them to live up to or to live down! For example: Tiger or Adolph.

· Juniors can also have a lot to live up to and it can be difficult having 2 people with the same name in one household. Consider if naming your baby the same given name as another family member is appropriate.

Nicknames and Initials:

· When you've finally chosen a name for your baby, make sure that the combination of initials of their complete name doesn't create something that is potentially embarrassing. For example, "Amanda Sara Stevens" can have some pretty rotten consequences. However, you can get some satisfaction out of the fact that experts feel that teasing based on names and nicknames is less common these days. (Our children seem to be getting more sophisticated in their choice of things to tease about!)

· Also consider any nicknames that your child is likely to get from the name you give them. Do you like the possibilities? You may be determined that your "Jonathon" will remain a "Jonathon", however you can't avoid the fact that some of his friends, or even himself, might prefer Jon or Jonny some day.

· If you prefer the sound of a nickname, think about registering your child's name as the full and formal version anyways. This gives your child a chance to use that name in the future. For instance, you may want to call your baby "Kate", but if you register her name as "Katherine" she will have options later in life.

Above all--enjoy choosing your baby's name. And if it doesn't follow some of these rules, don't worry. The only really important rule for this process is that you and your partner both love the name you've picked!

About the author

Kathy Silver has spent the past 5 years researching and developing websites. Kathy has always had an abiding interest in the name choosing process. If you need help finding the Perfect Baby Name take a look at her new website: www.babynamesoptimizer.com and try the Baby Names and Meanings Ultimate Search Tool