The Name Game: Tips For Picking the Best Baby Name
Expectant parents spend hours preparing the nursery, poring overpregnancy and delivery books and going to childbirth classes.Yet surprisingly, many decide their child’s given name within amatter of minutes, often spending more time selectin...
...g the rightcar seat or stroller.What should parents-to-be consider when choosing a baby name?All About Baby, a personalized children’s products company thathas seen all types of name combinations, has come up withhelpful tips to make the process interesting, fun and successful.USE BOOKS AND THE INTERNET First, start with the experts. Thechoices today are staggering with more than 50,000 common namesand spelling variations. Begin with some basic homework bybuying a few baby-name books or a baby-name software program.Check online for the best buys. You can also use the internet by tapping into dozens of internetsites that list popular baby names, some websites even offercustomized search programs, complete with the meaning and originof the names.BEGIN KEEPING A LIST Somewhere during the middle of yourpregnancy, start jotting down some of your favorite selections. Next, begin mixing and matching the first and middle names alongwith the baby’s last name to see how you like variouscombinations. How do the names sound together? How do they lookon paper? This is the time to ask others for their opinion, sokeep an open mind and have a little fun considering a wide rangeof names for your little one. At the same time, keep in mind that names often bring up amyriad of emotions, and sometimes parents can have verydifferent reactions to their partner’s favorite choices. So weadvise being respectful of your partner's feelings.Trendy names are really in fashion -- especially withcelebrities. However, there is always something to be said forthe old standards that have endured the test of time. Forinstance, Bambi Nevada might seem like a cool choice today, butconsider what is the best selection for an entire lifetime. Whatwill this name look like decades later on a business card? Along these same lines are exotic spellings and invented names,which are also in wide use today. Remember that kids cansometimes be cruel and a highly unusual name could be fodder forplayground teasing. As an adult, just think how many times during an average weekyou give and spell your name. Do you want to give your child aname that he or she could really resent later?If you absolutely love a name, but can’t tolerate the nicknamethat often goes with it, then think twice. For example, I have a friend who named her son Michael, eventhough she hates the nickname, ‘Mikey’. Now the mom spends fartoo much time and energy correcting kids, teachers and otherparents who refer to him by the dreaded nickname. It’s just notworth it.HAVE SOME BACK-UP CHOICES Since ultrasound tests are not alwaysinterpreted correctly, All About Baby recommends choosing namesfor both sexes. Even when you think the gender is a certainty,it is still a good idea to have a back up name. Why? Sometimesthe name that seemed perfect during your pregnancy just isn’tthe right match when the new baby finally arrives. This actually happened to another mom that I know, who washaving her second son, a boy. They learned the sex of the babyduring pregnancy and planned for months to name their new son,Cameron Michael. However, when I visited their home a few days after the baby'sbirth, I learned the parents had named him Matthew John. Hismother’s explanation was that after his birth, they all realized‘he just didn’t look like a Cameron.' And you know, she wasright, he looked like a Matthew John!PICK THE NAME THAT IS RIGHT FOR YOUR CHILD Everyone seems tohave an opinion when it comes to baby names, and family memberscan be especially outspoken. While it’s fun to hear suggestions,especially during the first part of your name search, keep inmind that ultimately your child’s name is your decision. It isimpossible to make everyone happy.Naming your infant is one of the most important tasks you willever undertake. A person’s name is truly a lifetime gift, and ithelps define your child -- within the family, to friends, atschool and to the outside world. If you consider the optionscarefully and select with love, you really can’t go wrong.For a complete list of 20 Helpful Baby-Naming Tips as well as awide variety of other interesting child-related content, visithttp://www.allbaby.com.
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