A person’s name is something they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Selecting a baby’s name is essential, but an often difficult decision for many parents. Follow our guide for a simple process in selecting your baby’s name.
Most people have some ideas for useful baby names and have thought about it on and off throughout their entire lives. Remember that the other parent and people around you will also have opinions about baby names, so sometimes it is a good idea to consider these opinions. If by some chance you do not have enough ideas for baby names, then search the internet for a baby name directory.
Remember that your new child will be stuck with whatever name you give him or her for the rest of their lives. Common names are “normal” and “safe”, but sometimes easily forgotten, especially when you meet a lot of people all at once. Unusual names are hard to remember at first, but once reminded usually stick to memory much better. You may want to choose a name that is easily pronounced from the spelling. When trying to pick a name, decide whether you want the child to have a common name or an unusual name.
If you want a not too common name that is easy to remember, try to think of names of people that you have never met before. For example, I’ve never personally met anyone named Darien, so perhaps that name is not too common. Although this method is far from scientific, it is an excellent way to brainstorm.
Want to avoid common names? Check out the following website that allows you the search for the most common names by year:
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/
or https://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/wpg_URL/Services-Births-Deaths-and-Marriages-Most-Popular-Male-and-Female-First-Names?OpenDocument
Once you have a list of names, you can move onto the second step in the process – picking the best name for the baby. It should be noted that in most cases, the two people who have the authority of a new baby’s name are the mother and father. The opinions of friends, family members, and other associates can be taken into account as well, but ultimately, the parents should make the final decision. The name should be one that both the mother and father like. Here are some methods for selecting a baby’s name:
1) The most obvious way to choose a name is to have both parents talk about it until they reach a decision. Most parents can come to agreements this way, although others may be more fixated on their own name choices. If selecting a baby name becomes difficult, try the methods below.
2) The father picks a boy name, and the mother picks a girl name before the gender of the child is known (or vice versa). If either parent does not like a name, they can veto the name. For example, if the father picks “John” for the boy’s name and the mother does not like it, she can prohibit. The father then has to choose another name. This process continues until both parents want mutually acceptable names. This method works best for parents that are not too picky about names. Otherwise, the process could last a long time.
3) If you want to involve friends and family, what you will need to do is make a list of names. Choose the names that you are most passionate about and make a list as concise as possible. Have friends and family rate the names on a scale of 1 to 10, ten being best (or rank them from favourite to least favourite). The parents can easily print out these surveys on paper or send them by email. Total up the scores and see what people around you think.
The reach of a decision, parents must agree on a process and then follow it. In summary, following these simple steps can take the stress and difficulty out of selecting a baby’s name.
Happy Parenting..share and grow
By John C.A
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