Considerations For Naming Baby

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A pregnancy is a time filled with many emotions, from excitement to anxiety and happiness to insecurity. One of the important and positive decisions a couple usually decides on during this period is a name for their precious baby-in-waiting. Time-honoured choices include names originating from the Bible, family lines, or cultural heritage. Another popular choice is to seek individuality in naming a child. Many people want something different, such as nature-based names -- Sunflower, Ocean, or Meadow -- or names based on favourite movie stars or fictional characters. The popularity of Michaela as a girl's name rose dramatically in the early 1990s about the same time as the television series Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman went to air. Inspiration and influences come from many areas. Each parent has a list of favourites and those they dislike. The process of picking out just the right names may be difficult or very easy. When choosing a name for the child, there are certain considerations one should take into account for the benefit of the little one. 1. Is the name going to cause embarrassment? Sometimes names have connotations associated with them, or are old-fashioned names now hijacked to mean something entirely different; Fanny, for example. Other names may bring to mind a rhyme which is uncomplimentary. Consider not only of the first name, but how it will interact with the middle and surnames. 2. What initials will the child have?Certain initials, when combined, spell out unfortunate words or acronyms with some other meaning. For example, a child with the initials D.O.G. may come in for some ribbing at school. The words spelled by initials may not necessarily be unflattering. For example, a friend has a child with the initials B.R.G.R. It immediately brought to mind the word "burger" and has become an inescapable association with that child, though one could never call it a problem. This demonstrates the effect, often unintended, of a person's initials, and puts it in the category of a consideration of naming baby. 3. Is the name difficult to spell or say?A child with an unusual name will very easily learn the spelling and pronunciation of their name, as would a child named Joe. However, others may not be so easy to train. Alternative spellings are interesting and can distinguish your child's name from a school roll. However, it may also mean the owner will spend a lifetime correcting people and spelling it out. Is this an issue? It may be for some and not for others, but it is wise to consider all possibilities. The same issue arises with more common names which have several variants, e.g. Georgia, Jorja, Giorgia, and Jorgia. Whatever names are given to a baby, there is no doubt a lot of thought has gone into the decision. The parents' choices are virtually endless, and the above considerations may help narrow the field of possibilities.