Choosing a name for your baby

Dale Carnegie, author of 'How To Win Friends And Influence People', once wrote that a person's name is, to that person, the most beautiful word in any language. Names are important. Your name was probably one of the first words you learned to say, and later write. Choosing a name for a baby can be fun for both you and your partner, and many influences can come into play.

Your baby's name will be part of them forever, so it's important to give the name you choose a lot of thought, and enjoy the process along the way. There are plenty of things to think about when choosing a name for your baby. Think about some of the following things when browsing through the names listed.

Fashionable names

In Western cultures names are often in fashion, dating the baby to a particular decade or period. It is worth considering that while a fashionable name is as exciting as a new pair of shoes, it may also seem old fashioned just as quickly.

Nationality and heritage

Some countries are bound, not by fashion, but by rules. Parents in France and Scandinavia are required to choose names from official lists. Some African tribes name their first born son's after the father's father, and first born daughter after the father's mother. Other tribes name their children according to the day of the week on which it was born. In some countries such as Japan, a father's job may influence the choice of names.

While some names are beautiful expressions of the culture and heritage of the baby, it is important to remember how those names will sound outside that culture. Will the child frequently be asked if the name has a meaning, or for the correct pronunciation? Perhaps worse still, will the name be constantly mispronounced?

Using a name from the opposite sex

Some parents enjoy giving their boys girl's names, or feel that their daughter will benefit from the powerful associations of a boy's name. Maybe Mr. Shelby didn't mind, but how will your son Carol handle being teased about his name? Studies suggest that parents of girls are more prone to name their daughters with boys names, so be careful to consider the lifetime effects of your baby's name.

Some names however work for boys and girls. Robin and Leslie and Pat are names given to both boys and girls. While babies given a unisex name don't suffer the teasing their trans-gender named friends do, many unisex names are fashionable and should be chosen with care.

Considering nicknames

Children will find ways of taunting their fellow schoolmates, and making nicknames is one of the most effective. Consider how names may be shortened. They inevitably will be, and while you may like the full name, you and your baby may not be so keen on the short one.

Considering initials

When considering your names, take time to consider whether the initials spell anything. In some cultures names are chosen so that the initials spell a word, but be sure not to inadvertently name your child Sally Ann Dempsey (SAD) or Sean Ian Norton (SIN).

Some parents enjoy the fact that they share the same initials and choose to name all of their children with the same initials too. Other families choose to name their children after their grandparents, uncles and cousins. It's nice to keep the tradition going, but be sure you aren't limiting yourself from your choice of names, and once committed, don't leave one child out because there were no good names left.

How many syllables?

Say the name out loud in full and listen to how it sounds. Different rhythms will emerge and some will sound more pleasing than others. Generally, complex multisyllabic last names benefit from short simple first names, while monosyllabic last names work well with first names of two or three syllables.

Choosing a religious name

While Miss Ceccone has made Madonna a household name in many different cultures, some men named Jesus may find the cross a bit too much to bear. There are many religions and many religious names to choose from and some may be hard for your baby to live up to.

Names from literature and history

Sometimes you may avoid certain names because they bring back bad memories or choose to name a baby after a favorite sports or movie hero. Often names are chosen from works of fiction, whether they're novels or television dramas. Sometimes however feelings change, so consider the longevity of your choice before committing it to the birth certificate.

Though it is often cute to name your pets after associated characters, such as Anthony and Cleopatra, Hepburn and Tracey or Tom and Jerry, your twins might not find it quite as entertaining. In the following pages we have included as far as possible the sources of the names listed. You might also want to consider the meaning of the names you have chosen.

Remembering a shared moment

Some children discover that they are named after an incident that marked their conception. The joy of discovering you are expecting can often lead to inspiration in the choice of your baby's name.