Tips on Naming ur Child

Tips on Naming a Child

Meaning of the name

Naming your baby is one of the most important tasks you will ever undertake. The name is central to a child's earliest sense of identity, so the worst thing you could do when choosing a baby name is to rush into it. Settling for a name you are not 100% happy with may affect you and your child for a lifetime! Don't commit yourself to the first name that you'll find. Keep searching until you'll find a name that you truly like.
Just because the name sounds good doesn’t mean its meaning is equally good. Many parents name their baby after a sweet sounding word. It is very important that you know the meaning of your baby’s name before you go for it.

The meaning of your child's name probably won't greatly affect his or her life, but may help you to make a decision between your favorites.

Before choosing a name with a unique pronunciation or spelling keep in mind that your child will spend his or her lifetime explaining to others how the name is really spelled or pronounced. No one likes having their name constantly misspelled or mispronounced that's for sure.
An unusual spelling of a common name creates uniqueness but it is also associated with a confusion. A child named Aarna will always have to spell it for the benefit of others “ A a r n a.” So if you are ready to take this challenge..go ahead. The high points of such names is their uniqueness.

Foreign Names

Some parents want to choose their kid’s names from other cultures. No harm in it unless it is easily pronounced and has a good meaning. Eg Jijina, it is a Russian name that means the one who conquers the world. A girl with this name might always have to explain its meaning through out her like. So is Trishkova.

Check the nicknames or shortened forms of your child's name. Many names are shortened to nicknames during childhood, or other stages of life, so be sure to avoid baby names that might produce insulting nicknames when people shorten them.

Unusual names are hard to remember at first, but once remembered usually stick to memory much better. An unconventional name will make a wonderful conversation starter, especially if there is an interesting story behind it. You can feel free to be as creative and meaningful as possible with a middle name, because your child only has to reveal it when he feels comfortable. They may adore their middle name and tell everyone about it or they may hate it, but they never have to use it!

Popular or common names are normal and "safe", but sometimes they are easily forgotten, especially when you meet a lot of people all at once. However, a child with a popular name may be perceived better by society than a child with a unique name. But keep in mind that we love people because of who they are, not because of their name. Many of your friends have common first names, but have you ever considered them boring or average because of it?

Unisex names may make it easier for you to choose your child's name before you know their sex, but it can be unfair and psychologically harmful to a child, especially to boys who may feel more insulted when presumed to be girls. However unisex names are another trend that is gaining steam these days.

Pronunciation

Also keep in mind the complexity of the pronunciation of the name. Here one rule applies – i.e. the KISS Rule – Keep It Short and Simple.
How it sounds? It's a good idea to recite your choices out loud. The full name should be sweet to the ears with no harshness. Saying it out loud and using it in common sentences will give you a better idea of how much you really like the name. Don't forget, some names look great when written on paper, but sound terrible off the tongue.

You can also get some great ideas from popular names in other countries. Get some inspiration from the top names in Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, Australia or Canada.

Celebrities

A common source of today’s baby names comes from the names of celebrities and from the names that celebrities choose for their children. Characters from TV and movies are another popular source. However we suggest do not name somebody after great personalities such as Amitabh Bachchan as the person might loose his true identity as he shall be compared with the famous personality

Make sure you don't choose a name that ends with the same letter your last name begins with. This can end up being a tongue twister and cause some teasing too.

Remember that the other parent and your family will also have opinions about baby names, so it is a good idea to consider their opinions too. It's impossible to make everyone happy but we advise being respectful of your partner's feelings. However, keep in mind that that there is an easy solution: you can always select two names, and use one as a middle name!

Make sure that the name you choose is one that your child will be able to grow up with. Keep in mind that it should be applicable for all ages. You shouldn't pick a name that's really cute for an adorable little baby but will sound silly when the baby grows up.

Choose the names that you are most passionate about and make a favorites list as concise as possible. Have friends and family rate the names you choose. You can easily print out these surveys on paper or send by email. It's not a bad idea to see what people around you think. But you should pick a name because you love it, not because of what everybody else thinks of it.

For example Myra is a good sounding name and many parents I came across ( even one celebrity) have named their kids Myra. But when I researched the word for its meaning in Biblical sense I came across its meaning as Tears or Sadness. So my advice – Research a lot before you name.

Recently Indian actress Karishma Kapoor named her second baby as Kian. She claims it to be “American Hebrew” name! Excuse me..American and Hebrew are totally different. And most people on various social networking sites made fun of the name saying it sounded like a Peacock’s cry – Kian Kian!

Mostly names have direct meaning but some names are derived from other names or the combination of other names. Most baby naming websites today come with a meaning as they affect your child’s life.

Religion

No matter how clichéd it might sound, but keep your religion in background while naming your baby. If a person from one community or religion keeps a name associated with another community or a religion then his identity will always keep him unique.

Parents

Try to use derivatives of one of the parents’ names, or a combination of both. Alternatively, how does the mother’s maiden name sound as a first name? Eg mothers name Sunita and father’s name Ramesh can create a beautiful name Sunra.

Be Gender Specific

Avoid names which are kept both by Girls and Boys. Eg Lavanya and Ashwarya. Some parents keep it for their male child too and they are subjected to mockery in their peer group.

Twins
When naming Twins. Do not keep Similar Names or Names signifing Twins like Luv and Kush. Keep names which are different so that the two twins can have distinct identities.