The Perfect Baby Name

You have just found out that you will become new parents in nine months.  There is a lot of preparing to do, not the least of which is coming up with a name for the new addition to the family.  The name that is chosen follows your child throughout his life, making the decision a very important one. 

When choosing a name for your newborn boy or girl, a few things need to be considered.  First, how will the name sound?  Everyone wants to be unique.  If the name is hard for you to pronounce, even if it is cute, that’s a sure sign that your child is headed for trouble later in life.  No one likes their name pronounced every way but the right way.   

Some parents like more common names, but they change the spelling to change the look of the name on paper.  Megan as the traditional spelling may not look as good as Meghan or Meggan.  Faith doesn’t look as unique as Fayth.  While the alternative spellings may look better, think about your child.  Will they remember how to spell their name and will others know as well?  

The alternative spelling phenomenon is more common among girls’ names, but some boys names fall under this category.  For instance, there is the name Shawn.  It has been spelled Shawn, Shaun, and Sean.  The last one used to be the hardest to pronounce correctly because of the missing “h”.   

People remember names that flow well.  This doesn’t mean that the first, middle, and last names have to rhyme.  That is a bit too much flow.  Instead, choose each name so that it compliments the surname.  For example, John Smith has a one syllable first and last name.  If your last name is long and hard to pronounce, choosing a shorter first name is better.  It’s not only easier to say, but easier to write and read. 

Another thing to consider is nicknames.  A name that can be shortened will be shortened by other kids when your child reaches school age.  Traditional names like Benjamin or Steven, are shortened pretty easy.  A name like Stuart will be shortened to Stu. If you don’t like the nicknames or shortened versions, another name could be the solution.  This goes for girls’ names as well.  The last thing any parent wants is to open their child up for ridicule from other kids. 

Who knew that choosing a name involved so much work?  With so many choices for names floating around in the ether today, parents have to do a bit more searching to find the perfect one to fit their child.  Start early so there’s time to come up with a list of promising names that you can then narrow down until you find the perfect name for your new bundle of joy.