Bonding over Baby Names  

Naming your unborn child is a special event.  Parents decide on the moniker that will identify their child every day of their life.  The decision is one that both parents take part in.  Just like the child’s life was collaboration, so is the choosing of the name. 

A child’s name is a decision that involves both parents.  One parent shouldn’t shoulder the responsibility.  For nine months, both of you will pour over names.  They’ll be family names, unique names, names from television, children’s story characters, made up names, and any other names that you can think of.   

The important thing is that both parents contribute something.  If you plan on having more than one child, you can trade off who gets to come up with the first and middle names.  This keeps one parent from feeling left out if their choice for first name doesn’t get picked. 

Some parents may agree on the first name without any hesitation.  Most parents, however, don’t find choosing a name so easy.  Parents can ask themselves a few simple questions to help make the process of naming baby a bit easier.  What do we want the name to say about our child?  What characteristics do we want our child to have?  Do we want to remember someone special with this name? 

Name meanings are not important to everyone, but some people want a name that they perceive as strong, kind or beautiful for their baby.  Moms and dads may differ on the perception of the name, but they may agree on the characteristic behind a child’s name.  That is a great place to start. 

Choosing a name is another way of bonding for the expectant parents.  They will share stories about relatives, life goals, and their dreams for a child.  Deciding on a baby name leads to a deeper understanding of each other and themselves.  The child may not grow up to be perfect but their name will be a constant source of encouragement for them and you as their parents too. 

Gathering input from friends is okay, as long as both parents agree that the final decision is theirs.  Some decisions run right up until the delivery date and some are made early on in the pregnancy.  When the name is chosen, parents can keep it a secret from the rest of the family until the birth.  Sharing this precious secret is just one part of the fun of becoming new parents. 

Too often one parent decides on a name and that’s that.  It is either the father’s name (if it’s a boy) or a distant relatives’ name if it is a girl.  Create the name together.  The care of this child will belong to both parents so also should the naming.  It is another way to feel close to the child before he/she is physically here in this world.