Cute Baby Names and Meanings can be tough to choose. And because the name you give to your baby will undoubtedly stick with him or her for the rest of their life, the decision is not something to be taken lightly. On the other hand, picking Baby Names should be a pleasant and enjoyable experience.
Fortunately, there are a few guidelines you can follow that will make the process easier. Keeping these things in mind will insure that you create a list of cute baby names to choose from-ones that are as wonderful as she is!
Harmony
Long Surnames Tend To Suit Short First Names Better Than Longer Ones. For Example, Anastasia Lichensteinburg Can Be A Mouthful! |
- The name you choose should sound balanced with your last name. The full name should have a pleasant rhythm and be melodious. Generally speaking, first and last names that have unequal numbers of syllables sound the best together.
- Longer surnames tend to suit shorter given names and visa versa. For example, a short last name such as “Jones” goes well with a longer first name such as “Alexandria”.
- First names that end in vowels don’t generally sound good with last names that also start or end with a vowel. For example, Amanda Alda has too many “a” sounds and is just plain hard to say!
- First and last names that rhyme are not a good idea. Jason Mason not only sounds strange, but it can be a source of all kinds of playground jokes.
Significance
- The name you pick should have a special meaning or significance for you. It should convey positive feelings and bring pleasing thoughts to your mind.
- Consider names that are important to you because they are from family members, other world figures you love or respect, or from your ethnic background and heritage.
- Many names can be particularly suited to your child, and have extra meaning to you and to your child later in life. For example, “Noel”, for a child born on Christmas day.
- Don’t forget that your child’s middle name also lends itself to being something meaningful for you.
Ancestry and Heritage
Picking A Name From Your Ethnic Background Can Give It More Meaning. |
- A name choice can reflect your heritage and culture, and therefore be more meaningful. If your ancestry is of a specific ethnicity, consider a name from that country.
- You may follow a religion that makes certain names particularly appealing. Those of the Roman Catholic faith often pick Saints’ names. Jewish parents often choose from the Old Testament and many Protestants children are named from the Old and New Testament.
Individuality
- Deciding upon a very unique or popular name is always difficult. Making this decision first will help you limit the many name choices that are out there.
- Consider that with a very trendy or popular name, your child is likely to have several other children with the same name in their class at school. Remember the Kathy 1, Kathy 2, Kathy 3, and Kathy 4 that might have been in your classroom? (Or was it Jessica G., Jessica S., Jessica P., and Jessica M.?)
- Very unique names can make your child feel distinctive. However, if it’s too unique and sounds very odd to their classmates, they might be in for some teasing because of it. Be careful about being too creative.
- Be careful of pronunciations and spelling. If the name you choose is very difficult to spell, your child will be constantly needing to correct people and this can become tiring after a while. On the other hand, slight variations in spelling can be a good way of making a common name more unique.
- Inventing a name can be fun and insure that your child has a very distinctive name. However, be aware that they may become embarrassed or grow tired of explaining their name to others time and again.
Appropriateness
- Make sure that the name you pick will be appropriate for your child during all the stages of their life. Think about them using that name on their first day of school, at the time of their first interview, while saying their wedding vows, etc…
- If you choose a very trendy name, try to determine if that name will stand the test of time. Or, will your child be saddled with a name that was popular at one time but seems very dated by the time they’re 45! Remember Bambi?
- Consider that same gender names can be difficult for a child because they must continually explain their gender. This is usually more difficult for boys who have a name that could cause them to be mistaken for a girl.
- It’s important to think carefully before giving a child a name the carries a lot of positive or negative connotations. This may prove too difficult for them to live up to or to live down! For example: Tiger or Adolph.
- Juniors can also have a lot to live up to and it can be difficult having 2 people with the same name in one household.
Nicknames and Initials
- When you’ve finally chosen a name for your baby, make sure that the combination of initials of their complete name doesn’t’t create something that is potentially embarrassing. For example, “Amanda Sara Stevens” can have some pretty rotten consequences. However, you can get some satisfaction out of the fact that experts feel that teasing based on names and nicknames is less common these days.
- Also consider any nicknames that your child is likely to get from the name you give them. Do you like the possibilities? You may be determined that your “Jonathon” will remain a “Jonathon”, however you can’t avoid the fact that some of his friends, or even himself, might prefer Jon or Jonny.
- If you prefer the sound of a nickname, think about registering your child’s name as formal version any ways. This gives your child a chance to use that name in the future. For instance, you may want to call your baby “Kate”, but if you register her name as “Katherine” she will have options later in life.
If you’ve found the perfect baby name and it doesn’t’t follow some of these rules—don’t worry. The most important rule is that you and your partner love the name you’ve picked!