We are having a girl and even though we have chosen a name it was hard. I didn’t want my kids’ name to be common, but how unique is too unique? When do you decide on a name like “For sure regardless this is the name”? Before or after they are born?
Before being born all I want is everything to be perfect for the baby. I know it’s unreasonable to think I’ll make every right decision, but a name it’s a lot of pressure. It’s cliche but a name really does last a lifetime and the wrong name can cause them to be teased and picked on in school or grow up resenting their name.
A unique name, slightly different, can be nice. Like mine, Jeffery as opposed to Jeffrey. just slightly different. Though, I’m not sure where that name came from. My mother said she just liked that name. Not a bad name considering she wasn’t expecting a son.
My wife was named after family names, and mother’s maiden name. Her sister was named after a cross between a famous tv actress, family, and mothers maiden name.
As for us, our kids were easy to name. We decided long ago, back in high school, a girl’s name and a boy’s name. I’m not really sure why I never thought we could have 2 girls I guess it’s because everyone thinks the same way 1 boy 1 girl.
We did slightly change our original idea of our daughters’ name. Due to family opinion on the middle name and tradition, we hyphened it. Our sons’ name I wouldn’t have changed that regardless of how anyone felt. We kept the family tradition alive for one child but now we name them what we feel. Besides our daughters’ name ended up being like 31 characters long.
For the newest addition to the family, it was extremely hard to choose a name.
I did have a first name thought up before we knew our second was a boy. I actually had it typed in my notes section of my phone saved. So when we found out we were expecting a 3rd I found that and added a bunch of variations to it and we have it nailed down, for now. You never know, I have heard of parents ditching the name they had chosen once they saw there little one to something completely different.
So when I was thinking up an idea of a name for someone I’ve never met. I didn’t want a common name for my kids because my kids won’t be common. I like unique names so how I researched names might be different than some.
Try First Letters
I started by thinking about the first letter of the name. I have Aaliyah so I thought about a letter staring with “Z”. After looking at the names that appeared a few caught my eye but we have a friend with a little girl close to my oldest with a name starting with “Z” so I went away from that. Not to say if I felt strongly about the name I would have forgone it. I would have stayed strong to it.
If someone I know has a child a day before mine and calls their child what we have chosen for our daughter, I’m still naming her what we plan. If you’re willing to do that then you have chosen the name you should have.
Think Initials
Don’t forget, when choosing a name to think of what the initials spell. Becky Anne Gates, Franklin Ulfred Kennedy, Tito Ivan Trafton, Anne Susan Smith, or Dallas Ivan Connor, you catch my drift. You better believe if your kids’ initials spell something goofy the other kids will find out and it’ll be a running joke all through school.
Spelling Is Important
Don’t forget the spelling. Not just spelling but boy vs girl spelling and do you want your son to have a name that could be considered girlish. Like Dominique works both ways but we went with Dominic so he won’t be teased when in school.
Test Out Saying It
Is it easy to say? Does it roll off your tongue? Is it a tongue twister? These are important because you will be saying there first middle and last name a lot. It’ll be hard to keep a straight face for your kid and yourself if you are tripping over his name every time he’s in trouble.
Don’t Spell It Differently Just To Be Different
I’ve seen some parents give there kids’ name a crazy spin to an otherwise common name. Just check out these crazy spelling to some common names:
https://m.ranker.com/list/horribly-spelled-common-names/lowe-saddler
Don’t Be Crazy Different
Blue Ivy, South West, You catch my drift. OK, Blue Ivy not bad but her initial are BIC. Unless she becomes an MMA fighter or boxer then Blue “poison-Ivy” Carter. Ok, sorry fell down a naming rabbit hole for a minute. But seriously people being crazy different seems that it’s more about them than the baby’s name.
Look Up The Meaning Of The Name
Look up the selected names and what does the name mean. Also to make sure it’s appropriate in multiple languages. Not that there are many that are inappropriate it better safe than sorry. More importantly, though is to make sure you are happy with the meaning is it a strong name? Is it a delicate name?
For More Common Ways To Look Up Names
For Girls
Look up flowers, or plants that flower. Look up famous women in history that have the same resolve or strength as imagine your daughter having. You can always take those names and modify or update them to a more current era name but still named for the great things they did. Also combining names Roseanne (Rosa Parks & Marie Curie)
For Boys
Looking up famous people from your heritage, your family names with a twist, respected military hero’s, or actors you connected with and admire.
Length Of Name
So this is important. Our first child will hate us when she gets older. Her name is 31 characters long. Don’t do this. Now granted it wasn’t going to be this long but we did hyphen it as a workaround to the wife’s family tradition. How important is this? I don’t really know do people even care or use middle names or are they kind of a throw-away name now.
If You Currently Have Kids Ask Them
This one really is for giggles and a great family story. “You know your sister wanted to call you Sofia because that was her favorite cartoon.” or “ You know your brother wasn’t really all that excited to bring you home he was insisting on calling you poop face.” Our daughter, for instance, wanted to call her after a kid in her class.
Some Of The Sites I Used When Looking Up Names:
Name berry -I love this site they have a massive list of names, meanings, popularity.
Babble Similar to name berry with its content.
How did you go about choosing you babies name? Do you like traditional names or a little more out there? Let me know in the comments below.
I’ll update this post, once our angel has introduced herself to us, with her name and explain how we came up with her name.
