Baby names: Choosing the right name

I have never liked my name. How can I ensure that the name we choose for our little girl will be a name she will like when she grows up?

As a baby any name is good enough, however, when your little girl gets to primary school awareness of the right name will start to develop. There’s no guarantee that your baby in later life will love the name you choose, however, careful and sensitive thinking will lessen the chance of problems. Here are some tips.

1. Would you like the name for yourself? Do both you and your spouse like the sound? Does it have a nice balance with your surname? A good standard rule is a short first name with a longer surname and vice versa e.g. John Kramer or Melanie Jones; whilst two-syllable first names also work well with two-syllable last names. Megan Johnson.

2. Will people be able to pronounce her name? Or spell it? Are there hidden meanings or embarrassing sound-alikes? Check the initials, what do they spell out? Could the name be shortened into a playground insult? And if it’s an unusual name because you want her to be differentiated, consider whether it may be difficult for her to live with in the future.

3. Consider a name that is meaningful to you to give her a sense of belonging, to the family or the greater world. “You were named after your granny – or a famous woman – because she inspired us”.

4. Include a middle name, so she has a back-up in case of unhappiness.  

5. Avoid trendy names that will date – this year’s hot name after a TV celebrity. And if you don’t want your child to be one of six Sofia’s in the class, avoid picking a name from this year’s Top 10 list.

See also:
Names for girls here
Names for boys here
Gender neutral names here