|
Saturday, 08 March 2008 22:01 |
|
Winifred or Willow? Thomas or Troy? The name you choose for
your child will last a lifetime. Whether you’re looking for
something original that will stand out from the crowd or a
traditional name that people will instantly recognize, choosing
a name for your new baby is a huge responsibility.
It goes without saying that you as the parents must like the
name. Names that hold bad associations for you are out (Jeremy
was a bore at school, you can’t stand Bella in the Tweenies),
and if you consider your own name uninteresting, you may wish to
choose something more exotic – or vice versa.
Think carefully about combinations of first name and surname.
Are they compatible? You may like a mixture of an unusual first
name with a more familiar surname (Zara Phillips), but be
careful about rhyming the two names – Mark Clarke won’t thank
you for it. Beware initials that could cause hilarity to your
child’s future friends – Ethan Thomas or Peter Oliver Ogilvie
won’t be joining in the giggles! Trying to be clever can also
cause grief – Poppy Fields or Summer Winters may sound cute at
the time, but can eventually grate on everyone’s nerves!
If she’s called Grace, will she turn out to be butter-fingered?
Will Maximus grow into a Mr. Puniverse? Is Jordan a boy or a
girl? What will Elizabeth grow up as? Lizzie? Beth? Liza? And as
for Ashleigh, Ashley, Ashlee, Ashlea and Ashlie – all in
circulation at the moment – how is anyone supposed to find a
name that is both special and appropriate?
Fortunately, sources of inspiration can be found everywhere. You
can avoid the throng of Chloes, Emilys, Jacobs and Jacks topping
the baby name charts for the past few years, and choose from a
huge variety of names collected in specialist books and on the
Internet. Some parents prefer biblical names - Rebecca, Abigail,
Joshua, Samuel and Joseph are all very popular at the moment.
Names inspired by nature include Blossom, Lily or Skye and even
Tiger for boys. Place names (Paris, Lamorna), colours (Coral,
Ebony), astronomy, music, and sport – all provide a wealth of
ideas and choice.
Naming twins presents its own set of challenges. You may wish to
link the names in some way using the same first letter (Jack and
Jill?) or a theme such as Liberty and Faith, or even similar
names like Leo and Eleonora. However, you might end up having
two very independent children who don’t wish to be connected by
name as well as birthday. A less obvious connection involves
using different names with similar meanings such as Columba and
Jemima (both meaning dove), or Jonathan and Matthew (gift of
God).
For those of us who still haven’t decided even when the stork
delivers, the arrival of your newborn may give you all the
inspiration you need! Christmas babies often appear as Noel or
Noelle, Natalie or Natasha, nighttime births produce star
inspired names such as Stella, Esther or Sterling, and for
thankful parents after a difficult birth, Nathaniel (gift of
God), Abigail (father’s joy) or Miranda (wonderful) might fit
the bill.
So whether you plump for Clifford or Condor, Harriet or Harmony,
above all have fun choosing that special name – and with careful
thought, your child will grow up bearing a name you can all be
proud of!
|
