Posted on 04/16/2011 11:46:10 PM PDT by TheDingoAteMyBaby
There are few things more thrilling in life than having your first baby. But newbie baby namers are prone to making some mistakes that more experienced name choosers are able to avoid.
If you're choosing a baby name for the first time, don't make one of these seven common mistakes:
1. Believing that the names that were popular -- and creative -- when you were a kid still have the same status.
Name tastes have changed radically over the last decade or two. Goodbye, Jessica and Josh, hello Layla and Serenity, Landon and Tristan -- all top 100 names.
2. Thinking that the playground rules are the same as they were back in the day.
Kids no longer get teased for having names that are unique, androgynous, exotic or hard to pronounce or spell. Rather, name diversity is celebrated.
3. Letting your parents have too much say in the baby's name.
Baby names can undoubtedly be a fun topic of family conversation. But the person who changes the diapers at 3 a.m. gets to name the baby.
4. Clinging too tightly to the name you always swore you'd give your first child.
A lot of people -- let's face it: girls -- spend their childhoods coming up with fanciful names they want to give their children. But if that name you always loved has suddenly become uber-popular or clashes with your new last name, let it go.
5. Caring too much about how cool the name choice makes you look.
Sure, pregnancy is cooler than it used to be, with cuter clothes and celebrity role models. But putting a name's cool factor above all else won't make little Bronx's life very easy.
6. Not considering subsequent children's names.
First-time namers are likely to think about, well, their first child's name, but if you name Baby No. 1 Tallulah, then you pretty much rule out Lula, Lila, Delilah, Sula, Tally and maybe even Louis for subsequent children.
7. Not realizing that there's going to be a real live baby ... and child ... and, eventually, grownup on the other end of the naming decision.
We get it that it can seem like your pregnancy is all about you. Sometimes, it can almost come as a shock when an actual baby emerges in the delivery room, instantly asserting her own needs and personality. Try to keep that little (and eventually big) person in mind when you choose the name she'll live with forever.
another
That’s a grave insult! I am not going to defend anything I said, it needs no defense, but you do. How DARE you say that.
Gee whiz!
I didn’t mean to attack or offend you in any way. It’s just that you mentioned birth certificates, so I thought that with all this talk about names it just so happens that we don’t even know the REAL name of the “most powerful man in the world.”
That’s all. Please forgive me if I wrote in a manner which might have contributed to your misunderstanding. I certainly have no beef whatsoever with you or your name.
Which at least we know!
Let’s not forget the ever-present Nyquil, Dayquil, and Vagisil!
How about the woman who named her kid Le-ah.
Pronounced “Ledasha”
OH. whew. I thought you said “you remind me OF the President.....”
and you wrote “you remind me THAT the President.....”
Sorry. I was wondering why on earth someone would say that to me, glad to know I was wrong. It’s not the first time, sigh.
Name them whatever you like but don’t get upset when people can’t pronounce the name correctly or roll their eyes at it.
My cousin’s daughter is Emileigh. Part of it is because the baby’s maternal grandmother’s maiden name is Leigh, the other part is because they have a very common surname. I did a Google search, and there are other people who spell their name Emileigh with the same surname. Their earlier choice was Selah.
I think that’s a lovely way to do it, especially for the reason you name here.
I'm sorry she can't come to the computer right now.
I had to ground her for being a smart aleck.
LOLOL
And sometimes Trey or Tim (brothers). Always entertaining.
Sea
Don’t know
That’s one version of the “Ledasha” story. Another one has the girl’s name spelled “Le-a” but pronounced Le (dash) a.
There are some interesting saint’s names out there: Justinian, Felicity, Crispina, Maximilian, Cajetan, Quintian, Arianna, Flavia, Cyprian.
Sounds like she had good reasons to spell it like she did.
Arianna is OUT !
Sorry, but so it TheDingoAteMyBaby :)
I met a woman at a meeting once; her name was “Tonic”. She told me that her brother’s name was “Gin”. Her parents were going to name their kids “Gin” and “Tonic”, no matter what sex they were; the first kid born would be “Gin” and the second, “Tonic”. True story.
or has a figure 8 body and...
Mine, too.
She's the smallest and gets picked on by the others.
The Social Security Administration has a website for tracking the popularity of baby names by birth year. You can also look at a specific name and see how its popularity has changed over time.
http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.