We have seen descriptions on sites
of how to use 'decision trees' to name your baby. I
think this a cold way of looking at such a personal and
emotional choice. Your best tool is simply old fashioned pen
and paper; jot down your own ideas. Hopefully these few tips
and our list of baby names will help you get started!
And don't forget, try and think from the child's perspective,
not just your own agenda!
Look back at the family on both sides and
see if there are interesting names. If there is not a
precedent for naming baby, be careful as first names can cause
arguments amongst family members! A solution is to use a
second name for say a grandparent. If you then have another
child you can even things up with a name from other side of
the family. If you have a long family name keep the first
names short. We live in an age of constant form filling. Forms
rarely have enough spaces for my names!
Fashion
Names come and go so what is fashionable
one decade will fade and mysteriously come back into fashion.
Most of the girls I wanted to date seemed to be called Sue or
Suzanne a few years back. The religious names from the
Christian tradition usually sound solid and are timeless.
There are tables of the most popular names for each country
over several years. Leave naming after pop and movie stars for
pets. There must be thousands of little girls named after
Kylie Minogue! Though If you have common names like Smith or
Jones, it is your chance to make a statement with a more
adventurous first name. Black Americans often choose original
names.
Places
Were you on holiday somewhere nice, when
baby came along? Or do you have a favourite place like Paris,
Vienna.
Sound or Euphony
If you like a name, what does it sound
like with the surname (or found name) ? Think about nicknames,
initials, children can be merciless and make a child's life
hell if your name sounds silly or slightly rude. Watch out for
names like "Simple Simon" etc. A bit of minor ribbing is
probably a good thing at school! Difficult or unusual spelling
of common names cause a lifetime of frustration and
disappointment of seeing your name spelt wrong!
Class
Some names are associated with better off
families. Henry, Tiffany, Anastasia, Benjamin,
Tristram.
Religious & Biblical
There are hundreds: Adam, Eve, Sarah,
Thomas, Rebecca, Mary, Jude, Samuel, Peter, Mark, Luke &
John
Flowers or Gems.
Lilly, Poppy, Heather, Fleur, Saffron,
Sapphire, Pearl, Jet
Looking for Indian Baby names? Check
out our list of Indian Baby
names.
