Choosing a Name

Choosing Names - Their Meanings Are Not All You Should Consider

When parents choose names for their children, they often choose what they like at the time. They do not think about names, their meanings and the effect the name could have on the child when it is grown. Some names are variants of others, which in turn may not have any meaning associated with them. The name may actually be a surname and the parents want to keep it in the family to remind the child of his/her ancestors. Avery is one such surname that doubles as a given name. Other examples are Scott, Tracy, Stewart, Doyle, Taylor, Quinn, and many more.
Parents like to choose a name that is different than others in the neighborhood so that the child will not be confused with another child of the same name when he/she starts school. However, due to the popularity of a name in a given year, a teacher will likely have several children by the same name in the class. This means that each one will likely have to be called by their full name or have the first initial of the surname used in order to distinguish them. Once parents choose a name completely out of the ordinary for their child, it will soon become commonplace as others will then start to give their babies the same name.

There are many books and online sites that will give you the meanings of many names. Once you do choose a name consider how it will suit the child and if it could cause him/her problems in school where other children may tease them because of their name. A name that seems cute for a little baby may often be childish on a grown man. If you really like the meaning, but not the particular name itself, you can look for variations on the name or diminutive forms. Looking for diminutive forms of the name is a good idea if you don't want your child to have a nickname as others try to shorten the name.

You also have to make sure that the name you choose goes well with the surname. A little boy named Chester, for example, will be the source of ridicule if his surname is Field, because his full name would be Chesterfield. A short first name goes well with a long surname. You also have to look at how difficult the name is to pronounce or to spell. If you have a long first name, it may take your child quite a while to learn how to spell it and he/she may in fact shorten the name themselves.

At the same time you don't want to choose a name that has a negative meaning. Some names may have different connotations in different cultures. Many names translate into different meanings in different languages, so this is something that you might want to consider. Since the world is becoming smaller and smaller with global trade and communications, you also need to consider this fact in choosing a name. One that is easy to pronounce in any language is a good choice.

By : Warren Wong    
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