Advice | Top Baby Names | Baby Name Pseudonyms
If you're researching how to choose a baby name, or if you're struggling to land on just the right moniker for your new addition, you've come to the right place. Here are some important tips to help you make a decision.
Only you can decide what factors are important when you name your baby. Maybe you want your child named after a relative or friend. Perhaps you want an unusual name. But, whatever your choice, here are some practical guidelines for how to choose a baby name.
Consider Sound and Rhythm
If you have a long surname, keep the first name short, and vary the number of syllables in each name. A first name with an odd number of syllables sounds best with a last name of even-numbered syllables. Avoid ending the first name and beginning the last with a vowel. Ray Bennet is easier to say, and sounds smoother, than Anita Adams.
Avoid Difficult Spelling
Changing the spelling of a common name may be the beginning of a misspelling nightmare. Avoid cute spellings like Suezin instead of Susan, or Bobbee instead of Bobby, or Suezin and Bobbee will spend a lifetime correcting others, which, over the years, will become tiresome.
Remember That Names Follow Trends
Names come and go and then come back again. In the 1950s, Mary and Patricia were popular choices for girls. Today, baby girls are more likely to be named Olivia or Emily. If you choose a fashionable name, make sure it is one that your child will love for life. Some children in the 1960s were given trendy names like Sun, Moon or Chastity. It may have seemed like a good idea then but these names have not have stood the test of time like others.
Don't Discount the Middle Name
Middle names are a common practice but not compulsory. This name often is used to pay tribute to a close relative or friend. The mother's maiden name also can be used as a middle name if the children have the father's surname.
6 More Tips for How to Choose a Baby Name
Here are more tips compiled with help from The Best Baby Names for Canadians, published by HarperCollins.
1. Make sure the initials don't spell anything unintentional.
2. Do a Google search of your chosen name. Make certain there are no unfortunate associations.
3. Match to rest of your family. Make certain that sibling names aren’t a mixture that leads to something that sounds odd.
4. Remember that twins are not one entity. Avoid names that “go together” (such as Hope and Faith), rhyme or are too similar.
5. Remember that too many opinions may make your choice even harder. Almost everyone had a bully in school who has tainted a certain name for them.
6. Check out your family tree to draw inspiration from your relatives. Some older names are often lovely and fresh now.
