From the moment you find out that you are pregnant, you will begin to think about what name to give your child. It is a decision that you will have to give time and dedication to because it is for life (or until he turns 18 and changes it because he hates it). To choose it, there are certain tips that can help you and that you should not miss check your czech names origin (in czech).
Sharing pregnancy with your partner is a magical experience. However, choosing your name together can be tormenting: if your partner hates the name you adore, imposing it can cause lifelong resentment. It should be a decision that both parents are happy and agree on.
How to start
The due date is approaching and you are starting to get nervous because you haven’t had a minute to think about what name to give your baby. It’s time to sit down and get started . You could start by discussing general ideas with your partner and making a list of the first names that come to mind : surely since you were little you have a list in your head with about three names that you have always liked. Add all your favorites and also those that don’t convince you 100%.
If you don’t know the sex of the baby yet, make a list for a man and another for a woman, and/or one with unisex names . You can also use an online names and meanings tool to choose by initial, origin, etymology, etc. This list will be your first stream of consciousness but it is a draft, a lot will change during the process and some will also be added that perhaps had never occurred to you.
Now you should ask yourself some basic questions to narrow down the list : what kind of name do you want to give it? You don’t have to choose just one category , but you should ask yourself these questions to rule out what you really don’t want and open your mind to something you’ve never thought about.
For example, you may want to choose a family name and use yours or your father’s, grandparent’s, or loved one’s name you want to honor. It can also be a name with cultural or personal meaning , which in its etymology represents a value or characteristic that you want to pass on to your child. Maybe you want it to be an original name or a biblical one ; All of these are aspects that you should question yourself .
Some general recommendations are not to choose a name that is overly sophisticated or difficult to pronounce to avoid your child spending a lifetime introducing himself with a 5-minute introduction, or being the subject of teasing. Also take into account their last names to avoid cacophonies (unpleasant acoustic effect) or redundancies (Fernando Fernández) . Finally, if the last name is long, it may be better to choose a short name, and vice versa.
Decide if you want to give it just one name, two, or a compound name . In legal matters, find out what restrictions exist in the Civil Registry to avoid problems when registering it.
As for how to handle the process with your partner, try to reach an agreement without the discussion turning into a fight . Highlight on the list those that are repeated in both of your preferences and prioritize them. If your partner, for example, insists that you should be called like him because it is a family tradition and you don’t want to, explain why you wouldn’t like to follow the tradition and find a solution that suits both of you .
Meaning
Whether you want it or not, most names have a meaning, whether cultural, historical or etymological . Do your research on this since the worst thing would be to choose a name and then find out that it represents something offensive or that it is the same as a person who is not to your taste.
For example, if you name your daughter Ingrid , her name means “daughter of a hero . ” If you call your son Sixto , this means “flatterer,” and perhaps you don’t want your son to identify with that adjective.
An alternative is to choose a name that reflects the qualities you want for your baby , for example, Margarita means “innocence and sweetness.” Ella means “beautiful woman”, Noah: “comfort”, etc. You can also do it the other way around: choose a characteristic and research how it is said in other languages, languages or cultures.
Maybe you want to invent one from scratch with your own meaning: combine the letters of your name with those of your partner, or of two historical figures who have marked you.
Perhaps the meaning is familiar . You may want to name your baby after a loved one who passed away and one day explain to your child why you decided to name him or her that way.
You must consider
Some aspects that you should take into account or, rather, avoid, are combined initials that cause ridicule or are embarrassing ; names that lend themselves to offensive nicknames or that refer to a bad event or historical figure .
On the other hand, a name that is very unusual and no one can pronounce it can attract a lot of attention and not favor you. If your last name is not common, choose an easy name. For example, if his last name is Urrigoetxea (a word that is already difficult to pronounce), perhaps it is better to call him something like José .
If you love a popular name but want to prioritize originality, you can adapt it to a less common version or spell it differently. That is, if you really like Sofía , you can modify it to Sophia, Sophie, Sophya or Ana Sofía .
Some families are lovers of travel and international experiences . If this is your case and you want your child to follow in your footsteps, try to choose a name that is more or less universal or easy to pronounce, at least in English. For example, the name Javiera is almost non-existent in countries other than Chile, and it also has many vowels, so when reading it an English-speaking person will pronounce something extremely different from how Javiera is pronounced in Spanish.
This brings us to an important aspect: when making the list, make sure to pronounce them out loud and repeat them several times, combining them with both surnames.
Think about nicknames: there are names that are nice to you, but their nickname is not. For example, if you name your baby Ignacio , you should keep in mind that many people will call him Nacho.
Once chosen… To count or not to count?
Having reached the decision with your partner (which was not easy at all), you will now face another dilemma: do I want to tell my family and friends? There are several things you should consider:
Collective name: if you decide to do a family survey, keep in mind that you will receive many suggestions, criticisms and ideas . This may make you feel upset or confused. They will tell you how much they dislike a person who has the same name or is the same name they had in mind for their baby, and your options will be limited.
Name theft: many times it happens that the name is spread by word of mouth and other parents choose it for their baby. It’s not a crime, but if you want your child to have a unique name, it may be best to keep it as safe as possible.