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Choosing the Right Name for your Child

Preparing to have a child is a momentous occasion in a parent's life. With every other conceivable detail to worry about, many parents do not put enough though into the name they choose for their child. Many times parents choose a name that they love or that sounds right without thinking out all of the consequences of choosing that name. For example, what nicknames will the given name include? Will those nicknames be harmful to the child's self-esteem? What do the initials spell? Will the name cause any stereotypes?

Along with those concerns, other things to think about when choosing a name for your child include…
• Whether the name will work as well for an adult as it does a child. Names like Scotty are great for kids, but an adult would probably rather be called Scott. Make sure that their given name is one they can adapt for adulthood.

• How is the child's name spelled? With so many parents trying to choose unique names for their children now days, it is not unusual for a name like Katy to be spelled several different ways. While an unusual spelling may make your child standout it can also lead to confusion and the tiring habit of having to spell their name constantly.

• Is it a popular name? Studies suggest that children with popular, traditional names such as John and Mary are more accepted in new situations and may be treated with more friendliness.

• Is the name too unusual? While studies have shown that children with unusual names usually grow up to view themselves as special or unique, strangers or new acquaintances may view them as untrustworthy or odd.

• Does the name promote a relationship to the reputation of someone famous? While a name like Charles or Adolf may be a good, solid name or even a respected family name, some names have damaging links to disrespected people like Adolf Hitler or Charles Manson.

In order to choose a name that will serve your child well for all of their life, you should put as much thought into it as possible. And since no one person can think of all the probabilities that name can bring, you should share your choices with a few friends and family members to get their thoughts on the name.
After you have narrowed down a few choices, spend sometime using each name. Try each name out with your last name. How does it sound? Do they rhyme with anything funny or negative when put together? Try creating as many nicknames as possible out of the given name. Experiment with spelling and run the choices by a trusted friend.

These may seem like a lot of steps and maybe even as going a bit overboard, but since your child will have this name forever and this name will have life long affects on the person that he or she will become, it pays to be very thorough when choosing your baby's name.

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