What’s in a baby’s name?
From the The Kansas City Star
Choosing a child’s name is among parents’ first significant responsibilities. But it’s tricky business. Consider these tips for choosing names that will stand up against the fickle winds of passing popularity.
Who are you?
Are there relatives you would like to honor for the important roles they’ve played in your life or because they possess qualities you hope your child will emulate? A variation is to honor a friend or personal hero by naming your child after him or her.
What’s important to you?
Identify values and characteristics important in your family, then research names associated with these. For example, if sports and physical activity are important to you, the Irish name Colin, which means strong and virile, might have more lasting meaning than the name of your favorite NFL star. If creativity is important, consider the name Maya, which means divine creative force in Hindu tradition. Start with the meaning, then find a name linked to that meaning.
Names will have even greater significance if their meanings are relevant and their ethnic or national origins also relate to your family.
Where are you from?
Identify the places that have helped shape your family’s identity. If your ancestors were German, are there place names where they lived that might make a good name? Or was your baby conceived while on a vacation in the Sonoma Valley or on a tour of Africa?
The bottom line
You won’t ruin your child’s life with a funky name, nor will you guarantee her success with a stellar name. In a 2004 article in Psychology Today, Carlin Flora says research shows confident people like their names but that names had little to do with making them confident.
Likewise, people with low self-worth tend not to like their names, though their poor sense of self was not a result of their names.
SOURCES: Psychology Today, www.parenthood.com, drspock.com
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