You probably don’t remember this story (it comes from the UK about 4/5 years ago), but for some reason it stuck with me. It was about a Mr and Mrs Peacock, who named their newborn son Drew. It doesn’t sound particularly ominous until you say the full name phonetically (droopy cock). Ooops!
So, when your thinking of names for your child, take heed of some of these useful points for consideration – they might just save your child (and you) from a very embarrassing situation.
How does it sound?
Consider how the name works with your surname. When the full name is read out loud, it should have a nice ring. Avoid names that rhyme with your surname, or produce a tongue twister (or an embarrassing sub-meaning). You may decide that, if you have a long surname, that a short first name is most appropriate, or vice versa.You should also consider the transition between the end of one name and the start of a next. First names that end in a vowel sound (such as ‘ee’) may not be suited to surnames that begin with the same sound, for example, “Ellie Edens” or “Carlo Overmars”.
Strike a balance between popularity and obscurity
It’s a tough one. It would be easy to name your child James or Jessica, but they will likely be able to start an exclusive group at school of people with the same name. They may also be referred to as ‘Jessie C’ or something along those lines. On the other hand, you don’t want to set your child up for years of abuse at the hands of cruel school kids. A name like “xerxes” may be unique, but your child will be cursed with explaining the pronunciation and spelling of his name for his entire life.
Consider your child’s initials
If you are a Mr and Mrs Kingsgrove, you probably don’t want to call your child David Ingersoll. Although those names aren’t inoffensive in their own right, the initials D.I.K is going to set your child up for unnecessary teasing.
Don’t forget your heritage
Many parents decide to honour their ethnicity or cultural links by naming their child accordingly. Have roots in North Africa? You may wish to consider ‘Hakim’ for a boy. Did you meet your spouse overseas? Maybe your new child will be named something that comes from that country.
Think about using a family name
It is common practise to perpetuate the memory of a loved one by using their name for your child. Be careful though – don’t let family ties dominate your choice of name. Also consider who you may “put out” if you don’t choose their name. I, for example, have lots of brothers and sisters and I love some of their names. I can’t, however, name my children after just one or two of my siblings because it would alienate the others. If you are unsure whether a family name would suit your new youngster, you could use it for a middle name.
Investigate the meaning
Some parents have a particular desire to give their baby a name, the meaning of which strikes a chord with them. This is particularly true with religious families for example, with ‘John’ meaning ‘God has given’. On the other hand, you may just wish to avoid a meaning which you particularly dislike. ‘Leah’ means ‘spiritless’ – perhaps not such an appealing name if you’re concerned about that meaning?
The Top 10 Names
According to the futuroligist and social researcher Mark McCrindle, the fashion of names has changed. He says that generation X are starting to show their conservative side now that they are becoming parents. “Today’s parents are avoiding gender neutral names, yet there is a creativity in their conservatism with the traditional names sharing the top 10”.
Top 10 For Boys: Jack, William, Lachlan, Joshua, Riley, Thomas, Cooper, Oliver, James and Ethan.
Top 10 For Girls: Mia, Chloe, Isabella, Charlotte, Emily, Ella, Olivia, Sienna, Ava and Sophie.
Excellent naming tips! I know a lot of people may think it’s just common sense to consider initials and how names sound when said along with middle/last names, but really nasty-sounding combos are way more common than most people think. I’ll keep first names out to protect the innocent, but suffice it to say certain last names, such as Dick/Dyck, where parents need to be particularly vigilant.
Hi Barb,
Thanks for the comment. You’re quite right about being extra cautious with certain last names. I don’t know why I didn’t mention it above, but you need also to consider how names get shortened. For example, knowing that Richard becomes Dick, it would be a very careless Mr and Mrs Head that called their child Richard!