It was meant to be a surprise, but they “accidentally” saw the sex during a 3D ultrasound… It’s a boy.
Currently on the potential name list include: Harry and Harris. My niece ensured Harry won so that she can wait until his eleventh birthday for a knock at the door.
With the first selected, then leaves the dilemma of the middle name:
Some parents opt out of it altogether, while others either sentimentally or half-baked choose the name of some relative, usually a parent or grandparent. I'm sure a hint of loss and emptiness abound when leaving that optional box in the Personal Details form blank among our middlename-less peers.
My sister chose to fill in the blank box, saying, “I want something weird and unconventional.”
Precisely after this the baby kicked for the first time.
She favoured ‘Zed’. I suggested Seven, to assimilate myself and my family into the Seinfeld world further, and continue to petition it, but to no avail.
So it seems you can never please everyone. Instead, I want to lay down some factors that you should consult before naming a child, pet, car, you name it! (No pun intended.) Obviously I’m no expert... I'm far off (I need a boyfriend first), but it can prepare me for those coffee meet ups with my friends as we discuss these essential details, because the plans we make at eighteen totally set our future in stone.
“I’m going to have 4 children, the first will be a girl born when me and Mike have just bought our new house and finished our degrees at age 24… then after that we’ll have a boy to protect his next two younger sisters…”
It will fabricate the same as my childhood dream of becoming an architect, chef, or a marine biologist.
We might as well have a baby catalogue.
“Girls page 224… Blonde hair… Ooh, blue eyes are apparently sought after, honey, and on special! Let’s go for that… Now body type…”
Firstly: Names and associations.
It goes without saying that one should avoid the names of exes, tyrannical dictators and less-than-role-model-celebrities. Subconsciously, of course, one would be cautious of their class or work mate named Adolf or Stalin.
Names and meaning: A name could be the catalyst for a person's paths chosen in their own life. It equips one with the opportunity to "live up to their namesake." Hercules appears to be a more attractive name by the minute...
Names and purpose:
Aside from naming children after months of the year, days of the week, seasons, states, countries, etc, which I approve of... Some often wonder whether Gwyneth Paltrow was hungry or just playing eye-spy when she named her daughter Apple, though if it's any allusion to Steve Jobs, I'm all for it.
I, for one, was named after Hayley Mills. Being the old-fashioned-obsessed person I am, it's a pleasure. But my fascination led me to Google, as it inevitably does. There confirmed my horror that someone in my own country named their child "4real."Yes, with the numeral. The purpose? Cue crickets chirping here.
I, for one, was named after Hayley Mills. Being the old-fashioned-obsessed person I am, it's a pleasure. But my fascination led me to Google, as it inevitably does. There confirmed my horror that someone in my own country named their child "4real."Yes, with the numeral. The purpose? Cue crickets chirping here.
Nicknamability:
In many a case the Nickname tells you, "You're in!" ...Barring those that result after some embarrassing incident, or apparent downfall.
I've found that people whose names are shorter than about seven letters often live a nickname-less existence.
I've found that people whose names are shorter than about seven letters often live a nickname-less existence.
It's in these situations that people respond to names longer than their original: Serena becomes Princess, Jim becomes J-Dawg, Hayley becomes Hazelnut... Sometimes when creativity is lacking, a complete avoidance of the name results
"Hey, nice to meet you. I'm Richard."
"Oh, g'day Dick!"
Vying for a mystique, your child could even answer to the letter nickname. Case in point: MK for Mary-Kate.
"Hey, nice to meet you. I'm Richard."
"Oh, g'day Dick!"
Vying for a mystique, your child could even answer to the letter nickname. Case in point: MK for Mary-Kate.
Striving for originality, some look for alternative ways to create a new identity for their child. While I definitely support this, sometimes it's overdone.
How about the hyphenated first name?
"Hey, I'm Annabelle-Rose-Claire-Susan-Freda."
Or the intentional misspelling, which if said with a cheesy voice, subtle wink and a finger-snap-finger-point routine, sounds like a bad pick-up line.
“Hey I’m Jayne… with a y."
Or even one extreme may require two "Hi, my name is..." stickers; the first spells your name, the second tells you how to pronounce it.
A final piece of advice... Bend over.
What? No, I said Ben Dover... Before you drive it off the lot, take the first name for for a test drive – with the last name!
A final piece of advice... Bend over.
What? No, I said Ben Dover... Before you drive it off the lot, take the first name for for a test drive – with the last name!
What would you name your child?
What I am trying to say that naming your child, your dog, your teddy bear or your car is a big decision that should be seriously thought about. A name is important, and a beautiful thing when you strip down to its significance to the name-giver.
What I am trying to say that naming your child, your dog, your teddy bear or your car is a big decision that should be seriously thought about. A name is important, and a beautiful thing when you strip down to its significance to the name-giver.
Who knew that I had so much to say about names. Ha!
- H.
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