Sunday, October 19, 2008

PERFECT NAME FOR YOUR BABY

6 Simple Rules to Come Up With the Perfect Name for Your Baby

Choosing a name for your baby is the most crucial decision you have to consider. It is very exciting and quite difficult at the same time.
During the pregnancy, you will spend many hours trying to decide on the baby's name.
You have to choose and select from a huge names list and consider suggestions from family, friends and other relatives...
In fact, you are going to face a big challenge, really.


In this article I will help you to manage all those factors and give you important ideas to come up with the perfect and ideal name!
And then I will show you an easy yet powerful software that you can use to make advanced and personalized search into a huge names database easily. This tool will literally make naming your baby a very enjoyable task!
But before that, there are 6 imprtant aspects you have to be aware of before we can go any further. And that's what we will discuss right now.


Important Note:
You can apply the following simple tips whatever the origin of the name you are considering. Feel free to apply them if you wish to invent a new name, use a place name, honour a family member...

The 6 Simple Rules to Keep in Mind:

Rule #1. Uniqueness:

name, may make your child stand out of the crowd. It is always good to feel "special"... Not being one of the several "Johns" or "Taylors" in the classroom.
The downside is that "invented" or unusual names may be mispronounced or misspelled by others most of the time. And this could be frustrating for the child.
To resolve this dilemma, you can balance an unusual surname by a more popular first name. For example, a name like "Kyle Minkowsky" may be preferable to "Regenweald Minkowsky".
On the other hand, you could balance a common surname by a creative first name, say, "Eleonora Smith" rather than "Jessica Smith".


Rule #2. The Rhythm of a Name:

How your baby's name sounds is very important. Before you go any further, try to say it aloud with the middle name you are considering and your surname too.
The full name should be sweet to the ears with no harshness. Please, don't get me wrong, what I am trying to say here, is that your baby's name should be fluent.
You can achieve that if you keep in mind the following tips:
* Balance a short surname with a longer firstname, and vice versa. There is no good if it takes your child five minutes to
write out their full name! e.g. "Jake Huntington" or "Elisabeth Wood" are fine examples.
* Avoid names that end with the same letter as your surname begins. I will try to illustrate this second rule here: The following names tend to merge together: "Alexis Smith", "Erik Kramer" or "Jarod Deals"
...Do you get my point?


Rule #3. Alliteration:

Alliteration brings a kind of fine "decoration" to the baby's name. If used properly, it is a combination of letters that make the name easier to say and to remember. e.g. "Len Livingstone", "Opal Ohara" or "Jerry Johnson".

Rule #4. Meaning of the Name:

At this level of the search, you should find out the meaning of the name you are considering. It is always gratifying to know that your baby's name means: Love, hope, joy, life, tolerance, peace...

Rule #5. Check the Initials:

Once you have an idea for the baby's name, always check the initials! While the full name may sound pretty, the initials may bring some surprise!
Imagine the feeling of a child who grows up and realizes that their initials are: "N.I.L.", "Z.I.P." or "S.A.D."
In order to avoid such embarassment for the child, check the initials before you make your decision. You will be glad you did.


Rule #6. Nickname:

Make sure you like the pet forms of your baby's name. e.g. If you plan to name your baby boy: Richard, then expect him to be called also: Rick. So, if you don't like this shortened name, you may reconsider your decision.
Now you have all the elements to come up with the perfect name!
The challenge is that you have to combine ALL these factors and apply them to EACH of the thousands names available!
Do you really think it's too much work?


About The Author:

Mouloud Siaci
What if There Was a Piece of Software that Could Help You to Create The *Perfect* Name for Your Baby?
"Baby Name" is a brand new software... Request the download link and send a blank email to:
babyname@sendfree.com
You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.
Special Requirements For Reprint: make the URL in the Resource Box an active link
goldenbit@freesurf.fr

SEARCHING FOR A BABY NAME

1) BRAINSTORM:

It is a good idea to pick a baby boy, girl, or a unisex baby name, even if the sonogram has already shown you the sex of your baby, after all, surprises do happen. Set aside time with no interruptions to clear your mind and brainstorm names that appeal to you and write them on a piece of paper. You may want to honor an endeared relative, or choose a name with religious meaning. Or perhaps you have heard a name before and said to yourself ‘Hey, that’s a cool baby name’. If you want the name to have a specific meaning, for example ‘strong’, do an internet search, or look it up in a book. Check out the most popular baby names list for the last few years. It is surprising how many names you thought were unique are actually very popular. If you want an unusual baby name, skim the dictionary or a favorite book to see what pops out at you. Surf the internet for sites with free or paid baby name wizards, usually you answer a few questions and the wizard suggests possible baby names, for more ideas.

2) ELIMINATE:


Hopefully you have a good-sized list of possible baby names by now. Takes a few days break after your brainstorming session to clear your mind. Then, write your names neatly on another sheet of paper, including all combinations of possible first and middle names with your last name. You may be able to automatically eliminate a few that may have sounded appealing when you were brainstorming, but now you wonder ‘what was I thinking?’Now, eliminate names in which the last letter of either the first or middle name ends with the first letter of the last name, for example Allison Newman, or Allison Ann Newman (makes pronunciation difficult because there
is no clear distinction where the last name begins and the first name ends). Eliminate names whose initials spell undesired acronyms, for example Richard Arthur Turner = RAT, unless you want to make it as easy as possible for other children to poke fun at your child in school. Do some internet or book research to find out the meanings of remaining names. You may want to eliminate names with undesired meanings, for example ‘naïve’, while you may discover others that are definitely keepers, for example ‘brave’.


3) DECIDE:

I know, deciding on a baby name is easier said than done. Give yourself a few days break again, and then reassess your list. You should be able to eliminate a few more. Ask friends and family for their opinions, or post your finalists on an internet poll. You can do this for free on many sites nowadays.And you also have to decide how you want to spell it! Many people nowadays are creating exotic ways to spell traditional names for example Kaysey or Caisee, and like most things, this has pros and cons. It gives originality and uniqueness to your childs name, however your child will go through life constantly correcting the spelling of his or her name.And remember, the most important thing is that YOU are happy with whatever baby name you choose. Happy Hunting!

About the Author:
Joy is webmaster of
http://www.babynamesetc.com – home of the free and unique baby name generator.Source: www.isnare.com

TOP BABY NAMES

I found it very interesting researching the top 100 baby names for this article, because although my husband and I thought we were going for unique baby names during my pregancy, both our daughters' names are on the list! I guess we are not as innovative as we thought we were.

Every year, the US Social Security Administration compiles a list of the most popular baby names. You can search their online database for the popularity of a certain name, and you can also see how the popularity of a name has changed over time. (http://www.ssa.gov/) It's a very interesting way to waste an hour instead of working (lol).

It is fun to note that the letter "E" is quite popular. Common "E" names in the top 10 of the top 100 baby names are: Emily, Emma, Ethan and Elizabeth. It seems that slightly old-fashioned, or traditional, names are making a comeback as well, with names like William, Joseph, and Christopher for boys, and Elizabeth, Abigail, Hannah and Grace for girls.

However, "new age" or modern names are also in the 100 top baby names with babies' names such as: Tyler, Brandon, Logan, Austin, Hunter and Cody (for boys) and Briana, Kayla, Chloe, Hailey, Jasmine, Destiny and Makayla (for girls).
Jacob and Emily are the number one most
popular names for a few years in a row.
It's always important to imagine what your baby's initials or nickname will be. My mother's friend was shocked when she was pregnant because her last name was Cole, and she wanted to name her baby Nathan Kingsley, but everyone said that he would be nicknamed Nat King Cole!
I also recommend imagining what your baby's email address will be. My initials are sdi and my email is sdingram@. You need to be aware that your baby's email could be dumb@ or fat@; just something to keep in mind.
Whether you are looking into babies names because you want to go with the pack and make sure your baby's name is common and amongst the more popular, or you are the opposite and you want to make sure your baby's name is innovative and original, be sure to check out the top 100 baby names so that you can ensure the name you want is there (or not!).


About the Author:
Suzanne Doyle-Ingram is the mother of two daughters, Hana and Alexa, and married to her best friend James, who is a stay-at-home dad and educational game developer (and he makes a mean grilled chicken!). Visit her website at http://www.pregnancy-leads-to-new-babies.com/work-from-home-mom.html.