Common Sense Tips: How to Choose a Name for Your Child

As a newborn baby photographer I have heard some very "interesting" names. In all honesty, I have literally felt completely sorry for some of the poor babies who will have to go through life with horrific names! When naming a child you really should take into consideration many things such as how common the name is, if the name will be embarrassing and whether the name will grow with the child.

Having a common last name such as Smith, Moore or Jackson can be a pain, but having a common first name along with a common last name can be dangerous. People who have very common names are more likely to become victims of identity theft, so when naming a child keep this in mind. Going with a trendy name such as Olivia or Caleb and having a common last name could mean trouble for you child in the future. If you are dead set on a trendy name consider changing the spelling a bit to give the name some originality. For instance if you like the name Olivia try spelling it Olyvia or Alyvia. If you like the name Jacob try changing it to Jaycob or perhaps Jaecob, these are just a few examples. Some people may think having a unique name is hurtful to the child, I however, love my name and how it's spelled it made me feel unique when I was young and in a class full of Jennifer's, Jessica's and Kelly's.

I'm sure some of you have heard about the couple from New Zealand who is in a legal dispute with a judge because they want to name their child "4Real", all I have to say is "ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!". How would you like to have a name like that for the rest of your life? My advice is to really think the name through. Think about what rhythms with the name and if the name sounds "funny". Gaylord for instance isn't the prettiest sounding name. Name length is important too. A growing trend is to have 2, 3, and even 4 middle names! Is this really necessary? Two middle names are more than enough, 3 and 4 middle names is just plain ridiculous. Many people want to name their children after admired relatives, but keep this in perspective. If the relative really cared about your child they would want their name to be beautiful and not ridiculously long just to please a bunch of people. Initials are a big thing too, I have a friend who's initials were H.E.L., HELL! Thank God she got married, now her initials are H.E.I. Think about initials too, they are very important. Ashley Samara Smith isn't going to like to see her initials A.S.S. on her lunch bag at school! Initials are almost as important as the names themselves.

Your baby won't always be a baby. As much as you hate to think about it, you must take into consideration that your little baby will grow into an adult. Be careful when naming your child with juvenile sounding names. Many names with a Y at the end sound very juvenile such as Joey, Cody, Chrissy, Litzy, Billy, and so on. When naming a child think about going with the full, classic version of the name and then shortening the name to a nick name. I will use my son's name for example, his name is Johnathan Thomas we call him J.T. When he is an adult and goes into the professional world he can easily refer to himself as John or Johnathan. Most the time everyone's name will be shortened to a nickname anyhow, for example my name is "Tashia", it's an average size name and still everyone I am close to calls me "Tash".

These are just a few of my tips for helping you choose a name for your baby. When it comes right down to it ask yourself this, "Would I like to have this name for myself?" if the answer is no, reconsider your decision and keep looking for the perfect name!