what’s it going to say?
Apple. Zuma. Rosalind Arusha Arkadina Altalune Florence Thurman-Busson.
These are not the mistakes we’re talking about. Naming a little nugget can be a stressful process, especially if you’re waiting for the ::surprise::! of a lifetime. It’s a BOY. It’s a GIRL. WHAT’S THE NAME?
Now, you are allowed to take your baby home from the hospital, even if you haven’t settled on a name. But if you rest on your baby-naming laurels for more than a year, you’ve got the pay the piper (aka the Birth Registry).
So a little preparation definitely goes a long way. As in a whole lifetime.
No Nickname Camp
This is so difficult to avoid, and honestly if you’re so adamant that your baby’s birth name won’t be shortened, it probably will be. My parents really tried on this one and gave my little sister a name so difficult for a kid to pronounce she signed all her schoolwork Belle–as in Belle from Beauty & The Beast.
Assume that someone, somewhere at some point will shorten the name. It might be your toddler. So think about nickname possibilities, and how they sound with your last name. Want to name the baby Bowen? If Jangles is your last name, assume Bo Jangles is what you’ll hear.
B.A.D. Initials
This tends to get overlooked, but it’s very easy to avoid. LOL and LSD are just a couple of no-go’s. Imagine what it will look like if the kid is monogrammed obsessed. BRB on a bag will look like a bad text messaging blurb.
Email Handles
Email is the name of the game, and quirky AOL screenames are a thing of the past. For business and personal correspondence, it’s common to see people use a first initial, followed by their last name. Tyler Estes doesn’t look so great formatted just so. Don’t pander to technology. After all, it’s your baby, not an email handle, but be cognizant.
Namesakes
Want your baby sharing monikers with Chris Brown? Think not.
Interesting Meanings
Most people think Presidents and Hyannis Port when they think Kennedy, but the name of Irish and English origin means helmet head or ugly head. Just something to consider.
No matter what you name the newest addition to your family, just know they can always legally change it. Just kidding. –Arianna Schioldager
