When considering names for babies, parents need to take note of many factors such as sound and meaning, but they also need to pay attention to what the name rhymes with, as well as the unalterable surnames that can potentially produce stressful name combinations. Names can become easy fodder for school classmates and bullies.
Baby Names and Words That Rhyme
In an article titled "Deciding to Have a Baby? Easy. Picking a Name? Not So Easy" in the December 5, 2008 New York Times, author Michael Malone writes about the difficulties he and his wife encountered when they were tasked with naming their baby girl. Remembering the days when he would be "terrorizing girls during elementary school recess," he tries to avoid names that could generate cruel nicknames. "We knocked Eden off the list; every snack time or lunch period would be a nightmare as our daughter fended off lame quips like 'Whatcha eatin', Eden?' (And what if she is chubby?)."
It's easy and common for parents to forget about nicknames when naming their baby, but it remains an important factor to consider so that the child receives the least amount of stress and develops well. Malone's experience provides a useful tool, which is to write down potential rhymes for a favorable name and think of scenarios that can occur during grade school.
First and Last Name Combination
Selecting a name seems so simple, but after compiling a list of good names that don't generate cruel nicknames, parents need to put the list under the full name test. Does it go well with the last name? Does it produce any puns or hidden meanings? Parents don’t want their children growing up being the laughingstock of their class. Real names like Justin Case, Bertha Pickle or Eden Pickle can be psychologically distressing to a young child, so it is wise to avoid puns altogether, if possible.
Cultural Factors to Consider When Naming Your Baby
Immigrant parents can come across more trouble and need to be more careful when selecting foreign baby names. They can easily plop any name on their baby that they’ve heard and liked from the streets.
A Korean male named Michael Chu may seem perfectly fine to his parents, but an unwanted phrase is produced. The combination of the first and last name creates a meaning from a mix of English and Korean words that can translate into a male body part. If Michael has Korean-American classmates, it will not be a pleasant experience.
Cultural language factors are important to think about. In Beijing, a lot of people like to give themselves American names without knowing the word's meaning, based solely on sound appeal. Danwei.org, a popular Web site on Chinese media, advertising and urban life features a video episode called "Lost in Translation,” where natives are interviewed and reveal odd American names they give themselves, such as “Smacker.”
If a couple from Beijing decides to emigrate to the U.S., has a baby and decides to give the child an American name, they should begin with research and end with confirmation from others so that the full name does not produce odd or negative meanings. A rich resource that provides comprehensive information on baby names is Baby Names World, which is a useful site for parents created by the makers of Nickelodeon.
Names are important and last forever, so name your baby wisely in order to save your child from grade school misery and bad memories. And keep in mind the proverb that says a good name is more desirable than great riches.
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