By far the biggest decision you will make for your baby will be choosing his or her name. This is the one gift you will give your baby that will last throughout his entire life. You may not know where to start, so here are a few tips.
Take your time when choosing your baby’s name. Although people will ask about names from the moment they learn you are pregnant, there really is no rush. Even if you are in love with a name in the first trimester, there is no guarantee you will still love it in the delivery room.
Be creative, but not too creative in your name choices. Be sure the name can be pronounced reasonably easily when it is written on paper and read. This will avoid every single teacher, potential employer and the announcer at college graduation from messing it up. Your child will not appreciate having to constantly correct people throughout his entire life. A different name can be either a blessing or a curse, make it a blessing.
Discuss name choices with your spouse. Don’t just talk about names each of you like but what you want the name to represent. Does either of you want to use a family name? Consider the meanings and origin of names to help find the perfect fit for your child.
Do you want to discuss your choices with your family? This one is purely a matter of choice. Some couples love including family in the decision and have fun discussing and debating names at gatherings. Other couples are not at all interested in the opinions of friends and family. The choice is yours.
Consider your spouse’s feelings. Each of you should have the right of first refusal. If he hates a name, trust his instincts. Your perfect boy’s name may be the name of his elementary school bully or high school rival. People have strong associations with certain names, so respect strong feelings.
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