How To Avoid Baby Name Disasters

How To Avoid Baby Name DisastersBy Dawn Sholun
What’s in a name? A lot more than some people might think.After all, a child’s life may not be impacted by being named“Mark Maas” but would the same be true if he were named “PeteMaas”? The following are a list of things one should think aboutbefore assigning a child a name they will have to live with forthe next eighteen years.
1.) Cute doesn’t last forever.
Cute baby names aren’t so cute once they aren’t babies. As amatter of fact, according the Social Security Administration ofthe US, the name “Baby” has been one of the top 1000 baby namesfor the past fourteen years.
So, what wrong with cute names like “Baby” or “Chance”? Thething people tend to overlook is that at some point thesechildren grow up. You are less likely to be taken seriously on aprofessional level if your name sounds like a nickname one woulduse for an infant or pet poodle. I imagine many of the girlsnamed “Baby” find themselves before a judge to have it changedas soon as they are legally able to.
2.) Pun names aren’t funny.
Some parents think it’s clever or funny to name their child arhyme or pun such as “Candy Kane” or “Holly Wood”. There isnothing that makes a child a potential target at school quickerthan having an obvious gag name. Avoid the temptation and yourchild will thank you for it later.
3.) Just because some stars do it, doesn’t mean you should.
We all know that over in Tinsel Town folks come up with somepretty unusual baby names for their kids. Let’s face it; starsare known to jump on the band wagon for bad trends. Even withthe advantage that their parents’ notoriety offers, you betterbelieve that it still won’t completely shield those childrenfrom being teased on the playground.
You simply can not name your child “Fifi Trixibell” and notexpect them to have one strike against them the minute theyfirst walk through the doors of Junior High. You may as welljust paint a target on their forehead.
4.) Mizzpelled names aren’t Kool.
If you are going to give your child a classic name but want toadd a little special something by changing the spelling around,please do not maul the word so badly that no one is able torecognize it. If you are considering adding an “X” and a “Q” tothe name Leon or Anne, you can bet that no one would be able tosound it out. After a certain point misspelled names stoplooking artistic and start looking outlandish. Creating aconfusing name for your child isn’t doing them any favors.
Remember when in doubt ask yourself: Would I be embarrassed ifI were named this? Would kids have teased me for this name backwhen I was in school? Would he/she be taken seriously in aprofessional setting with this name? Does it flow well withhis/her last name? While ultimately we all have our own style,we must always remember that it’s our children who have to livewith our choices. So be sure to factor them into your decision.
About the Author: Dawn Sholun is a Work at Home Mom living inConnecticut with her two beautiful little girls. Her currentfocus is on her online community at http://www.megamommies.comthat features free blogs, forums, homepages, baby contests, Wahmjobs and more for Moms!
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