Do you need to find a special name for your little one? Think carefully about it and you will give your baby a name he can be proud of.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Options for Gathering Ideas
Step 1. Choose from various types of names:
traditional, popular or original. Decide if you want your child to have a distinctive, conventional and classy name, to stand the test of time or to be whimsical and send a message.
Step 2. Consider your personal history and heritage
As a family, you may have traditions regarding the choice of names that you may want to continue. Some give the firstborn the name of the paternal grandfather, while others use particular "methods", such as giving all the children names that begin with the same letter. Whatever tradition you have, remember to give your babies names that make them feel unique and special. For example, calling twins Mario and Maria would not be a good idea and could create problems in the future.
Step 3. Make a list of names you like, people you would like to honor, names that have special meaning for you, etc
Both you and your partner should do this exercise. Check both of your lists: are there any names you both like? Maybe your partner might like a name that you hate instead. Eliminate the names that one of the two does not like and add others you agree with. You will have to do and redo the lists several times before deciding.
Step 4. Think about your heroes
The people you admire, whether real or imagined, are great sources to draw inspiration from. Hermione is a name that became very popular after the publication of the Harry Potter books, for example. If you admire Mother Teresa, you may have a little Teresa in your womb. Remember that some heroes are questionable and others don't fit all cultures.
Step 5. Think carefully about "ethnic names"
Unfortunately, a name that distinguishes an individual as clearly belonging to an often discriminated minority could make your child's life more difficult, for example when looking for a job. On the other hand, it could also make him feel proud to belong to that group. Make your choice carefully.
Step 6. Also think carefully about names inspired by your personal beliefs
On the one hand, this is a great way to reaffirm your religious faith, or your hopes for the baby (Hope, Faith, Grace, etc.), but sometimes the baby grows up and is not happy with his name. He may want to convert or may not embody the qualities represented by his name. For example, Grace may turn out to be quite clumsy!
Step 7. Ignore the rules
A classic, traditional name that sounds good is gorgeous; is perhaps what many parents aspire to. But there is also room for the unusual, originality and non-conformism. The choice is yours alone.
Part 2 of 2: Decide on a Name
Step 1. Remember that your baby will carry this name for life
It's the first gift you'll give him, so make it something special.
Step 2. Make sure it's a name both parents agree on
Try repeating your baby's name over and over to see if you get tired of repeating it. As a parent, you will have to say that name several times.
Step 3. Consider whether it is a suitable name bearing in mind the gender of the baby
Nowadays, names are no longer exclusively masculine or feminine.
- Avoid giving the child a name that is typically used for the opposite sex if you intend to use a foreign name inspired by a TV character. Your son Kelly, Dana, or Ashley won't be happy to be taken for a baby on the first day of kindergarten.
- Historically male names are more acceptable for girls (like Andrea). Be careful as it may be difficult to tell if your child is a boy or girl by name only and this could be confusing.
- In Italy, many names are commonly shortened by turning them into gender neutral names (such as Fede, Ale, Ste). These names have both advantages and disadvantages.
Step 4. Remember that your child will grow up
How will that adult name fit him? This is a very important factor to consider. A name that looks great on a newborn may not fit an adult. What would you think of a man named Coco? Or an elderly gentleman with that name?
Step 5. Check that the name sounds good next to your last name
It is advisable to avoid names whose last letter is the same as the first letter of the surname (i.e. Marta Albertini, Antonio Onorato, Michele Esposito).
Step 6. Think of any diminutives
Many people choose to use diminutives, so you should choose one that you like and that always sounds good next to your last name. For example, Alessandro Elli sounds good, but Ale Elli doesn't.
Step 7. Don't ignore the spelling
There are often different variations of a name and different ways of spelling it. Writing a common name in an imaginative and original way will distinguish your baby, but it will give him a lot of headaches when he has to correct people and official documents! It will also be more difficult for him to buy gadgets with his name written on them, such as pencils or T-shirts.
Step 8. Think carefully about giving your children names that have the same initial
When they grow up and a letter arrives for M. Rossi, how will you know if it is for Marco, Marcello, Mirko or Maurizio? However, many families do and are happy with the results.
Step 9. Try the presentations test
Finally, once you have narrowed down your options for choosing a name, introduce your child using only his or her first and last name. Will the name be able to grow with the baby? How would that sound to a future employer? Fifi may sound cute as a name for a baby girl, but would it look just as good on her when she's at the helm of a company?
Step 10. Decide when to reveal your chosen name to everyone
Some couples wait until the baby is born, while others immediately reveal it to their family, friends, and anyone who asks them as soon as they announce their pregnancy.
Advice
- Check the initials to make sure it doesn't result in an embarrassing pun. Federica Ilaria Gianna Antonini will not want to reveal her second and third names to anyone.
- If you are expecting twins, check that their names sound good together, as you will often have to say them one after the other. Be careful not to choose too similar names, though. It wouldn't help them develop their individuality. Little Alessandro and Alessandra would never forgive you! The same goes for Federico and Federica, Gianni and Gianna or Maurizio and Mauro.
- Remember that you can always give the child a diminutive at the expense of what is written on the birth certificate. Alessia could become Ale, Nicola could be Nick, Federica could be Fede, Simone could become Simo, Marta could be Martina, and so on.
- Do a Google search to make sure the name hasn't been used by strippers and porn stars.
- Do an “anti-bully” test for the name you have chosen. Try to find rhymes, look for hidden meanings in the name, etc. Ask a child in elementary school or high school to help you if you can't think of anything. Children are very good at detecting oddities in names and using them.
- What do the names look like to you overall? Although a name might sound good at first, things could change once you have chosen the middle name as well.
- Probably the best advice is not to go to the hospital to give birth with only one name in mind. When the baby is in your arms, your second choice may end up becoming the first. Some names suit a particular child more than others!
- It is also advisable not to use a common theme to choose the names of several children, such as Emerald, Ruby and Opal or Forest, Ocean and Lake. Although some families do and are happy with the results.
- Choose a name that is easy to pronounce and spell.
- If you have your family tree available, review it for nice names, or try talking to your family to give you ideas. Grandma might have some beautiful ones.
- If your surname is subject to a lot of jokes (Rossi, Pigliapoco, Vaccaro), don't give your child a name that could make things worse.
- Short names are better suited to long surnames and vice versa. A long name combined with a long surname will not be nice to read or hear.
- If you already know the first and last names you will give your child, make a list of middle names and find out which ones best match the first one you have chosen. Sometimes you end up deciding to use the middle name instead of the first and vice versa.
- Try to see what your child's name sounds like after adding 'aunt' or 'uncle' in front. If your child has siblings, he will probably be siblings someday.
- Go to www.nomix.it if you are looking for inspiration.
- Do not use diminutives for your child anymore, as this could be confusing. For example, don't call Alessia, "Alex" at four and then start calling her "Ale" at ten.
- If you are choosing a common ethnic name in your home country, but are not sure if it will also work in Italy, ask your in-laws, a waitress in a coffee shop, a shopkeeper or your neighbor to pronounce it and write it down. "Aoife", "Padraig" or "Shahv" are very common names in Ireland, but an average Italian will have a lot of difficulty spelling or pronouncing them. Try using an Anglo-Saxon spelling replacing Eoin with Owen or Sadhbh with Sive or choose Italian names that remember your country of origin such as Patrizio, if you are Irish. Remember, though, that this type of name could mark your child as a foreigner once he returns to his country of origin. Alternatively, choose a name that can be easily translated from one language to another. Maria could live her life as Maria and change her name to Mary once she returned to the United States.
Warnings
- Don't give your child a name that consists only of initials. He will have to repeat over and over that "A. J." it is not an abbreviation.
- Check the initials of the name and make sure they do not form embarrassing or inappropriate words. For example, even if the name Daniela Olivia Gaggiani may seem cute, pay attention to the initials: D. O. G which in English translates as "dog".
- Don't give the baby names that have a negative connotation. A child named Hitler could have serious problems later in life.
- If you want to name your child based on a physical trait they are most likely to have (because, for example, both mom and dad have beautiful green eyes), think about the possibility that the child may be teased because of his. first name. For example, if you call your daughter who has red hair "Anna", the children may annoy her by calling her "Anna with red hair".
- Be careful about naming your child with too many expectations. If you give your baby the name of his grandfather, realize that he could be a completely different person from your father.
- Be careful not to call your child so he can be confused with a famous person. If your surname is De Filippi, Maria would be discarded.
- Don't give your child names that are out of date, such as Gertrude or Filomeno.
