Perhaps the most important thing you will give to your baby, apart from life itself, is a name. So take your time choosing it and try to opt for one that he or she will wear with pride in later life. The first decision is do you look at traditional names, do you go to the other extreme by making up a name, or do you opt for a middle course and maybe choose a traditional name but with different spelling?
There are advantages in choosing an unusual baby name: people with such names stand out from the crowd; at school they won’t have to use an initial after their name because someone else in the class has the same name; and they won’t get confused with anyone else. However, nobody will know how to spell their name; it may be mis-pronounced; and other kids can be very cruel. There’s nothing worse than being teased and kids will quickly pounce on a weird name as a reason for teasing or bullying.
Several studies have revealed that people experience a negative reaction to those with unusual names. Dr Albert Mehrabian, author of The Baby Report Card and The Name Game, suggests that people react badly to anything unusual or different, and that includes names.
In a study conducted during the last 10 years, Dr Mehrabian looked at how a person’s name affects their life. He found that those with unusual names suffered low ratings in all categories: such as success in life, cheerfulness, and morality.
Mehrabian says he has counselled many adults who were ridiculed by their co-workers because of their names, and finds that the more unusual the name the harder it is to adjust.
Johnny Cash’s song ‘A Boy Named Sue’ may have been amusing at the time, but the theory that naming a boy Sue would toughen him up is a fallacy. I knew a man whose middle name was Mary. His parents wanted him to have a saint’s name and for some reason chose Mary. He was ashamed of his name and tried to keep it very quiet.
Maybe there is a middle course? Avoid the really weird. Don’t go down the road followed by Frank Zappa who named his kids Moon Unit and Dweezil – one is a boy, the other a girl; no idea which is which! Or Gwyneth Paltrow who named her daughter Apple. Just imagine what kids in the playground would do with those names. Perhaps as more and more parents choose unusual names the problems will diminish as the unusual itself becomes the norm.
There is no need to give your baby a unique name to make him or her unique – every baby is unique. And remember that your baby boy will grow to a strapping man, while your baby daughter will grow to be a young lady. Make sure their names suit them when they are adult. If you really want to call someone a silly made up name get your self a doll or a dog!
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