Choosing a baby name is a very personal and precious undertaking for new parents. It's amazing how the mere mention of a name conjures up an image.
It might be memories from the first boy you ever kissed, the boss from hell in your first job or the name of your first school friend. Names have so many different meanings for different people and it's impossible to please everyone with your baby name choice.
To avoid enticing unwanted opinions on your shortlist of baby names it would be wise to keep them a closely guarded secret. Any name a Mom-to-be suggests before the birth of a baby is sure to conjure up an image with someone. "No, you can't possibly call them Smedley. I once worked for a guy with that name and he was such a chauvanist, he had no respect at all for women! I remember being 8 months pregnant with my first born, when my best friend called me up and told me the happy news she was 3 months pregnant. I was delighted to hear her news but I was not so happy when she insisted on telling me the baby names they had chosen. I didn't want to know them. My baby was going to be the first one to be born and what if, on the off chance we had chosen the same names! She could have accused me of stealing her baby name even though I had already chosen it all on my own! Thankfully, our baby name choices were different so it all worked out well. There is no doubt all kinds of emotions surface when choosing a baby name which is strange because really choosing a baby name is supposed to be an enjoyable expoerience and the naming of your baby marks the start of your important journey into parenthood.
There are many factors to consider when choosing a baby name. Do you want your baby to have a traditional name such as Elizabeth, which has stood the test of time or are you considering a more modern name such as Evie which is emerging up through the baby name rankings? Is your preference for a popular name such as Emma or are you wanting to stand out from the crowd by choosing a more unusual baby name such as Ellianna? There are many books and websites which list an array of baby names and meanings for you to consider. Whilst it is a time consuming exercise to read through all the names and meanings it is often an enjoyable one which conjures up many images as you read through the names. Research shows Moms-to-be spend more time on the internet researching baby girl names than baby boy names.
Baby names and their meanings often have social, historical or biblical connotations. Parents-to-be also have to consider if a family tradition is going to be continued or whether they would prefer a name which suits the current trends. The majority of baby names are undoubtedly religious inspired such as Matthew or John, but other name categories becoming more popular take their inspiration from precious stones, such as Jade or flowers, such as Lily.
Whatever baby name you choose and however long it takes you to finally agree on a baby name, you will choose one which is right for you and your baby. Whatever opinions were expressed by friends and family during your pregnancy will fade into insignificance as loved ones cuddle and caress your new baby.
