I found it a huge weight to be responsible for naming a child. Names have such power and connotations and when one is named generally that name stays for life and perhaps even longer into history. Here is the process that I came up with, I do tend to over analyze a little.

1. How does the name sound? I like soft shh sounds, and I don’t like the harsh ch but it is about the whole package.

2. What is the meaning of the name?

3. How popular is the name? This shouldn’t really matter but I wanted my baby to feel unique in his name if possible.

4. Does this name bring up any bad connotations for me? In other words does anyone I dislike have this name and thus I would always be reminded of them.

5. How could the name be shortened? What will the initials be and what words is it similar to or rhyme with? This is an extremely necessary step as your child should go through schooling without being bullied or teased.

6. Can your child be both an actor and a lawyer with this name? You couldn’t imagine a Poppy as a UN representative for example.

7. Do you want to honour anyone with your child’s name? Middle names are a great place to do this.

8. How do you want to spell it? I personally prefer traditional or phonetic spelling (this coming from a teacher who is sick of getting roles and not knowing whether Rion is Ryan or if it rhymes with Dion).

9. Do you and the father agree? You really don’t want an ‘I told you so’ when the child reaches puberty.

10. Are you excited about telling people the name? If so you probably have it right.

Sorry I forgot my main bold italicized guideline that I made up for my husband:

No names from Star Wars or Lord of the Rings
And so after this lengthy process my husband and I decided that if our baby was a boy then he could have the say in the name (with some consultation, see above stipulation). He came up with Oxford Lewis. Lewis after CS Lewis and Oxford because he wants our son to be called Ford after Harrison Ford of Star Wars and Indiana Jones fame (it was only just allowed); he didn’t want the car connotation from just calling him Ford and so Oxford it was. Yeah we do get some funny looks because everyone has an opinion but now the name has settled down and people are used to it and he did become Ford and not Oxford. I must admit here that I am secretly scared that he will end up getting called Ox but I think I kind of deserve that one for not taking into account one of my own guidelines.

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Top 10, baby by chelle