A baby brings joy and happiness. It also carries forward a bit of you. Perhaps the most important function a parent undertakes after the birth of a boy is to select a name for him. Most parents would like the name to be special, and mean something to their son when he grows up.
A son for many holds a special place. Since ancient times a son is seen to be the “one to carry on the family.” Naming a son can be quite emotional and often family traditions come into play—in many families sons carry into the next generation the family name, which may be centuries old.
Be practical and take up the task like modern-day parents. Buy a beautiful inspiring notebook and write down your thoughts. Would I like my son to carry forward a tradition or heritage? Would I like him to be proud of his roots? Or shall we strike out and name him something different? Weigh the pros and cons of all these options.
Call over the family or clan for an impromptu get-together and make the “name choosing” a collective effort. Glance into family legends and history. Study the family tree and how different generations were named. Find out if anyone in the family was famous or illustrious, like a poet, a painter, or writer. Is there an explorer or adventurer hidden among your ancestors? Discover a pioneer who may have sailed the ocean to bring his family to a new land. Make a list of such possibilities.
Consider carefully if you would like your son to be named after a person who has meant something to you, helped you, or done something special. Look through social security lists, literature, the World Wide Web, and books for inspiration. In case you belong to an ethnic group or culture or specific religion, and have a religious frame of mind, then look for a name in the scriptures or books that are specific to your origins and culture.
Many like naming their children after great men from history, or heroes of legend and lore. Or on attributes such as strength, intelligence, beauty, and so on. If you would like to think about this then spare the time to go to a library and do intensive research.
Once you have made a tentative list of names both of you like, you must say it out loud, whisper it softly, sing a song, and write it out. How does it co-ordinate with your last name? Check whether the initials do not sum up to be something embarrassing, like ASS. Can the name become the source of peer teasing? Will the child and his friend be able to spell or pronounce it? And is the name such that it will grow with the child? Imagine a grown woman called Pixie or a hulk of a man called Jellybeans.
Ensure that the baby’s name is strong, bold, and happy. It should reflect the qualities and traits of the boy and bring joy all around him. Choose a name that has strong gender identification. Pick a name that will stand him in good stead, and one he will be proud to be known by.
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