Important precautions you must aware of when choosing baby names

If you live in India it goes without saying that naming a newborn child is an auspicious occasion in the family where it is not just the parents of the child but the whole community comes together to decide the name of the newborn. But it should be kept in mind by these people that naming a child is a daunting but responsible job because while naming the baby they just do it but the child has to live with the name throughout his life. Just imagine a boy named ‘babloo’ by his relatives and being called by the same name even after he is 45 years old. The name of the child is going to be his identity so the best thing you can do for him/her is not to rush yourself when looking for suitable names or instantly deciding upon the first name that you feel is good.

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In India it is a custom that the decided name of the child is bestowed upon him on an auspicious day by an elderly relative or depending upon the custom of the caste the newborn belongs to. A small ceremony is performed known as Namkaran where friends and family gather to celebrate the occasion. Usually when the family is deciding the name for the baby there are some things that are taken into consideration which the sun or the moon signs under which the baby has been born. It is believed that if the name of the child is given according to his sign it is beneficial for his good future.

Nevertheless, if you are a new parent here are a few tips or precautions you would like to keep in mind before you name your child:

1.   Meaning:

Make the use of search engines like Google to know the meaning of the name you like so much. Just because you like the sound of the name, it is not necessary the meaning of the name is also good. Be doubly sure for your baby’s sake of the meaning of the name you have chosen as it could be a source of distress for him or her in the future.

2.   Religion:

People living in India are very fixated with naming their children according to their religion. Having inter-caste baby names like Hindu names for Muslim babies and Muslim baby names for Hindu babies is considered as taboo. So take precautions while researching names for your babies as the name and its meaning should match your religion.

3.   Pronunciation and spelling:

You don’t want a tongue twister for your baby’s name. The ultimate state of the name which the pronunciation is too long or which is hard to call out ends up having the name cut to a smaller size. ‘Abhyuthan’ becomes ‘Abhi’, ‘Sonalikalini’ becomes ‘Sona’ or ‘Sonu’ and what not. Also the spelling should be easy to write and remembered which makes it easier for the child in his/her learning years to remember it.

4.   Matching the gender of the baby:

This is the worst type of joke a parent can play with their child, not naming the child according to their gender. I had a male acquaintance who was named Jasmine because he was the youngest brother after four sisters. Isn’t it absolutely humiliating for the individual while growing up as he must have to face so much of teasing and endure sleazy remarks because of his name?

5.   Naming twins:

Looking for a single name for your child is daunting enough, but when parents have to name their twins it can be downright confusing. Usually parents go for rhyming names like Seeta and Geeta if it is girl and Ram and Shyam if it is a boy. It is advised to bestow unique names to the twins so that it resembles their spirit and identity.