Most babies coming home have already been named.  There is much to choosing a name, and sometimes a preferred name just doesn't fit with the persona of your new born. Sometimes the baby almost names itself, just by the way they look or maybe how they arrived !!

Some things to consider when choosing baby names

Celebrity Trends

Just like everything else, there are definite trends in naming your baby. These trends are often influenced by celebrities and major shifts happen every 5-6 years. Whether it’s a celebrity’s baby or the celebrity themselves, don’t worry too much about the namesake. Chances are the celebrity will be well and truly forgotten by the time your baby hits their teens and your child will share their name with ordinary people across the world.

Uniqueness

Some parents like names which are particularly distinct, and search out names they have never come across amongst their own community. Sometimes these names are chosen for their meanings, but often simply because of the way they sound. Some parents even create names or combine traditional names together to create something truly unique.

Giving your child a unique or distinctive name is a nice way to celebrate their identity, but be aware that as your child grows up, they may not be as grateful as you had hoped. If other children (and adults for that matter) struggle to pronounce your child’s name, then nicknames and teasing can often result.

Tradition

Some families have a name or names that have been carried down for generations. If you like the name and both you and your partner are happy to use it, by all means do so. If however the name or the tradition makes you gasp, there are ways you can keep everyone happy. Find a derivative of the traditional name that you actually like. Margaret for example could be carried on as Margo or Mariah, and James could become Jaman or Jamie.

If you really dislike the name, but would like to carry on some form of family tradition, have a look through the family tree (after naming my daughter Courtney, I discovered both sides of the family had a Courtney several generations back).

Spelling of Names

Giving a traditional name a unique spelling is a nice way to carve out your child’s identity, but be prepared for people to misspell their name their entire life, (even if they are copying it from the correctly spelled version!)

Granted, it’s not necessarily the end of the world, but if you are choosing a unique spelling so that your child can have a distinctive name, then you may want to think again. Jazmin will be called Jasmine, Jhorgia will be called Georgia, and Leigham will still be called Liam. If however you are choosing a unique spelling because you prefer the way it looks, then you should go for it. You child will get used to saying that’s with 2 r’s and i. Trust me.

This information came from http://www.kiwifamilies.co.nz/Topics/Babies/Baby-and-You/Baby+Names.html and relates to New Zealand data, however internationally, the hints here will still be applicable.  There is also a trend for multiple names for baby, four or five names are common now.  Good luck naming you new born or newborns if you have twins or triplets or even more.  And just think, with multiple births you get to use more than one of your favourite baby names.