I got an e-mail from Parenting.com today regarding popular baby names of 2010 and predictions for names in 2011, so naturally that got me to thinking about naming babies. I'm a huge, and I mean dedicated, believer in the importance of naming children. In today's world we are often judged on first impressions and in the age of the internet that often means your name is the first thing people come into contact with. This can also include e-mail addresses & user names, but those are on a more social level. When it comes to schooling and career/job hunting it's more likely your signature/actual name. Anyway, my stance on it is a little militant for some, but I don't really care, it's my stance nonetheless.
First off, I'd like to state that there is always something to be said for simply loving a name. I know people that have had their baby names chosen since they were but babies themselves. Fair enough. I also understand the passing down of names, history, tradition, and family are important, I'm all for it, within reason. Sometimes names just weren't meant to be passed down...
Second, you can name your child a name that is not common when you name them it and then overnight it's #3 on the list. It happens, and it sucks, but that's why it's important to keep in mind what is popular in the pop culture of the time. If a book series is popular and the heroin's name is likable... don't use it. Twilight with Bella or Isabella is a prime example of this happening. Also Sookie, thanks to the True Blood books and show. Look around and pay attention. If you don't care if it's popular... well, then unless you have an aforementioned reason I'm likely to bash you for it. No one wants to be the fifth Jessica in their class, or the eighth Aiden (with it's fifty different spellings).
Third, avoid extremes. Don't name your kid after a fruit, or a musical instrument, or CAR, or something equally retarded. They're people, not objects, don't name them after one. It rarely,
rarely, works. Also just weird names like Wmffre (pronounced OOM-fre, German, variation of Humphrey) yeah saw that in the Parenting article. What the fuck? No. No people. On top of it just being weird (unless you live in a culture where it is a normal name) you also have to consider that your child is going to have to learn to spell his name... which when they're young they do based largely on phonetics. That name sounds very little like how it's spelled. Way to make your kid struggle. You should also consider that when giving them unique spellings of common names because really?
It's the same damn name! Spelling it different is just that. It doesn't change the name, it doesn't change the meaning, it just makes
you feel a little better about it. And will often have the kid constantly correcting people on the spelling, or even pronunciation if you're way off. And they will come to hate that.
Fourth, consider the conclusions people are likely to draw based on the name. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it's not really. If you say Britney what comes to mind? Spears; ditzy pop star, dumb blond, emotional wreck. Not something you probably want associated with your daughter. Cain; the brother who committed fratricide, awesome. d'Artagnan... do I really need to say *cough, pretentious* anything else *cough, geek* about this one *cough, cough*? This list could go on and on and on, and the names don't have to be odd or unique just connected to someone or something specific enough to pop into the average person's head when they hear it. Lucy; either Peanuts or "in the sky with diamonds". See, not an odd name, and in fact not bad connotations, but they are there so be aware. You may even like the connections drawn. I love that people think of A Beatles song when they hear my son's name. I did it on purpose. But I'll come back to that.
Oh, and in that vein, stripper names are a real no-no; Sundae, Cinnamon, Candy, Destiny, Bambi, Bunny, etc. Don't do it, don't even attempt to justify it, I'll shush you and then walk away. Don't want to hear it, I already think you're an idiot don't make it worse.
Now, meanings are less important to the general public. Meanings aren't usually commonly known, but you may want to know them so look them up. It's worth it sometimes.
Flow should also be considered. Does the name sound nice? You're typically stuck with the last name, so really test out the whole name and how each part sounds with the other. Another small thing to consider is nicknames that may come from the name or initials. If you like William but hate Will... guess what? You may want to rethink your choice because it's either that or Bill and you have little say over what people will nickname your kid, at least outside of immediate family, and sometime not even then.
So, after all of that let me dissect my own son's name.
Jude Rosser Price.
Love it. Unique without being weird. It flows well. Jude is Hebrew, meaning praise or thanks. It's associated with "Hey Jude" the Beatles song (which I LOVE and most everyone else does too, it's just one of those songs), Jude Law, the sexy British actor, and St. Jude the patron saint of desperate cases or lost causes (this is why hospitals are often named for him). He's likely to get called Judy, which we actually do affectionately because it's used that way in England, and yes, for boys. He may get Judas at some point, which is fine too. Not a lot of room for severe fun making.
Rosser is a family name. It's been passed down from first son to first son through his Papa's side (obviously). It's Welsh (which both Aaron and I are ancestrally speaking) and it's general meaning is, loosely translated, "he who wields the mightiest spear." Sort of awesome. It was originally a surname (last name) or a variation of Roger, same meaning either way.
Price is also Welsh; "The ancient cognomen of the Price Family was styled "Ap-Rhys" ("Ap" being the prefix meaning "son of") which in the course of time was changed to "Ap-Ryce", "Apryce", "Pryce" and finally Anglicized "Price". At Rhylas, Wales, the descendants still live and spell their name Pryce. The Prices are a very ancient family and are descended in a direct line from from Marchwesthian, a famous Prince and Chieftain of the House of "Ap-Rhys" of Rhylas, North Wales, who served with great distinction with Gryffyd Ap-Cynam at the beginning of the Eleventh Century." Since his family is actually Welsh it's safe to assume we can draw from this.
Now, put all of that together and I think our son has a very strong, noble, unique but not weird name that's also got history and family tradition in it. Needless to say, I thought a lot about names while pregnant and I'm very pleased and proud of Jude's name.
