Choosing a name for your little one is a big deal. Names are a big part of who we are and who we become later down the road.
You also have to find something that both you and your partner can agree on, which is often easier said than done. If you're having a girl, you have to consider the possibility of her one day changing her last name.
Can a name affect your future?
Researchers have spent decades trying to determine if having a unique and unusual name can hinder your child's future. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), there haven't been any consistent effects found that show having an uncommon name is a bad thing.
However, Dalton Conley, the author of "Parentology: Everything You Wanted to Know about the Science of Raising Children but Were Too Exhausted to Ask," said that children with unusual names may learn impulse control because they are sometimes teased or commonly asked about their name.
"They actually benefit from that experience by learning to control their emotions or their impulses, which is of course a great skill for success," Conley told the BBC.
Names you should never pick for your child
While it's been shown that names don't have an effect on your child's future, you should also be cautious about giving them something too unique – you don't want them to be teased only to end up hating the name you gave them.
Wildflower names: While flower names become more popular, you might want to stay away from ones such as Azalea, Magnolia, Zinnia and Clover. While unique, people may not always get where they come from.
Spice/herb names: Opting for something like Sage and Rosemary is common but avoid names like Saffron, Cinnamon and Cayenne, names that people more commonly associated with herbs and spices.
Uplifting names: The meaning behind these types of names can be inspiring but choices like Loyal, True, Haven and Bodhi are a little more strange than unique, and may result in more teasing than the uncommonness of the name is worth.
Video game-inspired names: Unless you, or your partner, really are the ultimate gamer, your child might not like something like Etro, Cor, Nox and Ignis.
Animal names: The Social Security Administration hasn't heard of too many cases of children with animal names, but options like Fox, Wolf and Puma might not be the best choice, even if you are an X-Files fan.
Oddly spelled and silly-sounding names: This is really where you can run into some trouble. You want to give your child a common name, but want to spell it in a unique way, so you opt for Ashleigh instead of Ashley or Lucie rather than Lucy. It can be frustrating enough when your name isn't spelled right and can end up leaving you, or your child, with headaches when you always have to spell out the name. Silly-sounding names, such as those that rhyme with a surname or twins with similar names will result in frustration.
Trendy names: It's easy to get caught up in the heyday of going with what's popular at the moment. However, try to stay away from that. Just like your teased bangs that went out of style when the 1980s came to a close, so, too, will names that we think are cute today.
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