When we go to name our children, most of us fall into two camps: those who want children to have common names and those who are interested in a more unique name.  There are benefits and downsides to each choice, and your circumstances and personal culture may also influence your decision.  Here's some basic information about choosing your child's name to help you decide whether you want something truly unique or something a little more common.

Uncommon baby names are memorable and leave an impression.  Unconventional names are excellent conversation starters, and may be a source of pride.  However, they can also cause problems in school - kids may be ridiculed, teachers may have trouble pronouncing your child's name, and your child may not want to be the topic of curiosity. 

Keep all these things in mind if you're planning to choose a unique name.  Depending on your social group, unique baby names may be more or less tolerated - very traditional communities will often look down on this kind of creativity, while some other communities have many unique names.

Common names blend in well, and allow children to feel as though they fit in.  These names rarely result in ridicule, though in many cases, children will find something to mock one another with.  One downside of a common name is that everyone else has it - your child may not realize he or she is being called upon if several other classmates have the same name.  Common baby names are almost always socially acceptable, and will not cause problems in your family.

One way to compromise is by choosing a unique middle name for your child, and a more common first name.  This gives you room to be creative without the possibility of the name being too unusual.  Some children with more interesting middle names will choose to go by that instead, while those who don't like their unique name may never tell anyone about it. 

Another choice that can work as a compromise between creativity and social acceptability is the choice of a unique name that can be shortened to a common nickname.  That allows a more interesting name to be chosen.  However, if your child doesn't like his or her unique name, the short form can be used on a daily basis, allowing him or her the protection offered by a more common name.

When you pick out a baby name, just be sure to think about all the options.  Balance your creativity and the desire to give your child a unique name with the need for him or her to live with it, too.  Remember what your friends and family will think, and consider whether a name will be a problem at school.  That'll result in the perfect name.

This is an original news article © The Kids Window

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