Are you expecting? Then you are approaching a very significant and exciting time in your life. A new human being is on the way and there are a number of important decisions that must be made before the baby is born. One of them is selecting a name for your child. A person's name becomes part of this person's identity for a lifetime, and therefore choosing one for your baby is not an easy decision to make. There are many factors that must be taken into consideration. Obviously, you have to select a name that is gender appropriate and time period appropriate. You also need to decide which one, a modern or a traditional name, is more to your liking.
Differences between modern and traditional names
Besides the gender divide the other major division of baby names is between modern and traditional. A traditional name is one that is widely known and has been in use for centuries, such as George or Elizabeth. A modern name is one that is either made-up or has only been in use for a few decades, such as Jayden or Dallas. Traditional names do not deviate much from the original, while modern names can be entirely made-up thus sometimes creating truly beautiful names and sometimes real disasters.
Naming a child comes down to the parents' personal preferences. Many parents want their children to have traditional names, such as John or William, because they are well known and common and therefore they believe the child will easily fit in. Other parents choose to give their children more modern names because they want them to be unique, exciting and above the ordinary.
Pros and cons of traditional names
Traditional names have always been a safe choice for parents because these names are generally common and well accepted as 'normal' names. Another advantage these names have is that they are usually easy to spell and pronounce which might make children more confident saying their names in public. There are also some disadvantages of choosing a traditional name. One of them is the fact that they are sometimes too common and often used by many people. Your child may find out he's not the only "John" in the classroom. Another disadvantage of having a traditional name is that it's not perceived as very creative one.
Pros and cons of modern names
Modern names are making a comeback and are more popular than ever. Many parents are striving for the uniqueness they bring to their children. Because of this uniqueness parents love modern names and see them as a way of giving their child a true identity when compared to a more common traditional name. Other parents don't like modern names because they are often exotic, making them hard to pronounce and even harder to spell. Another disadvantage of modern names is that later in life a child may be uncomfortable introducing himself or herself only because the modern name the parents chose is so different and unusual.
Deciding on a baby's name is parents' privilege and responsibility, so don't take it lightly. Choose a name with your child in mind and give him or her one more reason to love you!
By: Valentina Kaltchev
No comments:
Post a Comment