‘Common Sense’

Here’s a commons sense consideration for you: Don’t tack a weird or extremely difficult name your baby!

When you think about all of the different baby names there are to choose from, it boggles the mind, especially when trying to think of something unique, that’s not too strange. You always have to keep in mind that a child will have to live with the name you give if for the rest of his life, unless he gets married or finally decides to change it when he is old enough to do so. As a new parent, you might want to name the baby after an older relative; however, before you pick something really weird, remember that your child will have to learn to write the name, spell it, sign it and live with it for the rest of his life. On the other hand, baby names that are too common may cause confusion and mistaken identity, throughout life.

Be Creative – Not Cruel

I remember a couple whose last name was Register that lived in our neighborhood. Their kids rode my school bus so I got to know them pretty well.  They named their daughter, Lisa – a very common name at the time. But when her little brother was born two years later, they couldn’t think of any other baby names apparently, so they named him – you guessed it – Cash! Yeah – I know. Talk about a sick sense of humor. Or, maybe they simply lacked creativity.

That poor kid, Cash Register, was teased and taunted through elementary school as the kids laughed and made fun of his name.  While the name didn’t mean anything negative, the kids thought it was funny. And, that’s all it took. I guess it is kind of like naming your kid after a household appliance or something, as far as kids are concerned. Anyway, Lisa had to turn into a bully at the bus stop and on recess, to defend her little brother, Cash.

The Name Will Define the Child

I often wondered how parents came up with baby names and why there were so many girls in school that were named Lisa. You would have thought that Cash would have felt special in a good way, compared to Lisa, who had four other girls in our class with the same first name. There was always that confusion when the teacher would ask something about or talk about, one of the Lisa students. Do you mean Lisa Jones? Lisa Reynolds? Lisa Morris? Or do you mean Lisa Register?

You might not have a strange last name to worry about, but this is an example of how some parents simply don’t consider the lasting effects of the name they choose for their baby. For this reason, keep in mind that there are many baby names, but your child has to live with theirs through all kinds of circumstances.

When you are thinking about baby names, it isn’t a time to be humorous or lacking in creativity. Remember your child’s name will identify them and shape who they become as they get older. The only thing I can hope is that good ole’ Cash Register is out there someplace, stashing lots of cash in his bank account for his retirement years.  He deserves it for having a moniker like that!