How to name a child?

“Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so that when you yell, the name will carry.” - Bill cosby.

Neat simple advice. But, do you think, that is the only tip you can get in naming a child. No, there are lots of intricacies involved. Didn't realise before. We had decided on Vennila much before she was born. (Incidentally, it fulfills the Cosby rule as well!)

In our Bettakurumba adivasi community here, there are only seven or eight names. Eight for boys and eight for girls. So, most of the men will be either Bomman or Kethan or Maran or Manban. Girls? Simple, change the last vowel. It will be either Bommi or Kethi or Mari or Manbi.

In UK also, I used to think almost half the girls are called Catherine. But, I guess, some people are more particular. So, here are some tips on How to name your child. I read this interesting article recently.

"Naming your baby is one of the most important tasks you will ever undertake. The name is central to a child's earliest sense of identity, so the worst thing you could do when choosing a baby name is to rush into it. Settling for a name you are not 100% happy with may affect you and your child for a lifetime! Don't commit yourself to the first name that you'll find. Keep searching until you'll find a name that you truly like. So, what you should consider when choosing your baby's name? The following tips will help you give your baby the dream name he/she deserves.

The meaning of your child's name probably won't greatly affect his or her life, but may help you to make a decision between your favorites. Before choosing a name with a unique pronunciation or spelling keep in mind that your child will spend his or her lifetime explaining to others how the name is really spelled or pronounced. No one likes having their name constantly misspelled or mispronounced that's for sure.

How about P.G.Wodehouses' Psmith?

Check the Initials. Once you have an idea for the baby's name, always check the initials! While the full name may sound pretty, the initials may bring some surprise! Imagine the feeling of a child who grows up and realizes that their initials are: "N.I.L.", "Z.I.P." or "P.I.G." In order to avoid such embarrassment for the child, check the initials before you make your decision. You will be glad you did!

This is too much. I don't think parents can ever out-think the friends of their children. Howmuchever we think, kids will find something funny or nasty to say.

Check the nicknames or shortened forms of your child's name. Many names are shortened to nicknames during childhood, or other stages of life, so be sure to avoid baby names that might produce insulting nicknames when people shorten them. If you name your baby Richard, then expect him to be called also Rick. If you don't like this nickname, you may also reconsider your decision.

Our adivasi kids are too advanced in shortening names. Vennila is just called Ve. Sangeetha is Sa and Revathy is just Re.

Unusual names are hard to remember at first, but once remembered usually stick to memory much better. An unconventional name will make a wonderful conversation starter, especially if there is an interesting story behind it. You can feel free to be as creative and meaningful as possible with a middle name, because your child only has to reveal it when he feels comfortable. They may adore their middle name and tell everyone about it or they may hate it, but they never have to use it!

Popular or common names are normal and "safe", but sometimes they are easily forgotten, especially when you meet a lot of people all at once. However, a child with a popular name may be perceived better by society than a child with a unique name. But keep in mind that we love people because of who they are, not because of their name. Many of your friends have common first names, but have you ever considered them boring or average because of it?

Our chief minister has named his son Stalin! He may one day become our chief minister also. Tamil political leaders have a strange sense of naming their kids.

How it sounds? It's a good idea to recite your choices out loud. The full name should be sweet to the ears with no harshness. Saying it out loud and using it in common sentences will give you a better idea of how much you really like the name. Don't forget, some names look great when written on paper, but sound terrible off the tongue.

Make sure you don't choose a name that ends with the same letter your last name begins with. This can end up being a tongue twister and cause some teasing too.

(We, Tamilians don't have this problem - no First Name, Last name business for us!)

Remember that the other parent and your family will also have opinions about baby names, so it is a good idea to consider their opinions too. It is impossible to make everyone happy but we advise being respectful of your partner's feelings. However, keep in mind that that there is an easy solution: you can always use two names, using one as a middle name!

(We, Tamilians have a problem with this solution - no First Name, Last name business for us!)

Make sure that the name you choose is one that your child will be able to grow up with. Keep in mind that it should be applicable for all ages. You shouldn't pick a name that's really cute for an adorable little baby but will sound silly when the baby grows up.

(What rubbish! Our Kerala is full of old men with cute little names like 'Baby', 'Joy' and what not!)

Choose the names that you are most passionate about and make a favorites list as concise as possible. Have friends and family rate the names you choose. You can easily print out these surveys on paper or send by email. It's not a bad idea to see what people around you think. But you should pick a name because you love it, not because of what everybody else thinks of it.

(Typical Democracy! Ask everyone what they think and finally decide what exactly you want to do!!)

A person's name is truly a lifetime gift, and it helps define your child - within the family, to friends, at school and to the outside world. If you consider the options carefully and select with love, you really can't go wrong.

There are rumours that I was named by the doctor where my mother delivered. The doctor wanted to write a prescription for me and he needed to write the name of the 'patient'. So, he wrote Manoharan. I don't think he considered this name carefully. Nor did he select with love.

But, I don't think anything went wrong. I mean, I can't just blame my name for the problems; there are other reasons ....