How to pick the perfect girl name in simple steps.
Choosing a name for your baby girl can be tough. For centuries, parents have been finding inspiration from books and other sources: from literary characters to saints, family members to national heroes.
However, how do you narrow down the best names for your baby girl?
What about popular girls' names of the year? Or the fastest-growing baby girl names in history? It is hard to know what name is just right for your little girl.
You have probably considered every possible option if you are anything like me. Thankfully, this article will help walk you through choosing that perfect and cute name for your daughter.
Take your time
There is no hurry to pick a name for your baby girl. If you are still in the early stages of pregnancy, there is plenty of time to think about what you want to call her. You might be surprised by the number of names that come to mind as you start thinking about your little girl in utero (I know I was).
If you are already a few months into your pregnancy, take some time to consider the options and make sure it is the right name for your daughter.
Consider your heritage
If you have a strong cultural or ethnic background, consider naming your daughter after family members or other relatives who might have passed on before she was born. It will help to continue a family tradition, and it will give your daughter a closer connection to her heritage.
Try to avoid the names of celebrities.
Parents are advised to find a girl name that is not too common and try to avoid the names of celebrities for their baby.
That will help the child develop individuality and separate her identity from other girls in school or neighborhood who might share her name. In reality, that can be problematic at times because she may need to keep explaining that it is just a coincidence they share an identical first/middle/last name with others.
Girls who have common names are not as unique, losing their value. Further, celebrities change their name all the time, and it can be challenging to keep up with them.
Most importantly, you might want your daughter to grow into her person instead of having a celebrity always overshadowing her.
Go for traditional and classic names.
Traditional names have a lot of meaning and history behind them, so they are usually more popular than the new trendy ones.
Name your daughter something classic like Sarah or Rebecca that has stood the test of time and will remain relevant in 50 years. It is also recommended to go for a traditional and classic name for your baby girl because:
She can feel more confident about herself when she's older because she has something to identify with, like her family or culture (instead of just being Sara Smith)
When you want people in other countries, who do not speak English well to figure out who you are talking about without guessing too much based on spelling similarities. It is handy that so many options are spelled differently but pronounced identically – Sophia vs. Sofia; Aisha vs. Asiah; Daphne vs. Danielle.
If this matters at all, then these names might have an advantage over ones that sound alike, even if they are not as popular right now.
Consider what meaning or message the name conveys
When naming a baby girl, one of your top priorities is what meaning or message the name will convey. It is important to consider her names to reflect her family heritage. In other words, do you want it to be traditional?
Do you prefer more contemporary names that are less common such as Ava or Ariel? Or would something with an international flair like Jade sound good for your daughter and future world traveler?
Give names with meaning like Rose, which means "rebirth" or Aurora, which means "dawn." Naming girls based on their personality traits are popular nowadays - think Dottie (meaning sweet) and Cecilia (which translates into melody).
You could even pick a very different country's culture such as India, where many of them give meaningful names from both Sanskrit and English origins like Ava, Indira, Sona, Leena, which can help identify children belonging within specific religions.
The main idea behind the meanings is just how every child deserves their chance at a bright future. Even though they may not know what lies ahead in life, they deserve someone who understands them enough and cares about them enough.
Therefore, they can help support the child on their journey through life - even if there have been difficulties along the way due solely to bad circumstances out of anyone’s control.
Look to nature
Some parents may not know that the first letter of a person's name is a prime indicator of their character. For centuries, feminine names in many cultures have been drawn from nature. Names like Rose and Iris are derived from the beauty of flowers, while Esme is a flower name that means ? scented happiness.’ Parents today can look to their natural surroundings for inspiration when looking for baby girl names since it is important to find one you love.
When you give your child an earthy-sounding name like Willow or Violet, it helps them develop as they grow up and learn about themselves and their surroundings more than if they had been given a common nickname such as Sue or Bobbie.
Also, when you name children, especially girls and babies in general, after something from the natural world, it can help you remember that you have an inherently interwoven relationship with all life on Earth as a human being.
Further, people are also reminded that every living creature is equal--that everything deserves love and respect because they are just like them but different at the same time.
Consider the names of other siblings.
You should consider the names of other children in your family because they may connect to the child you are naming. Choosing such names allows them to connect with their sister or brother and show that they care about one another's well-being even if there is no blood relation.
When choosing the name, you can take one close in sound or meaning to your favorite choice. This way, you will be able to find something similar without going too far outside the box! Babies are a blessing. However, naming them is a tough job. It is important to choose a name that you will feel comfortable with and reflects your family's culture, language, religion, and heritage.
