When choosing baby names for your child make sure that you choose one that they can happily live with. Don't give them a name that you know will cause people to make fun of them. Choose the name carefully.

Gender

When choosing a name, keep in mind whether or not the name is good for a boy or a girl - or for both. Neutral names such as Sam, Nicky, Alex, and so on can be safely given to both boys and girls. Try to steer clear of giving a very feminine name to a boy or a masculine name to a girl.

Meanings of Names

I tend to pick the names of my children according first to the meaning of names. I then choose according to what I feel sounds good. Back in Biblical days names were given according to how the person was expected to act. God changed the names of several due to the original name meanings.

Nicknames

In most cases unless you very clearly try to keep the original name on the birth certificate, names will be shortened to nicknames. Many times a nickname is a natural result of the original long name: Nicole - Nicky, Thomas - Tom, Alexander - Alex, and so on. If you pick a long name, make sure you like the nick name that is likely to come with it. Most all of my children go by their nicknames now over their "given" name.

Name Origins

Choosing a name from its origin is done when people are proud of their heritage, or when they may like names from certain origins. For example, I love Hebrew names, even though I’m not of Jewish descent. Several of my children have a Hebrew name, that I particularly loved both the meaning and the fact it is a Hebrew name.

Sound of the Name

Sometimes you can choose a name that is difficult to pronounce or spell. Consider the name carefully, a difficult to spell / pronounce name will be tough for the child to learn. With our love of Hebrew names, we have been accused of this, but still, we felt that even though the names are difficult to spell, and only hard to pronounce if you've never heard them. We get compliments all the time for the names we've chosen.

Consider the initials that your child's name will produce. Sometimes the wrong combination will produce a word that is less desirable. When I chose a name I would first pick one with a good meaning, then I made sure all the other areas applied to it. It's a name that the child will have to live with all their life, so choose baby names carefully.