What's your naming criteria?

General Name Discussion
1

[name]Do[/name] you have any rules for baby names? [name]Every[/name] time I look at potential names, I unconsciously see if it fits a certain criteria I have set for myself. And I feel crazy everytime it happens.

  1. Classic or regal
  2. Traditional spelling
  3. Lower than the top 10 for first names (even further, if possible)
  4. [name]History[/name] or family connection
  5. Flow with DD’s name and potential middle names
  6. No longer that 10 letters for first names
  7. Nickname potential
  8. Age appropriate- can it fit a child, teenager, adult and senior?
  9. No hanging letters- my mn is [name]Kaye[/name] and the tail of the Y gets cut off so it looks like Kave or Kaue.
  10. First initials differ from DH, DD, and myself.
  11. Recognizable but not common.

Anyone else crazy like me?

2

For boys:

Something a little offbeat and not in the top 10 - 15. It has to be a real name with legit roots. Traditional or real variations of spellings only - nothing made up or trendy.
My sons name isn’t exactly offbeat - but mine wasn’t the only opinion that counted. [name]Maxwell[/name] was my top choice if it had been up to me. [name]James[/name] and [name]Edward[/name] are family names.

For girls: Offbeat, quirky, even obscure. Has to be a real name with legit roots. Nothing made up, no boys names or faux- unisex names, proper spellings. I like things that tend to be long and overly frilly.

3
  1. Not religious or biblical
  2. Easy to spell and only one way to pronounce
  3. No nicknames
  4. Not in the top 100
  5. Cannot end in D or S (sounds weird with our last name)
4
  1. Meaningfulness to me and family
  2. Not too modern
  3. Not a direct reuse of name of anyone in the family (with one or two potential exceptions)
  4. No overly-strong association with people I’ve known, or celebrities
  5. Basically, not in top 20 (although this is more about 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 than concern about popularity)
  6. I like the sound
  7. No nicknames I hate (I am OK with nicknames I don’t love - the problem is my feelings change : D)
  8. Easy enough to spell and pronounce (last name is easy-ish so I’m mildly flexible)
5

A lot of what’s already been said-except I don’t care about length-my first and middle name are long-and it’s never bothered me.

I’ll just add-

initials have to check out-no BM, BS–our last name begins with “W” and we almost named a potential son [name]Jack[/name] [name]Edward[/name]…yeah-J.E.W. hahahaha.

nothing too easy to make sexual for girls. i can’t remember what the name was=but a guy friend made a girl name we were thinking about-sexual. It was sooo easy-so, that was a no-no. I asked him to.

Nothing that looks has letters that look-remotely like an ‘ugly’ word. Our daughter’s middle name is [name]Annalise[/name]. Which could have been spelled [name]Analise[/name]-but “anal” was too visible.

Nothing too common-i loved, loved, loved isabella-or any of the isabel type of names-but no way would i do that to my kid. Same with [name]Sophie[/name]. Though, my first name is [name]Christina[/name], nn:[name]Christy[/name] which every fifth girl in my school had-and never-not one time-did it bother me : )

It has to sound a professional name. I have to be able to imagine them using their name as a C.E.O. Because a C.E.O. name can be used as an artist’s name-but not the other way. [name]Cate[/name] can be either. [name]Piper[/name] (to me-and seriously, what do I know-) isn’t a C.E.O. name.

It cannot sound too southern.

It cannot be a weird spelling.

It has to be a unique traditional name to go with our other two children’s names. ([name]Catherine[/name], [name]Primrose[/name]…)

No ex’s.

Has to sound smart.

Cannot sound like we were high when we named them. No “[name]Sunshine[/name],” “[name]Heaven[/name]…”

It has to be able to be an adult name. My cousin’s name is [name]Johnny[/name]-and it just seems so little kid to me now that he’s an adult. Also, I went by [name]Christina[/name] instead of [name]Christy[/name] when I started college.

ETA-Can’t be of an ethnicity that is obviously not ours. I had a friend in college-who had blond hair and blue eyes named “[name]Juan[/name].” (Because his mother gave birth to him in Mexico and the nurses called him “baby one…” )He HATED being called that so much that he changed his name.

6

I have a lot of criteria, actually, and it varies a bit for both genders.

Girls:

  1. Must be a traditional spelling (occasionally, when there are two acceptable spellings such as [name]Annabel[/name] vs. [name]Annabelle[/name] or [name]Elinor[/name] vs. [name]Eleanor[/name], I prefer the more steamlined, less frilly version of the two)
  2. Should have some level of international usage outside of the English-speaking sphere
  3. Popularity no higher than 50 in my region, preferably much less common than that
  4. Cannot have made enormous leaps (i.e. 50-100 or more spots in a year) up the local popularity charts in recent years
  5. Must have some sort of historical, mythological, or literary usage
  6. If it is a literary of mythological name, must not be the name of: 1) a rape victim (so many mythological names are!); 2) a character typically associated with evil/negative actions or deeds; a character who is portrayed as being “weak”
  7. Must have been in use as a female name for a minimum of 150 years, preferably much longer than this
  8. Must not rhyme with my husband’s surname (yes, this is seriously a problem with lots of names!)
  9. Must be a “full” name that does not sound nickname-y
  10. Must not end in -ana or -anna
  11. Must not begin with K
  12. Must not be a [name]Chris[/name]- name
  13. Should not be a name previously used by close friends or family members for their children

Boys:

  1. Must be a traditional spelling
  2. Should have some level of international usage outside of the English-speaking sphere
  3. Cannot have made enormous leaps (i.e. 50-100 or more spots in a year) up the local popularity charts in recent years (however, if it is very popular, this is no problem in my mind so long as it has been popular for a long time)
  4. Must have some sort of historical, mythological, or literary usage
  5. If it is a literary of mythological name, must not be the name of a character typically associated with evil/negative actions or deeds
  6. Must have been in use as a given name for a minimum of 150 years, preferably much longer than this
  7. Must not be a name that is more common an a surname than as a first name or has an overly surname-y vibe
  8. Must not rhyme with my husband’s surname
  9. Must be a “full” name that does not sound nickname-y
  10. Must not begin with K
  11. Must not be a [name]Chris[/name]- name
  12. Lots of bonus points for being a name with a family connection or regal connection
  13. Should not be a name previously used by close friends or family members for their children
7

It tends to change from time to time. But I’m rather flexible in my criteria.

  1. One or more names (of a combo) has to have some meaning to me or my family.
  2. No overt religious associations.
  3. (Right now) Has to have a cute or fun nickname.
  4. Easy to spell and pronounce (with one exception, because I prefer the British pronunciation of a name over the American pronunciation).
  5. Has to age well.
  6. Most importantly, I have to like the sound of it over anything else. I don’t care if the name means “misshapen clay,” if I love saying the name over and over again, then that’s all that really matters to me.
8

For girls:

[list=]
Classic eccentric style (an ‘old’ name, which is both recognized yet unusual)
One or more names are family names
Out of the top 100
Easy pronunciation and spelling (Including correct spelling, not made to look overly frilly. [name]Juliet[/name] rather than [name]Juliette[/name] and [name]Isobel[/name] rather than [name]Isabelle[/name])
Be a ‘full’ name but have cool and quirky nickname potential ([name]Bea[/name], [name]Milla[/name], [name]Birdie[/name], [name]Nell[/name] etc.)
Has to age well
Nothing ending in -ana/-anna
Can be foreign, but recognized in the UK
Not have overly-negative associations (personal or otherwise)
Can not be used by family/friends

[/list]

[name]Just[/name] about the same for boys, only in a slightly different order. For instance, family names are more important when it comes to boys, but I’m also looser on popularity (as long as it’s not in the top 50, or in danger of becoming popular). I’m also not as bothered by nicknames, and will even accept one syllable names.

9
  1. Has to have a positive and uplifting meaning that has been verified from more than one source.
  2. Has to have a positive association in my mind.
  3. Has to pass the Google test, if I Google a name and come up with porn stars the name is obviously not usable. If I Google the name combo and get a million hits, it’s also out.
  4. No creative or unusual spellings.
  5. Has to have some history, no made up names.
  6. Has to sound professional. No overly cutesy names that only suit a small child.
  7. No celebrity names or soap opera names.
  8. No names that are also names of meds or diseases.
  9. Has to be easy enough to spell and pronounce.
  10. The over all name has to have unique (non-repeated) sounds, it must be rhythmically pleasing to the ear not a tongue twister.
  11. The over all name has to have a varying numbers of syllables. For example, 1-3-2, 3-1-2, etc.
  12. I have to like the nicknames that could be potentially used.
  13. I have to like the sound of the name itself, so names with sounds I find grating are out. Ex. “[name]Bri[/name]” names, names ending in “lyn”, etc…
  14. Can’t be overly used or too common but at the same time can’t be so uncommon that no one has a clue how to say it and you can never find any personalized plates, cups, keychains with it.
  15. Can’t be the name of a living relative or sound too similar.
  16. Can’t start with “mc” or “mac” or end in “son”, particularly if it’s a girl’s name. No surnames as given first names for girls.
  17. No names starting with K, B or P.
  18. No place names UNLESS name was, in fact, originally a given name and has some history behind it. Also, it must be a place I’ve been to and that has some meaning to me.
  19. No edible names, i.e. food items, liquors, candies, etc.
  20. No names of automotives.
  21. No names that are going to peg the kid as practicing a particular religion.
  22. No over the top nature names or word names.
  23. Middle name cannot be a filler name stuck in there ‘just because’, it also has to have meaning and it must serve as a backup name in case the kid hates/dislikes her first name.
  24. Initials cannot spell anything that would be mocked or made fun of.
10

I’m very similar to this. My criteria:

  1. Real. Nothing made up and no place, word or surnames. Unisex names are ok but generally I prefer boys names for boys and girls names for girls.
  2. Spelt properly.
  3. Outside the top 100 for girls. I’m not as fussed with boys as most of the ones I like are family names and I can’t help them being in the top 100.
  4. Can’t rhyme with Ren.

Then the obvious, no disastrous nicknames/initial combinations that the child could be teased about.

11

Has to be something we can see on a future adult. Not a full name that is a cute nn, not something that looks great on an adorable 2 year old but will not fit on a 30 year old.

Easily spelled by the average person. After [name]Bronwen[/name], we realized that her name does not fit this criteria, but names like [name]Aine[/name] and Niahm, as nice as I think they are the average person in central pennsylvania will not know how to spell it thus our child will spend his/her life spelling it over and over again. Also, no kreatyve spellings of normal names. If we want a unique name, we choose one and do not pick a common name and funk up the spelling.

Boys names for boys, girls names for girls. I have respect for those who like nales associated with both genders but personally do not like them for my kids.

No flash in the pan, trendy names. Ideally, a person will be able to look ay my childs name on paper and not know if said child is a year old, 23 or 89. Granted there are naming tends that come and go an realky no name is immune to that before or after its chosen. But I see [name]Nevaeh[/name] wriiten down and guess her to be between 3 and 10. I see [name]Violet[/name] written down and while it is “in style” to a point, she could also be 90. Where as it would be highly unusual to see a 90 year old [name]Aailiyah[/name], [name]Destiny[/name], [name]Bentley[/name], [name]Cameron[/name], or [name]Tyler[/name].

Our middle names all so far start with L (DH and Vio) or E (myself and everyone else). Girls mns are varients of family names ([name]Eliza[/name] fron [name]Elizabeth[/name], [name]Leona[/name] from [name]Leonard[/name])and boys chosen for meaning, and happen to be old testament names as well.

Since our last name ends with a “r”, no names ending in “r”, too sing songy for me.

No alliteration, so no first names beginning with M.

12

Oh gosh, do I have rules…

1). Pretty much everything already been said, plus…
2). No “el” sound in the name like [name]Stella[/name], [name]Eleanor[/name], [name]Giselle[/name], etc. as it sounds super sing-songy with our last name.
3). Preferably 3 or 4 syllables, although I would take 2 if it was perfect otherwise.
4). Must be at it’s most popular between 1890 & 1940
5). Must be very, unquestionably feminine
6). Nationality of name must be something we have in our backgrounds, or be relatively neutral (it feels weird to have a Spanish first name with our [name]German[/name] last name, for example).
7). Along the same authenticity lines, no place names or word names we don’t have a connection too (I love the name [name]Georgia[/name] but has no meaning to us).
8). We must know [name]ZERO[/name] other kids with this name, and that includes all 1500 of our combined Facebook friends. (exception made for our boys name, which is in honor of my grandfather)
9). Preferably does not end in “a” or “ie/y” for girls and “r” for boys, but exceptions are possible.
10). Must be okay with ALL possible nicknames they could get saddled with in school.
11). Middle name must be a one syllable “word” name that has meaning to us, creates a flow between first & last, and juxtaposes the femininity & frilliness of the first with a little off-beat modernity.
12). The first name cannot end in the sound the middle name starts with. Huge pet peeve.
13). The iambs & trochees must create a pleasing rhythm through the whole name.
14). The meaning of the name should be positive or at least neutral.
15). Must create a beautiful subset with our daughter.

Phew! I knew I was analytical, but wow, to put it all down does seem a little nutty :wink: