"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet..." - William Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet.

This subject can cause a lot of in-house arguments, not so?

How about if people could change their names? Is it fair that you are named before you are born and you have no choice in your name? How many people do you know that say "I hate my name?"

How many couples are in total agreement first-time round? What was your experience when naming your child?

Sometimes naming an adopted child is not that easy for a number of reasons.

Should the name appearing on a child’s original birth certificate be changed? How will a young adult react or think about his identity in later life when he discovers that he was or is Kian and not Stephen?

Is one duty bound to keep the name given by the birth parents, especially if one does not like it? Does this name become the child’s second name? Is the name negotiated between adoptive birth parents before the child is first registered? Do you name the child after one or both of the birth parents?

However naming your child is part of the initial bonding process and it is important in order to make the baby part of his new family, and you of him. Ought you to choose your own family’s traditional names or name the baby after his proud new dad or mom?

Why ponder so? Are we not free to choose a name we like or which we feel suits our baby, because after all, naming is personal and you and your child have to live with the name?(Extract from Adoption Network News 2001)

Personally I have learnt that one should not involve the extended family in name-choosing. This creates a lot of “Oh no … that’s terrible … too long … too short … too old fashioned … too strange … I knew someone with that name … they were terrible! As long as you and your spouse are in reasonable agreement, but do remember that the child must live with that name for the rest of their life. I think go with your choice. Everyone else will get used to the name!

Hey, I thought I was bad. In Germany, a couple were still arguing about a name for their 14-month-old son! Authorities had threatened to impose a fine of 50 euros a month for failing to register a name for the child. The court however found that it had no grounds to do so. They were encouraged however to register a name as quickly as possible after the couple agreed that their not-so-newborn should have four names.

Another viewpoint …

The conversation went something like this:

“Hey honey, when we get pregnant, how about if we name our baby Jack, if it’s a boy?” The husband responded, that no, he indeed did NOT like that name. As time went by, they acquired a cat. They were having a hard time finding a name for the male feline. Finally the husband just said, “You like the name Jack so well, let’s give that name to the cat. Because I am NOT having a son named Jack.”

So the couple went happily on their way, enjoying the newlywed life and their new cat, Jack.

After a bit of time passed, the happy couple learned they were expecting a bundle of joy to be born later that year. They began the overwhelming task of deciding on names. It’d be easy if the baby was a girl. They agreed upon a girl’s name long before they were ever married.

They poured over baby naming books; they shared ideas; they made lists; they tried coming up with a boy’s name using this method; then they tried that method. Still nothing. They could not agree on a boy’s name.

Thanks to modern technology the couple learned that they were having a baby girl. Their naming problem was solved! They proceeded with the remainder of the pregnancy preparing for the baby girl who already had a name. They even called the baby by her name as the husband read to the pregnant belly.

But then yet another ultrasound revealed that the little girl they had come to know and love was actually a little boy!

The baby was scheduled to make HIS entrance into the world in relatively short time. The parents frantically went back to the tireless task of finding a boy’s name they could both agree upon.

One night the husband announced that he liked the name Jack for his son! (This is a true story ladies … can you even imagine how you’d feel if your husband announced this grand revelation?)

To the wife’s dismay she reminded her husband that he was the one who did not like that name; in fact went as far as to declare he would NOT have a son named Jack. She then jogged his memory that they had a cat named Jack. Jack the cat even responded to his name.

You may have guessed the rest of the story. The cat now has a new name. It is rather original. The feline is now known as Kitty Cat (K.C. for short). And they have a beautiful son named Jack.

What’s the moral of the story? If you are having a hard time coming up with a perfect name, you just might try the name you’ve given to the family pet!

Some of the popular names used in 2006

BOYS :

Have fun choosing your baby’s name!!

CELEBRITIES NAME THEIR BABIES!!