Choosing a name
You've been charged with an awesome responsibility: coming up with a name for your baby-to-be. If you're like most parents, you may feel more than a little overwhelmed at the prospect. After all, your baby is going to be saddled with this name forever -- or at least until he's old enough to change his name. Still, there's no need to hit the panic button quite yet. Here are some tips on choosing a million dollar name for your million dollar baby.
Load up on baby name books at the public library. There's no point in actually purchasing these books, after all, unless you're intending to get your money's worth by having an exceptionally large family! You'll find plenty of books to choose from-- everything from O'Baby: The Irish Baby Name Book to What Not to Name Your Baby.
Give some thought to what you're looking for in a baby name. Do you want a name that's long or short? old fashioned or modern? Mainstream or one-of-a-kind? The clearer you are about your criteria upfront, the easier it will be for you to zero in on the baby name of your dreams.
Steer clear of names that are too pretentious. Carol McD. Wallace, author of The Greatest Baby Name Book Ever, suggests giving potential names "the playground test." Can you imagine calling that name across a crowded playground? If you think bystanders would get whiplash trying to figure out what kid was unfortunate enough to get saddled with a geeky name like Hubert Oswald or what parent was crazy enough to come up with a name like that, then perhaps it's time to scratch that particular name off your list!
