Baby names

Baby names

January 18, 2009 

One of the most exciting (and sometimes stressful) things about becoming a new dad is deciding on a name for your baby. Plenty of sitcom episodes have been centered around this theme. If you’re like me, there are a few main criteria for a name to avoid a quick “veto” from daddy (or mommy):

1. Doesn’t remind you of anyone negative from your past (like ex-girlfriends or people you couldn’t stand in high school)
2. Rolls off the tongue smoothly when said along with your last name (very important)
3. Sounds intimidating when said along with the middle name (for use mainly when she’s in big trouble)
4. Doesn’t rhyme with anything that the mean kids will be able to turn into a cruel nickname (most important)
5. Forms a cool set of initials which doesn’t form a 3-letter word you didn’t notice (don’t overlook this one)

My wife came up with our daughter’s name: BREANNA [pronounced bre-AH-na, not bre-ANN-a] and believe it or not she isn’t named after me – if she was, we would have spelled it Brianna. But that’s a different story for a different time). It does sound a lot like my name (Brian), which is cool. These days, our daughter actually has four names that she answers to:

1. Breanna (legal)
2. Bre (for short)
3. Breezy (a cool one coined by her teacher)
4. Bre-Bre (version most commonly used by mommy & daddy)

According to the all-knowing Google (LOL), her name means “noble / strong / virtuous” (not bad … not bad at all). Are you wondering what your name means now? Visit Baby Names World to see.  

One hilarious thing about the 2-year-old brain is that everything is in the third person. For example, if she’s pointing out something that’s hers, she says “Bre Bre’s applesauce!” or “Breezy’s blocks!” Even crazier is the fact that my wife and I find ourselves using the third person when we talk to her, too (if she bumps her head, I’ll pick her up and say “tell Daddy about it”).

In my 3 decades on this Earth, I’ve heard some interesting names. When naming your daughter (or son), there’s nothing wrong with being creative. But you might want to consider the fact that there IS a chance that she may one day choose to become a professional (doctor, lawyer, accountant, public relations professional, whatever). I’ve heard some kids’ names that I can’t imagine seeing on a business card. But each to his own. Just my opinion…

Of course, the most important thing is that you and your wife LOVE the name. Because you’ll be saying it a lot. Over and over and over again.

Tags: baby names, dad blog, daddy blog