How Important Is A Name?

What were you thinking?! Anyone with children has heard this question at least a few times. I often posed it to my mother, usually when we were talking about some drama at school. Everything is exaggerated when you are a growing girl. Things that might not matter later on in life are of the utmost importance when hormones are raging. My name was a constant cause of despair in my young life. My mother gave me a name that allowed me to stand out. She wanted it to be unique since she hated growing up with a common name shared with many of her classmates. She thought she was doing me a favor, allowing me to form my own identity. Growing up in a small town, I certainly stood out. My classmates were all named Mary, Sarah, or some other biblical name. My name clearly wasn't biblical and in small town America, there weren't any other Sonia's in at least a hundred mile radius. My name was the source of much teasing by the other children and more than a few odd looks by teachers and parents. My mother's intentions were pure, but the results were painful. Eventually, in an attempt to fit in, I started using my middle name, which was less distinctive. While parents can't eliminate the childhood angst totally, they can head off a bit of the aggravation by thinking deeply about their child's name before committing it to paper upon birth. While adults may enjoy standing out in a crowd, most children strive to fit in. One easy way to help your child fit in is by carefully considering their name. In a rural setting, it might be better to stay conservative in your name selection while urban areas will be more accepting of unique names. If there is a name you love, yet feel it might cause some childhood trauma, consider making it the middle name instead of the first name. So other than canvassing the neighborhood and determining the most popular names, how can parents decide on a name that will satisfy them and (hopefully) not ruin the life of their child? First, they can carefully consider the area the child will grow up in when selecting a name. Second, they can choose a name based on some personal meaning so when the child asks why they're named Star, the parents will have a reasonable explanation. Finally, before committing to the name, they can get opinions of people around them! Chances are, if your friends and family members looked shocked when you share your name selection, your child will probably be horrified as well. Choose your child's name with prudence; after all, it's a decision that will last a lifetime. There are plenty of reasons for childhood distress, eliminate this one by taking the time to carefully consider the name you give your child.