While we like word games, expecting couples enjoy name games. Even before she gets pregnant, a woman is already thinking of two things: one, a healthy baby girl (or boy) and two, a really pretty name – a name that will set her apart from the rest.

Naming a Girl: Some Pointers

When naming a girl, bear these pointers in mind:

• know that the name you give to your baby girl is important and will very likely shape her personality or her self-image. Don’t give her a name that you like just because you fancied it when you first heard it. For example, if you like the nickname Cleo, don’t name her Cleopatra. A name like Cleopatra would make her the butt of jokes, so think ahead;
• think about the origin and meaning of a particular name. This isn’t a bad idea especially if you want your daughter’s name to reflect your ethnic roots. The origin of a name is the country in which it was born, and the meaning of a name can be anything that you consider special or endearing. For instance if you’re Catholic and you’ve always felt close to the Virgin Mary, you may want to call your child “Mary;”
• say the name out loud. If the name blends very well with your last name and has a nice sound to it, then by all means stick with it. You have the option to choose two names as in: Valerie Jane or Heather Stephanie or Diana Ashley. Naming experts caution about choosing a name that ends in a letter which is the first letter of the family name. Example: Megan Nolan. The repeated consonant – “n” - can be a tongue-twister.
• decide on whether you want a common name or a unique name. Common names are usually found in the Bible or in classical literature: Mary, Elizabeth, Magdalen, Therese are common names while Paris, Robin, Madison or January are unique names.
• choose the spelling that you like best: Elisha or Elysia; Megan or Meghan; Jocylyn or Jocelyn; Amy or Aimee; Sheila or Sheilagh.
• when you want to have two names, make sure that when they’re converted into initials, people won’t chuckle. Rachel Anne Turner if put into initials would be R.A.T.; Patricia Ida Greene could turn into P.I.G.; or Charlotte Ophelia Williams could turn into C.O.W.

Naming a Girl: Looking at some Possibilities

When you wake up in the hospital, the first thing you’ll ask for is to hold your baby girl in your arms. When your baby comes, the first thought that comes is probably “sweet” or “beautiful.” If that’s the case, you may be tempted to call your baby girl “Sugar” or “Belle”, but we suggest you wait a few more days so that the excitement of your first choice ebbs. Or, it could get stronger in which case you’ll really want to call your baby girl “Sugar” or “Belle.”

As nicknames, these names are appropriate, but here’s the problem: when we hear “Sugar” the word associations that come to mind are “unhealthy” or “spice.” When we hear “Belle” we think of exaggerrated beauty. But if you insist on either of these names, go ahead. No one can take that away from you.

Here are some names that we’ve personally selected:

• January – to be nicknamed “Jan.” We read a story once upon a time and the lovely lead character was called January and we thought then, “what a charming name!”
• Ainsley – believed to be British in origin and has to do with “meadow.”
• Cameron – Gaelic in origin. Unfortunately it means “crooked nose” but think of the luscious “Cameron Diaz.”
• Caroline – a very popular name in the US, it became even more popular when John and Jacqueline Kennedy named their first born Caroline Bouvier Kennedy. It’s German in origin and means “man.”
• Dawn – English name meaning “beginning of a new day.”
• Desiree – is French, meaning “the desired one.” Nice nickname for Desiree is “Des.”
• Erin – origin is Gaelic and means “belongs to Ireland.” It’s included in the top 75 names for girls.
• Faith – Latin, and hence a name from the New Testament.
• Gretchen – “little pearl” and was once a pet name for Margaret. It’s no longer a very popular name these days.
• India – if you want to add an exotic spin to your baby’s name. It rhymes with Indira, famous political leader of that country.
• Janelle – a more sophisticated name than Jane, from which it came. While Jane sounds plain, Janelle is more chic.
• Kaylin – an English name. Meaning could be “slender and fair” and is among the top 500 names.
• Madison – a pretty name, although what nickname would be suitable? We’re really not into “Maddie.”
• Paige or Page – why not? It’s a lovely name!
• Reese – as in Reese Whitherspoon? The name means abundance and splendor.
• Ursula – we thought at first this was German in origin but it’s actually Latin. This is one name we’d stay away from because we once had a colleague named Ursula who threw her weight around and was always hyper. She had a great nickname though – Ushi.

We have a special affinity for two Chinese names: one is “Haiyu” and the other is “I-Ni.” We don’t know why, but they sound pleasant and easy to pronounce despite their foreign origin.

There’s one African name we like as well: Eshe which means “life.”

We would welcome the chance to give our baby girl a unique name with a foreign touch to it. That way, when the teacher calls the roll in a class of 40 students, the name Eshe or Haiyu would certainly stand out!