Choosing Names for Boys

You have just given birth to your little boy, the nurse hands him over to you, you look at his puckered little face, and say, “Oh, he looks just like a “..,” as one of the boys? names that have been floating around your mind springs to mind.

For some of us, naming our newborn son is that easy. But for others, giving a name can be very difficult. This is not because we have no idea what to call him or because babies? names are so hard to find. In fact, if anything the trouble is just the opposite. There are just so many to choose from that it can be just too difficult to make a final decision.

A Baby Name Book

One way to make your choice is to get hold of a book of babies? names. There is a wealth of such books on the market, as well as comprehensive lists on the Internet.

When you start going through the lists, you may want to think over the following points:

• Your son has to live with this name for the rest of his life. Therefore, try to find something that no one will make fun of when he is at school or that just sounds incredibly odd with your surname. Try to avoid rhymes. For example, if your surname is “Bon” and you call your son “John,” chances are that he will be called “bonbon” for forever. And even if not, “John Bon” or “Jonny Bon” just sounds too strange.
• Looking at the sound of the name may not be enough. Think about its meaning, and that might inspire your decision as well. There is plenty of information in the books and lists about the name meanings and origins that will help you.
• Is it the kind of name that sounds cute for a baby but ridiculous for an adult? Shortening David Simon to “Davey” as a child is fine, as he can change it to “Dave” or “David” as he grows. But other names can sound silly forever if they are very childish-sounding.

Names in the Family

Sadly, one of the biggest causes of family rifts is the naming of children. Your son was the first child to be born after Grandpa Cuthbert passed away, but as you don’t like the name so you called him “Hugo” instead. So now Grandma won?t speak to you anymore because you did not commemorate her deceased husband by naming your son after him.

In this kind of situation, who is right? The baby is your son and you have the right to call him by whatever name you choose. On the other hand, when it comes to family lore and politics, Grandma is devastated by the loss of a much-loved husband and it is very usual to name after a grandparent. Is it unreasonable to expect you to honour and perpetuate your grandfather?s name in accordance with a common family tradition?

One way to get around this problem is to find a different name that either sounds similar or has the same meaning. For instance, the name “Harold” means “power.” Maybe your late father was called “Harold,” and you would like to name your son after him. But as you don?t like the actual name, you might prefer to call your baby “Harris,” “Harrison,” or “Harry,” which either have the same meaning, or sound very similar.

Popular Names for Boys

Names, like anything else, have fashions and trends. Perhaps you would like to find a name that is currently all the rage. If you look on the most up-to-date lists, you will find that the most popular names for boys in Australia are: Jack, William, and Lachlan. If you use this criterion to choose a name for your son, at least you won?t have to worry that he will be the only child in his class to bear such a name.

Ethnic Baby Names for Boys

If you are from a particular ethnicity, you might want to call your little boy by a name from your community. Therefore, if your family is of Greek origin, you may want to look up a list of Greek names, and if you are from an Irish or Scottish background, you may also want to use any of the many Gaelic boys? names that are commonly used, like Connor – or even one that is a little more unusual, such as Finbar.