Decided to give your child a unique name? Here are the good and bad surprises that await you.
If you've chosen not to give your child one of the most popular names of the hour, you're craving a little of originality. Maybe you want your child to stand out or to feel how unique they are to you. Perhaps also that your travels or your union give you the names of another country or from another era. Maybe you have chosen a name that sounded good or that you would have liked to wear yourself, and now you think it will be perfect for your child.
In any case, you should know that the Zack-Harrys, the Skys and the Zhengs will never be en titled to the same reaction as a William or an Emma when they give their name to a teacher or customer service employee. It's a choice you make, and you make that choice for your child…for life!
Explain your choice
My daughter's name is Sky. When someone asks him his name, it is inevitable, the person turns to me to confirm that he has heard correctly or that it is not a joke. She is en titled to all kinds of comments, sometimes inappropriate, sometimesfriendly. From time to time, people ask for an explanation, so we talk about the Isle of Skye in Scotland, its blue eyes reminiscent of the sky and sometimes we have to articulate slowly (which is not easy with a first name in only one syllable!) saying Sky because the other is sure to have heard “ti-caille”… We never really have time to explain that she must have been born in England and that it is common there -down.
So, if you choose an original name, expect to have to justify your choice often during your child's early childhood. In time, he will explain it himself to those whose first name is unfamiliar.
Famous Funny Names
At the beginning of each year, truly original name charts are published. Even if they always make us smile, these charts are the nightmare of parents who find the first name of their child there. In some cases, this is just the beginning of a long series of sometimes hurtful jokes and remarks. These charts also get people used to judging other people's names regardless of whether someone real has it.
Reflection
Do you feel strong enough and convinced of your choice to defend it whenever necessary? So much the better! Will your child be proud of his unusual first name? Will he blame you for singling him out so much? Will his first name become a source of bullying when he goes to school?
The right time on thepeople
One of the advantages of having an original name is to quickly see the nature of people. Whether they judge us, make jokes, tell the origin of our name or remain unmoved, original names are a difficult filter to match. If your child is good at communicating, this introduction will almost always allow him to use the right tone with his interlocutors.
What about school?
For children, the originality of the first name changes almost nothing. No matter what name you choose, there will always be a classmate to say Anne the banana and to change the name Tremblay to soaked or cramped.
On the other hand, and this is the beauty of children, they will never question the first name you have chosen. For them, this name is that of their friend, and they won't even think it could be otherwise.
Will he be more eccentric? Maybe, but with such creative parents, he probably would have been with any given name. The whole thing is to assume your choice and give your child reasons to be proud of the first name he wears.
Check out our other baby name articles for ideas, advice and inspiration!
