October 10, 2013

On Baby Names...

Since marriage and impending children are in my near and not-so-near future, respectively, I've been thinking more and more about baby names. Before you start wondering in that pretty head of yours, NO, I'm NOT pregnant. It's physically impossible for me to be pregnant at this particular point in time, especially seeing as I have not been visited by an angel telling me that I am to bear Nigeria's savior.

Anyhoo, I'm not trying to be preggers anytime soon, much to the chargin of great-grandparents, grandparents, aunties and uncles in-waiting. I still have this belief that once you start having children, your life is over. Well, not over over. But EVERYTHING you do would have to include your child(ren). I haven't gone to Greece, Bora Bora, Australia, my native New Zealand, etc and I'm not about to haul any babies around with me. My mum has graciously agreed to babysit though, so maybe little Berries and Cakes will come this time next year. I digress.

So BABY NAMES. Here's my thinking about baby names...

  • They should be pretty (like Eleanor or Vanessa or Alexander or Kerendu or Kenenna). One of my friend's baby girl's name is Karis (means Grace). Isn't Karis pretty?!?!?! 
  • They should be spelled correctly! No Kourtneys or Khloes. Interestingly enough, I love the proper spellings of those names. It'd be nice to have a Baby Chloe or Courtney running around with flour and sugar in her hair!
  • They should make sense! Believe it or not, Apple makes a lot of sense to me. Why? Because of the saying "You are the Apple of my eye." Apple is only applicable to a girl though. Pilot Inspektor, Jermajesty, Audio Science, North West make ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE! (Nori does though) 
  • If you're naming them after Biblical figures, please choose nice names and people that don't have baggage. That's why you don't see Jezebels and Delilah's running around. Although I think Delilah sounds pretty.
  • Speaking of Biblical names, also look at the reason behind why the names were given in the first place. For instance, chances are that you know one or more people named Simeon. BUT Leah named him Simeon because "The Lord heard I was hated, and has given me another son" (ad-libbed). So why would anyone want to name their child Simeon? Even Reuben - "God has seen my misery and now my husband will love me." She named her sons out of misery and despair! Are you miserable?
    Y'all have to feel bad for Leah sha. ALTHOUGH, at the end of the day, Jesus came from the line of Judah, who was Leah's son. Speaking of Judah, I don't know anyone with the name, but it's a perfect name because it means "I will praise the Lord."
  • Baby names shouldn't attract bullies. Why on earth would a mother name her child Sha-Sha, prounounced SHA-DASH-SHA? That's utter wickedness. Be kind to your children. And what is IKnowMyRedeemerLiveth?! Why?! You couldn't translate it to your language?
Okay, that's all I can think of for now. Am I missing anything? What are your baby name rules?

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16 comments:

  1. LOL@ Jezebels and Delilahs running around..
    I am with you on waiting a bit before reproducing after marriage, but let's see. xx
    On the names... I hate (Jnr)!

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  2. Ha...I was a victim of rule #6. My name indeed attracted bullies (in a cool way, though) in primary and secondary school. Rather than being called 'Jo-Sharon' (isn't that easy enough?), my mates (and teachers) preferred to call me: 'Jo-Shall-Run' and then would add: 'And-Mary-Shall-Stay'. LOL! Wherever that came from (?) - je ne sais pas!. Today, some prefer to call me: Sha-Sha, Shaz, Shazzy, Jo, JoJo and the latest - 'Sharion' (!). The accent that comes with the pronunciation is sometimes unbearable. I answer to all sorts but correct them by telling them how I'd prefer to be called.

    My dad started the compound name syndrome (or 'hyphenated name' as I'm sometimes referred to). Even changed my mom's name after they got married! Interestingly, my nephews bear hyphenated names :-) and I don't think my kids will be left out either - well, that's if HE agrees :-)

    Good work Anita! I follow your posts and YES, have voted.

    Best wishes

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  3. The major thing abt names for me would be the meaning nd origin of the name. nd my children must hv one english name, at least. I've gone my entire life having to say my name more than twice to people so that get it nd they never say it right at the end. ugh!

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  4. OH!!!! another thing...what their initial spell out r important too! SOOOO Important!

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  5. I totally agree with you on doing a background check on the meaning of names. Even our own native names sef, I'm a firm believer in your name having a self-fulfilling prophecy.

    Just came across your blog recently and I'm loving it so far :)

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  6. Was a kid in my daughters class named judah, always thought she was a boy.i didnt know that's what it meant, nice. Too bad I'm not having anymore kids ,and I prefer native names anyway.

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  7. Definitely agree, there should be a positive reason behind the name! I love biblical and native names. For me, it's biblical reason first, then secondly have a theme if possible. For example my first was divinely given to me (to put it that way), that started off the J theme :) which has followed the same pattern through to the second. The native names seal the deal and "oyinbo" people love it!

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  8. I so love native names, I have selected a few for my babies to come in the earliest-nearest future - AyoOluwa, Ayotola, Oyinlola and of course my name.

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  9. I have to agree, Delilah sounds very nice but that delilah in the Bible ruined the name! I've thought about my babies names so much I have a long list!

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  10. i have a list of names i wld love to give to my babies wen i have dem.inclusive of english n native names with wonderful meanings.D problm is d@ d list kp gettin longer n i want to hav @ most 3. on d side delilah is a 9z day. My friend go by d@ name.

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  11. dr is belief among my ppl d@ if u name a child before its born n it doesnt like d name it will b still born or die after birth. Choose a name ur kid will love. If it wr easy i wlnt name my kids, i wl allow dem choose a name for demselves

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  12. I have always loved hebrew names so that would pass for their 'english' names. As for native names,they'll have deep meanings but must sound funky and nice to the ears. E.g Moshope shortened to Mosh etc

    Also, lets say i marry an Ibo guy, seeing i am Yoruba, one child's dominant name would be yoruba with the Ibo surname. I've always found that cute.

    I also think there are names (English, bible native) that children of these days shouldn't bear. E.G Donatus, clara, beauty, Gideon, Ozumba Mbadiwe...LOL. I have always felt the name Ozumba Mbadiwe is unfair. Choose one, either you have a tough name or surname. You can't have both :)

    www.stylefash25.blogspot.com

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  13. Ok babes, Paragraph 2 is truly worth giving a deep thought because if you are going to be globe trotting, trust me it would be a handful with kids in tow. I love my kids dearly o! but babes mehn! I don't look forward to the commuting part of our trips, infact I dread it for weeks before the trip :).

    Now to the names I love nice sounding names that are meaningful, I mean its what you would be known by all your life it should definitely mean something or hold some meaning to your parents *scratching head* do I make any sense?
    dressed2dnines.blogspot.com

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  14. I know of a set of twins bearing Hallelujah and Hosanna. So sad.

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    Replies
    1. Those parents need to be flogged na wa! I would change my name when I got older if I was them kids

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