24 Stories to Prove That Choosing a Child’s Name Can Become a Tremendous Adventure

When my husband and I started looking for names for our son, the first thing I said was that the boy would not have the same name as his: João de Deus. First, because several in our family are called João (João Manoel, João Pedro…). Second, because when someone called him by name, you wouldn’t know who he was referring to. We began to search the Internet for male names and their respective meanings. My son’s name is Ian, which means “God is merciful” and comes from Hebrew. However, we have seen in some places that “Ian” is the Breton equivalent of “John”. That is, after all, he is also called John. — Nelly Ubaldo Mejia / Facebook

When I first heard about Backstreet Boys songs, I liked Brian’s name right away, so I told my mom, “When I have a son, he’ll be called Brian.” Years passed, I got pregnant. And the first choice of name for the baby was always Brian. I didn’t even want to know the baby’s gender, I always called him Brian when I talked to him. When my son was born, the first thing I did was call my mother (this was still in the delivery room) and say, “Mom, Brian is already born”. When I explained to my son the reason for choosing his name, he even put his hands on his head. He remains a Backstreet Boys fan to this day. — Mayeli Vázquez / Facebook

I always wanted my children’s names to start with the same initial: Stefania (crowned with glory), Samuel (God heard me) and Sarah (princess). All with very special meanings. The name is one of the first gifts you give your children, something they will proudly carry and that will define them. So, you need to choose one that is as special as the children are. — Elena Barrantes Castro / Facebook

I took the names of my older children from the books I read during my teens. When I finished elementary school, I read the Egyptian, so my oldest is called Sinuhé, like the protagonist. In the first or second year of high school, the Spanish teacher asked us to read a book about Spanish stories, so I chose one about Arabs and Christians. From the work, I took the name of my next daughter, Siannáh. My third daughter is named Merith, who I also took from the egyptian🇧🇷 — Mery Rios / Facebook