Baby names: cute ideas to make your choice easier

There are several aspects of a pregnancy that generate commotion among family members, friends and even strangers. From the congratulations raised by the news to the preparations for a baby shower, the choice of the child’s name is certainly one of the topics that most motivate the participation of people around the mother in formation.

As much as everyone spends their whole lives knowing new names and giving their input on other people’s records, it is normal that the moment of naming one’s own offspring brings with it several concerns, after all, it is assumed that the child will be called that way for the rest. of life.

classic names

The classics are interesting because they remain beautiful for a long time, never ceasing to be a cool option, as they are beyond the fashion names and have been consecrated for many years.

short names

These are ideal for anyone who wants their child to have more practicality and ease when they need to use their name. It will be easy to read, write, memorize, in short, a nice and short name to not give the child trouble.

compound names

Putting together two names that harmonize with each other is practically a tradition and many compound names are classics that will never go out of fashion.

Names in honor of loved ones

Whether it’s a loved one, an admirable member of the family or to maintain some tradition and continue a name, honoring people close to you is a very common and even admirable decision. However, it is important that both the mother and the father of the child agree with the choice and, in the case of older honorees, it is also worth considering whether the name might not seem too anachronistic, which would imply that the child would become called by nicknames or suffixes, such as Júnior or Neto, for example.

In Brazil, the last names that refer to the honoree are usually male, but that does not mean that women cannot receive this type of honor either. Although it is not usual, it is possible to register the child also with suffixes such as Neta or Segunda, in addition to the possibility of just using the name of the honoree as a middle name or to form a different composition.

In the case of tributes to older people, one may have the impression that some names are not suitable or match children. According to the linguist specialist in onomastics and anthroponymy Gleyce Ramos Bastos, this is due to cultural changes that are natural and also cause “changes in the language and, consequently, the system of names follows these transformations”. That’s why, “currently, in general, children are not given names typical of much earlier generations,” she explains.

Names of famous and historical figures

Historical figures, celebrities, musicians and sportsmen. A little distant from the homage, the reference to public persons is also a frequent option for dads who want to see in their children characteristics of their heroes or even reaffirm their admiration for the honoree.

Names that refer to parental preferences

Contrary to what one might imagine, parents do not have the right to register their children with any name they want. Lawyer Suelen Fernanda de Souza explains that “by force of law (6015/73), notary officers intervene when the name given to the child by the parents is embarrassing or vexatious”.

Therefore, although there are no defined criteria for a name to be rejected, the ideal is that the standard norm of the Portuguese language is respected and, in the case of foreign names, it is important to check its meaning, in addition to possibly being necessary to prove that this actually belongs to another culture, “distinguishing it from the shameful or strange name, aiming to protect the bearer’s rights from being the target of constraints in the future”, explains Souza.

With these details observed, it is also interesting to think about some other possibilities: names that are “in fashion” can make the child have three other namesakes in the school class and, therefore, be called only by their surname. Do you want your child to be known that way? Combining names, whether to form a compound or to create a new one from the junction, can sound strange or make the writing too long.

Names with remarkable meanings

The meanings of names can also be part of the selection process, but “today, in practice, this has absolutely no relevance to anyone’s life, except for a matter of curiosity, linked to what is usually called of book culture”, says specialist Gleyce.

It is interesting to know, however, that many of the common names in the Portuguese language — as well as its other words — are derivations from Latin, a language in which it was customary for proper names to be inspired by other common words, thus bringing a “meaning that expressed some characteristic that the parents saw or wanted in the child”, explains the linguist.

For couples who carry the curiosity to know more about the name that will be given to the child, nowadays it is much easier to carry out this research. Several internet sites provide very complete explanations for thousands of names and, in addition to the applications already mentioned, there are also several options that have large lists of names and their respective meanings, such as My Baby’s Name, free for Android.

Another possible way to prioritize the meaning of the baby’s name is by opting for numerology, which assumes that each letter can be represented by a number from one to nine and their sum reveals a little bit of each person’s personality. Numerologist Anah Maria Libório says that “each number has countless qualities and difficulties. The missing letters in the name are qualities that the person does not have, or aspects in which they have difficulty”.

In numerology, the date of birth also helps to signify, so the ideal would be that the name was chosen only on the day the baby is born, because “if the name is compatible with the energy of the day, the life of this child will be very more harmonic and she will define her future professional career much more easily”, explains Anah Maria.

If you are interested in numerology, but do not want to wait until the day of birth to choose your child’s name, the numerologist says that one possibility is to talk to a professional and, combining the name that you like the most with the last name that the child will have , some possible spellings are studied for each day of the month foreseen for the baby’s arrival.

Biblical or mythological names

Just as, in antiquity, it was common to give children names derived from common words, honoring deities, Catholic saints and other biblical characters was also frequent.

As already explained by Gleyce, this practice is also due to the parents’ desire to recognize in their children characteristics of these important figures and, with regard to the Judeo-Christian tradition, these names are usually associated with attitudes of strength, love, perseverance, hope and, above all, faith.

If you like the idea of ​​naming your child with these symbols, but you don’t identify with the Judeo-Christian culture, a good option may be to resort to mythologies that also contain important characters who have had stories that represent the same qualities. See some examples: