Tips for Naming Your Baby

Consider the sound of the name Select a name, which blends properly with the last and middle name.

What's the nickname? Everyone's going to want to shorten Bartholomew or Branbas. So if you're not wild about Bart or Barney, keep looking.

Be careful about Unisex names.

The combination of first and the last name should not turn into a tongue twister. Name experts contend that short first names tend to go well with longer last names, and vice versa.

Choose a name that will grow with your child. Will the name work if she wants to be a lawyer? A rock star?

Proceed carefully if you're thinking of naming your child after a family friend. Friends change, do you have the same friends today that you did ten years ago?

Make sure the name works well with your last name. Look at the initials that they might end up with, like MEL for a boy. He might end up with that nickname.

Load up on Baby Name Books . It is fun to keep them and look back at the what if choices. Also a fun keepsake for your child.

Think about the name. Do you want a name that's long or short? old-fashioned or modern? Mainstream or one-of-a-kind? Pay attention to what other people are naming their babies. You don't what your child to be one of the 3 David's in his class!

What are the initials? Colin Orson Newman, for example, would probably never monogram his towels.

Does it have a rhythm? Can you sing to it?

Have you spell-checked it? Remember that an original spelling of an old standard can look pretentious to outsiders. Also, do you really want to burden your child with correcting everyone she meets?

Have fun. After all picking out your baby's name is one of the greatest joys of becoming a parent and proof positive that there really-and-truly is a baby on the way.