Naming/How to name a child/Considerations

The primary considerations people tend to consider in choosing a name include:

• Impression
• Sound
• Group identity
  • Ethnic
  • Traditional or novel
• Popularity
• Meaning
• Associated people
• Ease

Impression

Discussions of names (baby name books) tend to stress the origins and meanings of names, rather than the impressions generated by names.

In "Baby Name Report Card", Albert Mehrabian measures the impressions name generate by 5 parameters:

• Ethical-Caring
• Popular-Fun
• Successful
• Masculine-Feminine
• Overall Attractiveness

...and uses the example of "Chad" as a name producing a very positive impression, while "Bud" produces a very negative impression; both are very masculine.

Associated people

Naming after a relative or a celebrity (classical or contemporary) is quite common.

Further, some full names are relatively common, such as John Adams, so one may wish to check if there are any historical figures which may come to find for a given full name, to avoid spurious associations or create intended ones, if this is desired.

Ease

Ease to pronounce, read, and spell.