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Having braved the nine tough months of pregnancy, undergoing painful labor and childbirth, when you finally welcome your little one into this world, your joy is beyond measure. You finally feel that all the pain and struggles are part of this beautiful process and worth it. Now that you have your little one with you, one of the first things you’ll have to do is settle on a good name.
When it comes to your baby, everything has to be perfect. Naming your child is such a big deal because you know that your baby will be carrying this for the rest of their lives. It is the first step to your child’s identity, and the responsibility wholly lies on your shoulders. You absolutely can’t go wrong here, nor do you want to. You most likely feel a storm of emotions, and unless you get the right name, you know you won’t be at peace.
Most parents go through this ordeal while naming their child, so know that you’re not alone. We’ve cleverly put down the seven stages that you may go through! Scroll below to find out:
First Stage: Excitement
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You and your significant other are all set to get that one name that fits just right, and the excitement has hit the roof! It doesn’t matter if this is your first child or if you’ve had children before. Being excited about what you’re going to name your baby is the first stage of this beautiful journey of picking a name. One down, six to go, so let’s move on…
Second Stage: Anxiety
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The search is on, and the goal is simple — you want a great name for your wonderful little baby. But why in the world are there so many options? Who knew there were so many names starting with the letter “A” alone? And that’s just the first letter of the alphabet. You’re suddenly anxious because you sure as hell didn’t know that the name you first picked (and loved) was also the name of a prominent convict. You can’t even choose the second name you loved because that reminds you of your third-grade teacher whom you particularly disliked. This goes on and on, leaving you feeling extremely anxious. Welcome to stage two of naming your baby!
Third Stage: Annoyance
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Stage three is annoyance. You’re freaking out as it is, so the last thing you need at this point is unsolicited advice from relatives, friends, and strangers alike. Just when you’ve settled on a name, there’s that one friend of a friend who tells you the meaning of the said name, and it doesn’t sound good at all. Another very annoying thing you’ll face is when people keep asking you if you’ve decided on a name. Maybe you have, maybe you haven’t, but that very question can get you so frustrated and annoyed!
Fourth Stage: Anger
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Anger is such a strong emotion triggered by equally strong situations, and it may surprise you to feel it in this case, but you do. You’ve finally reached a point where you’re just plain angry. It’s probably because your partner isn’t helping you with your child’s name. Or, maybe because someone you know just trashed the name you loved so much. Whatever be the case, stage four is here, and you’re bang in the middle of it!
Fifth Stage: Fear
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After having decided the name, fear sets in and you start pondering if you have made a grave mistake. Is it too common? Or does it sound too weird? Will my child like the name when he/she grows up? So many questions start popping up in your head that you start going crazy.
You also just realized that there’s no turning back now. Though it is possible to change your baby’s name in the future, that’s too much paperwork and sneers from relatives. Also, you’ll be much used to whatever name you’ve given them. so you’re stuck — and so is your baby. Sounds too familiar? Then you’ve reached stage six: Fear!
Sixth Stage: Resignation
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Slowly as the anger, frustration and fear subsides, and you have decided on the name finally, you tell yourself whatever is done is done. Your baby isn’t just your precious bundle of joy — it’s your precious bundle of joy with a name! It is on paper, and it is done and dusted. Whether you loved or just liked the name doesn’t matter anymore cause the fight is over. It’s a feeling of resignation.
This is when you slowly start feeling like a great pressure is being lifted from your mind. Ya doubts still persists if you have chosen the best name, but you also know that it’s not that bad too. You decide that it’s time to let the case rest and nature take its course. You have put in your efforts to brainstorm in finding a name that sounds good and you have done the best you could.
Seventh Stage: Acceptance
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Congrats, you’ve reached the last and final stage: acceptance. What’s in a name, right? Newborns can’t tell you they hate the name, so they’ll just have to wait for a few more years. By which time your kid can deal with the name-changing process themselves. Besides, what’s so wrong with the name you just gave? It’s brilliant. Moreover, now that you’ve been using this name to refer to your baby, somehow it feels like it naturally belongs to your child. A different name now won’t have the same ring to it anyway. You feel good calling your baby by this name and you accept it wholeheartedly.
You’ve accepted the name — it is what it is!
Also you may or may not go through each of these stages. Or even if you do, it may not be in this order. Nevertheless, the process of naming your child will feel like a mammoth task. But fret not — every parent tends to feel this way, and it’s alright! Few weeks after naming your child you probably wouldn’t even remember the mental stress you went through looking for a name. You’re too busy taking care of your little one anyway. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below!
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