The names you choose for your babies may shape their identities. An unusual moniker can make a child feel either special or like a walking Tease Me sign. “Lots of kids I’ve talked to over the years have said ‘I hate my name’ if it’s a bit unusual, is easily corrupted into something funny or makes them stand out,” says Dr. Scott Wooding, a psychologist based near Calgary. “But unusual names have a seriously negative impact only if the child is insecure.” And though a name that is popular may not have deep psychological ramifications, if too many peers share it, it can be at best confusing and at worst identity challenging, he says. Some trendy names sound dated by adulthood; think of those 40-year-olds with hippie names like Moon Unit. And rhyming handles like Ray Day or gender-ambiguous ones like Leslie can irk some sensitive kids.
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Choosing a Baby Name
Find out how the names you choose for your children can shape their identity.
February 15th, 2007
By Dory Cerny
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