Just how much importance should you place on naming your child? According to the hundreds of social media users who trolled a UK mother for naming her baby Lucifer, this is an important decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. She reportedly received death threats and nonstop hate as people questioned her decision.
There’s a rich culture of people going all out when it comes to naming their children. From sports cars, to wine to fruits – nothing seems to be off limits. And this is seen more clearly in celebrities. Would Kim Kardashian’s daughter North West be ridiculed if she were to reside in Cape Town? And how would Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter Apple feel upon strolling into Food Lover’s Market.
There are so many things to consider when choosing a baby name (if you’re someone who cares about what others would say). Punch it into Google, and you’ll find thousands of searches titled “What I wish I’d known before choosing a baby name” or “How to choose a baby name you won’t hate later”.
While some might even end up changing their name as they get older, it tends to grow on you. I’d know, writes Cape {town} Etc’s Micayla Vellai.
I’ve always thought that my name is quite common, and growing up, there were at least two others with the same name as mine in class. It got to the point where we had to be referred to as Micayla 1, 2 or 3 or A, B and C. It was a weird time indeed.
And the spellings were a frustration in its own. Michaela, Mikayla, Micaela, and I’ve even seen a Machayla – variety is the spice of life I suppose?
But over time, I’ve grown to love this name (as a collective), because my initials are MTV and I think that’s pretty cool in itself. I have a very unique surname, so there’s that too. I’m even more grateful for my name, because I’m not sure how I’d feel to walk around being called Apple, or Strawberry, or maybe I’d love it and own it, who knows!
Dogs have to bear the brunt of it too I suppose. My brown dog is named Brownie. And if he could talk, he’d probably say “wow, you could have put more thought to it.” We can’t all win.
But how important is the responsibility parents have in naming their children? BBC News even has an article titled ‘Does a baby’s name affect its chances in life?’ while others say that a child’s name becomes part of their identity and parents only get one shot to pick a good one.
Do you agree?
Also read:
Cape Town’s sewage system is broken and spilling onto our beaches
Picture: Pexels