| Winifred or Willow? Thomas or Troy? The name you | | | | name charts for the past few years, and choose from |
| choose for your child will last a lifetime. Whether you're | | | | a huge variety of names collected in specialist books |
| looking for something original that will stand out from | | | | and on the Internet. Some parents prefer biblical |
| the crowd or a traditional name that people will | | | | names - Rebecca, Abigail, Joshua, Samuel and Joseph |
| instantly recognize, choosing a name for your new | | | | are all very popular at the moment. Names inspired by |
| baby is a huge responsibility.It goes without saying that | | | | nature include Blossom, Lily or Skye and even Tiger |
| you as the parents must like the name. Names that | | | | for boys. Place names (Paris, Lamorna), colours (Coral, |
| hold bad associations for you are out (Jeremy was a | | | | Ebony), astronomy, music, and sport - all provide a |
| bore at school, you can't stand Bella in the Tweenies), | | | | wealth of ideas and choice.Naming twins presents its |
| and if you consider your own name uninteresting, you | | | | own set of challenges. You may wish to link the |
| may wish to choose something more exotic, or vice | | | | names in some way using the same first letter (Jack |
| versa.Think carefully about combinations of first name | | | | and Jill?) or a theme such as Liberty and Faith, or even |
| and surname. Are they compatible? You may like a | | | | similar names like Leo and Eleonora. However, you |
| mixture of an unusual first name with a more familiar | | | | might end up having two very independent children |
| surname (Zara Phillips), but be careful about rhyming | | | | who don't wish to be connected by name as well as |
| the two names - Mark Clarke won't thank you for it. | | | | birthday. A less obvious connection involves using |
| Beware initials that could cause hilarity to your child's | | | | different names with similar meanings such as |
| future friends - Ethan Thomas or Peter Oliver Ogilvie | | | | Columba and Jemima (both meaning dove), or |
| won't be joining in the giggles! Trying to be clever can | | | | Jonathan and Matthew (gift of God).For those of us |
| also cause grief - Poppy Fields or Summer Winters | | | | who still haven't decided even when the stork delivers, |
| may sound cute at the time, but can eventually grate | | | | the arrival of your newborn may give you all the |
| on everyone's nerves!If she's called Grace, will she turn | | | | inspiration you need! Christmas babies often appear as |
| out to be butter-fingered? Will Maximus grow into a Mr. | | | | Noel or Noelle, Natalie or Natasha, nighttime births |
| Puniverse? Is Jordan a boy or a girl? What will | | | | produce star inspired names such as Stella, Esther or |
| Elizabeth grow up as? Lizzie? Beth? Liza? And as for | | | | Sterling, and for thankful parents after a difficult birth, |
| Ashleigh, Ashley, Ashlee, Ashlea and Ashlie - all in | | | | Nathaniel (gift of God), Abigail (father's joy) or Miranda |
| circulation at the moment - how is anyone supposed | | | | (wonderful) might fit the bill.So whether you plump for |
| to find a name that is both special and | | | | Clifford or Condor, Harriet or Harmony, above all have |
| appropriate?Fortunately, sources of inspiration can be | | | | fun choosing that special name - and with careful |
| found everywhere. You can avoid the throng of | | | | thought, your child will grow up bearing a name you |
| Chloes, Emilys, Jacobs and Jacks topping the baby | | | | can all be proud of! |