40 People Share What Baby Name Immediately Makes Them Lose All Respect For The Parents And Why

We got an interview with baby name expert Emma Waterhouse and she graciously answered some questions for us. To start off, Emma shared some thoughts about whether it's important to have the 'perfect' baby name for your kids: "The 'perfect name' is really in the eye of the beholder! We all come to the naming process with different tastes and requirements, so what is perfect for one family won't necessarily work for another. But I do think it's important to consider how your chosen name will wear throughout a lifetime. Our name is generally the first thing new people learn about us, and whether we like it or not people do make assumptions based on names, often subconsciously. A name is the first gift you give your child as a parent, so of course you want it to serve them well no matter where life takes them."

Emma W. shared her own favorite and least favorite names: "I have a longer surname and I come from a multicultural family, so my preferred names are generally quite short, simple, and easily pronounceable in multiple languages. I tend to prefer names that are known but not too common – a combination that so many parents are looking for! Some of my personal favorite names include Vita, Caro and Ines for girls; Felix, Caspar and Ivo for boys."

Bored Panda also asked the expert if it's better to have a common or unique name: "Unique or common is really a matter of personal preference, although you might want to take surname and/or sibling names into account. If you already have a Zephyr and an Artemis, name your third baby John and he might feel a little short-changed! Likewise, if your surname is simple and common, like Smith or Lopez, you can afford to go a little more adventurous in the first name spot. Arabella Smith feels more distinctive and memorable than Anne Smith."

Emma W. also shared what baby-naming trends she completely disagrees with: "Having worked with many families with a wide variety of naming styles over the years, I can honestly say that I can see the appeal in almost any name at this point, even those that I would never choose for myself. The trend that most confuses me is probably the respelling of very common names to make them more 'unique'. There are so many unusual and unconventional names out there – there's more variety than ever before in the American baby name pool right now – that it seems a shame to just respell one of the top names to achieve that. After all, when in the playground or at school, the name will still sound very popular, even if the spelling is different."

We also wondered if parents should take the meaning of the name into consideration: "For me personally, meaning isn't a priority, but a really bad meaning might put me off. Think Cameron, which means 'crooked nose', or Gulliver, 'glutton'! But many of the families we work with as part of our name consulting service are looking for a specific meaning, which might be something with family or cultural significance, or perhaps something that gives a subtle nod to their journey to parenthood. An example might be the name Iris, meaning 'rainbow', which is often considered by parents who have experienced a previous loss, to represent hope and beauty after adversity."

And if you're not sure what to name your baby, consider visiting the website Emma works for the perfect baby names!