How important is choosing the right name? 取个好名字到底有多重要？

陈小将

词汇：naming 取名
New parents often spend a long time debating what to call their newborn. Should they name them after a relative, a famous person or just pick a name at random? For many of us it can be quite the gruelling task, but it’s our children who need to live with our choice. So, how important is the name you choose?
Names usually stay with us for a lifetime, unless we decide to change them. They become part of our identity. Quite often we hear stories of celebrities giving their children unusual names, while other people give their children names which have special meanings, for example, the name Sarah comes from a Hebrew word meaning ‘princess’. Sadly, though, our parents don’t always get it right.
So, what if you don’t like your given name? A study led by psychologist Jean Twenge found that a person who hates the moniker given to them is more likely to have greater psychological adjustment issues – possibly due to low self-esteem. This is because our title becomes a symbol of our self, and if we loathe our name, our confidence may be affected.
And what if your name is no longer popular? While names like Ethel and Gladys were once in fashion, they now sound a bit out of date, which can be embarrassing. And when it comes to unpopular names which aren’t trending, they may even affect our love lives. Studies have shown that people with old-fashioned names are more likely to be rejected on dating apps.
However, if you choose an unusual name, it’s not all bad news. According to a study conducted by Professor David Zhu, people with uncommon names can develop a sense of uniqueness and can often become more creative and open-minded.
So, when choosing your offspring’s name, there are a fair few things to consider – but going for something too common or too old-fashioned may not be a great choice. And, if your children hate your choice, they can always select a nickname.