What's in a name?

As an adoption attorney, I enjoy participating in the process of helping families grow. And as families add a new member, it is fascinating to observe the naming process, since most of my adoptions are of infants.

Of course, when it comes to a surname, or "last name," most people just roll with the punches, but I think some folks (pun not initially intended) fail to appreciate the implications of the name you choose for your child.

My perception is that most people don't want any input about the name they are going to choose for their child--even if they explicitly ask for input. Indeed, I have kind of followed the advice I received from close friends (from way back) that you should keep the name of your child a secret until it is unveiled, because the opinion of others won't affect whether you choose that name and because you don't want to give any ideas to others who might be naming a child before you are. So in the spirit of "why did you ask if you didn't want to hear my opinion," I present these intriguing articles I've come across over the years about what's in a name: The Name Pronunciation Effect h/t Freakonomics Do Uncommon Names Turn Kids Into Criminals? Happy baby naming!