Why choose a name for your baby from your family tree

Mums Tips

Baby & Toddlers

Published on Sunday, 18 August 2013 09:00

Last Updated on 08 August 2013

Marta Lopez

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Searching for that perfect name for your baby can be one of the most beautiful things that parents do before the new member of the family arrives. But the task isn´t always easy, as we want our children to have beautiful names but also names that symbolise something to us. Choosing a name from your family tree can be an adventure in itself. You could suddenly discover a wonderful name in your family history and turn it into something new. Forget the hours of brainstorming sessions with your partner, go back to your previous generations and let your imaginations run wild.

These are my 4 reasons why using an ancestor´s name for your child could be the perfect answer.

Your parents won´t complain

We all know that parents love hearing that their grandchildren are inheriting their names when they are born. But unfortunately, this can end up in an argument between your partner´s parents and yours. Remember, everyone wants to play the main character of the story. But those days are over. By using an ancestor’s name, you won´t have to listen to your parents complaints but instead, they´ll be pleased to see how interested and connected you are to your family past.

Find information about your family history

What do we know about our previous generations? We never stop to think about it, but our own family tree is an open book that tells us a bit more about who we are. Finding our past is the first step we have to take once we have decided to choose a name from our ancestors. Websites like Findmypast help you build your family tree and discover records about its members, their occupations, names or marriages. Behind every family, there are always interesting stories. Now, it´s your turn to discover them!

Give your child a story to tell

When naming our children, we are doing it for the rest of their lives, so it´s very important to be 100% sure about our final decision. Once your child is old enough to understand, you will be able to sit down with him and explain where their name is from by telling them that there was someone in the family that once had the same name. How interesting could it be for the future adult to tell his friends about the first Anthony in their family? Maybe he was a famous person at that time and played in major football team, or perhaps he might have lost his life defending Europe during the Second World War…. Remember, give him a good reason to be proud of their name and you´ll become the coolest mum ever!

Create something new

Imagine you have found an interesting name in your family history but it doesn´t convince yourself. Try variations on it by choosing, for example, parts of two or more names to create a unique one. Another way to use a name for your family tree is choosing one and reincarnate it as an opposite gender version. The list of possibilities is endless, so get started and enjoy the moment.

There are many ways for you to use an old name for your baby from your family history. The good news is that the whole process can be an extremely exciting experience for the future mum and dad and, of course, you will be giving your baby the chance to feel connected to his past.