Can your child's name affect their future?

When children are teased for their names that either sound funny, resemble another word that's looked down upon, is similar to a name of a person who's viewed negatively, or has anything that can demean them, not all children take it easy.

As parents, it's very important to understand that adults may have the ability to dismiss the bullying or name-calling, but children in their formative years do not have the psychological skills to deal with criticism especially that comes from what they consider defines themselves- their name.

Though parents don't need to be too anxious about what name to choose for the child, they certainly need to be careful while choosing the names. The following questions can be asked to themselves while choosing the name.

1. What social environments will my child most likely grow up in (0-16 years)? Is the name likely to be a trigger to being ridiculed in the early years of my child?

2. Does the name resemble something/someone that can be a matter of criticism, being made fun of or demeaned?

3. Is the name gender-specific or my child likely to be ridiculed on that?

4. Is the name likely to be distorted deliberately to sound/mean something so that that's likely to be ridiculed?

5. Is the child likely to feel good or bad about his name being called by others?

Though no name is immune to be distorted, some names certainly are more likely to be distorted deliberately by other children, and likely to be made fun of.

Children who are made fun of or bullied are more likely to grow up with several psychological difficulties, including difficulties socialising, forming and maintaining relationships, and can develop a negative self-image. A negative self-image has a direct connection with the likelihood of major psychological disorders like Depression, Anxiety disorders especially social phobia, and can directly influence the success in all major areas of the life of these children when they grow up.

Be careful, but don't be too rigid while naming your children.