Picking a baby name is one of the most exciting parts of pregnancy, but it can also be a challenge.
As a child, my name was changed three times before I started school (thanks to over-opinionated relatives and indecisive parents). More than 30 years later and it’s still a sensitive subject for my mum.
My mum wasn’t wrong about people being over opinionated when it comes to baby names, but I learnt from her experience and kept any ideas quiet; despite some relatives practically begging to be told, just in case they didn’t like the name (seriously). And, when our daughter arrived, we stuck to our original choice and didn’t let anyone put us off; despite the inevitable “Where did you find THAT?”
There is a small minority who struggle with the pronunciation of Esme (it’s EZ-MAY, just for the record); and we’ve had comments about the lack of an accent over the second ‘e’ (we prefer it without the accent); but I’m so glad we stuck to our original choice. I can’t imagine her being called anything else.
Other people’s opinions are not the only thing that make choosing a baby name challenging. A survey by Coca Cola found that 87 per cent of Irish people consider their names to be “very important” in their lives. A name helps develop a sense of self and can shape the person your child becomes; it’s a massive responsibility. No pressure, like.
The top five baby names in Ireland, according to LATEST CSO figures:
Girls: Emily, Emma, Sophie, Ella, Amelia
Boys: Jack, James, Daniel, Conor, Sean
The top five baby names in Ireland in 1963:
Girls: Mary, Margaret, Catherine, Ann, Anne
Boys: John, Patrick, Michael, Paul, James
