The role of parent necessitates the making of many momentous decisions for a beloved person who does not yet have the capability to choose for his or herself. Parenthood is perhaps the most blessed and joyous responsibility of all, as it is fuelled by love and hope for all that may be possible in the future. As parents, we try to give our children the very best of everything, from food and clothing, to education and other opportunities that might expand the worldview of those we love best. But some would argue that the gifts we give our children begin in a way that is at once both smaller and larger, a way that is both subtle and far-reaching. One of the first gifts we give our child is the name we bequeath to them.
Children learn very early to associate their given name with themselves. It is how their parents address them, how they learn to distinguish themselves from others as they proceed into the world. The name we bestow upon our newborn baby is so much more than a collection of alphabet characters it becomes representative of everything we are.
A babys name is a combination of letters and sounds that join together to create the single word we will use to...