Felix Nshuti says that when they were expecting their first child, he made a list of 10 names he liked and his wife did the same, and they showed the list to each other as they narrowed the names down to five, then three, until they agreed on one. He says that with the second child it was not as complicated because they looked for a name that was similar to the first child’s so that their kids would have names that almost sound the same.

There is usually a heated name debate between parents who are expecting a baby. Some have a long list of good names but can’t choose because they all sound good and have great meanings. In some cases, parents have trouble coming to an agreement because each has a name they believe is perfect. However, eventually they somehow find a way to pick a name. 

I watched how my sister kept on writing each name that she liked from when she was only two months pregnant, but she never seemed close to picking an actual name for her child. Every day she would find a new unique name that she liked, but one day she sat down looked through the list and made the final decision that she is proud of today.  

One of your first big decisions as a new parent is choosing your baby’s name. Photos/Net

Many parents struggle a little bit when naming their kids, while for others it’s a piece of cake, however, each parent has a reason why they choose the name they did. 

Delphine Ndayisenga, a mother of two in Muhanga District, says that together with her husband they have two simple things they rely on when naming their kids.

"First, we pick a Biblical name for our boy or girl because we are Christians, and that name’s meaning must be what we wish and pray for our kid to look up to as guidance. Second, our family always gives our kids a name which is their father’s, just like most other families do,” says Ndayisenga.

According to Claudine Umubyeyi, she and her husband went through names they liked. "As soon as we knew the baby’s gender, we sat down and decided to pick three names, including my husband’s family name. We wanted a name with a great meaning, short and easy to pronounce,” she says. 

"I always knew that I would name my kids after my siblings that are not with us anymore, my wife knew about it and was very supportive. My boys got my family name, which is my grandfather’s, and each was named after my late brothers. My daughter was named after my late sister and of course the family name,” says Fred Muneza, a father of three. 

Marie Claire Kaneza, a mother of four, says that the key to finding the perfect name for a child is listening to each other, and understanding why one believes a particular name is perfect for the child.

"We struggled a lot with the first child because each of us had names we believed were better, instead of giving the reason behind the name. Since then picking names for our kids was easy because we both cared about the meaning of the name,” says Kaneza. 

In Sabrina Rogers-Anderson’s article ‘10 Expert Tips to Choosing a Baby Name: The Tot Baby Naming Guide’, tips on choosing the right baby name include:

• Avoid passing trends

• Remember that classic names don’t have to be boring

• Take a look at your family tree

• Honor your culture

• Look up meanings

• Contemplate all possible nicknames

• Consider the importance of the middle name

• Don’t forget about the initials

• Say it out loud

• Don’t stress too much

Your baby’s name should stand the test of time. Ask yourself: Will this moniker sound completely ridiculous in 10 years? Will other children be tempted to chant it in a taunting tone in the schoolyard? Will my child have to spell or explain their name every single day of their lives? If the answer to any of these questions is "yes”, nix it, she writes.