Pros & Cons: (not) tell baby names before birth?

After all, not only are the expectant parents eagerly awaiting the birth of the child, but friends, family and acquaintances can hardly wait for the arrival of the little one – especially when the baby bump is getting bigger and things are finally getting hot. Which question could be more exciting than: “And? What will the child’s name be?”

Betray or not betray?

This is exactly the moment when the group of parents-to-be splits into two camps: the baby name practically bursts out of one group. With sparkling eyes, she reports with the greatest joy how she came up with the idea, where the name came from, what personal meaning it has for her and which possible combinations sound particularly melodic with it. The other party cloaks itself in an iron silence. But why?

For some parents, announcing the name is the first step in getting to know the new person in their life. Once the name is in the minds of the parents, the baby is rarely spoken of. Whether Paul or Charlotte: the child has a name – albeit rather unofficially.

What speaks against the announcement of the name?

However, since the baby’s name is only recorded on the birth certificate after the birth, some relatives or friends take this as an opportunity to express concerns again or to criticize the choice of name. Of course, there is no bad intention behind it, it is rather an unfortunate concern. Nevertheless, statements like “You really want to name your son Johannnes? Oh! I knew one there once, a very unsympathetic guy!” or “Are you really sure Jacqueline is a good name? She’ll definitely be bullied with that later!” immensely and cause many expectant mothers to ponder.

For this reason, many families are initially reluctant to announce the baby’s name. Because: If the name is final in the certificate, complainers and pessimists are quickly muted – after all, it’s too late now anyway.

But that’s not the only reason why some parents decide to keep the name secret for the time being: in some cultures it is bad luck to reveal the name before the birth. Tradition and/or superstition play a decisive role here. If it is also a rather unusual or exotic baby name, some parents also fear that the name could be gossip and possibly snatched away. He would no longer be unique. Some parents, on the other hand, just want to avoid the typical pink and light blue gifting that is stereotypically associated with girls’ and boys’ names. And other parents just want to keep the surprise until the very end.

What speaks for the announcement of the name?

Although there are a few reasons to keep the choice of name a secret at first, there is a really good reason to celebrate the announcement of the name during pregnancy: once the cat is out of the bag, it’s much better to look forward to it together Looking forward to the birth of the upcoming addition to the family.

Once the name and gender are known, those involved can prepare personalized gifts – and thus relieve mum and dad a little when it comes to baby equipment – as well as eagerly make plans and indulge in creative fantasies about what they could do with the lively Diana or the wild David in a pair may well experience for years. How do they say? After all, shared joy is double joy!

Ultimately, however, it is up to each mother and father to decide how they want to deal with the great mystery of the name. It is only important that the family feels comfortable with the chosen name and that everyone respects their decision.