Matching first name to surname

[bessmum]

How important do you think it is to have a good balance between the first name and surname, in terms of length, number of syllables etc? Our surname is short, one syllable. Longer first names seem to sound better, but there is the risk that they'll get shortened so defeating the object. (Ending up with something like Tom Jones, for example, which to me sounds a bit abrupt). DH thinks I'm thinking too much about this and should just pick a name we like, he's probably right, what do folks think?

[artichokes]

I would not worry about matching long and short. Find a name you love and go with it as long as it does not seriously clash with your last name (e.g. by making a rude word or becoming a tongue twister).

[Monchichi]

I agree with you actually, it's fairly important.

I agree that a short sur name needs a long first name (even if you shorten it for day to day).

eg, Anne Stone sounds very abrupt. It doesn't sound like a name, even, it sounds like 'Anstone'. Annie Stone works better, it's easier to tell exactly what the first name is. Annabel Stone flows well. It has a pattern. There is a name for this pattern actually, I read this somewhere but I can't remember the name of the pattern.

Another thing I'm not crazy about is, say, Ingrid Piaccentini. Too culturally confusing. Maribel O'Reilly.
Fabienne Krisonowski, Bronwen Zachariades IYSWIM.

I think if one of the names is English that's ok, but if both names are foreign, and neither is English then it is a cultural overload.

[barnsleybelle]

We have a very long surname so picked short first names for both ds and dd. I'm glad we did as ds already hates having to write his full name at school!!

[hillbilly]

Totally agree with barnsleybelle. We did the same.

[hellebores]

Contentious question potentially - but what's wrong with a name being short or 'abrupt' as you put it.. intrigued to hear the answer?

[bessmum]

Not sure really, I have a short first name myself. When I got married and took DH's one syllable surname I always felt that the combination of my names never quite sounded quite right - when introducing myself it just sounds "abrupt" to me (A bit like the examples Monchichi gives). One of the names we love will inevitably get shortened so I think I am looking for reassurance that I'm being a bit daft here really!

[moondog]

You are either barking or bored senseless to be wasting time worrying over this trivia.

[CvQ]

my sons first name and surname are both one syllable but his first name was too important for me to let go of

[bessmum]

Fair point moondog, probably both, though I'm not worried about it. I'll shut up though.

[nooka]

I agree. You want the whole name to sound harmonious. My dd has always used her full name for formal occasions until we got to the US where she decided that she liked the way that Americans say her short name (hitherto used only by friends and family) and now all her school stuff has only her short name. With our very short surname I don't think it sounds (or looks) right at all. Not the end of the world of course, but I prefer the three syllable full name with our one syllable surname. But I'm quite a fussy namer!

[hellebores]

'harmonious'?

isn't this all a way of saying you don't want the child's name (and by crazy implication - the child) to sound uninteresting..?

[nooka]

Nope. I have a very interesting (and harmonious) name. I just think names should have a good rhythm. That is when you say the first name alone, the first name plus surname, and the full name they should sound good. Now what sounds good to me may not sound good to you, so it is entirely personal. For example I think Fifi Trixibelle Geldoff is an utterly stupid name, but I also think it sounds nice.

[hw2004]

I think it's important. i have quite a short, sharp surname and so it kind of rules out very short names like Jack for me.

[LongLiveCuckoo]

I think one abrupt name is fine, but not two. anne Stone eg would be awful. Anne Stoneman or Annie Stone would be more balanced.

Not a big deal. If I meet a person I don't think, ooooh there name is so unbalanced oh my God. But, that doesn't mean that it's not worthwhile putting somet thought in to the matter, so that the whole name flows well.

Why do slebs feel the need to change their names?! Julia Roberts was once Julie Roberts.

[Vulgar]

Oh dear -ds's name is so obviously culturally confusing.

but then to look at him with us would be too.

I don't think there are any hard and fast rules with names . . .