The Importance of Names to Adoptees

Naming your child can be a difficult decision to make for any parent. When you are considering a name for a child you are adopting who already comes with a name, either given to the child by his or her birthparent(s) or by someone in an orphanage, the decision can become more difficult, often involving unfamiliar people and cultures.

Prospective parents sometimes struggle over whether to keep a name that was already given to a child. Many questions will run through their minds:

If I decide to keep the child's given name, should it be their first name?
Should it be their middle name?
What if it's not a name that I or my spouse like?
How will a birthparent feel if I do or don't keep a name?
How will my child feel?
How might I feel about naming my child?
What are my traditions?
What about the traditions of my child's culture?

© 2003