The great baby naming dilemma

(New York - WABC, September 20, 2007) (WABC) -- There's a lot to consider about a person's name.

For example, Bill, short for William, means "protector" or "warrior" and was the 10th most popular boys name in the United States last year.

Diana comes from the word "divine," and Diana was a roman goddess, the patron of hunters.

Eyewitness News reporter Lauren Glassberg has more on the pressure parents face when naming a child.

Lauren is a variant of "Laura," which means fame and honor.

"Up to 41 weeks, and no name," new dad Mathew Pierre said.

Oh the big decision, what to name that newborn baby. The Pierre's stumbled upon their baby's name on the cover of a book. They picked Merlene.

"I felt it," he said. "My name is Mathew, and my wife's name is Marilyn. I felt it."

But getting it right can cause lots of stress for parents. Pam Satran has written eight baby name books.

"What you name your child does have a lasting impact and does shape their life," she said. "Does it shape it to the extent that it's eveything? That it determines their success and their love life and their luck? I don't believe that. But does it have some influence? Yes."

And so parents often feel compelled search books and Web sites. There are now even baby naming consultants. From $25 to several hundred dollars, a total stranger will intuit the right name.

That may be a bit excessive for some, but most parents just want to make sure their child is unique. So many opt for a unique name, such as Incubator.

"They feel like the incubator had a great deal to do with the baby's success," the doctor said.

But if you think you're giving your baby a head start with an unusual name, think again.

"It could backfire, in the sense that it could be a source of stress for a kid who gets teased about his name," psychologist Alan Hilfer said.

Teasing, gender confusion and spelling issues are all things to consider with a unique name.

"When people talk more about your name than about you, maybe you have a problem," Satran said.

The Pierre's are ready to contend with that. Their daughter Merlene, however, has no choice in the matter.

By the way, the most popular names last year, according to the Social Security Administration, were Jacob and Emily.

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