The seven essential tests parents should use to choose baby names

Choosing a baby name can be a quite a tricky task. It’s not as easy as merely selecting a name that you think rolls pleasantly off the tongue.

There are also several additional factors that you should probably consider, such as whether you’re considering a name that’s shared with your partner’s ex or whether calling them “Beyoncé” is simply too much pressure to place on their young shoulders.

Here are seven essential tests that parents should use in order to evaluate whether their baby name is a worthy choice:

Thanks to the power of the internet, you can check in an instant whether the baby name that you’ve fallen madly in love with was previously associated with a notorious criminal from the history books, suggests Michelle Woo, parenting editor at Lifehacker.

Even if you think you’ve come up with a totally unique name, do your homework before you commit to it.

A baby name may sound absolutely delightful in your head, but downright ridiculous when articulated out loud.

Considering the amount of time that your child will spend running around the tarmac at school, trialling how the name sounds when shouted across the playground may indicate whether it’s a winner or not.

Evaluating how enduring a baby name is essential when coming to a decision.

You may have stumbled across a baby name that you absolutely adore now that in a few years’ time you won't be able to stand the sound of.

Perhaps it’s the name of a popular singer or a character from one of your favourite films.

Either way, giving your child a name that may not stand the test of time is definitely a gamble.

A name that has a particular definition in one language could mean something entirely different in another.

Before you decide to stand by the baby name of your choice, type it into Google Translate just to make sure that it doesn’t have any untoward meanings in any other tongues.

As much as the current generation of millennial parents may have a particular affinity to names such as Beyoncé, Daenerys or Usain, naming a child after a world-famous figure could be placing them under far more pressure than is necessary.

By all means, name your child as you so desire, but have a think about how trying to live up to a name like Adele may impact them later in life.

Giving your baby the same name as you or your partner’s ex is certainly not advisable, Woo says.

The same goes for the name of a friend you’ve fallen out with in the past or an annoying colleague from work.

It's best to steer clear from any names that leave a bitter taste in the mouth.

Pondering over the nicknames that your child will likely be given can be the make or break moment when deciding a name.

If there’s the possibility that the name could rhyme with a bodily function or that your child’s initials may spell out a word that other children could mock them for, then it may be worth reconsidering your choices.