As my due date drew closer, I had many things to consider, not least of which was what to name our baby. It was perhaps my biggest concern. Although I had heard there was a family genealogy at my grandfather's place, I had never seen it. Moreover, the tradition of naming based on generational names seemed almost extinct, especially since my great-grandmother remarried. This made the decision even more challenging.
My younger sibling had twins before me and named them with the prefix "Seo," so for a moment, I considered following suit.
Choosing a Name with Data
During my deliberations, I stumbled upon a website called 'baby-name'
Using their "name finding" tool, I explored names beginning with "Seo," finding options like "SeoYoon," "SeoYeon," "SeoAh," and so on. The site provided detailed data on name popularity from 2008 to 2023. This included rankings, trends, and even gender distributions for each name. If you select a name, it further offers details like potential meanings in Chinese characters, seasonality, and more.
Skeptical about the data's accuracy, I cross-referenced it with official records from the court's electronic family registry system for 2023.
Comparing with the Court’s Family Registry
I also learned from colleagues that many people consult philosophical and numerological principles when naming their child. Some even recommended books on the subject, though amidst my parenting research, I hadn't found the time to read them.
Finding the Right Characters for the Name
I then learned of an app that explains these concepts without needing extensive prior knowledge. The app is called "넴유베," which stands for "Name Your Baby". At first glance, I thought it was a peculiar Chinese app, but it turned out to be quite informative!
The app's layout included sections on naming philosophies, naming helpers, and much more. There was a fee for certain features, but my wife and I, having already shortlisted a few names, used the basic version to find the right Chinese characters for our choice.
Using the app was straightforward:
1. You input the expected birth details.
2. You're prompted to choose a Korean and Chinese character name.
3. After typing the chosen name,
4. You can explore the energies and meanings associated with each character.
There's a premium feature that rates the chosen characters in terms of their suitability and energy. Once satisfied, you can view the overall energy and vibe the chosen name projects.
This extensive process still required hours of deliberation. We cross-referenced our final choices with other naming apps to ensure our selection was harmonious and fitting for our baby.
And that's how, after much thought and research, we finally settled on a name for our baby.
A Treasured Memory from March 30th, 2023.