“Have you already picked a name for baby?” asked Nimali. “Yes akki, we selected Dhanushka. I always liked that name. We still don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl but Dhanushka luckily works either way”, replied Harshinie very enthusiastically. “So you’re not going to our astrologer for lucky initials after baby is born?” inquired Nimali again. “Aiyo no, amma wanted me to, but we wanted to name baby ourselves”,  said Harshinie dismissively.

 Still trying to find the perfect name for your baby? The name you choose will be used millions of times to identify your child throughout his or her lifetime. Sri Lankans traditionally give children meaningful names which signify something positive, either in a religious or historical sense. Although naming traditions vary among ethnic and religious groups in Sri Lanka, the act of naming a newborn is universally a joyous celebration. Let’s look at how Sri Lanka baby names are usually selected.

 Sinhalese Traditions

Astrology traditionally plays an important role here. The day and time of birth are used by an astrologer to determine the best initials for the child. Sinhalese also believe that certain arrangements of syllables (known as “gana”) bring good luck to the child. These are factored into the final choice of name. The name is announced at a Nam Tebima ceremony.- https://bit.ly/338bYBZ  #Sinhalese Babies are often named after historical figures, characters from Buddhist stories and positive values or virtues. Since recently, names of foreign origin and celebrity names are also used.

 Christian Traditions

Many Christians in Sri Lanka do not follow astrology and select a baby name of choice. The names of Saints and important characters from the Holy Bible are popular preferences. Parents usually formally announce the name at the baby’s baptism. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptism

Hindu Traditions

Hindus normally organize a Namkaran - https://bit.ly/3lJydol #Hinduism or name ceremony around 12-40 days after the baby’s birth. Astrology is followed again to determine the baby’s lucky initials. Names from sacred Hindu texts are popular choices.

 Muslim Traditions

Muslim parents usually name their babies within seven days from birth. Parents may take suggestions from grandparents, other relatives or from the imam (priest). Arabic names -  https://bit.ly/3ID5ATJ name from the Holy Quran are favored.

Naming Tips

Whether you follow astrology or not, here are some things to consider when selecting baby names for boys and girls:

●     Meaning - People will invariably ask your child what his or her name means. Select a name with a positive significance that your child can be proud of.

●     Initials - Look at how your child’s initials will look on paper. Some initials (such as M.A.D for example) could lead to life-long teasing.

●     Length - Long names are invariably shortened to nicknames. They are also often misspelt and mispronounced.

●     Uniqueness - Selecting a relatively uncommon name will make it easy to identify your child by first name.

 There are books of baby names for boys and girls available at most bookstores, which may give you inspiration. Already started making your list of favorite Sri Lanka baby names?  Please do share some with us below. We at mammypages wish you a happy baby naming experience!