Trying to find the perfect name for your baby is an exhausting process. There are so many things to consider. Whether it’s your pushy in-laws demanding the use of a family name, or remembering a nemesis with the same name, it’s hard. You may even have someone else demanding you not use the name they’ve already picked out for their child.
But have you ever thought about how the pronunciation of their name could affect your child? Speech therapist Chloe Conrad is giving expecting parents food for thought when choosing a name your child can actually say.
Conrad shared the three names she’d never give her child and they may surprise you.
In a TikTok video, the speech-language pathologist explained that names with “R” and “O” may be tough for kids to pronounce. The worst three offenders? Rory, Rowan, and Aurora.
“Basically any name with R and O in it next to each other,” she wrote in the video’s caption. “I LOVE the way they sound but struggle teaching a child to say them.”
However, she believes it’s ultimately up to the parent. But thinks they should be aware that it could cause frustration if they have a child with speech issues. “I have a Rory in my life that I love, thankfully she has been blessed with an emerging R and won’t need my support with that,” she explained.
Her comments prove how popular the names are, even among other speech pathologists!
“My daughter is Aurora and my son is Rowan, Aurora goes by Rory 😂 wow,” one parent wrote.
“Me, an SLP student, with a son named Rowan 😂 it was so cute when he was ‘wowan’ though,” another commenter wrote.
Speech pathologists really seem to love those names, another commenter chimed in writing, “I’m an SLP with a Rory because my thought is if it was hard at least she has someone in house to help her!”
@spunkyspeechtherapy Basically any name with R and O in it next to each other. I LOVE the way the sound but struggle teaching a child to say them. That being said… I have a Rory in my life that I love, thankfully she has been blessed with an emerging R and won’t need my support with that 😅 What names would you add to the list? #speechtherapy #speechtherapist #slp #slpsoftiktok #articulation #r ♬ DAISIES – Justin Bieber
She is trying to use her platform on social media to offer insight on speech issues for kids.
“It’s been fun to break down some of that information for parents,” Conrad told People in an interview. “For moms who have kids in speech or who don’t — they can have access to that information and even see if the therapist they are working with is a good fit.”
Conrad offered other sounds and names that may also trip kids up. “If there’s an ‘R’ or an ‘L,’ I would try to avoid an ‘O’ sound,” she suggested. Aside from the three names in her video, she also suggested avoiding Laurel, Ariella, and Lorelai. Sorry to those millennials obsessed with Gilmore Girls.
If you’re looking for names that will make things a little easier, Conrad has suggestions for that too. “Any name that has earlier developing sounds, like ‘P,’ ‘B,’ ‘M’ and ‘N’ — so ‘Mimi,’ ‘Hannah’ and ‘Anna’ are pretty easy,” she said.
But despite her suggestions, Conrad says the choice is ultimately yours.
“At the end of the day, if you love a name, you should still name your child that name,” she said. If your children do have speech struggles, Conrad suggested getting them a bracelet with their name on it. This way they can point to it if someone asks.
“My advice to a parent who’s still deciding on a name is to pick whatever name feels the most important to you or that you like the best,” she said.
“If your child then has difficulty saying that name, that’s OK. Speech therapists exist for a reason, and somebody can help support your child to help say their name.”
