It’s common for first-time parents to go gung ho when selecting a name for their first born. But unless you’re Ed Sheeran or Pete Wentz, perhaps your child doesn’t require a name like Lyra Antarctica or Bronx Mowgli. However, baby names can go wrong in unexpected ways, which means that choosing the right baby name is a bigger responsibility than you may realise at first.

Even the ‘safest’ baby names, such as William and Elizabeth, have their own personal histories and associations. Putting your baby names through a slew of tests can help you spot any major red flags. But if you have your heart set on a particular name, stick with it regardless of the results below. There is no such thing as a perfect baby name, no matter how hard you try. We can only do our best to reduce our children’s chances of being bullied or legally changing their names once they leave home.

Just to make sure you’re well informed when choosing your baby’s name, here are some pointers to look out for:

1. Consider the initials

What do the first letters of the first, middle, and last names spell? If your last name begins with a ‘S’, you might consider starting with something other than Ashley Susan. Oh, you’ve already considered that? But have you considered a formal monogram, in which the last initial is in the centre and larger, with the first and middle names on either side? Perhaps, your last name is Anthony and you’re considering naming your child Francesca Tina — but would the initials F.A.T sound good?

2. Consider the other possible meanings to the name

You may want to name your daughter Fanny or your son Dick. It’s your choice, but proceed with caution.

3. Steer-clear of bully-able names

Yes, children will bully other children in the schoolyard for a variety of reasons. At the same time, you don’t want to give them all the reasons they could possibly require to get started. Give your favourite name(s) to a clever 10-year-old you know to see how quickly they can become playground fodder. Ask them how many nicknames they can think of. Continue looking if he generates 10 in less than a minute.

4. Avoid trending celebrity names

If you’re dead set on an unusual name and it happens to be a match with the breakout new star of the Los Angeles Lakers, a new Kardashian baby, or a character in a popular TV series (hello, Khaleesi!), be aware that people in the future may assume you named your child after this person.

5. Think of the big picture

It’s critical to consider the whole picture of a name — how do all the pieces fit together? Is there a conflict between the last letter of the first name and the first letter of the last name? Consider it carefully. Jonas Salk had to cure polio for people to stop calling him Jonah.

6. Weed out overly trendy names

Of course, you shouldn’t give a damn about what other people think. However, your child may not be as strong as you. To be safe, Google ‘most popular baby names’ and avoid the names at the top of the list. While some students may not want to be the only Luigi at their school, they also do not want to be one of six other students with the same name who all respond when the teacher calls it.

You should also avoid trendy baby names that have appeared out of nowhere. They have a short lifespan and tend to fade quickly in succeeding generations. Yes, Braden and Jaden are trendy right now, as are Aiden, Caden, and the various other -dens, but they will pin your child to a specific generation faster than the emails you received from Martha and Eliab last week revealed that they were not sent by millennials.

7. Perform the e-mail test on your selected name(s)

When combined with your last name, does the first initial spell anything? William Anker appears to be an excellent choice — until he is assigned wanker@somecollege.edu and is forced to look for work with it.

8. At the end of the day, your choice is what matters most

This is the simplest, but most crucial, test. All that matters is that you found the perfect name and that you love it. Surprisingly, this is not a test that everyone subjected their favourite name to.