When my cousin told us she was having a baby, we did what any millennial group of people would do. We started a WhatsApp group, so everyone could make recommendations on what to name the embryo that’s currently no larger than a poppy seed. Some might think that it’s too early to think about names. I disagree. A name should be well thought out, since it might affect the child for the rest of his or her life. The mother-to-be doesn’t want a common name. I agree with her. Having a unique name has its ups for sure. It’s more memorable and a great conversation starter. It also makes you feel like you’re different from the Jims, Johns, Michaels, Mohammads and Ahmads.

In this day and age, standing out is what gets you ahead in the world. As a 19 year old Egypt-born, UAE-bred, Canadian-citizen, living and studying in Toronto, my name, Adham Zaki, helps me stand out. Not sure yet whether I stand out positively or negatively. Eventually when I enter the workforce, I’ll find out.

It prompted me to ask myself: What should you name a new-born Middle Eastern baby, whom you believe should at least try and get by in a western school, community or country? I would suggest a name that’s of Arabic origin so that the child can still maintain a connection to his or her roots as he or she grows up, but also something that is “foreigner friendly”. Something along the lines of Rami, Rania, Yasmin or maybe a Kareem, Zain or a Salma?

I should want my child to seamlessly fit into any community he or she may choose in the future, so to me it’s important to pick a name that’s easily pronounceable by non-Arab speakers and one that’s also not too difficult to spell.

My older brother has the very popular name of Ahmad. He always gets called “Amed” and I always get called “Adam”. You can either try to correct them and see if they know how to pronounce the “h” or you can just let them call you “Amed” and “Adam”, although, the latter always causes confusion when they try to look you up on social media for example.

Names are meant to facilitate conversation and the exchange of information, so when you constantly have to hear your name mispronounced, it could potentially cause lasting effects and may end up making you resent the name you grew up with.

Having a last name that’s difficult to pronounce is not an issue in my opinion. Moreover having a last name that begins with “Al” for example is actually ideal. Studies have shown that people with last names with early alphabets are more successful in life, because they perform well at school, as their names are generally called first during role calls and they tend to be first in queues on the school yard.

Ideally, you want to choose a name that both parents like but also meets the criteria outlined above. Words are used to label, define and compare us, thus names need to be well thought-out and unique.

Adham Zaki is a freelance writer.