In Peru, it’s very common for parents to name their children after superheroes or characters taken from science fiction, comic books or movies. Although this may seem fun and harmless, studies indicate[1] that these unconventional names can harm the construction of children’s personalities in the future, affecting their self-esteem and making them vulnerable to bullying later in life. There are 457 children named Frozen in Peru, 278 named Leonel Messi, 292 named Gohan and even 8 named Frankenstein.
Laundry care brand, Bolivar, and VML Peru created an alternative way for parents to choose a child’s name – by getting the child to choose its own name while in the womb. The partners created a collection of children’s names that they turned into sounds – each of the letters of the names are converted into a musical note. Each melody is designed to be easily recognisable to babies, who can begin to distinguish pleasant sounds from week 29 of gestation[2] andc rspond to sojnds they like. The sounds were published in Spotify. Parents can play the playlist for their babies in the womb and observe their reactions to the different tunes.
The initiative, Sound Names, also underlines the brand’s commitment to providing comprehensive care to babies, even before they are born.
Tin Sánchez, CCO of VML Lima, stated, that they “wanted to raise awareness by proving the importance of name choice, names being one of the first influential factors in the construction of people’s self-esteem and confidence.”
Claudia Cornejo, home care platform director at Bolivar parent, Alicorp, added, “Sound Names allows parents to understand that name choice is important for self-confidence because it can influence how we perceive ourselves and how others see us. A name we identify with can increase self-confidence, while a name we don’t like or identify with can have the opposite effect.”
Listen to the Sound Names:
[1] https://www.elmundo.es/elmundosalud/2009/08/17/psiquiatriainfantil/1250507147.html
[2] https://www.healthychildren.org/Spanish/tips-tools/ask-the-pediatrician/Paginas/I’m-pregnant-and-would-like-to-sing-to-my-unborn-baby.aspx#:~:text=De%20las%2027%20a%2029,empezar%20a%20leerles%20y%20cantarles
