Middle names are just as important as first names, even more so in today’s society of text language. Now that we have almost as many abbreviations as words in the dictionary, it’s important to consider what phrase or word your baby’s initials could represent. Unfortunately, this may not cross a parent’s mind until they receive a gift of monogrammed baby towels and suddenly realize, “OMG! My baby’s initials spell OMG!”

While baby-naming is indeed complicated further by having to think about initials, keep in mind that your child will be saddled with those three capital letters for their entire life. Here are some trios to keep in mind.

Short and sweet Baby Initials

Some abbreviations, cute as they may be, could nevertheless be a challenge for your son or daughter to carry around.

PBJ – Peanut Butter and Jelly
LOL – Laughing Out Loud
ILU – I Love You
PDA – Public Display of Affection
BLT – Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato

Text language Initials

From instant messages to texts to emails, the below abbreviations have become part of our vernacular.

KYP – Keep You Posted
BRB – Be Right Back
BFF – Best Friends Forever
LDR – Long Distance Relationship
NBD – No Big Deal
OTC – Over the Counter
PLZ - Please
POV – Point Of View
TMI – Too Much Information
DIY – Do It Yourself

Television Initials

Some abbreviations are so common we often forget that they stand for something more, particularly when it comes to television networks. You may even be surprised by the origins of some of the most well-known acronyms out there!

ABC – American Broadcasting Company
BBC – British Broadcasting Corporation
CBS – Columbia Broadcasting System
CNN – Cable News Network
AMC – American Movie Classics
MTV – Music Television
PBS – Public Broadcasting Service
TNT – Turner Network Television
TBS – Turner Broadcasting System

Academic Baby Name Initials

Want to suit up your child with an especially smart monogram? You may want to stay away from GED (General Education Diploma), but consider one of the below combinations to signify serious intellect.

SAT – Scholastic Assessment Test
ACT – American College Test
GRE – Graduate Record Examination
PTA – Parent-Teacher Association

Patriotic Baby Name Initials

If you’re particularly patriotic you might not mind giving your child the USA acronym, or honoring them with the initials of a popular president like JFK. You can even give them something to share with a government or military agency.

FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation
CIA – Central Intelligence Agency
VFW – Veterans of Foreign Wars
WAC – Women’s Army Corps

Not recommended Baby Initials

There are, simply enough, a plethora of inappropriate acronyms that would haunt your child forever. Avoid them at all costs.

STD – Sexually Transmitted Disease
WTF – What The F**k
DOA – Dead On Arrival
DNR – Do Not Resuscitate
DWI – Driving While Intoxicated
POW – Prisoner Of War
MIA – Missing In Action
RIP – Rest in Peace

Realize that a child’s initials don’t have to mirror an acronym to cause them strife. Yes, KFC or UPS could be a tough hand, but there are worse fusions. From asp to zoo, three-letter words abound so take a moment to visualize those letters together before you settle on a name.

You may wonder how initials could matter so much. Well, a study at the University of California at San Diego reveals that people with initials like GOD or ACE were more likely to live longer than people with initials like PIG, DUD or RAT. The study also found that people with monograms like JOY or WOW lived 4.48 years longer than people with neutral initials. Unfortunately, those with not-so-happy monograms like BUM or UGH died an average of 2.8 years earlier. Think about what initials like LSD, HIV or SOB might lead to!

If you’re stuck on a name but the initials are giving you fits, considered inverting the first and middle names and still calling your child by the name you like most. Everything’s still there, but you’re saving them from an embarrassing lifelong branding.

Read More:

Finding the Perfect Baby Name that Fits with Your First Name

Not Your Run-of-the-Mill Nicknames

Popular Name Trends for 2008

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