Abstract
The author analyses factors that influence Czech-speaking parents' choice of a first name for their child. The analysis focuses on the relationship between personal choice, fashion, tradition, ritual, associations, communicative usage, and other selected aspects of contemporary Czech society.
The research is based on data retrieved from the Internet, especially from discussion forums for pregnant women and women with children. In Czech culture, the process of giving a name to a new-born child is regulated by law; language experts also offer various recommendations, such as how best to combine a first name and surname.
The study indicates that the most important factors influencing parents' choices are personal preference, a subjective evaluation of the name-surname combination, and the desire that the chosen name should not cause any problems for the child, especially during their early years and at school. Some traditional practices such as giving a child a family name seem to be disappearing, but some gender differences and traces of superstitious thinking are still observed.