How to Choose a Baby Name: 12 Tips for Expecting Parents

A pregnant individual sits with a notepad on their lap, poised to write. The person is wearing a brown polka-dot shirt and white pants, and they are partially shown, with the image cropped to exclude their head. To their right, on a fluffy beige rug, there are baby accessories: a pair of tiny brown lace-up shoes and a wooden toy. The scene suggests a peaceful moment of contemplation, possibly related to choosing a name for the expected baby, as indicated by the items and the notepad.

Let’s face it: naming a baby is probably one of the biggest choices you’ll make as you prepare for your baby’s arrival. This means that choosing a baby name can be UBER stressful!

Some parents have names chosen before conception, while others struggle to come up with a unique, meaningful name for their child. If you’re in the latter category, you’ve come to the right place. Not only do we have considerations to think about before your water breaks, but we’ll also cover some ways you can incorporate meaning into your child’s name.

Bascially, we’ve got you covered from just about every angle possible. No more agonizing over how to choose a baby name. Hallelujah!

This site contains affiliate links, meaning that we earn a small commission for purchases made through our site. We only recommend products we personally use, love, or have thoroughly vetted.

Choosing a Baby Name

While many people just straight up Google “how to name a baby,” the best advice we can give is to do your research (we’ll get to this in a minute) and go with your gut.

Naming your child is important, yes. But you have to trust that your way is the right way. Your mother-in-law might be pushing for a specific family name, but if that’s not your vibe, then you’ll need to be upfront with her. If you’re open to compromise, maybe you could use the family name as a middle name.

No matter what you decide, this name is YOUR’S and YOUR PARTNER’S (if you have one) decision.

9 Must-Remember Considerations for Naming Your Baby

Before you go too deep down the baby-naming rabbit hole, follow these tips to make sure you don’t accidentally fall in love with a name that isn’t going to work.

  1. Pick a baby name PRIVATELY. Okay, so you have a list of names you like. It’s time to start talking about your baby’s name with just your partner, or if you’re a single parent, start thinking about what to name your baby before talking to anyone else about it.Why? Because everyone and their brother will have advice and opinions. Unless you are very OPEN to that advice, we suggest not asking.
  2. Consider pronunciation. If your child’s name is going to be difficult for others to pronounce, you might want to rethink it. Or not, the call is yours, obviously! This could also include considerations of possible common speech impediments for children.
  3. Consider spelling. Just like with pronunciation, you don’t want others struggling to spell your child’s name their whole life.
  4. Consider the general meaning of a name. The meaning of a name can really change how you feel about it. Do a little research and make sure you are comfortable with the meaning of your child’s name.
  5. Consider initials. I once had a friend in middle school whose initials were A.S.S. (not kidding). You can imagine how that went over in middle school.
  6. Consider what the name sounds like when you say it out loud. Don’t be like Amy Schumer and have to rename your kid after you realize that it sounds like a body part (“Gene Attell” was her son’s name before they changed it).
  7. Consider EVERY possible nickname for this name. Kids LOVE to tease each other over names, no matter how much we emphasize teaching kids empathy and participate in anti-bullying campaigns. Katy once knew a guy named Harrison Richard. We’ll leave the last name out for privacy. Honestly, we think Harrison Richard is a beautiful name, but you know the day will come when that poor child is called Harry Dick . . .
  8. Consider several names instead of just one. If after hours of labor your baby is born and looks nothing like the name you chose, you can always go with another one! Nothing is set in stone until you sign the paperwork, and even then, as Amy Schumer showed us all, a change at the social security administration is still possible if needed.
  9. Consider how you feel about the name. Remember, this is your child. Choose a name that you love. You have to call the child by this name for the rest of his or her life. Make sure it’s one that YOU like!

Now that you have these tips in mind, it will be easier to narrow down your list!

4 Meaningful Ways to Choose Baby Name Ideas

Okay, so you’ve had some preliminary discussions about baby names with your partner, but you’re having a hard time narrowing it down. Or, you’re looking for more meaning for your baby’s name. Here are four important ways to narrow it down.

(1) Choose a Name from Your Family

The great thing about timeless baby names is that they really don’t go out of style, and you can honor a loved one (friend or family member) by giving your child their name.

For example, my grandmother’s name is Judy, and my top baby name has always been “Jude” as a way to honor her (and if any of my siblings or cousins are reading this, I will fight you tooth and nail for that name, so don’t even think of stealing it!)

My own name was given to me to honor my great-grandmother. According to my parents, Sara Jones (I’m Sarah Creel) was the matriarch of the family, and I love knowing that they chose my name to honor someone they loved so much.

Katy’s name is actually Kathryn, after her mom, who was named after a dear family friend. Katy’s son Jack is actually named John, again, a family name. But he’s called Jack because there are a lot of Johns in her family.

You really can’t go wrong with a name that means something to you and your partner. Timeless baby names are a great way to do this, and they don’t have to be boring!

If you want to honor someone in your family but also be a little more contemporary, consider pairing a timeless baby name with a unique middle name or vice versa.

(2) Unique Baby Names

Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and the Carters chose to name their kids things like “Apple” and “Blue,” respectively.

And while a name may sound odd when your loved ones first hear it, it may grow on them with your child. Think how strange Willow Sage sounded when you first heard Pink’s name for her baby girl. Now, it sounds much more natural (at least to me!)

Create a list of unique names and then ask yourself, “Would I be comfortable with this as a name for my child when they are an adult?” If the answer is “no,” keep searching.

(3) Trendy Baby Names

Does anyone remember the early 2000s when every name ended with “-en”? Aiden, Jayden, Brayden, etc?

Trendy baby names are popular for a reason, but the problem with them is that by the time your child reaches kindergarten, it’s possible that her name might rhyme (or be the same as) everyone else’s.

Katy complains about this constantly. Out of 40 girls on her freshman hall in college, 5 of them were named Katy/Katie/Katey. Lauren and Megan (in various spellings) were really common for people our age, as well. I know this problem well, as I’m one of about a million millenial women named Sarah!

If that doesn’t bother you, then you’re good to go!

But if it does, you might want to ask yourself if the trendy name you are considering will stand the test of time, or if your child will be stuck with a name that doesn’t hold up twenty years from now as she starts her first job.

The other thing to consider is that, sometimes, trendy baby names ARE classic names. According to the Social Security Administration, the most popular girl name for 2023 was Olivia. This was followed by:

  • Emma
  • Charlotte
  • Amelia
  • Sophia

All classic names.

Classic boy names are in too! The top names in 2023 were:

  • Noah
  • Liam
  • Oliver
  • Elijah

This may help you if you want to be both modern and classic.

But if you’re bothered by your child having the same name as everyone else, keep an eye on the top 100 baby girl and boy names for the year your child is born and choose something at the bottom of the list (or off the list entirely).

Still worried you may choose a name that’s too popular? Think about popular TV shows and movies. It’s no coincidence that Aiden began trending around the same time Sex in the City was popular.

(4) Baby Names that Honor Heritage

One important thing to consider as you name your baby is your own cultural heritage. Many people enjoy giving their children names that reflect cultural heritage.

If your great-grandparents came over from Ireland and you grew up on stories of their perseverance and grit, then giving your child an Irish name is a great way to honor them. We’re seeing a boom in baby boys named Liam, partially for that reason.

If relatives you cherish hail from any geographical location aside from the one where you will be raising your child, then a quick google search will likely bring up names you’re sure to love. Just make sure that you also search for that name’s meaning and make sure that you’re on board with 1) both the meaning, and 2) the proper pronunciation of the name.

Consider The Meanings of Cultural Names

You don’t want to give your child a name from another culture without fully understanding the meaning of the name in the context of that culture.

That’s why we recommend doing a little research about the meaning of the name. Of course, researching the meaning of any name–cultural or otherwise–is always a great idea!

For example, if you have African heritage, Adah and Davu are lovely African names with gorgeous meanings (Adah means “beautiful,” and Davu means “the beginning”). If your child is a rainbow baby, a name that means “the beginning” might feel meaningful for your family. A name that means “beautiful” might represent a new, beautiful chapter in your life.

Still Can’t Pick a Baby Name? Questions to Ask Yourself

That’s okay. For most people, it’s best to start with a list, and then narrow it down. Use the categories we discussed to make your list. If you’re still having problems, try having a date night with the goal of making a shorter list. You can write down names and put them in a hat and then have a conversation about each one as you pull it out of the hat.

As you pull each name out of the hat, you and your partner can ask yourselves the kinds of questions we’ve discussed in this article:

  • Is this name meaningful to us? How/why?
  • Will this name be difficult to pronounce or spell?
  • What will the initials of this name look like?
  • Is this name trendy? If so, are we okay with that?
  • Does this name honor a particular heritage or family member? If so, are we sure we’re pronouncing it correctly?
  • Will we like this name when our child is an adult?
  • How do WE feel about this name?

While there can be a lot of pressure surrounding naming your baby, it’s also one of the most fun parts of preparing for your baby. So make a date night (or several) out of it and make sure you enjoy the process of choosing a baby name!

How do you pick a baby name when you can’t decide?

Start big. Write down all the names you (or you and your partner) love. From there, ask yourself a set of questions about each name that you both can agree on. These can be questions like, is this name meaningful to us? is this name trendy? How will we pronounce or spell this name? Narrow your list down after you ask yourselves these questions.

How do I find my unique baby name?

Consider family names as unique baby names. Many people enjoy the meaning that family names or close friends’ names can bring. You can also google the top 100 names of the year of your baby’s birth and try to stay away from those. Remember that unique doesn’t have to be weird (unless that’s your thing).

How do you pick a baby name when you can’t decide?

It’s okay to wait until you see your baby to decide on his or her name! You don’t have to have everything figured out the second your water breaks, but it is a good idea to have three or so solid names you love so that when you see that precious baby, you can see which name fits.

How do parents pick names for baby?

Some people have known what they want to name a child for a long time, while others really struggle with the process. We recommend starting big with lots of names you like and then narrowing it down according to a specific set of critieria that. you and your partner agree on.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *