Thinking About Baby Names
Congratulations! You’re pregnant.
Get ready for the joys of pregnancy, along with the inevitable process of choosing a name for your future mini-human.
Many couples have this conversation long before actually trying to become pregnant.
For most people, this is the fun part.
- What will you call your baby?
- Will they have a nickname?
- Should it be normal or extravagant?
It’s an important decision considering they will live with it for the rest of their lives (granted they don’t decide to change it to something crazy down the road.)
So where does an expecting mom begin?
Take a deep breath… this article is here to help you with baby names.
Continue reading the expecting mom’s guide to baby names.
Brainstorming
If you’re like most expecting couples, the naming process starts early on in the pregnancy. You begin to brainstorm possibilities for girls and boys names that you love.
Then you start to get excited, or anxious, about the whole process.
Take the following suggestions into consideration to get the most out of your brainstorming sessions.
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Popularity
When you and your partner are thinking of baby names, take a second to look at the current trends. While some parents want to conform to what’s “popular” right now, others don’t want their child’s name to blend into a sea of 1,000 others.
If you hear a name that you love – do some research.
Check out websites and always consider pop culture (whether that means finding a name you love or names to avoid).
- Is it currently trending among celebrities?
- Is it one of the main characters of the hottest TV series?
- Is it on the list for top baby names of the year?
If you want individuality, do your research and stay away from what’s ‘popular’.
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Nicknames
Children will gain a nickname or two from friends and family members. It’s inevitable. Sometimes it’s turning Nicholas into Nick. However, there can be totally unrelated nicknames that children are tagged with at a young age (think turning Katie into BooBoo; or Allison into LaLa).
Consider the possible options ahead of time, good and bad, so you’re not stuck hearing your child called a name you hate.
If you don’t like the options for nicknames associated with a name you love, it might be wise to go in a different direction.
Once they’re old enough, it will be hard to argue if they want to be called “Tim” instead of “Timothy” or “Evie” instead of “Evelyn.”
Another thing to consider is the fact that children can be mean and bad nicknames hurt.
Names or nicknames that rhyme are sometimes used in teasing and bullying and have the potential of damaging children into their adult years.
However, please do not drive yourself crazy. It’s impossible to prevent children from being creative when it comes to name-calling.
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Originality
If you want your baby to have an original name, you’re not alone. While this is more than okay, be wary of going too far down the obscurity spectrum.
Exotic and creative names are on the rise, but unless you’re a celebrity it is hard to justify naming your child something absolutely outrageous. For instance… “Buddy Bear.” And yes, that is a real name and yes, we agree that even fame doesn’t make-up for legally giving your child that name.
Go for something unique that will still be considered “normal.” Your child will thank you for it once they’re in their adult years.
If you want to increase originality by changing the spelling of a name, that’s fine and even common.
Just don’t go too crazy.
It’s unlikely that “Dafydd” will appreciate his name, as opposed to the more common spelling of “David.”
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Meaning and Origin
One way to go about choosing a baby name is based on the name’s meaning or origin. Grab some inspiration from your ethnicity or historical associations and find something that truly sings to you.
If a certain name draws you in – look up the meaning.
If you’re especially keen on traveling, try looking up the meaning in other languages. You might be pleasantly surprised (or completely appalled).
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Future Initials
This is a step you don’t want to overlook.
When you are choosing a baby name, make sure to pay special attention to the initials.
It could go one of two ways.
Route 1:
You love the way that a first and middle name combines for a fun nickname, such as T.J. That’s easy. Focus on finding names that allow that to happen.
Route 2:
You find a name you love, only to realize after the fact that you have brandished your child with disastrous initials.
Think about the poor Annabelle Susan Stern – make your decision wisely. 
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Family Ties
If you decide to name your first born after your father, consider how it might make your father-in-law feel. Hopefully the in-laws are emotionally mature and secure enough that this doesn’t upset them, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
If you’ve always wanted to name your child after a grandparent, parent or other important person in your life, just be up front with your partner about it when you begin discussing children.
If you want to avoid hurt feelings, go the creative route.
Look at combining some options or utilizing your child’s middle name. There are tons of ways to incorporate family traditions.
Committing to a Baby Name
If all else fails, wait. You will have time post-delivery to hold and spend time with your new baby before you have to commit. Many parents enjoy picking a name, but if it is inducing stress and anxiety for you – wait.
Many parents found the best thing to do is to wait and see what fits.
At the end of the day, this is your child.
Even if people give you suggestions or tell you they hate a name you love, it is you and your partner’s choice and no one else’s.
Conclusion
This list of baby name suggestions is a perfect place to start when thinking about baby names. But don’t let it limit you from exploring other avenues as well.
Get more ideas from your friends, family or the infinite baby name forums on the Internet.
In fact, if you have any other suggestions or great stories on how you came to name your children, comment below or post on our Facebook page! We’d love to hear what you have to say.
