One of the biggest decisions you will ever make for your baby can also be one of the hardest! What will you name him/her?
Some people immediately have a name, but most of us will find choosing a baby name to be challenging.
Why? Well, the common problem is that you can’t agree on a name. My husband and I went through long lists of names before agreeing.
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Where to find baby names?
Before you can actually decide on a name, you might need some help with suggestions. Here’s a list of possible places to use for inspiration when you are searching for the perfect name!
- Family name- one of the best ways to find some inspiration is by looking for a family name you have always liked. Additionally, some families have traditions where they pass their first name on to their child, or have their child’s middle name be their own name.
- Favorite Novel-another great way to find name ideas is to use one of your favorite books. Typically we have a favorite character, and this could serve for inspiration to naming your child. If you are looking for an old-fashioned name that isn’t common, try looking in some old classics.
- Favorite TV show or movie- movies and television shows are also filled with a multitude of names to choose from.
- Baby Name book- one of the last places to find a name would be with a baby name book. What’s great about these are that they will tell you a little bit about the name’s meaning. For instance, my name is Joanna. It’s origin is from Hebrew and it means God is Gracious.
Tips for Choosing a baby name
Once you have a long list of names you like, what is the best way for narrowing it down? At the end of the day you will name your baby whatever you decide, but these are a few tips to help.
- Possible nicknames- Depending on what you end up naming your child, what nicknames might be associated with their full name? Do you like these possible nicknames?
- How easy is it to spell? Spelling is another way many parents like to be unique and mix things up, but preferably try to find a name that is easy to spell. Otherwise they will be correcting people all their life. I have had my name misspelled so many time, it’s not even funny.
- How popular is it? While trendy names can be fun, you might not want to name your baby the same as a million others.
- Gender neutral- a common trend that is happening more and more is choosing a name that is gender neutral. A name that could fit either a boy or girl. One popular example is Blake Lively. Blake can be a boy’s name or a girl’s name. She also named one of her daughters James.
- How easy does their name flow? Practice saying your baby’s full name aloud, including first, middle and last name. Does it flow off the tongue, or is it choppy?
What happens when my husband and I disagree on a baby name?
In a perfect world, you and your husband would agree on a name. In reality, you won’t.
Find out why he is against the name. My husband didn’t like a lot of names because of name association with others he knew. It was HARD finding a name we could agree on.
Have him make his own list, and see if you have any common names. One of the easiest ways to find a name you both can agree on is by seeing if there is any overlap in names.
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