There are plenty of decisions to make when you are pregnant. What colour should I paint the nursery? Which pram should I buy? But few decisions are as big as deciding on the name of your baby.
Your child will have the name for the rest of their life. It’s a name you will say thousands of times - mostly lovingly but sometime yelling at the top of your voice! But don’t let that spoil your fun. Here are a few ways to choose your baby’s given names.
1. Trusty Baby Name Book
Sure you can read a baby name book cover to cover, but chances are you still won’t have narrowed down your search. Try opening the book at any page and pointing to a name without looking. Or you could ask someone to choose a random page number then line number and see if you strike gold.
2. An App for That
If you already spend much of your free time on your phone, why not put it to work and help choose your baby’s name? Search for a baby name app you like and download it. Next time you have a spare moment, open the app and see what it suggests.
3. Birth Notices & Registry
If you are looking for a name that is popular right now, check out the birth notices in the newspaper. Read through the first and middle names of newborns and any that appeal add to your maybe list. You can also check out the list of the top 100 baby names for last year to see how popular your short-list are.
4. Family Heritage
Many people like to choose names that have been used in the family before. Besides if it’s good enough for the Royals to recycle names, why not your family? Giving babies the same name as one of their grandparents or great-grandparents is popular, but there is no need to stop there. If you have a family tree, look back at the names of ancestors who were alive a couple of hundred years ago and see if one of their names appeal to you.
5. Origin of Names
If you haven’t found anything on your family tree, you can still use your heritage to search for a name. You may even decide to keep the theme running and give each of your children names from the same origin.
Do a Google search for names that are:
- Gaelic
- Arabic
- Celtic
- Latin
- Old English
- Native American
- Welsh
- French
- Hebrew
6. It’s all in the Meaning
If you are reasonably confident that your child’s personality will match the meaning of their name, then use this to choose a name.
There are plenty of good meanings out there:
- the exalted
- shining light
- noble one
- strong and powerful
- obedient (sure to be a popular!)
7. Choose a Theme
If you still haven’t come up with the right name, it’s time to move on to a theme. Find a topic that appeals to you, and you're sure to find something that fits for your baby.
Choose from one of the following themes to search for baby names:
- Colour – Amber, Jade, Teal
- Gems – Ruby, Sapphire, Crystal
- Plants – Ivy, Jasmine, Holy
- Places – Paris, Dakota, Israel
Some people choose to tell friends or family the name they have chosen before the baby is born while others keep it a secret. If you don’t want to hear any negative feedback after you've spent months choosing, it’s best to keep the name to yourselves and announce it on the birth of your baby. People are less likely to criticise a name or offer their input once the baby has arrived.
When it comes time to choose a name, don’t panic. The right name one will eventually come to you, that’s a given!
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