What to name a baby is one of the first and most important decisions future parents face. Choosing a baby name varies between parents, depending on personal preferences, family lineage, religion, culture and more.
Choosing a baby’s name becomes more complicated when parents don’t agree on the baby’s specific names or types of names. One parent may want to choose a baby name that they consider classic, while the other parent may want something a little more modern.
Parents’ relationship to their own names may also play a role: If a parent grew up with a rare baby name and wasn’t too keen on standing out in that way, they may avoid an unusual name. But what if the co-parent grew up with a common name and wants to give the baby a truly unique name?
It is also important to keep in mind the popularity of a name in any year and how naming your baby one of the most popular names can work at school age. (Olivia and Emma top the female charts these days, and Liam and Noah are the most popular among boys.) Even if you love a name, will you be comfortable with your baby potentially having some friends with the same name? It’s a matter of personal preference.
TODAY.com consulted four baby name experts for top tips on choosing a baby name.
How to choose a name, tip 1: Look at the stars
Maressa Brown, astrologer and author of the book “Raising Baby by the Stars,” advises parents to look to the zodiac to choose a baby name that is consistent with the personality traits she believes will match their birth sign.
“You can consider your baby’s natal astrology when choosing a name. Your due date can give you an idea of your sun sign, which can inform the tone of your child’s name,” she told TODAY.com.
“For example, if you’re expecting a little Libra, you might look for names that are graceful and that point to the air sign’s priorities, like peace, harmony, and connection.
“And if you haven’t decided on a name before the baby arrives, take a look. see your complete birth chart for more information, which may lead you to the most suitable nickname. You may find that even though their sun is in an air sign, several planets were moving through water signs at the time of your child’s birth, so a sea-inspired name is actually the best bet.”
How to choose a name, tip 2: trust your instinct (and the one giving birth)
Colleen Slagan is a baby name consultant and founder of Naming Baby. She wrote in an email to TODAY.com:
“Go to the delivery room prepared (you don’t need to have single chosen, but narrow it down to a few), trust your gut and make sure your partner knows that the person delivering the baby has a 51% stake in the decision ;)”
How to choose a name, tip 3: say it out loud
Sherri Suzanne is the founder of My name for life and a New York-based baby name consultant who provides hand-picked name recommendations to expectant parents around the world. She tells TODAY.com that parents should choose a name they can present with confidence.
Practice saying, “This is our son ___” or “This is our daughter _____,” she suggested.
“When parents present children with confidence, children learn to present themselves with confidence too – on the playground or in the office.
“Whether baby name candidates are very traditional or highly creative, parents should take them off the page or screen and say them out loud in real-world circumstances,” says Suzanne. “I ask parents to imagine that the name was theirs. Can you say, ‘Hello, I’m ____?’”
She also suggested that parents ensure that the name and surname pair do not form jokes, rhymes, puns or phrases. Don’t forget your middle name too.
“Parents may be in love with long-lost ancient names, or perhaps they prefer modern choices, like a nature word or a meaningful place,” she says. “In both cases, I recommend taking special care to ensure that the final selection can be said out loud, with confidence and comfort. After all, they will say that a lot.”
How to Choose a Name Tip 4: Limit Up, Not Down
Laura Wattenberg, founder of Namerology and author of “The Baby Name Wizard,” told TODAY.com that her top tip on choosing a baby name is the opposite of how most people approach the task.
“Instead of making a list of names and then finding reasons to cross them off the list, focus on what you love about each name.”
She added: “You can talk yourself into anything. Instead of decreasing, decrease and you will see which name rises to the top.”
This article was originally published in TODAY.com
