Brainstorming Names for Your Baby

Sure, you can wade through 60,000 names and look for the one that catches your fancy. Another approach is to sit down with a glass of wine ( grape juice for mom-to-be ) and make the following questions into a game. Brainstorm using some or all of these questions and see what kind of ideas they spark. Remember, there is no rule that says a baby can only have one name. If you work together, you might find a few that you both like and respond to at the same time.

• Find out who are your favorite artists ?


• What is your favorite movie? Who are the stars ?


• What is your favorite novel? Who are the main characters ?


• Name every family member as far back or distant as you can remember ?


• Figure out what part of American history do you like ?


• Find out what countries are your ancestors from ?


• What languages do you speak ?


• What is your favorite city? What is your favorite state ?


• Try to remember where did you go on your first date ?


• Where were you married ?


• Where did you go for honeymoon ?


• Your favorite teachers ?


• Your favorite flowers, gems, trees ?

About the Baby

• Where was he or she conceived ?


• Where will the baby be born? City? Address ?


• What do you want baby's name to say about you ?


• What do you think your baby will look like ?


• What kind of personality will she or he likely have ?


• What color hair or eyes do you imagine ?


• What is the name of your OB / GYN ?

Baby Names - Do's and Don'ts

Here is a list of some of the important do's and dont's related to selecting the right baby name. One example would be - Don't name your baby with terms that have slang meanings related to parts of the human anatomy.

Dont's

• Don't call the fetus Jellybean or Ladybug. Such names stick even after the child is born.
• Don't name your baby after someone you hate or dislike.
• Don't name your baby with terms that have slang meanings related to parts of the human anatomy.
• Check your baby name initials together with your surname. Initials of names like Christopher David Player (C.D. Player) or Annie Sue Stiles could be embarassing.
• Don't make your baby name sound like a tongue twister.
• Consider the confusion involved in naming your child after yourself or someone in the family.
• Make sure to fully research your chosen name, especially if it seems unique and foreign. It would be embarassing to discover later that your child has the name of an infamous character from history or a foreign country.
• Avoid involving your friends in your name search. Their input will only complicate a process that is already difficult with two people. And, in the worst case, someone might 'steal' your perfect name for their baby before you have claimed it.
• Don't wait until the delivery to decide on the name if you want to have any say in the matter. If you do, make sure you're ready to give in to whatever your wife decides. When the baby is handed to you, the doctor or nurse will ask what you have decided for a name. At this point, it is very difficult to argue with a woman who has been in labor for eight hours. Forewarned is forearmed.

Do's

• Use online naming engines to help you throw a wide net for your name search.
• Select the top 5-10 names you like. After your baby is born, you might find the fifth name more suitable to his or her appearance.
• Let the baby's appearance dictate the final choice. Of-course, you wouldn't keep terms like Toothless Wonder or mashed potato in your list.
• Meaningful names or names of historical personalities you admire can help children gain direction in their lives.