• Make a list of all the baby names you and your partner like. Write down any name that catches your eye or that pleases you. The list may be a long one, but you will start to narrow down what you like in a name and what you don’t.

• Cross off any names that don’t seem to be a good fit or that just don’t click, even though you may have liked them at first. If there are names that come to mind over time, add them to your list.

• Look at all types of names. There are popular name choices, celebrity names, those from history, names that reflect a culture or a people, names based on nature or religion… The choices are endless, truly. If you find that you prefer Scottish names, delve deeper for choices. If you like natural-sound names like River or Rain, feel free to explore those selections.

• Post the list where you and your partner can see it often. That way, the names will always be in mind, and you will both be able to test them often. Speak the names aloud and see how they sound and feel on your tongue, match them up with the baby’s last name, and try to find the variations or nicknames your child might end up with.

• Being cute, quaint, trendy or clever usually isn’t the best idea. Your baby’s name choice isn’t the time to make a statement, either. Think about how the child will feel growing up with a name like 4Real or Revolution. It may sound cool to the parents or may have some deep meaning they stand for, but the truth is, the child with a name that is too strange is going to have problems all his or her life because of it.

• Make sure that contractions and nicknames don’t create other words or phrases that could be uncomfortable. On their own, some baby names sound fantastic. Paired with the last name, they sound like a phrase that may be distasteful or curious. A nickname paired with a last name could spell trouble too. Also, make sure that the initials of the name you choose don’t create a word on their own. Harold Arthur Melbourne becomes “ham” and Heath Smelt spoken aloud sounds like “he smelled”.

• Ask the opinions of others. People love to be included in the name search, and they’ll be more than willing to help in the choice. They may love a name you like too, and cement the decision. They may nix a name you thought good and point out reasons why the name isn’t the best choice.

• Keep in mind that you have the final choice in your baby’s name. You, your partner and your baby are the ones that will have to live with the name chosen for a very long time. If you feel very strongly about a name you like, then give it to your baby despite what a family member or friend may think. Of course, do consider the reasons why your friends and family suggest the choice might not be a good one; they have both your and your baby’s best interests at heart.

Tags: baby names, choosing baby names

There are so many books and websites that are dedicated to names and their meanings; however, while these things are helpful, they can often make the process a little overwhelming. Here are some great things to think about that can help you sift through the never ending list of names and choose the perfect one for your little one.

A great way to try to figure out a name for your child is by thinking about the names or your family and friends. If there is a person close to you who has greatly influenced you and/or your partner, you may want to think about using their name or a derivation of their name. It may also be a good idea to talk to relatives about ancestors and any names that have been passed down or belong to important members of your family.

Think about whether or not you want to bestow an unusual name on your child or if you would like to give them a more traditional name. If you decide on an unusual name, it would be helpful to think about the consequences that may come with it. For example, naming a baby something cute such as “Apple,” may seem fun for the first couple years of their life, but will it hinder them as they take on the adult world.

It’s also helpful to think about what kind of nick names may be derived from the name you have chosen. While you may think it sounds sophisticated, children can be mean and the name you choose may bring on years of teasing and tormenting from classmates.

As soon as you start thinking of names, it’s a good idea to start making a list. Making a list will allow you to continue to add or cross of names throughout your pregnancy. Keep your list with you at all times that way if something pops into your head you’ll be able to quickly jot it down.

Are you proud of your heritage and ethnicity? Is it something that you celebrate on a regular or semi-regular basis? If it is, then you may want to choose your babies name accordingly. If this is important to you, it may be helpful to look at a book of baby names and find out which ones come from your particular background.

Talk to your partner about anything important in your lives together that can lead to a name. This can include places you’ve been, favorite artists, writers, etc. It’s probably a good idea to practice a bit of discretion when choosing from these names. Make sure you choose something that really does have meaning and doesn’t carry any bad connotations.

When you decide on a few names that you like, use the names in your everyday life. Refer to the baby by using the name you have chosen. Ask yourself how it feels. Using the name you have chosen, pair it with the babies last name and any middle name you may have chosen. Using the name in everyday life will also help you determine if there are any nicknames that are attached to the name and what kind of impact they have.

Other articles about baby names on this site : Choosing baby names

[tags]baby names, baby boy names, unique baby names, cute baby names[/tags]

You have to remember that you will never be able to choose a baby name which will please everybody, the main thing is to choose a baby name that is right for you and your partner, not for your friends or family, it’s your baby after all.

Rather than picking just one baby name, try to think of 2 or 3 for both a girl and boy. You may find that as the time draws nearer, you may go off your first choice; possibly you might meet someone you don’t like with the same name. Even if you know what gender the baby will be due to scans, it’s still wise to pick baby names for the opposite gender as scans are not 100% full proof.

If you can’t agree 100% on a baby name with your partner, and it is also important to you to tray and go some way to please parents, then you could think about using their choice for a second name. If the name is only one syllable and the other choice has two then you may find your partner will agree it is best as a second name anyway.

This is another consideration for the baby name, does is flow when spoken, try saying it out aloud and see how is sounds. For example, Christina May flows well whereas Christina Alexandra is a bit of a mouthful. Also make sure that the baby name is easy to pronounce, it can be very irritating if you have to keep correcting people.

Another problem is the baby name may rhyme with another word which kids may pick up on at school, someone called Duke might be called Duke the Puke for example. You may also consider whether the name takes on a new meaning if joined to the surname. Classic examples are Ivor Biggin or Rusty Bracket.

If you want a baby name that is unique then you may want to invent one of your own, it could be an amalgamation of two other names. However, don’t make the name too wacky, it may sound good now but your child may not appreciate it when they are older. For the same reason, be careful of names that are suddenly fashionable.

You may want to look up what the name actually mean, this is especially important in say the Chinese culture where they put as much importance on the meaning of the name as to how it sounds. What may have a nice sounding name could have a very strange meaning indeed, or vice versa.

Bear in mind that a baby name can determine how they will be perceived before somebody meets them. If say you are meeting somebody called Charles or Bartholomew, you may expect them to look and speak differently to if they were called Dave or Nick. Try and pick a name which you think will suit your child and their environment.

In this day and age of email, it could also be a consideration to choose a name which isn’t hyphenated, email address can often be spelt incorrectly as it’s not always clear whether the name should be hyphened in the address or not.