How do you even begin to name a baby?!

[GingerPanda]

I've got a boy name list and a girl name list. We find out gender in about 3 weeks.

Hubs wants to take all the names and put them into a bracket (like they do for sports tournaments).

I'm down for that idea, but I guess I'm terrified that I haven't seen all my options yet! I just know I'll be bringing baby home from the hospital, then find the most AMAZING name after it's too late!


Naming a child seems like such a daunting task! It's like... impossible!

 

[carebear1981]

I'm worried about names too. I'm always listening or searching for names I like to add to the list. Once we find out what we're having (end of april) I will not be naming him/her right away. I will likely carry the list with me to the delivery room and I know that once I see baby, the name will just fit... I hope...

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Honestly? All of mine just came to me and then I went with my first instinct!

 

[k4th]

I'm finding this so hard too. And then when I do manage to find one I like... Hubby doesn't. And vice versa We're having particular trouble with girls names.

 

[nmpjcp2015]

I'm worried about names too. I'm always listening or searching for names I like to add to the list. Once we find out what we're having (end of april) I will not be naming him/her right away. I will likely carry the list with me to the delivery room and I know that once I see baby, the name will just fit... I hope...

This is what my mom did. She's a big on seeing what they look like first...

We change all the time, but we like the same sort of names, if that makes sense. Like... they all have a similar vibe, but we can't pick one.

 

[LDC]

It is a really hard choice.

With dd I was convinced she was a boy so we'd agreed a boys name & I didn't even contemplate girls names, wouldn't even talk about them!

In surgery when they said she was a girl I couldn't believe it (opening the blanket certainly confirmed it!) and we just chose her name there and then...and it was a name I'd dismissed when oh tried to raise it as silly, but in that instance it was perfect

 

[bm11]

With my DD I went through a ton of lists online and in a book and made a list of names I liked. Then I narrowed it down more depending on what sounded best with my surname. I still ended up with a massive list after that lol. It's so hard naming a person!! I ended up going into labor with a list of about 5 names and picked the one which stood out for me. As soon as I saw her face I knew what her name was going to be!

 

[JumpingIn]

We just toyed with some names we both liked the sound of and one day hit on one we both loved and it just felt right.

We both had a pretty decent starting point though. We both knew we wanted traditional but not too traditional, nothing overly weird or difficult to spell etc, nothing really "average Joe"-y. We toyed with a few in early pregnancy. Our second pick was Joseph and we also considered William, Marlowe and Conrad as a first name. But Zachary just stuck.

 

[EmmySocks]

I want to have an idea but wait until I meet LO before deciding a name.

Absolutely terrified that i'll panic and not be able to decide... Or pick the wrong name!? Can you pick the wrong name?! I'm in a flap about this already and i'm not even close! lol

 

[oneill614]

I think this thread is so funny because it's true! It's not like naming a pet where you can pick just about anything and it's not going to impact their lives. Names do influence how people think about your child.

First I think you should pick something meaningful to you. Like to use an ancestor's name, or even a name that is from your favorite book or show. Second make sure it's not silly or ridiculous. You don't want your child to be made fun of or have people think its parents are crazy. Third make sure it suits the child! I agree that you kind of have to see the baby. We have a girl's name picked, but if it came out female and didn't look like that name, I would change it. My mom was set on naming me Caroline and when I came out not looking like one, she switched it.

Don't worry about thinking about something better later. You have months now, and once you get used to thinking about your child as "James" or whatever you pick, that will be your child's identity and no other name will seem right. If you hear a cute name later that you never thought of, just tell your pregnant friends.

 

[mh_ccl]

Spreadsheets. No, seriously, spreadsheets.

We were Team Yellow with our first pregnancy, so we had both boy and girl lists. I had names, their popularity ranking, name meanings, and our ratings.

With all that being said, the only gender dream I had was of a girl and I named her in the dream, so it was easy when she was born. Eleanor (Nora). However, we couldn't agree on a middle name. DH had to go get our paperwork back after we filled it out so we could think on it more.

We will be finding out gender this time (DH wants to know, and I got my way last time). I'm torn because we still have our awesome boy name, but I would love another girl since DD is so easy-going and amazing.

 

[Emma23]

Boyfriend and I just made lists both times and narrowed it down over the months. It got easier when we found out the gender but this time we're staying Team Yellow so it's going to be harder!!