Choosing the Perfect Baby Name

When did you choose your baby’s name? Did you always know or was it a mad rush to the registry office? Choosing the perfect baby name can be quite stressful- will it suit them? Will they hate it when they are older? There are so many names out there that it can be a little bit overwhelming, especially when you are pregnant.

As a mother of two I know what it is like having to choose the perfect name. I had always dreamed of having a baby girl and had a name picked out from the age of 5. I carried that name with me right through to the 20th week of my pregnancy- over 20 years! However, when I had my gender scan I panicked- did I love that name? No, no I did not. Now what?

Naturally I turned to the internet, there are endless websites with names, their meanings and origins. We trawled through list upon list and there was one name that stuck out, we knew it was the perfect choice.

With Little L we really struggled, with a second born you have to think about whether it fits in with your first born’s name- that adds a whole new dimension to the decision making process. We decided on a name at about 6 months pregnant but with 2 weeks to go I suddenly changed my mind. After a very stressful time we finally decided on her name with a week to spare and it is indeed the perfect choice.

Factors that affect a name choice

• Your Surname– When you think of a name it has to go well with your surname. Names that rhyme or blend to make a phrase may seem funny at first but names are no joke. I always think you should mix syllables, so if your surname has 2 syllables then a first name should have 1 so that it blends together nicely.
• Siblings– Does the name go well with the children you already have? Are you sticking to a theme?
• Tradition– Lots of people turn to family names when choosing the perfect name for their baby. This is how trends form, when my girls were born the trend was old English names- those of my grandparents. These cycles will continue and one day their grandchildren may name their babies after them. I hope so anyway.
• Trends– This seems to be a real sticking point, some people do not want to choose a name that everyone else has chosen for their baby and will rule out any name in the top 20. Others, including myself, do not worry about trends and choose a name based on whether they love it or not.

How to choose the perfect baby name

Emma’s Diary have created the Baby Name Trends tool, to help you see how popular a name has been in the past, how popular it is now and where it is predicted to be in the future.

As you can see, Katherine was at peak popularity in 1984. So many people I know have my name and were born in the same year as me! In my class alone there were 3 Katherines!

I like to know the meaning behind a name, it played a big role in the decision making process behind our girls’ names. My name means pure, I like that – thanks mum!

So what about my girls?

I chose very popular names, it didn’t really phase me that they may be in a class with others with the same name. It didn’t do me any harm and I don’t believe it is a name which makes a child unique- it is their personality. Still, it is interesting to see where a name will sit and can help you decide on the perfect name for your little one.

How did you choose your baby’s name? What were your deciding factors?