Naming a human comes with a huge amount of pressure. Is the name going to fit an adult and not just be cute for a child? As an Ashley, who was born in the 80’s, I knew that I did not want my child to have the same name as multiple people in her class. Thanks to a famous celebrity couple I had heard the name Ireland when I was a teenager and the name stuck as one of those names I loved and when I was pregnant it was one of the only names that we could agree on. My family hated it and so I recommend if you have a name that you love to keep it to yourself until the paperwork has been filled out or just let loved ones know that it isn’t open to discussions. I know that some people wait until the baby is born so that they can see if the name they chose matches the baby. Also consider that kids are mean, does the name you like rhyme with anything like a curse word, genitalia or anything similar. Does the initials spell anything that could be awkward for your child later in life. Spelling matters too, so if taking a common name and changing the spelling to make it unique make sure that your child won’t have to spend the rest of their lives correcting people how to say it.
Internet
There are sites such as Baby Centre or Today’s Parents, that have list of trending names from previous years. Nameberry and The Name Mentor are specialty sites that help families select a name. Google or Pinterest search TV show character names or celebrity baby names.
Baby Books
If you want to go the old-school route there are tons of baby naming books out there. Hit up your local book store or library to research.
Apps
In your app store a simple “naming baby app” search will give pages of apps.
Family Tree
If you are looking for a more traditional name or a way to honor family make a list of grandparents and beyond. See if anything resonates with you and your spouse.
Top Baby Names for 2020
The list is according to Nameberry:
Girl Names Boy Names
- Adah Austin
- Reese Alva
- Mika Acacius
- Paisley Tate
- Amina Diego
- Teagan Easton
- Nova Lucius
- Aura Cash
- Pearl Luca
- Billie Ash
