Finding the perfect name for your baby can be a big task. Gather name ideas and inspiration here, and learn how to make the decision. With thousands of baby names for girls and boys, complete with baby name meanings and origins, we will have the perfect name for you.

10 Tips to Find the Perfect Baby Name

You’re having a baby! One of the most important things you have to do is pick a name for your child. There are so many names in this world—how do you find them, where should you look, and how do you choose? We’re here with some tips to help you find the right fit. Good luck!

1. Search Your Family Tree

If you’re looking for a name with historical ties and deep meaning, there’s nowhere better to look than your own family tree. Parents and grandparents have names you already know, but maybe a name from 100 years ago (or more!) has that feeling you’re looking for. With old names making a huge comeback you’ll be right on trend with a name your baby will grow to be proud of.

2. Analyze Trends

Do you want your child’s name to be popular, unique, common, or on-trend? Take a peek at your social media feed to check out what your friends from around the country have named their children or check out which baby names are being picked in your city and state by using our baby name finder. Knowing what the other children close to your baby’s age will be named can help you determine if the name you’re thinking of is a good fit.

3. Be Aware of Initials

A perfect baby name isn’t only about its spelling or how it sounds—it’s also about the initials. While the name Aidan Sebastian might be absolutely perfect for your little guy, if your last name is Smith you’re better off picking something else. Consider how your baby’s monogram will look to make sure you’ve really picked a perfect name.

4. Pay Attention to Character Names

Characters from TV, movies, and books can make a formerly-obscure name suddenly popular. Before Game of Thrones’ surge of popularity the name Arya was relatively unknown; now it’s become a popular choice for newborn girls. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek help from these sources. When you’re stuck trying to find the perfect name, don’t limit your choices to what’s in the baby books—inspiration can be found anywhere.

5. Ask for Opinions

If you’re unsure about a name, ask for opinions from friends and family. You’ll have to prepare yourself for some serious backlash from some people, and unconditional support from others, but it’s the easiest way to find out what sort of response a name is going to get. Alternately, if you’re set on a name, sometimes it’s best to keep it private until baby arrives if you don’t want to deal with any negativity.

6. Read a Baby Name Book

Poring over a baby name book is a rite of passage for most new parents. A simple way to see if you and your spouse are on the same page is to take turns looking through the book and writing down a list of names that appeal to you. Compare notes and see if any match. While you may realize that out of 10,000 baby names you only like 3 or 4, look at that as a small victory—you’ve just eliminated 9,997 baby names. Congratulations!

7. Use a Random Name Finder

Still can’t settle on a name or need more ideas? Check out our random baby name finder. Don’t be afraid to try out an assortment of name styles and themes. Call the baby-to-be by a different name each day until one feels right if you have to. This is an important decision and you don’t want to have any regrets.

8. Make Certain It’s Easy to Spell and Pronounce

We all know somebody whose name is difficult to say or spell. While it may seem like a cute idea to create a unique name or a rearrange the spelling of a known name, be sure you’re not creating a burden for your child to deal with. If more than a couple of people can’t easily figure out how to say the name you’re tossing around, you might want to toss it out instead.

9. Say the Name Aloud

You know it’s going to happen: Your perfect angel is going to be getting into something while he’s already on your last nerve, and you’re going to yell out his first, middle, and last name. Try saying (or yelling) a potential name before you settle on it. Make sure the names have a good sound—you’re going to be saying them a lot so they might as well have a musical flow to them.

10. Think About Nicknames

If you love a name, but hate the common nickname that comes with it, you’re going to need to decide if that’s a deal breaker. Remember that kids are both creative and mean, so also look out for names that easily rhyme with insulting words. Nicknames and insults aren’t a reason to instantly nix a name, but it should be a consideration. Ultimately, as long as you love the name it will all work out.

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Top 5 Tips When Choosing a Boy’s Name

Picking your baby boy’s name is a major step that will effect the rest of his life. You’ll repeat his name lovingly with praise and loudly when he’s in trouble. But how do you decide what to choose? Here are our top five tips for choosing a boy’s name:

1. Start with your family tree

Do you like your name or your partner’s name? You could name your new son after yourselves. Or, consider boy names of close relatives. Look at both first and middle names for inspiration. Perhaps you’re not liking what you see – talk with a grandparent about older generations names. Many that were popular a hundred or so years ago have made a comeback, like biblical names or longer, more regal sounding ones.

2. Think about people who inspire you

Many parents want to bestow their boy’s with strong names that bring to mind impressive individuals. Who are your heroes? Maybe Martin Luther or Barack will make this list. Consider family friends you love, mentors, even bosses who left a great impression. Naming your son after someone real is a great honor to both the baby and his namesake.

3. What about your roots?

What is your heritage? Are you Hispanic, Irish, Kenyan or Czech? Every country and region has common names. French men may be named Jean Claude, for example. Or perhaps you’re of Swedish decent and Adrian, Erik or Valter would be a more fitting choice. Ask your parents or grandparents what names they’ve heard from your country or countries of origin. Also head to Baby Names Live to see the top boy names in the area where you’re from. You may be surprised to learn that names you’ve heard before in your family tree come up. Remember, too, that you can use these options for the first or middle name to pay homage to your family history.

4. Consider sibling names

Families often think about sibling names when naming their baby. A firstborn named Samantha may inspire parents to call their new son Sean to keep with the “S” theme. Or, they’ll take the opposite approach and avoid naming future kids with the same letter. If an older child is named after his grandfather, maybe you want to name your new son after yourself or a favorite uncle. If you hope to have several children and your son is your first, keep in mind what you want to name children that come after him.

5. Look to favorite characters

What books, movies and TV shows do you love? What draws you to these vibrant characters? Perhaps Luke Cage is your favorite superhero in the Marvel Universe. Why not name your son Luke or Lucas? Or maybe you loved “The Fox and the Hound” as a kid, and Todd is a perfect name for your newborn. Look at the comic books, films and other productions whose characters have shaped your life. Your baby boy will love to hear stories about his namesake when he grows up.

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Top 5 Tips When Choosing a Girl’s Name

Congratulations on your newborn! This is an exciting time. One of the first major choices that you have to make is what to name your little girl. Many parents don’t know where to start when it comes to choosing a girls name. If you’re having a baby girl, consider using these top five tips to choose a name:

1. Consider family names

A lot of people want to help carry on their family legacy by naming their children after older relatives. Does your family tree feature a particular name that has been passed from one generation to the next? Maybe your great aunt’s first name is Jane and your aunt’s middle name is Jane. If you find a name that you like, consider using it as a part of your girls name.
You can also start a generational connection by being the first to name your child after someone else in the family. If you’re not in love with the names of immediate relatives, talk with your family to learn the names of relatives who are several generations older. A great great grandmother or great great great aunt may have a wonderful name that you’d love to bring back into the family.

2. Think about favorite characters

When naming someone, many people want to use a strong name or one that brings to mind awesome people. One way to do that is to name your child after a favorite character. Perhaps you love Harry Potter and can consider Ginny, Hermione or Luna for your daughter’s name. Or, maybe the show “New Girl” is more your style, so names like Jessica, Cece and Reagan will make your list. Look to your most-beloved books, TV shows, movies and even comic book characters for inspiration.

3. Keep your last name in mind

A first name must go well with it’s accompanying last name. A great way to tell if a potential name for your daughter will sound good with her last name is to say her full name aloud. “Sarah Jessica Parker,” for example, has a ring to it. It flows off the tongue. “Zoe Cathy Johnson” is a bit awkward. There is no scientific formula here, so go with your gut.

4. Look to nature

The natural world features many beautiful feminine names that evoke grace and elegance. Consider picking up a copy of a plant field guide and thumbing through the pages. Azalea, Marigold and Rosemary are just a few options that refer to plants but are also trendy female names. Trees, herbs, and even vegetables may provide perfect examples of names to consider for your newborn daughter.

5. Match with siblings

Have you ever met a family with siblings whose names have a theme? Perhaps you know a family with three kids whose names all start with a J, for instance. If you already have children, consider if your new daughter should have a name that matches. If your son’s name is William maybe Winnie is a good choice for your baby girl. Or, choose to greatly vary the newborn’s name with a completely different sound.

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