How did you find the right name?

Question

I'm seriously stressing out about this. I've been on websites. I've been searching and searching but nothing is working. My husband basically hates all the names [boy and girl] that I like--and they aren't even weird. I'm going crazy! I have one child but he's the fourth so I really never had to figure out his name. How did you find the right name? Did you just hear it? Did you search for it? How did both you and your husband decide?

Thanks!

I'm not that far along but it still really worries me. I signed a peice of paper yesterday at my OB that stated I agreed to have the name one hour after delievery. That really has me worried. I think that's part of the stress.

Answer 1

It helps to narrow down your options. That way you can move beyond the looooong random lists (from general books or sites) to more specific searches.

For instance, my husband and I happen to love Celtic names that reflect our heritage and lesser-used classics (in other words, real names with long histories that might not be overly common or possibly even familiar choices). So obviously a random list of popular or trendy name choices isn't for us. ;) Instead, we narrow our options by searching through our favorite Celtic legends, mythology, birth, marriage and emigration records or even lists of common choices from previous generations that would be much less common today. You can do this by searching ...

- The Ellis Island database http://www.ellisisland.org/

- Older SSA lists (you can search by decade, such as 1880s, or specific year, such as 1892) http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/babynames/

- Reputable, accurate name sites. Behind the Name is by far the best I've found. http://www.behindthename.com/

- More specialized sites or books, such as Baby Names of Ireland (great site) or a book on Celtic names, mythology, etc. Pretty much anything that DOESN'T have a title along the lines of "10,008 Cool Baby Names!" LOL http://www.babynamesofireland.com/

It really depends on exactly how you determine to best define your style. You might like names from astronomy, floral or nature names, names of your favorite authors or literary characters, names that reflect your heritage -- whatever it may be. And you go from there. ;)

Along those same lines, if you seem to have very eclectic taste -- perhaps your list contains Margaret (classic), Madison (masculine, recently trendy), Nevaeh (newly created Biblical "word" name), Giovanna (Italian) and Lorelei (German mythology) -- you might try simply seeking out names with similar origins or sound elements to those you already like. Some that might appeal to an individual with the above list could include Eleanor, Charlotte, Alice, Mary or Millicent (classic), Addison, Avery, Jordan or Taylor (masculine/trendy), Jayden (newly trendy misspelling of male Biblical name) or Eden (Biblical word name), Giulia (Italian origin and similar sound elements to Giovanna) or Greta (German form of Margaret, so a two-fer). Likewise, simple sound-alikes (or at least similars LOL) or related names such as Megan, Magdalene, Madeleine, Norah, Jane, Juliana, Lorna, Lola, Laura or Lauren might also appeal.

Not knowing if all the names you'd previously discussed with your husband were of a similar style, the above example is pretty much a "one size fits all" solution. Try taking the names you liked and see if there are similar names that might be more your husband's style. ;)

Hopefully that gives you some ideas. ;) Good luck!

Edited to add: I'm not certain where you live, but if you're in the states you don't even have to officially register the name before you leave the hospital! You can wait days or even weeks before making the final decision. Again, it depends where you actually are, but it's likely you needn't worry about the bogus form your OB/GYN had you sign. Why stress over something that's likely unfounded anyway? :)

I still wouldn't leave the decision for the moments after birth, however. It's one thing to have a short list of two or three names you know you love, and wait to see which one seems the best fit, but quite another to adopt an attitude of "I'll know when I see him/her" and not bother actually thinking about it ahead of time. I've known plenty of mothers who did exactly that -- figuring it'd be impossible to name a child they'd never met -- and ended up with something they truly disliked. Either completely not their style or simply something their husband or even friends and family pressured them into when nothing else seemed to be coming to them. After all, the hours and even days after birth are generally not known for alertness and mental clarity. LOL You've just been through hours of labor and a harrowing delivery, complete with blood loss and lack of sleep. Not exactly the time to crack open the baby book and do some "light" reading, much less make a decision that will affect your child's life on a daily basis. ;)

So while I wouldn't worry myself over it -- after all, once you have a few names you really love you'll realize this can actually be fun! -- but I don't feel you're thinking about it "too soon" or anything like that either. Considering all the possible options and planning ahead is never a negative. It just means you're actually taking this privilege seriously, and that's commendable. ;)

Answer 2

The name I chose was one I had heard and liked a few years before I got pregnant. By the time I had my baby, it was extremely popular, but I loved it the best so I used it anyway. I thought of one other name I liked instead, pretty and normal but not too common, but I thought it was too similar to my bf's other child's name, so I used it for a middle name instead. I was very lucky with the fact that I got to use the name I wanted, there were no arguments about it with my bf, so no stress there.
So my answer is that I just heard it, chose the spelling I liked, and that was that! It also was a name that sounded good both for a little girl and also for when she got older.

Answer 3

I named all of my children and my wife did not have a clue until the moment they where registered.
I searched names for each of them and elected for those that where not overly common in the most part.
Of course I got some strange comments at first but can say that most folk consider them to me nice names.
Having rarely used names also helps when calling them in or identifying them from lists.
Start by working out the what type of names sound okay with your surname and work from their.
Give your child a middle name - it makes them feel important and allows them greater choice for using an alternative.
When you string a few names together you will instinctively get the feel of a good name, one that works well. When this is achieved make sure that the name feels fresh still after a few days and then a week etc... If it does it.s the one, and it makes no difference what the actual name is.

Answer 4

I found the right names for my kids because I just always loved these names and every time I heard it I would say, I will name my baby that someday. We did do some searching for my second pregnancy with baby 3 and 4. My husband and I just made a list of boys and girls names we both liked then narrowed it down until we came up with the names we liked. It was actually pretty easy for me and my husband.

Answer 5

My first son - My ex hubby and I both liked 1 name, so that was his first name, as far as the rest of it, wedecided to try to work in family that was important to us. So, my son has two middle names, he shares his fathers middle name and we gave him the second middle name of Layne...essentially that covered everyone of his great grandfathers ayne..from part of one and the L from another.
My second son- We didn't want something that didn't " go " with the first name you know like David and Artmis or something, so we went through the baby book and decided on names we liked. We went to the family and asked opinions of ones we liked. Picked one...and then...BOOM, one day we heard a different name and decided we liked it a lot better and it fit better with his brothers, so it got changed. His middle name came after the only person we didn't name our oldest after, my best friend and my dad.
My daughter - her father and I had a million girl names and NO boys names we liked. So, we went right down the middle. he picked one name I picked one name. her name is a little long but, it means something to the both of us.
Don't be so hard on yourself. When you see, or hear or think of the right name you will know. If your really stressing about not having one yet, look outside the regular sources for names. look at Artists, musicans, something that means something to you both.

Answer 6

It took us 8 months to fine a name
We Finally each made a list of ten names that we liked, and thought the other would like. Hayley was on both list
Elizabeth was my mom's middle name
Hayley Elizabeth
It turn out that the Parent Trap was his favorite film growing up, and he loved Hayley Mills. That is how we got the spelling.
If you make a list, the list of names need to be names you like that you think the other will like
For example, I love the name Catherine, my husband hated, that was not on the list of ten. You are thinking about names you like that you think the other would. There will be names you loved, but you know he hates it, so that will not be on the list

Answer 7

He wanted to name our son, Gary. I put my foot down on that one. I wanted Elsa or Sarah .He put his foot down.

With the first son I got an agreement because it was a swedish name and he liked it. I had wanted the name since I was n grade school.

The other two kids was a struggle.We kept going until we agreed.

I still wish my youngest son had a different name, but I also liked my husbands choice of name at that point.

I believe a couple has to agree or else there would be discontent for years.

Answer 8

You'll figure it out. We didn't decide for sure on our child's name until after she was born. It's so hard! The name that we ended up with was the name of a student's sibling from my class. I heard it and thought it was cute. Then I told my hubby and he liked it too. It's not real unusual or anything we just hadn't thought of it before that. And the name that we thought we were going with for months, my hubby got tired of it! Anyway it all worked out and it will for you too. I recommend a nice, traditional, normal spelled name. Those are the best.

Answer 9

Don't stress out over your babies name...it will come to you when you see his/her little face..there are so many names out there, your husband is bound to like a couple of them..Make a list and read some to him every day and eliminate the ones he doesn't like and the ones you don't like....you might change your mind a hundred times anyway..some people pick a name and it sticks until the end..others (like me) can't make a BIG decision like that..it's got to be perfect for you right...my husband hated every name I picked too..so I told him "I got pregnant, I carried her, I went through the pain...so I am naming her" ..he named the next one, a boy ,after his dad!

Answer 10

We did a website for friends and family asking for names. (We did not use any but there were some possiblities in there) We just threw names back and forth to each other. I shot some down she shot some down we came up with something at the 7th month