How/When did you decide on a name

[bk1]

My H and I have never really talked about baby names. The only thing we have discussed is he wants one of two family names for a potential middle name for a boy. Other then that no ideas. I have been browsing names a bit but I don't plan on talking to H about it much until I have some idea of what I like.

So, how did you come up with your name? Had you discussed it before you got pregnant? Did you wait until further along to think about it? Do you have any criteria for a name?

I still have LOTS of time to think about it, but I just realized I don't even have a starting place.

[degal99]

We had strong family names for boys that we both liked so that was easy. But, she turned out to be a she, and we only had a middle name picked out in that case. So, we started by limiting our options and decided that we wanted her to be the 4th generation girl with a specific starting letter. So that took out 25 other possible name combinations. Overall, it took probably a good 7 months before we came to a name we both liked. But, really, it was just lots and lots of reading on our parts.

[IndiaInk]

We had discussed it a bit since we've been married and I've had a little text document on the computer that i have sort of kept updated with names I like or DH says he likes. But since we've become pregnant, he's been MUCH more interested in talking about it.

We have a couple family names from his side that we like. One happens to be his grandfathers' given name (he went by another name instead), and it was also DH's great-grandfather's and great-great-grandfather's name. DH wasn't particularly close to his grandfather, but it is a very nice, classic name that you don't hear often. We'll probably pair it with my dad's first name for a middle name.

For a girl, we didn't have a clear consensus but then we were talking to DH's grandma over Thanksgiving and she was telling us wonderful stories about her grandmother. She was a farmer (like us) and loved to cook and was very generous like DH. Her name was a lovely one and we decided it would be good for a daughter. I have a favorite name with a great meaning that I will use as a middle name.

I read somewhere that people tend to name kids after their great-grandparents generation, because they consider those names classic and they rarely hear them in daily use. Whereas, we hear our grandparents names often and think they're dated (Barbara, Louise, Ethel, etc) and our parents names are "dated" too. Funny, since we have pretty much decided on using our great-grandparents names!

[carawestt]

With our first, we had his name decided right away. With this baby, we didn't agree on a name until a few weeks ago. Basically, I suggested a bunch and he turned them all down. Finally one day, he liked one and that was it.

[winemaker06]

As soon as I found out I was pregnant we started talking about it a lot.  We both had a preference for a girl, and the girl name list was pretty long with a couple of boy names on a list too. But it seemed that DH vetoed everything I liked and vice versa.

Then, of course, we found out we're having a boy. So that got rid of half the list!

The REALLY helpful part was finally getting DH to put together his OWN list of names he liked. Before that he was just weighing in on my lists. Then I combined our two lists and we did have a few that were similar. By around 25 weeks we were down to 2 names we both liked, though we each preferred one. And now I have just given in to his favorite because I like it well enough.

Middle name was easy because we're just using DH's middle, which is his father's first name, and it's classic so no arguments there.

[andthentherewere10]

We discussed names long before we ever TTC. When I was finally pregnant, I backed out of the names we had "chosen," specifically the girl name. This made my husband SOO mad.

What made me mad was that he refused to discuss names until we knew the sex because he didn't want to get all fiery for no reason (ie I wasn't pregnant with a girl and we battled over girl names).

Adding fuel to the fire was that his book is being published in January so we had to tell his publisher the day we found out the sex what the name was since my H wanted to dedicate the book to the baby.

We haven't talked names again since the day of the u/s. It is totally off the table and very nice to refer to the baby by his name.

We started serious discussions the night before the u/s and decided on the way home from the u/s. We basically each had a top 3 list for each sex and came upon the most mutually agreeable name. Each of our top picks left the other feeling really down so it was best to compromise so that we were both pleased, though not elated, with the name.

[osulori]

We had talked about names long before we even got engaged (we were drunk and inspired by watching the Simpsons at 3am, what can I say?) Our girl name had been set since then, and I ended up vetoing our boy name because once I sobered up I remembered that I have an uncle and two cousins with the same first name. We couldn't agree on a boy name after that...and of course, the a/a showed quite clearly that AJ was a boy. I agreed to use the original first name as a middle name so we started tossing around first names and eventually settled on what is AJ's first name plus another A name...and after more back and forth decided on the name we used. I think I was 30 weeks once we said for sure "okay this is likely it...but will hold on to the other one in case he's born and really doesn't look like an ___"

[chickadee77]

We started talking names with our first pregnancy, and are pretty settled on our name. However, we both have said we reserve the right to change it once we meet her, since both of our parents changed both of our names at the last minute, because we just didn't fit with the names they had chosen, lol.

Funnily enough, though I love the name we've chosen, I'm already just not "feeling it" for this little one, so we'll see. However, I still have days (weeks) where I have a hard time believing there's actually a baby in there, so maybe once reality sets in, it'll all be okay

[IndiaInk]

This article is being discussed elsewhere on GBCN and my sister just sent it to me. It's really fascinating to see naming trends over time. It also illustrates what I mentioned earlier about our great-grandparents' names coming back into vogue.

waitbutwhy.com/2013/12/how-to-name-baby.html

[Velar Fricative]

We tossed around names during the pregnancy but didn't want to pick THE name until after the baby arrived; we just wanted to meet the baby first before really deciding for sure. We didn't know she was a girl until she was born but we still had more than one name on each sex's list. We were much more undecided on what girl names to add to the list so of course she was a girl. She was born at 3:39 am and we decided to sleep on it and come up with a name later. We named her about 7-8 hours later. She doesn't have a middle name and it was still hard enough deciding on her first name!

[bk1]

Jan 5, 2014 13:48:37 GMT -5 IndiaInk said:

This article is being discussed elsewhere on GBCN and my sister just sent it to me. It's really fascinating to see naming trends over time. It also illustrates what I mentioned earlier about our great-grandparents' names coming back into vogue.

waitbutwhy.com/2013/12/how-to-name-baby.html

This is what got me thinking about it. I read this article earlier and found it really interesting.

[VillainV]

Before getting pregnant we decided that we would not use H's first name for any male children (he has the same first name as his dad, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and wants to break the chain).

After getting pregnant we discussed names in the abstract (what we like, what we don't -- we both like traditional names).

After finding out it's a boy, we started a list of specific names we like. At some point, we'll narrow down these names and come up with maybe 2-3 First Middle combos that we like. We may pick a name before the baby is born, and we may wait until we see him to pick something.

It's killing my MIL that we don't have a name yet. I think this is part of why I want to wait to pick one :-)

[catsarecute]

Before we got pregnant, we never agreed on names. We have always had middle names for both a boy and girl picked out but never first names.

We started making lists of names we liked. If one person vetoed it, it was out. The list was only 5-6 names long. When we found out we were having a girl, I figured we were screwed because we couldn't agree on a name.

We now have two potential girl names that we know we will decide between. Juliet or Julia. For a while it was Juliet and they my husband warmed up to Julia. I'm in no real rush to decide knowing that we have 2 choices.

I think the key for us is that we didn't and still don't talk about it much. We allowed each other to come up with our own choices and then discuss. I don't plan in finalizing her name until she is born!

[rbp]

We picked out a girl name years before TTC. It was my grandmother's name.

We haven't really talked about a boy name, except that I prefer to avoid his dad's name. Nothing against his dad as a person; I just don't care for the name. 

I think we'll start discussing names in earnest when we find out the sex. 

[Stingyshark]

We had no naming strategy. We've talked about names for quite a few years, despite not knowing if we really wanted kids. We already knew for sure what we would name a boy, but had a harder time deciding on a girl name.

On our girl list was:

Cheyenne {no middle name}
Georiga Grace
Gracie Lynn
Brooklynn Ann
Brooklynn Grace

I don't know where Paisley Rae came from - I just thought of it one day and told H I really liked the name. He also liked it and that was that.

[shelbyann]

We didn't even really talk about it until after our anatomy scan and we knew the sex. At 33w we still haven't decided, but do have a list of half a dozen or so contenders. We'll make a final decision once we meet her.

[eav2c]

We discussed names before we got KU. All of which were basically thrown out as soon as we got KU. With both boys we would just randomly mention names and finally something would click and that would just be it. With my first he was named by 13w. My second wasn't named until a week or so ago. There were names we both liked, take for example Ethan, but it didn't feel like THE name so we would Google "names similar to Ethan" which is ultimately how we found the name we chose for this second baby.

[browneyedgirl9]

We just decided on a name the other week, and I'm 38 weeks along. We had started talking about names early on, but didn't rush to choose a name.

[sent]

I tried to get my husband to talk about names after we found out I was pregnant, but he refused. I had some girl name ideas but was stumped on boy names. Once we found out it was a girl, we would talk about girl names but he really wasn't enthused about the topic and said I could just pick. We started by asking his cousin and my MIL/FIL for names. FIL emailed us a bunch of traditional names and we axed most of those. MIL emailed back 2 names and my husband liked one of them and clung to the name. I absolutely didn't want that name for several reasons, one of which is that MIL picked it and another is that it is currently a very popular name. We fought over this name for a solid 2 months until one day I randomly suggested a name and he instantly agreed.  Name choice done! I still didn't want to make it final until I met her so we had some backups ready, but really those were weak contenders.  We had also asked my parents and my aunt for name suggestions around month 6, but since the baby came 7 weeks early, they never had a chance to give us any ideas.  Maybe for the next baby.

[pitterwoo]

Jan 5, 2014 14:36:11 GMT -5 catsarecute said:

Before we got pregnant, we never agreed on names. We have always had middle names for both a boy and girl picked out but never first names.

We started making lists of names we liked. If one person vetoed it, it was out. The list was only 5-6 names long. When we found out we were having a girl, I figured we were screwed because we couldn't agree on a name.

We now have two potential girl names that we know we will decide between. Juliet or Julia. For a while it was Juliet and they my husband warmed up to Julia. I'm in no real rush to decide knowing that we have 2 choices.

I think the key for us is that we didn't and still don't talk about it much. We allowed each other to come up with our own choices and then discuss. I don't plan in finalizing her name until she is born!

This has been similar for us.  The two names we are down to are similar too - Juliana or Jolene.  

[speyedr]

We have had names picked out since week 4 or 5. I had a boys name I loved and DH liked enough to use it and our girls name was a name DH absolutely loves and I like enough to use. Both middle names are family names which made for less options and easier to narrow down. We also had a m/c a year ago and the boys name was one we had already settled on at that time so we only had to come up with a girls name this time around.

[bowies]

A boy name was pretty much decided for me since we'll be following his family's tradition. My gut tells me this is a boy so I haven't thought too much about girl names. H is happy for me to take the lead if it's a girl to make it "fair." We'll know if I need to start researching names in a few weeks!

[catsarecute]

Jan 5, 2014 16:54:47 GMT -5 pitterwoo said:

Jan 5, 2014 14:36:11 GMT -5 catsarecute said:

Before we got pregnant, we never agreed on names. We have always had middle names for both a boy and girl picked out but never first names.

We started making lists of names we liked. If one person vetoed it, it was out. The list was only 5-6 names long. When we found out we were having a girl, I figured we were screwed because we couldn't agree on a name.

We now have two potential girl names that we know we will decide between. Juliet or Julia. For a while it was Juliet and they my husband warmed up to Julia. I'm in no real rush to decide knowing that we have 2 choices.

I think the key for us is that we didn't and still don't talk about it much. We allowed each other to come up with our own choices and then discuss. I don't plan in finalizing her name until she is born!

This has been similar for us.  The two names we are down to are similar too - Juliana or Jolene.  

Team J!

[redpenmama]

We made lists, compared lists, vetoed names endlessly with DD. Her name was our compromise name -- the only one we both liked but neither of our favorites.

With DS, I suggested his name when we first found out, and H agreed. So, it was easy.

[narockshard]

I've had my first girl name picked out since I was like 12 and thankfully my husband likes it, so we'll go with that if it's a girl.

I also told my husband when we found out I was pregnant my top choice for a boy name and he likes it as well, and we actually had a middle name picked out but this thread got me thinking about names again and I realized I didn't love the middle name we had picked out so I just googled middle names that go with the first name and we both settled on one we really like. It's a name I've also loved since I was 12 but probably won't use as a first name ever, so it'll be pretty awesome to be able to use it as a middle name. Before googling I never thought about it going with the first name we've picked out!

[robinsbff]

we've talked about potential baby names basically since we were married. if we heard something we liked, or when friends/relatives had babies we analyzed their choices, etc. we have a boy's name in mind that i'm super happy with. we have a girl's name that i thought i loved but now i'm not as sold on it. we will discuss more as we get further along i am sure.

i will say i am the harder one with names. first, i'm a teacher so there are some names of former students that absolutely immediately vetoed. it's really hard when you work with hundreds of students a year (i'm a specialist that works school-wide) to find names without immediate connotations, both positive and negative. second, i want my kids to have names that have potential nicknames. my name has no nicknames, it's only three letters to start with, and that always bothered me. the kid might not want to use the nickname, which is totally fine, but i want them to have the possibility which i never had.

[SJ]

We are anticipating a lot of disagreement on names. Basically DH vetoes anything I mention.

So here is his proposed solution. We are each supposed to be SEPARATELY working on a list of 15 boy names and 15 girl names. Then we will combine them.

The following names move on to a second round:

1) Any matches that are on both lists
2) I get to pick 5 names from his list
3) He gets to pick 5 names from my list

We will see how this all plays out in reality.

[humpforfree]

I've always had a couple of girl names that i liked but we never really talked about names.

My husband knows the sex and I do not. In order to keep me from over-analyzing everything he said/all his faces, I made a google spreadsheet that we both listed boy and girl names in, plus potential middle names for each. We each had a veto column. The name was pretty much out if it was vetoed.

After we narrowed it down via vetoes, there were only like 3 or 4 names of reach left and we had an in person discussion to determine first and middle names. We have two boy and two girl (full) names picked out and will determine their name once we meet the baby. I will say though.... My two girl names that I've always like are our two girl names now

[kershnic]

We talked about names a few times before TTC and kind of agreed on a girl name (that I had loved for a long time) and a boy name. Then we had trouble TTC and stopped talking about it completely for several years until our early anatomy scan at 16w when they told us we were having 2 girls. Since then we talk about it every few weeks, but have yet to finalize anything. It seems like such a bigger responsibility now that we're talking about real babies!

[saltypearl]

I went through the name lists on TB and threw out anything that was a remote possibility. That was list 1. Then anything that had 100+ children named that in the previous year in our area got axed. That's list 2. I tried to narrow to top 3 for each sex but DH was having none of that. So we have List 2 to take to the hospital with us and an app that gives us the names registered in 2013 in our area. I'm guessing it will be less difficult this time as we'll know the sex prior to delivery (hopefully).