Brainstorming baby names with your significant other can be one of the most exciting aspects of being pregnant.
It’s a huge privilege to get to choose the name of your child. But, it can also feel like a lot of pressure. After all, your child will be carrying this name with them for the rest of their lives.
So, how do you make sure you choose a name that you won’t end up regretting? We’ve got you covered with these six tips that will help prevent baby name remorse.
1. Do Your Research
A name is much more than just a collection of sounds. Names have context socially, historically, and culturally.
For example, let’s say you love the name Mila. Do some research and you will quickly find out it’s the name of a very famous actress! Many people, in fact, end up going with famous celebrity names, and oftentimes without realizing it. You can learn about this trend in this blog post here.
Maybe you love the idea of your child being associated with a famous person, or maybe you hate it. It’s all personal preference. The point is, you don’t want to choose a name only to find out later that it’s always associated with something else.
2. Don’t Tell Everyone Your Preferred Baby Name
While the prospect of revealing a name may seem exciting, just remember that everyone is going to have an opinion on the name you choose.
At the end of the day, it’s the opinion of you and your partner that matters the most. Therefore, if you’ve made a definite decision about a name, it may be a good idea to not tell anyone until the baby is born.
3. Test it Out
If you’ve got a name you love, but are still a little hesitant about, don’t be afraid to test it out.
In order to do this, take a day off from your own name and use your baby’s name instead. For example, when you go to the coffee shop, give the barista the baby name instead of your own.
Do this in several situations and see what the reaction is. If you are met with utter confusion on the spelling or with mispronunciation, you’ll want to keep that in mind. Maybe you’re willing to sacrifice the uniqueness of a name for convenience sake, or maybe you’re not.
4. Don’t Wait Til the Last Minute
Oftentimes, parents have this idealistic view that the right baby name will just come to them moment’s after the child is born.
And while this does happen sometimes, it’s rare and you shouldn’t bank on it. Plus, falling in love with a name in advance is a part of the fun and allows some time for the name to grow on you if you were at first hesitant.
5. Focus on the Positive
If you have several names you love, it can be easy to nitpick and talk yourself out them just to narrow down the list.
Don’t do this. Instead, focus on what you love about each name. This will help turn your worries and doubts about each name into excitement and confidence.
6. Go With Your Gut
At the end of the day, the best way to prevent baby name remorse is to go with your gut.
Shut out the noises and opinions of others and focus on your own opinions and what you love. Don’t worry about the name you choose being a little too creative, or a little too popular, or a little too this or that. If you love it, that’s all that matters!
