If you’re expecting a baby, the first question most people probably ask when you tell them is “have you chosen a name yet?” As if you didn’t already have enough on your mind! Choosing names for your baby can be difficult, especially if you don’t know whether you’re having a girl or a boy (we didn’t find out ahead of time). If you’re struggling to find a name for your baby, I can help! Her are 7 ways to find baby names…
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Family Tree
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Photo Credit: Kevin N. Murphy
My youngest daughter is named for her paternal great-grandmother, an honor I wish she’d have lived to enjoy. If you’re looking for a baby name, check your family tree! Chances are there’s a name in your ancestry that’s amazing, perfect, with meaning and dignity and history…
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Movie and TV Characters, or Celebs
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Photo Credit: mbeirouty
So many of my friends have chosen a baby name after a character in a TV show or movie, or from an actor, actress, or singer they like. Long before this season of American Idol, I loved the name Siobahn for a girl… and Liam is a great name for a boy, especially if you’re a fan of Liam Neeson…
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Places That Have Meaning
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Photo Credit: -Victoria-
Dakota, Keyes, Brooklyn — these are all names that could have been inspired by a geographical place that has special meaning or significance… or maybe mom and dad just liked the way they sounded!
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Internet Baby-name Sites!
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Photo Credit: DaybyDayPregnancyCalend ar
There are literally hundreds of websites dedicated to baby names and their meanings… if you’re truly stuck and struggling to find a baby name, you can always use one of these… try, for example, babynames.com.
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Books
Another great place to find baby names is in books, either books written just for choosing names, or from your own favorite novels or non-fiction. I have a friend who adores Jane Austen, and has named her daughter Lizzie after Elizabeth Bennett from “Pride and Prejudice.”
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Meaning is not what you start with but what you end up with.
Ask Friends and Family for Suggestions
Ask any one of your friends or family members for suggestions for names, and they’ll likely have six or seven to share with you! Be prepared to hear the stories behind each suggestion, and also for unusual or odd names, too…
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Other Languages!
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Photo Credit: -Victoria-
I have a friend named Shanti, and I never even thought about where she got her name, until one day she mentioned it means “peace” in Hindu. Now I love her unique name even more! Look for baby names by translating words you love, in other languages!
Armed with these reliable baby name sources, your only job now is to narrow the field to only two or three… and to explain your choice to everyone you know once the baby is born! Do you have another source or tip for choosing a baby name? Please share!
Top Photo Credit: JustAnotherBeing
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