Choosing the right baby name is an awesome responsibility.
You want something unique, but not too unique.
Something trendy, but not overused.
The choices are overwhelming!
Here are the best resources for baby name trends, including the best baby name blogs and books I know…
So you’ve found a baby name that’s perfect and unique.
Is it… really?
Chances are, many of the mothers in your generation have similar cultural influences.
We grew up watching Little House on the Prairie…
…now there’s a resurgence of old-fashioned, feminine names like Clara and Annabelle.
How Do You Watch Baby Trends?
Celebrity baby names often kick-start new trends. Study the Celebrity Baby Name Blog to see if little Ava and Harlow will have more movie star classmates.
My favorite trend-watching site (and book!) is The Baby Name Wizard Blog. I love Laura Wattenberg’s smart analysis, from rising star names (Mylie, anyone?) to falling Hispanic names. Read the hundreds of comments to see what trend-savvy parents are naming their kids in the future.
If you want to check out the statistics on your baby’s potential names, don’t miss the Social Security Baby Name Database!
popular names by every birth year
where your baby’s name ranks across the years, on a graph!
top 5 names by state
top 1000 names by decade
Another cool baby name tool is the website How Many Of Me. Just pop your baby’s first name — and last name — into the search box and it will tell you how many people in the US share that name combination. Keep in mind that search results are current, not future, indicators.
(It’s almost addicting! Both my name and my husband’s name are the only ones of our kind.)
Should You Buy Your Baby’s Name Online?
According to MSNBC, parents are even checking dot.com availability before choosing a baby name. Do you really want an Emma Rose if emmarose.com is already taken? More and more people are trying to secure website domains for their own names, so why not secure one for the name of your child as well?
Parents-to-be can search for domain name availability using GoDaddy.com.
Need More Help Choosing Your Baby’s Name?
Check out Quick Baby Names. There are over 20,000 searchable baby names and their meanings, with popularity charts based on US statistics, and a nifty little name "filter" that makes choosing a baby name a whole lot easier. You can also listen to the pronunciation of each name!
I’m a wife, mom of 4, and resident of Brentwood, Tennessee. I love finding fun new things for my family to see and do in Brentwood and the Nashville area! In addition to writing about Brentwood, I also spent a year blogging at The Fun Times Guide about my pregnancy with baby #3.
