Where did you begin in thinking about names?

[MrsSET]

We're going on holiday for 10 days and want to use the time effectively to come up with a decent shortlist of names for a boy or girl and it is also our first.

We have a few names we've always talked about liking but really want to extensively go through names and see if we can find a shortlist of names we like.

But buying a book of 25,000 and starting at 'A' seems a daunting task!
What are your tips? Where did you begin? How did you go about deciding?

I've heard things like you both coming up with lists of 20. Then knocking 10 off from each others and then going from there. Any others ways that have worked for you?

Any good books or websites you recommend?

My only other challenge is that often when I hear a name I prefer it and can read over names and miss them/not take them in. Any tips on how to get round this?

Thanks so much and looking forward to hearing your tips, stories and advice :)

[greenzebra]

Hi

I find this website nameberry.com/ really helpful. It has lists of names on it rather than just alphabetical lists. Also if you put a name in the search it comes up with suggestions of other names.

My DH and I discussed names all through our pg,, changed our minds several times but eventually came to a discision at 34 weeks.

[deemented]

I'm just over 14 weeks and we've decided on a first name if it's a girl already. Still debating about a middle name, and have no clue about a boys name.

[MmeLindor.]

We put a list on the wall of my parents house, tied a pen to it, and asked everyone who came into the house to write down a suggestion. It gave us a starting point (and a laugh).

Don't feel you have to trawl through dozens of books in case there is a "perfect" name that you miss. Think about names that you like, and go from there. (says she who had 3 baby naming books)

[BikeRunSki]

My dad always told us why we had the names we do (I am 1 of 4, 2b, 2g, 10 non-surnames between us). They all have personal reasons, family connections and so on. For example I am

1 - First name is the heroine of his favourite book, he collected different editions all his life, and waited through 2 DSs to have a girl to name me after her.
2- My granny's name.
3 - Place abroad where dad lived for many years and has great affection for.

My DBs and DSis have similar reasons.

When it came to naming my own children, I couldn't just do "because we like it". DS is:

1 - Longstanding family name FIL discovered when he was researching his family tree when I was pg, DS is the 8th generation, after a 3 gen break.
2 - My uncle who was dying when I was pg, yet he phoned/texted me every day when I was grim with hyperemisis.
3- FIL who is lovley, and has always welcomed me into his family.

DD - due in 8 weeks - has similar reasons for her name.

I admit, I am a little obsessive about my naming rules and regimes, but maybe these are some of the things you could consider. Where are you going on holiday? Any nice place names there you could use? DD's middle name will be the village where DH and I first lived together (fortunatley also a well known girl's name!). Any family members you would like to tribute?

[exoticfruits]

We discussed early but not with anyone else. We just announced the name.

[alexpolismum]

I'm perhaps a bit weird. I opened my Encyclopaedia of Mythology and Ancient History (mainly Greek and Roman) and flicked through. Some names just jumped out at me. (My ds2 is called Philip, as in the father of Alexander the Great, so it's not all Julius, Spartacus, Bacchus, etc.)