Picking out baby names can be a fun but stressful time. You and your spouse will probably have differing opinions on what makes a good name.
Create a Google Doc
If you want to pick a baby name with your spouse, a Google Doc or some other cloud based word document system is a great way to keep track of the names you and your spouse are considering.
It is much better to have a specific document that you can always reference, especially because it is great for multiple pregnancies and future pregnancies.
Just texting or emailing your spouse some names can get really messy because you can miss an email or forget about an email when it is time to pick out a name.
Be sure to share the file with your spouse. With Google Docs you both can see what each other adds and removes from the list and you can even edit the document at the same time. This will make it so much easier to pick out a baby name with your spouse because there won’t be multiple documents to lose track of and you will be able to see that you are both contributing.
Create a Section for Each of You
Given that you are trying to pick a baby name with your spouse, the easiest way to do this is to create a section on the document for each of you. You can create a separate page for each of you or just make you type each of your names and insert bullet points with the following sections below it. Below each of the bullet pointed sections below is where you will add the baby names.
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Do You Know The Gender?
If you already know what gender the baby will be, you won’t need to make a specific section for each gender.
You can also make a list that is gender neutral if you want to wait until you have the baby to find out the gender. That way, regardless of the name that you pick, it will work with your child.
If you don’t know the gender of the baby yet, you should make a boy and girl section within each of your sections on the document.
Create 3 Sorting Sections
If you know what the gender of the baby is or if you are just going to pick gender neutral names, you will only need to make one sorting section. If you need to make a list of names for each gender, you will need two sorting section for each of you.
These sections will make it easier for you both to see how each other feels about various baby names. This will make it easier to pick a baby name with your spouse because your expectations for names will shift depending on what the other person adds to their list.
Section 1: Names You Love
This section is very important and helpful while you pick a baby name with your spouse.
You should make clear sections for each of you that show the names that you like the most. That way there will be no confusion about the names that you are the most interested in using.
Section 2: Names You Are Ok With
Your goal shouldn’t be to fill up this section with names from whatever sites you are looking at. You should be taking names from your spouse’s list and sorting them into your lists based on how you feel about them.
This will help add to what will probably be a short list of names that you both love. You will probably have a short list of names you are both ok with as well.
Both of these list will make a better selection of names to pick a baby name with your spouse from.
Section 3: Names You Hate
This section is the most important when you pick a baby name with your spouse. The names that are in this section, are names that each of you don’t want to name your child.
You can put names from the sites you are using for your research in this section; however, you should primarily use this section to hold the names that your spouse loves but you hate.
Whatever the reason that you or your spouse put names on this list, try to take that into consideration while final name choices are made.
Do Your Research
There are plenty of sites that will list all of the baby names from various categories. You can use any of these sites and any names you come across in everyday life as inspiration for your baby’s name.
Rank the Names
You can also create just a short numbered list of your absolute favorite names, then have a second list for names that you still love, but don’t love as much as those that are in the numbered list.
This will really help you establish what names you both are really drawn to so you can take that into consideration when deciding on a final name.
Consider Adding a First Name Only and Middle Name Only Section
There are some names that don’t sound as good as a middle name or first name. It’s good to make a dedicated section for names that you are only okay with as a first name or middle name.
This will also help you pick a baby name with your spouse because it will clear up any confusion either of you might have about the names you both have selected.
Create Name Combinations from Your List
Create a full name for your child, including your child’s last name. Repeat this with any other name combinations that you like. Don’t forget to say all of these name combinations out loud so you can be sure that they sound good and flow well. You don’t want to be stuck with a name that only looks good on paper.
The name combinations you pick here might make it through to the final list, so don’t skip this step, it might make it easier for you to pick a baby name with your spouse.
Go Through Each Other’s Lists
You will want to look at the names your spouse has in their section of the Google Doc and add the names you like from their list to your section. Make sure you take all the names they have in their section and put them in your love, ok, and hate sections wherever you want them to go.
This will help make the next steps easier for you to pick a baby name with your spouse.
Create a Common Section
Even as you both research names, if there are names that you both like, you can go ahead and add them to a section on their own so that you’ll know that you both like them.
If you end up with love, ok, and hate categories in this section, that is fine. You can just proceed with your love section for the next step. This will help eliminate a lot of name possibilities and make it easier for you to pick a baby name with your spouse.
If you run out of time or reach a point where you are comfortable with the names that you already have in this common section, you can just decide on a name from this section.
Create Name Combinations from Your Common Section
Using the love category from your common section, start making name combinations that include your full name and those that only use your first and last name. You will want to make sure that when you pick a baby name with your spouse, that you both like the full and shortened versions of the baby’s name.
You should each consider making a numbered list for your favorite name combinations. Compare the name combinations and eliminate any that you hate.
Try speaking the name combinations aloud, with and without the middle name, so you can be sure that they sound good in addition to looking good on paper. You should also consider how the name will sound in various scenarios.
For example:
- If your child starts messing with something they shouldn’t be.
- When you need your child to come to you.
- While teaching your child to spell their name.
- What nicknames you might be able to make with your child’s name.
Pick Out a Name
By now, you and your spouse should have a small list of name combinations and should be able to pick a baby name with your spouse. If you don’t already have just one name picked out and can’t decide on just one name, write the names on a sheet of paper and draw one from a pile. You will either both live with the name, or you will be upset that the name of your choice wasn’t drawn.
If you both don’t like the name that was drawn, then ultimately the mom is the one delivering the child, she should have the last say on what the name should be.
Once you pick out one name, you should put the name at the top of the document as your child’s name. You should also text the name to each other so that neither of you forgets what you have already agreed on. This will also prevent either of you from going back on your agreed name for the baby.
Pro Tip: Keep the List for Your Next Pregnancy
By keeping the list for the next pregnancy, you can save all of the other names that you were interested in but didn’t use this time. This will save you time and hassle next time you need to pick a baby name with your spouse.
The common section you have already made will be very important to keep more than your individual sections as long as there are plenty of names in the common section.
Pro Tip: Create a Deadline
You don’t want to stress about the fact that you haven’t chosen a name yet. So create a deadline and hold yourselves to it by creating due dates in Google Calendar. You can make a due date for each of you to pick names individually, compare common names, create name combinations, and pick a baby name.
Pick a date well before your due date to have the name picked out by. Some of you may even want to have the name announced to close friends and family before your baby shower in case people want to get your personalized gifts.
Summary
The easiest way to pick a baby name with your spouse is to create a shared document with a few important sections that will help both of you clearly understand what both of you like in a name. You can then compare the names you both like and work together to decide on a name.
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