Home
>
Parenting
>
Five Easy Steps to Picking the Perfect Baby Name

Five Easy Steps to Picking the Perfect Baby Name

One of the few decisions you'll make during pregnancy that will, in fact, last throughout your child's lifetime is the choice of your baby's name. (Unlike, for example, your choice of stroller or whether to use Lamaze or hypnosis to ease labor pains.) To choose the best name for your baby, follow these simple tips:

1. Don't try to please other people.

Everyone from your in-laws to the supermarket checkout lady is going to have an opinion about what you name your child. But the only opinions that really matter are yours and your spouse's.

2. Keep it a secret!

If you tell everyone names you've chosen before the baby is born, they won't hesitate to criticize your choices. But if you keep it to yourself and announce the name and the birth at the same time, everyone will compliment you on a great name choice.

3. Consider how your child will feel about the name as he or she grows up.

Will it be difficult for the teachers to pronounce in school? Will she be teased because it sounds funny or rhymes with an unfortunate word? Does it sound like a very young or very old name? You want to choose something your child will be comfortable with at all phases of his life.

4. Check the initials to make sure they aren't problematic.

One of the moms I surveyed for "The Gallagher Guide to the Baby Years" told the story about her relative who named his baby, William Eugene Thompson. A nice name, but the initials (W.E.T) weren't ideal for monograms.

5. Decide in advance, or at least have a couple of names under consideration, by the beginning of the third trimester.

There's so much to do as your due date gets closer. You don't want to be under pressure to choose a name because you went into labor early and had to come up with something at the hospital. Check out BabyNames.com (www.babynames.com) for lots of neat ideas for baby names.

Stephanie Gallagher is Author of "The Gallagher Guide to the Baby Years: The Real Mom's Survey of Top-Rated Products and Advice." To subscribe to her ezine, "The Shopping Mom's Weekly Tip, send a blank email to theshoppingmom@aweber.com.

licensed cleaning services Mundelein ..

In The News:

Anonymous researcher has scraped public Spotify accounts of politicians and celebrities, highlighting major privacy risks in default platform settings.

AI chatbot toys marketed as screen-free playmates could undermine children's empathy and critical thinking skills, according to pediatric specialists.

TransUnion confirms a major data breach affecting 4.4 million U.S. consumers after hackers exploited third-party Salesforce apps to steal personal info.

Scammers use fake DocuSign emails claiming Apple Pay charges to steal personal information using fraudulent phone numbers and fake receipts.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Farmers Insurance confirms data breach affecting over 1.1 million customers nationwide, exposing customer info including addresses.

The iconic Mary Kay pink Cadillac goes electric with the Cadillac Optiq, available only to the company's top 1% of sales force performers.

Cybercriminals abuse trusted Intel driver to gain kernel access and shut down Windows Defender, enabling undetected malware deployment since July 2025.

Using email aliases for online shopping and subscriptions can protect your privacy by preventing companies from linking your activity across websites.

New research shows AI overlap does not equal job replacement, with knowledge-based roles seeing most integration while physical jobs remain least affected.

Scammers target seniors who avoid social media by exploiting public records like obituaries and real estate filings to steal personal information and money

Recovery team in Italy use AI-enabled drones to detect missing hiker's red helmet, leading to successful recovery after months of ground searches

Google Salesforce system breach exposes business data while scammers use incident to target users with fake security calls and phishing attempts.

Google announces Pixel 10 lineup with Tensor G5 chip and Gemini Nano AI, introducing Magic Cue, Pro Res Zoom up to 100x and satellite emergency support features.

C San Diego study reveals 86% of school safety companies monitor students 24/7 on personal devices, raising privacy concerns.

Users can now add their favorite outlets' coverage to the Top Stories section of Google search results by utilizing the 'preferred sources' feature. With just a few clicks, you can add Fox News.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS shows an unexpected frontal glow that Harvard's Avi Loeb says cannot be explained by sunlight reflection or standard cometary outgassing.

Receiving order confirmations for purchases you never made could mean your email address is being exploited in fraud operations targeting multiple retailers.

First wireless brain implant works with Apple's official protocol, enabling hands-free control of iPhones, iPads and Vision Pro through thought alone.

Data brokers sell personal details that scammers use to target retirement funds through fake financial advisor calls and convincing phishing attempts

Ten innovative tech solutions from gait sensors to smart pill dispensers help adults 65+ track fall risks and prevent injuries before they happen.

Meta AI internal documents revealed chatbots were allowed to flirt with children and engage in romantic conversations until the company was exposed by Reuters.

ChatGPT will avoid giving direct mental health advice under new OpenAI rules following instances where the AI model provided harmful or misleading responses.

Your phone tracks you in more ways than that little GPS icon suggests. Here’s how to find and clear hidden location logs on iPhone and Android.

Five Easy Steps to Picking the Perfect Baby Name

Parenting