Naming a person is one of those decisions that feels enormous in the moment and almost ordinary in retrospect. A simple framework helps you move without spiraling.
1. Start with constraints, not options
Before browsing names, write down what you don't want: initials that clash with the surname, names too close to a sibling's, anything overused in your friend group. Constraints make the open field manageable.
2. Each person makes a long list, alone
Aim for 20-30 names each. No filtering, no judgment. Use our randomizer or library to spark ideas. Doing this separately first prevents one person's strong opinion from anchoring the other.
3. Trade lists and veto silently
Read each other's list. Each person crosses out anything that's a firm no, without explaining. Whatever survives goes on a shared shortlist.
4. Live with the shortlist for two weeks
Say each name out loud. Imagine calling it across a playground. Write it with your surname. Names you can't stop coming back to belong on the final list; names that fade quietly don't.
5. Stress-test the top three
Initials, nicknames, what it rhymes with, how it sounds at age 5 and age 45. If it survives, it's a real candidate.
6. Don't decide before you have to
Many parents land on the name only after meeting the baby. Picking ahead is fine; leaving room is also fine. Both work.