A few months ago, I wrote a post titled, The Name Game, about some of the complexities and solutions of naming your baby.  As of late, I am reminded of just how many complexities there are!  Weeks away from my baby being born, I still whole heartedly agree with my earlier advice from that post.  The only problem is that I forgot to address one major issue in the dilemma.  What do you do when you can’t even think of a name? 

Truthfully, I can think of a name I would consider using… but not one more.  My husband hates my choice of name, and can only offer silly suggestions in return… so here we are…with a list that is blank.   I have found myself in desperation turning to cyberspace for answers…name suggestions…anything to help me out through this process!  Heavens, I audibly gasped when I humored myself by playing on BabyNameGenie.com, and the animated genie randomly suggested my one name choice as “the one” meant for my child.  Surely that was a sign…or, maybe not.  After this experience, I had to really come to grips with letting my desired name go, because when a genie couldn’t even convince my husband of it, I knew I didn’t stand a chance!

I’ve visited name generating sites  for suggestions, turned to lists of the latest celebrity naming trends, looked to 2011’s most popular lists, and read up on finding true baby name happiness…and  still… I am left searching. 

I suppose when it comes down to it, baby can’t go on forever without a name…and I need to be at peace with not having this figured out today.  Maybe I just need to turn my faith on a good old fashioned parenting game of Rock-Paper-Scissors to settle this dispute with my spouse…and just maybe I’ll get my name after all!  In all truthfulness, I do believe there is something to be said for meeting your child before choosing their name…and when the pressure is truly on…I’m sure it’ll all be settled. 

In the meantime, I’ll keep looking for my inspiration in the form of a Google search!

Are you also looking for a perfect name?  Here are some of my recent site-searches for some help on the matter (even if they don’t give you the perfect name… they’ll surely entertain you!)

Name of the Year

This website is naming entertainment at its finest!  The mission of Name of the Year is to discover, verify, nominate, and elect some of the most unique names you’ll ever find.  With chart toppers (all real names) such as Honka Monka, and Nojah Nimpson—you’ll quickly see what I mean by entertainment.  You’ll be shocked to hear some of these real names…there seems to be far more possibilities than I was even aware of!

Nymbler Name Generator

Nymbler allows you to choose several names based on your liking, and then it offers endless suggestions influenced by your taste. 

Baby Name Generator Genie            

Truly entertaining (and my only name ally at this point), this Genie pumps out name combinations to go with your last name.

Baby Center’s Top 100 Names of 2011

Browse 2011’s top picks for baby names, and learn about their popularity over time.

Article: 5 Routes to Baby Name Happiness

This Nameberry article confronts common struggles that come with naming baby and offers some viable solutions.

The Nameberry website also offers several guides and lists when it comes to choosing the perfect name for baby!

You can also read our earlier Name Game Post here.

Top Baby Names of 2010 (US Census)

 BOYS                        GIRLS

1. Jacob......................Isabella

2. Ethan.................... Sophia

3. Michael............... .Emma

4. Jayden                   Olivia

5. William............... .Ava

6. Alexander........... .Emily

7. Noah................... Abigail

8. Daniel................. .Madison

9. Aiden.................. Chloe

10. Anthony.............Mia

Choosing a baby’s name can be a painstaking process.  It is a common battle between parents that can last an entire pregnancy before finally being resolved. Do you go with classic or original? A trendy name or one inspired by family? Are you turned on to names by the fact that they make the most popular list, or turned completely off by their popularity? Over-analyzing our choices in names is a common occurrence among expecting parents.  It is, after all, one of the first big decisions that we make as parents for our kids.  Unfortunately, a lot of the time, our choice is driven by our awareness of people’s acceptance of the name, and our fear of getting an awkward reaction.  It’s a sad truth, but coming to the realization that not everyone will like the name you pick, will help lesson the pressure for you, and make finding a name so much more pleasant of an experience!

 Here are some other bits of advice we offer you when navigating through the Name Game. Firstly, if you really love a name… we say run with it!  Forget what other people say, and be prepared for the fact that no matter what name you choose…there will be opposition. Next, don’t let the magic feeling be lost just because you hear of other people who have chosen the same name.  You’ve got to be ok with other people wanting the same name as much as being able to accept when people don’t want it.  Most importantly, know that no matter the name you give to your little one…they will arrive and define the name in the most adorable way… which is ultimately reason enough for everyone to fall in love with the name too! If you are having a hard time even finding a name to love, try not to sweat it!  There’s nothing wrong with taking your time, meeting your little one, and then deciding on the perfect choice.  In the meantime, you can head over here for some ideas… best of luck!