When I first learned that I was pregnant, I immediately started preparing – I researched all there was to know about babies and pregnancies, I called all of my friends that have already become mothers and bought myself at least a dozen books on the subject. I knew everything there was to know about the delivery process, about breastfeeding, about the importance of reading or playing music to your baby and I believed I was fully prepared.
The Importance Of Picking The Right Name
It wasn’t until a distant relative asked me about the baby, when I realized we haven’t decided on a baby name. For a few seconds, I went through a million baby names, only to find out I had no idea which one I liked best. We didn’t want to know the gender of the baby and I was still early on, so I started researching both baby boy and baby girl names. My first place for reference, was, of course the Internet. Little did I know that it was full of thousands of resources, not only with lists of baby names, but also suggestions and tips on how to choose the best one!
During the first day, I was excited. There were so many beautiful names, all of which held some special meaning or sounded great. At the end of the day, however, I was overwhelmed. I had started making a list of all the names I liked and even sorted them into categories – those I loved, those I liked and those I didn’t like so much. There were at least 20 pages, already filled up with names I was still finding out more and more names I liked!
I decided it was time for a different approach. My mom had told me that, when I found the right name, I’ll just feel it – no need for lists, or graphs, or even making sure I’ve gone through every single baby boy or baby girl name. Around the same time, my husband and I finally gave in to the temptation and found out we were expecting a baby girl. I was over the moon (especially since this meant I’ll only have to go through half the names I’ve chosen!)
I Went Through All – The Cute, The Unique, The Popular Baby Names
So, I changed my search criteria and looked into websites that listed popular baby girl names or unique baby girl names. I searched for every alternative of cute baby girl names you can think of and every time I thought I’d found the perfect name, I’d stumble upon another that sounded just as good. I was certain I didn’t want my little girl to have a name everyone else did – you know, I didn’t want her to be in the same class as 3 or 4 other Mary’s or Lilly’s. I also didn’t want to name her after a relative or a friend, or even someone my husband and I knew – it would just be too weird. I wanted her to be unique, to have a different name that perfectly described her, but at the same time, I didn’t want her to get bullied in school because of her name. So, it had to be something interesting, but not too extravagant. Something that sounded beautiful, but held special meaning.
Names With Meaning
I wanted a baby girl name with a meaning! There were thousands of cute baby girl names or pretty baby girl names on the Internet, but if I had to choose one for my daughter, it had to be the perfect one. It had to be something that would make her proud and make her excited every time she introduces herself. Something, that would make the people around her give her compliments because of how beautiful and meaningful it was. Name meanings, I felt, were a mysterious, fascinating thing. You know, there are hundreds of cultures that name their children after a particular trait, or a natural phenomenon – and these children associated themselves and their personalities with the thing they’re named after. But still, I didn’t want my daughter to be named after something that sounds too strange or be too obvious – I wanted her name meaning to be special and a secret, until she decides to let someone on that secret.
Middle Names
As you can imagine, I went through hundreds and hundreds of websites, offering various name meanings. French, Australian, English, tribal, African – you name it! For every word I felt would describe my daughter, they were dozens of names in different languages. It was simply impossible to choose only one! My husband got an idea. If we can’t choose between two names – or more – maybe we can give our daughter a middle name. You know, it’s another secret that she won’t share, unless she wants to – a special name that can hold a special meaning. And then, as you can imagine, the search began again. This time, however, it was even more difficult, as not every two names sound great together – take Daisy Margaret, for example (though both are really beautiful names on their own). The middle name also had to go well with the family name. Too long names were not an option anymore, which, surprisingly, helped limit the list a bit.
My husband was also dragged into the search for the perfect baby girl name. He is particularly fascinated by names such as Jennifer or Janette, and, after a short discussion, we decided we should limit the list to baby girl names that start with J. It was a smart decision, though it still produced too many results. Then I got another idea – baby girl names that end in “n” have always sounded strong, powerful and beautiful to me – all the qualities I wish my little girl would have. So, the choice was made!
And Then… The Name Found Us!
With so many pretty baby girl names available, it was hard to pick the right one. We went through thousands of unique baby girl names and even read a couple of articles on how to search more efficiently and how to pick the right baby name. Eventually, however, as my mom had foretold, we found it. All of a sudden, my husband and I were staring at a single name and we knew: that was it. That was the perfect baby girl name for our perfect baby girl! The middle name also came on its own, once we had set our minds on the other one.
See, one thing most new – and so new – moms would tell you is that, despite the discomfort during your pregnancy and the pain during delivery, there’s hardly a more beautiful and exhilarating feeling than when you finally hold your little baby in your arms. Finding that perfect baby girl name was not an easy task – it took long hours, sleepless nights, thousands of conversations with my husband, my relatives and friends, even some heated arguments. But still, the moment I saw my little girl, I knew I had made the right choice.
How did you find your baby’s name? Let me hear your story. Post your story in the comments below! 🙂
