Many families feel pressure when deciding upon a baby name. Parents may want to please one another in the choices they make or, conversely, may fundamentally disagree. Extended family and friends usually have plenty of baby name advice to share, too, but the ultimate decision rests with the parents and you shouldn’t feel pressured to give your child a name that doesn’t represent your preferences.

Sources of Inspiration

You can go several directions as you brainstorm potential names for your baby. Some people prefer traditional names, referring to the family tree for inspiration. Others want currently popular names, which may have them using the names of contemporary celebrities, fictional characters, artists or writers. Those who want unique or creative names may blend two names, shorten a name or refer to names from around the world.

Look to the Future

Baby names do not define your children, but they can impact their lives. Reflect on how your children will feel about a unisex name, or a trendy name that makes them one of the crowd. Think about how people may shorten the name or turn it into a nickname. You may want to look at the initials to make sure they do not spell anything embarrassing.

How It Sounds and What It Means

Choosing just the right baby name can involve many factors. Your family may want to make a master list of possibilities. As you narrow down your choices, try saying names out loud to test their musicality. In addition, you can look up the meaning and history of many names to see if they have any symbolic relevance to you.

No Need to Argue

Conflicts often arise as parents try to settle on baby names. People may become very attached to a certain name, particularly if it represents heritage, religion, language, culture or lifestyle. Some parents resolve this issue by combining names, using a divisive name as a middle name or taking turns with one parent naming one child and the other naming the next child.

Take It Outside

When all else fails, parents may consider going to an outside, impartial source to help determine a baby name. Online sites, such as the Baby Name Genie and the Free Baby Name Generator, ask you a few questions and then generate a potential name for your baby. You can also hire a professional baby namer to guide you through the process of naming your baby.