Choosing a baby name

Naming babies after relatives or prominent figures has always been fairly common. These days, we’re also inspired by celebrities and fictional characters – it’s probably no coincidence that Elsa has topped baby name lists for a few years now. Some parents choose a name before giving birth and others wait until after. Whichever type of parent you are in this matter, names will probably occupy a fair amount of your thoughts. Our loved ones also tend to have a lot of thoughts and opinions about names. And that isn’t so surprising – a name is a way to make the person growing in your belly feel real, and like an individual.

Tips for choosing a baby name

• If you really want to make grandpa or a favourite aunt happy, but you don’t completely love their name – or name idea – you could use it as a middle name, or look for a more modern take.
• Explore lists of popular baby names – not just current ones, which a lot of other people are looking at, but lists of names that were popular a few years back. You might even be able to dig up an uncommon name for your baby’s birth year.
• If you’re expecting twins, it may be nice to consider how their names sound together (without being so close that they’re easily mixed up).
• Remember that an adorable name for a baby might not be as fitting for an adult.
• Try looking up the meanings of the names you’re considering for your baby.
• If there’s a risk of unfortunate associations or nasty comments, it might be better to consider another option. Mean nicknames are also easier to come up with for some names than others.
• If you want the name to work internationally, then factor that in – both how the name is pronounced and what it means in the other language you’re thinking about.
• Consider how the name sounds when you say it aloud, and how it works with your surname. What would the initials be?
• If you want to move away from classic boy or girl names, there are lots of gender-neutral, unisex names to consider, too.
• If your surname is long and/or unusual, you might want to choose a short and simple first name. Names that are difficult to spell are often frustrating for the individual – constantly having your name misspelled and correcting people can be tiresome in the long run.
• Look at your family tree – are there any good names there?
• Some countries have names assigned to every date of the year – you can look through calendars online to see what they are. The calendar is a great resource for names, but maybe there’s also a date that has a special meaning for you? See what the name is for that day; maybe it’s one you like.
• Are you and a partner bickering over your favourite names and no one wants to back down? In that case, maybe drop all favourite suggestions and start over to find something that you both love.
• Stuck? Take a break from thinking about names for a while and revisit them later on. Sometimes when you stop thinking about something, it will come to you with ease later. Depending on where you live, you might have a few months before you need to register a name for your baby anyway – which can give you time to test-drive a few options and see which one feels good.

Read more about popular names for boys and girls in the Name Guide

Please note that all information above is based on Swedish recommendations.