Nameberry's Baby Naming Calendar
Happy New Year, Berries!
In a special holiday edition of the Nameberry Newsletter, we published our Baby Naming Calendar — our step-by-step guide to the baby name process, divided over the nine months of pregnancy.
You'll find an excerpt from Month One below, but be sure to check out the Nameberry Newsletter to see the rest.
It’s true: This is the time of year when the most people get pregnant, with September the most common birth month in the US and August not far behind.
That nicely syncs up the baby-naming calendar with the Gregorian calendar, the one commonly used in the US and other Western countries.
If the start of the New Year sees you at Month One in your baby naming (and baby having) process, congratulations! But you can follow this month-by-month guide to choosing the perfect baby name beginning at any time during the year.
Through a series of tasks, questions, activities, reading, and suggestions, we hope we can help you on your journey toward the right name for your baby.
Month One: Ground Rules, Must Haves and Absolutely Nots
The early weeks of pregnancy might involve setting up appointments, adjusting to pregnancy, and a lot of waiting for results. If that wait is dragging on, a good way to distract yourself and pass the time is to open up the naming conversation with your partner, or give yourself space to think about it if you’re naming solo.
In these early stages, it’s good to get a grip on some of the naming basics rather than jumping straight into finding the name. This is the time to establish your and your partner’s naming tastes, what’s important to you in a future child’s name, and any ground rules for your naming journey.
Here are a series of questions you might want to discuss with your partner or ask yourself before the pressure of appointments, baby shopping, and a fast-approaching due date take precedence.
Are there any names you absolutely do not want to use?
The name of an ex, a school bully, or an estranged relative, perhaps? Any names you simply cannot stand? It’s best to take these off the table now.
Are there any family or cultural naming traditions you want to continue?
Whether it’s a middle name passed down through the generations or a rule that the firstborn’s name begins with a J, if you’re naming with a partner, you both need to agree on following the tradition. Discussing this now could help focus the name search later or allow space and time to process any disappointment or uncertainty about whether to follow a tradition.
Is there anyone or anything you want to honor in your baby’s name?
Maybe you want to honor a close friend, a relative who is no longer with you, a special place, or a book that is meaningful to you. Maybe it’s your heritage or a certain quality you want to celebrate. There are plenty of ways to do this, but for now, consider whether the idea appeals to you in general or not.
Does popularity matter to you?
Do you want a unique name that stands out or one that’s tried, tested, and everybody knows? Do you want that middle ground of unique but still familiar? Is it just important that you love the name, regardless of where it ranks in the charts? It might be worth looking at recent name data in your country, along with some predictions for the future as some names may be more popular than you think — or might be soon!
Are there any names you absolutely love that you want to consider?
Perhaps you’ve already got a name or two in mind that you’ve loved forever. Discussing them with your partner now gives you time to adjust to possibly not being able to use them or gives you a sense of direction in terms of style. It might also give you the beginnings of a list that you can expand over the coming months.