Baby names are my thing. I have been searching names since age three and I needed the perfect name for my Barbie (Barbie is certainly not unique enough in terms of dolls.) My cousins and I use to spend hours upon hours making lists of names for ourselves before playing house. I mean, the name lists were really the game for us. I am not sure what caused my obsession with names…maybe it was the lack of creativity my parents used when naming me Sarah? Okay, okay, it’s a pretty name but it was and still is over used. Anyway, where ever my passion for names has come from, it has led to endless lists of names, books and bookmarked websites in my possession. Now I just have to convince my husband to have more babies so I can use all of my favorites.
After reading every name book and website and naming two children..I have heard just about every single name out there. In my endless search, I have found three sites that are each different and helpful in their own way and I highly recommend.
The first and most commonly recommended baby name site is:
The benefits of this site is that you can track popularity, find sibling name suggestions, and search by style, letter and popularity. Also, once you find a name you like, you get a break down of where you see the name (in songs, TV, movies and books), sibling names, nicknames, origin and meaning and popularity.
For instance, when I search the name Delaney (my daughter’s first name), I see that “Laney” and “Dell” are common nicknames, there is a song entitled “Delaney talks to statues” by Jimmy Buffet” and that the name means “child of dark defiance.” I can also read comments on the name from other viewers. For baby number 3 (if I am blessed enough to have), I can check the sibling names recommended for Delaney. I LOVE it!
Another website I highly recommend if you want a name that is a bit more unique is:
The site claims to have found, “unique, uncommon and unusual baby names”…and I agree! Although some of the categories such as “Animal Baby Names” are a bit odd, you can find other categories such as, “cute baby names,” and “exotic baby names.” You can also see which names are trending to become more popular over time. It is a very neat site and one of my favorites when deciding what is fitting for my own children.
Some Name Ideas on there for boys that stood out as cool and different for me were: Mowan, Bowie, Cason, Fisher.
Some Name Ideas for Girls that stood out for me as cool and different were: Adeline, Amaya, Kiana, Raine.
Another site for expectant Mom’s to check out is:
This site has a plethora of great sources and groups for moms! But baby name posts are very common and very helpful. You can search “baby names,” and you will get a bunch of results. Many moms love to talk about what they are naming their babies or what they have already named their children! You can discuss and hear other cute ideas! Another thing that is great is that Mom’s usually share the middle name too which is always helpful!!
All in all, if you want to avoid the ten most common names, these sites might be beneficial. They will open you up to new names and bring up options you may not have thought of on your own. Happy Name Hunting!
