Baby Names depend - to a large extent - on your personal inclinations, the current fashion, your heritage, your traditions and the culture of the country in which you live. 

Choosing a baby name is a very special project, one that can bring you and your partner even closer together… or cause a quarrel with your mother-in-law who hates all your ideas and insists that in her family all girls are names after the paternal grandmother. 

There are so many factors to take into account when it comes to finding your baby’s name. Do you want a popular baby name or an unusual name? A unisex name like Chris or Jade… or a name that states clearly “this is a boy” or “this is a girl”? Is there a specific letter with which you’d like the baby’s name to start (or not to start)? Initials are important, particularly if the baby is going to have a middle name too.  

If you want a popular name, be aware that trends differ from year to year, and that your Isabella will probably have two other Isabellas in her class. If you prefer an unusual baby name, consider how it will be pronounced when seen on paper and, conversely, how it will be spelled by somebody who has only heard it. 

Almost every name, be it popular or unusual, has a meaning. Did you know that Jessica means ‘wealthy’ in Hebrew, while Mark means ‘rebelious’? Before you decide on your baby’s name, run it through Kidspot’s Baby Name Finder to check its meaning… or do the reverse: think of a meaning that you think is cool (wise, famous, flower) - then see what baby names you find.  

You’ll see there are a zillion different ways to search for Baby Names on Kidspot:

·         By first letter

·         By meaning

·         By origin

·         Most popular by year in each country

·         Surprise me! 

So many choices, so little time. How do other mums decide on their babies’ names? Go to the Kidspot Social Online Forum to chat about it.