BANISH BABY NAMING STRESS

Believe me, I know how important names are. I spent so much time thinking about names that I decided to write a book about them. That said, I’ve heard from a lot of stressed out soon-to-be-parents – and even some parents who regretted their name choices months after their babies were born. Yikes!

With all these tense vibes floating around, I thought it was time to inject some perspective into the baby naming process. Here are three tips on how to take the stress out of baby naming:

1. NAMES ARE IMPORTANT, BUT NOT THAT IMPORTANT

Will your daughter’s future be irrevocably damaged if you name her Charlotte instead of Caroline? Probably not. Remember, there are tons of terrific names out there. Let go of the idea that you have to find ‘THE ONE’ perfect name. Once you accept that there are several great names that would be equally fantastic, your stress level should shrink.

2. REMEMBER, YOU’RE NOT ALONE

If you’re having trouble deciding on a name, turn to other people for help. Ask family, friends and even strangers what they think. I actually think strangers might be the best sounding board because they’ll give you unbiased opinions and are unlikely to have hidden agendas. Plus, if you don’t like their ideas, who cares? You’ll never see them again anyhow. So the next time you’re on the bus, ask your seatmate what she thinks. You can also email me J

3. YOU HAVE PERMISSION TO PROCRASTINATE

It takes nine months to have a baby. Nine long months. Some days you may think that’s a bad thing, but when it comes to baby naming, it’s a luxury. If you’re stressed because you can’t make a decision, put it aside for a day, a week, or even a month. You have the gift of time. Procrastinate freely!

CAVEAT: Don’t wait until the very last minute. When the hospital staff starts coming into your room every hour to ask what name you’ve chosen, you may start feeling pressured to make a quick decision. Already having an idea of what name you want to choose will prevent you from making a choice you’ll regret later.

YOUR TIPS

Leave a comment and let other readers know your tips for keeping a healthy perspective while choosing a name.

More Baby Name Help

For more help with baby names, get a copy of my book Baby Names Made Easy.

Happy naming ♥ Amanda

HAVE BABY NAME QUESTIONS?

If you have baby name questions, email me at amanda@amandabarden.com.

Your question might appear in a future edition of Ask Amanda.