I did not expect naming to be the hard part. I thought I would just know. Instead I spent weeks with a hundred tabs open, more confused than when I started. If you are somewhere in that lovely, overwhelming stage too, here is how I finally found the names I love — and a few that surprised me along the way.
Where I went wrong at first
My mistake was scrolling giant "top 1,000" lists until every name blurred into the next. Nothing stuck, because I was collecting names without any thread tying them together. The moment things changed was when I stopped chasing quantity and started paying attention to two things: how a name sounded when I said it out loud, and what it actually meant.
The names that won me over
Once I let meaning lead, my shortlist almost wrote itself. A few favourites:
- Aurora — "dawn." It felt hopeful, like a fresh start.
- Isla — "island." Soft, modern, and calm.
- Noor — "light." Short, luminous, works everywhere.
- Maya — gentle and cross-cultural, which I loved.
- Freya — a little bold, a little mythic.
What they had in common was not a style — it was that each one felt like something. That was my lightbulb moment: pick the feeling first, and the names follow.
The rabbit hole of rare names
The most fun I had was going off the beaten path. Somewhere past the popular charts, there is a whole world of unusual, gorgeous names most people never reach. I fell down a happy rabbit hole reading this roundup of rare and beautiful girl names, and came away with two I would never have thought of on my own. If you want your daughter's name to feel a little bit special, that is where I would send you.
What I'd tell a friend just starting out
- Don't start with a list — start with a feeling. Calm? Bold? Vintage? Let that guide you.
- Say every contender out loud, with your surname. Some pretty names just don't flow.
- Keep a running notes page on your phone. The winner often sneaks up over time.
- Protect your shortlist. Sharing too early invites opinions you didn't ask for.
In the end, the right name didn't arrive with fireworks. It just quietly refused to leave my list — and that's how I knew.
Frequently asked questions
How do I even start a baby-name shortlist?
Begin with the feeling or meaning you want the name to carry, rather than a long alphabetical list. Add names that give you that feeling, say each one aloud with your surname, and let the list build slowly over a couple of weeks.
How many names is too many on a shortlist?
There's no rule, but most people find it easier to decide once they trim down to around five to ten genuine favourites. Beyond that, it helps to cut anything you wouldn't feel happy calling out loud every day.
Should I tell people our name choice before the birth?
That's personal. Many parents keep it private to avoid unsolicited opinions, then share it once the baby has arrived and the decision is final.
