13 Things to Consider Before Choosing Your Baby Name

The highs are high, and the lows are low — and baby names are no exception. I always found it funny that I had to make such an important decision about my child's future while I was a raging, hormonal lunatic. Pregnancy hormones are no joke, and this whole naming process might be a little more trying that you dreamed about when you were naming your future children back in middle school. Speaking of, if you're not pregnant yet, now is as good a time as any to come up with a prehormonal list.

Source: Flickr user Judit Klein

You might like a certain name because it's supercool or unique, but remember that it is not you who needs to go through life with this name. Do you really want your child having to explain herself to every single person who needs to write her name? "No, it's actually spelled G-N-O-R-A. The G is silent. My parents were hipsters."

Source: Flickr user Mike Fisher

Don't forget to look up the etymology of your favorite name. Nearly all names have meanings, and you'll want to make sure the moniker fits your family (and will not be a total loss when your tot has to look it up for a project in school). For example, the name Sharon means "plain" in Hebrew. Not exactly the bold female name you were going for? Look it up first!

Source: Flickr user Sonya Green

Definitely say any names you are considering out loud a lot. Like a lot, a lot. How does it sound saying it? How does it sound with your last name? How will it look as a Facebook user? What if he is famous and a crowd chants it? Uh-oh.

Source: Flickr user Meme Binge

Just like saying it out loud, you also need to write it down. Write it over and over again — just like you did with your boyfriend's name in middle school. You'd be surprised how much you'll instantly love or hate it.

Source: Flickr user M Car

Anyone with a name that is spelled a bit uniquely can share with you how annoying it is to always be correcting other people. We altered the spelling of my daughter's name a tad, and she, a 5-year-old, already gets pretty offended. It's not to say that you shouldn't be different, but it's just something to consider.

Source: Flickr user Lars Plougmann

Even if you're not big on monograming, you should still look at the initials and monograms of any considered name. A pal once told me she was seriously considering naming her son Brandon James and calling him BJ. It's a really cute name, but I also reminded her the implications of a middle school boy having the name BJ.

Source: Flickr user Liz

One of the things my husband was big on was if he could picture our child's name as the CEO of a company. I really liked a lot of cutesy names, but he always nixed 'em on the grounds for not being CEO-y enough.

Source: Flickr user Paul Inkles

Many couples divvy up the duties in order to avoid conflict. One spouse names the first child, and the other spouse gets to name the second. One spouse picks the first name, while the other spouse picks the middle name, and so forth.

Source: Flickr user Nana B Agyei

If you need a little assistance but still want to keep it a secret, then confide in a few trusted sources. Does your mom still not really understand how group texts work? Maybe she's not the best choice.

Source: Flickr user cortto

Believe it or not, it is OK if you don't absolutely love your child's name at first. I know it sounds odd, but many people who named their children something that was not their first choice (to honor a loved one, a spouse who always wanted a child with X name, etc.) have realized that it's not the end of the world. In the end, they always end up seeing their child only as their given name (even if it takes some getting used to).

Source: Flickr user Anna Maria Liljestrand