Guides

Practical guides for choosing a baby name: process, checklist, partner disagreement, popularity, pronunciation, why names go in and out of fashion, and more.

• How to Choose a Baby NameA comprehensive guide to choosing a baby name — from clarifying what matters to your family, to testing names before…
• Why Names Go In and Out of FashionThe cultural moments, phonetic waves, and generational cycles that drive baby name trends — and how to use them.
• The 10 Most Culturally Driven Baby Names of the Last DecadeTen names whose spikes we can trace to games, film, news, and music — with numbers from our cultural-events dataset.
• Baby Name ChecklistBefore you finalize a baby name, run through this checklist — pronunciation, popularity, domain availability,…
• When You and Your Partner Can't Agree on a NamePartner disagreement on baby names is normal. Here's a structured process for getting to a name you both feel good…
• How to Use Baby Name Popularity DataSSA popularity data explained — what rank means, how to read a trend, and why the name you think is unique might be…
• How to Stress-Test a Baby Name Before You CommitBefore you finalize a name, test it. Pronunciation, spelling, searchability, and the classroom test — a practical…
• Gender-Neutral Baby Names: A Guide for ParentsA thoughtful guide to gender-neutral baby names — what makes a name truly unisex, how to evaluate one, and why more…