6 Ways to agree with your spouse on a baby name

Are you and your spouse having a hard time agreeing on a baby name? He thinks Jack is the perfect boy name, while you are leaning towards something edgier, like Jax. Or maybe you love classic names, while he leans toward more unique names. Find out how to compromise and come up with the perfect baby girl or baby boy name that you both can agree on.

Are you and your spouse at odds over the perfect baby girl or baby boy name? It can be hard to compromise on a name when you both have strong opinions on the subject. Find out how to find common ground and come up with a baby name together that you will be both be happy with.

1. Keep it between you and your spouse

The less opinions you have to deal with, the better! Try to keep the baby name decision between you and your spouse, and leave your friends and family out of the discussion.

"When I was pregnant with my daughter I thought it was a good idea to send around a survey of names we liked and asked our family and friends to help
us narrow it down," said Jennifer Marshall, mom of two. "We thought it would be a great way to get them involved. In my family, that turned out to be a disaster. You can choose a name you love and make it clear that it isn't up for debate."

2. Compare baby name lists

If you are having difficulty finding common ground, it is time to take out a pen and paper and make a list. Each of you writes down your top 10 or 20 baby names. Compare you lists to see if you have any of the same names or similar names. If you do, those names automatically go to the top of your baby name master list.

3. Find a common ground

If your baby name list does not match up all, find a common ground as a starting point. For instance, do you both like traditional names? Trendy names? Exotic names? Search lists containing these themes to reach a common ground. Once you both agree on a theme, check out the articles below to help you narrow down your baby name search:

• Top 50 Traditional Boy Names
• Top 50 Traditional Girl Names
• Exotic Baby Names and Meanings
• Unique Baby Names and Meanings
• Social Security Top 100 Baby Names

4. What names do you not like?

If you can't agree on a name you like, a good starting point might be crossing off names on each other's list that you don't like. Doing this task might help you find a common ground.

5. Middle name compromise

If you are both dead-set on a baby name, don't forget you have the middle name to give you some wiggle room. Many kids go by their middle name, so you can decide once she is born what name you want to call her - by her first name or her middle name. 

6. Check out the meaning of the baby name

Plug your baby name options into our Advanced baby name search, which gives you both the meaning and the origin of the baby name. This might sway you either way if the meaning is perfect - or unacceptable.

If all else fails, be confident in knowing that once you see your baby you will be able to decide on a name. "Sometimes parents can't decide on a name until they see the little bundle of joy in their arms," says Jen, The Suburban Mom. www.TheSuburbanMom.com
 

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