How do I choose my child’s name?!?

You asked and you shall now receive. It’s only fair for us to share all of this stored up knowledge about having a baby and what is going on with your body during those nine (really ten) months. We now will answer, in a very public forum, all of those burning questions about having a baby. Each Monday, we will tackle a commonly-asked-question from the point of view of an expectant parent. Chiming in to give her feedback will be three women who have been there and done that: an expert (you know someone who does this for a living), a mom from our community (for the “best” friend advice you need) and a babybites’ team member (someone who will promise to give you the REAL deal and no fluff). Earmark, share and add your own input to today’s question; it’s good karma.

How do I choose my child’s name?!?

Expert: Renee Sullivan

The lurking permanence of this decision! Polka dots go out of favor – we can toss, a stroller with tattered wheel – we discard – but our little ones name forever etched in time. Pregnancy gives us the wonderful exercise to practice patience – we have forty weeks to discover the next Gemma, Charlie, or Ella. It will come. It may be the month before, it may be the week before, or it may be when you see your little ones face – it will come. The most creative, enjoyable (and efficient!) process that one mom shared – she’d go to the movies every Saturday with her hubbie – and stay for the credits! Name generation at its finest.

Mom: Ann Pennington

Choosing a child’s name is one of the most fun yet stressful things before your baby is born. It is very personal and can have influences from family, tradition, religion and culture. There are a ton of books on the market to help with the naming process. My husband and I made a list of names we both liked and discussed each one. In the end I actually dreamt my sons name and started saying it in sentences to see how it sounded. My husband and I loved it so much we started using it in conversations to my belly and this also gave my bump and personality and it wasn’t just a bump anymore. It was my son Crawford. (Ref: Cool Names for Babies by Pamela Redmond Satran)

Mommybites’ team: Heather Ouida

Don’t listen to what anyone else says and choose a name that feels right to you and your partner. Some parents like to choose names that are original, some like more common names, some prefer family names, and others, like my husband and me, chose names that honored different people in our lives. I would say other than that, try to choose a name that is ageless (meaning it works for a baby and also an adult), works with your last name (No, “Crystal Chandeliers”) and make sure you think about and are OK with all the possible nick names.

About our team:

Renee Sullivan

Renee Sullivan, parent coach and babybites support group director, works with moms each week to create their own personal parenting plan that is right for them, while making sure that each mom gets the support, resources, and community they need for their parenting journey. Drawing from her experience as an birth coach and educator, she guides moms – new, seasoned and expectant through the never – ending array of decisions that come with having a child. Before joining Mommybites, she narrowly escaped the trenches of Corporate America where she was a Senior Project Manager for The New York Times, Morgan Stanley, and Pfizer. She lives in New York City and is the mom of one happy kindergartener.

Ann Pennington

Ann is a new mother of her first child, Crawford, who was born in September 2011. Before becoming a mom, Ann was a fashion set stylist for Toni & Guy, Hong Kong.

Heather Ouida

Heather co-owns Mommybites with business partner Laura Deutsch. She is responsible for managing, growing and overseeing Mommybites nationally as well their flagship city of Manhattan. Heather’s favorite parts of her job include hosting “Mommybites Live” an educational talk show with parenting luminaries, writing her blog which varies between sappy, educational and downright snarky, interviewing parenting experts for babybites’ regular tele-class series and guest facilitating some of the Manhattan working moms support groups. Prior to co-founding Mommybites, Heather was a learning specialist where she taught in London for many years as well as at The Dalton School in Manhattan. Heather holds a BA in psychology from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, an MA in child development form Tufts University and acquired her learning specialist degree form York University in England. Heather currently resides in Manhattan her husband, two boys, two fish and pet turtle. Heather’s hobbies include, hot yoga, Nutella eating, writing, Bravo watching, reading and sharing inappropriate jokes with girl friends. To learn more about Heather’s mission to support follow-moms in non-judgmental ways please click here.