Trying to find a truly unique baby name for your girl or boy? As you enter the nesting phase of your pregnancy and begin trying in vain to organize and every last detail of what you’ll need once your baby arrives, it becomes increasingly difficult not to feel completely stressed out. Add to that the pressure to find a name for your newborn and well it can send any lady sporting a baby bump right over the edge. Not to worry, check out our tips to help you find a unique baby name perfect for your baby girl or baby boy.

According to Marcia Layton Turner, author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to 40,000 Baby Names, the baby naming process  can be the least stressful part of your pregnancy especially if you choose to have fun with the process.“Just looking at that new little person who has come into your life will make you smile, so why not try and inject as much fun and happiness into selecting what your bundle of joy will be called,” says Turner. “And if you’re looking for a unique name, I always recommend that parents stay away from consulting those annual lists of the top baby names because there are always a few on there that sound cool at first. Keep in mind that opting for a trendy name gets really old really fast when all your friends choose the same name. I swear we have four Ryans in our neighborhood because that was really trendy 9-10 years ago.”

Turner offers couples these 15 ways to find a truly individual name and how to have fun doing it!

Tip #1: Take into account where the baby was conceived

Turner suggests that possible outcomes born out of this process could be names like Lake (as in, at the cottage at the lake), Dallas (for the city, not the TV show) or Mercedes (you get the idea). Check out Top 50 Destination Baby Names for more ideas.

Tip #2: Keep your family happy, but with a twist

Make your family happy by giving your little one the same first name as your mother or grandfather, but then give a middle name that he or she will go by. You could even shorten the first name to an initial to emphasize your chosen moniker, such as E. Zoe Smith or B. Garrett Jones. In this situation everybody wins, (especially your baby, who may appreciate not being saddled with Esther or Aloysius.)

Tip #3: Keep your alma mater in mind

Of course, this is a tad easier and aurally pleasing if you went to, say, Amherst or Wheaton. Not sure, if you’re willing to name your baby after your college if you went to the University of Kentucky or Delaware State

Tip #4: Childhood nicknames

Did you or your spouse have a nickname as a child? If you thought it was cute, your baby may enjoy it, too. Libby and Muffy are good for eight to 80-year-old girls, really, just as Topher and Scooter are decent boys names. For more tips, check out Popular Nicknames for Traditional Names.

Tip #5: Favorite products or brands

Just as Gwyneth showed her devotion to Apple computers with the birth of her daughter, Turner jokes, parents- to- be can prove their love, via the name they give their newborn, of anything from Dodge trucks to Godiva chocolates, Brine lacrosse sticks or even Donzi speedboats. The possibilities are truly endless.

Tip#6: Sports teams

If you and your partner are big sports fans, you can show just how much you love your team by naming your pride and joy after it. This is actually fairly common, notes Turner. Consider boys names like Colt or Jet, or girls names like…well, okay this really only works for boys, come to think of it. Read 55 Sporty Baby Names for more ideas.

Tip #7: Perfumes

You could honor the scent you love with a name choice like Chanel, or the designer who developed it, such as Coco, suggests Turner. Estee Lauder has a number of hits, as do many of today’s celebrities. Even P. Diddy has his own scent, though you may want to opt for his given name, Sean, rather than P. for your son’s first name.

Tip #8: Favorite school subjects

Go back to your classroom roots, and think about the subjects and nomenclature you adored in school. Were you a history buff? Then names from American history, such as Lewis or Clark, General Lee or Betsy Ross would be contenders. French majors might remember many of the famed writers and musicians they studied, like Albert Camus or Marguerite Duras, while math stars could reflect on all those cool equations and theorems as sources of inspiration.

Tip #9: Characters from your favorite books

Whether you like the classics, like Gone with the Wind, or newer bestsellers, like Good in Bed, you’ve probably come across some characters you liked and admired. Which names were you drawn to that might work for your new addition (pun intended)?  For more tips, read Unique Names from Classic Books.

Tip #10:  Movies

If you’re wondering why the names Bella and Cullen have shot to the top of the most popular baby name charts in the last couple of years, it’s thanks to the Twilight franchise. Think back to the movie you saw on your first date with your partner – are there any names you liked? Or maybe a movie you saw multiple times together because you enjoyed it so much. Some couples have their own song – maybe you have your own movie you can use to find a name. Find out all the cool and unique names, like Cullen and Jasper, from the Twilight movies.

Tip #11: Songs

Songs are great for brainstorming names, from song names to band names to producers and composer names, you’ve got plenty of material to work with. For more inspiration, check out 103 Beatles Baby Names.

Tip #12: Famous explorers

If you’re a baby mama and daddy to be with a sense of adventure you may want to pass on that spirit to your little one and bequeath him or her with a name that reflects your natures. Some great names to choose from can include famous European explorer Vasco de Gama or Amerigo Vespucci an Italian / Spanish explorer from whom America got its name.

Tip #13: Wiccan, Gothic, and vampire names

If you and your spouse are mesmerized by the Salem witch trials and slightly inspired by all things Goth you might want to consider names like Amaranth which means immortal and unfading. Get more Goth baby name ideas here.

Tip #14: Biblical names

The Bible and all its version offers some varied name choices including classics like Aaron and Jacob and more obscure unique ones like Neriah which means “lamp of  the Hebrew god”. Find out more Biblical baby name ideas here.

Tip #15: World leaders, U.S. presidents, and first ladies

There are plenty of noteworthy picks here- just remember if you choose a name like Mussolini- your kid may get a reputation that precedes him!

“By choosing a name that stands out, in a good way, you’ll help your child develop their own unique personality and have pride in their more unusual name, “says Turner.  “That said, don’t go overboard in making up a name that one has ever – nor will ever – hear again. That usually just ends up being embarrassing for all involved”.

More Baby Name Ideas:

Baby Name Trends 2010

List of Unique Baby Names for Girls and Boys

Top 100 Baby Names from Social Security Administration

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