30 Parents Share Their Stories of Naming Their Babies

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Naming a child is a deeply personal journey, often filled with anecdotes and emotions. Here, thirty parents divulge the unique stories behind their baby names, showcasing the thought and sentiment that went into each choice.

1. Before meeting my partner, we both envisioned naming our first son Caleb. When we had a daughter first, we named her Callie. Then we welcomed a son, and Caleb was the obvious choice. This initiated a trend, leading to four more boys: Canaan, Camden, Caelan, and Cash. – Natalie J.

2. Asher, meaning “blessing,” felt perfect for our son born near Thanksgiving. It embodied the gratitude we felt. – Sarah M.

3. Being a Southern woman, I adore monogrammed items. When our second daughter came along, I named her Ava Layne, allowing her to wear her sister’s personalized clothes! – Jenna Q.

4. We settled on our son’s name, Henry Thomas, before we even got engaged. It wasn’t inspired by the character from ET; we just loved the name! – Laura B.

5. My husband picked our daughter’s first name while I chose her middle name, Wren, inspired by a nest we watched hatch during my pregnancy. That experience filled me with hope. – Brianna H.

6. After one biological child and facing fertility struggles, we adopted. Two weeks post-adoption, I discovered I was pregnant again. I named my daughter’s middle name Isaac, meaning laughter. – Jenna T.

7. My husband lost a baby girl named Nicole before we had our daughter, Mila, who shares that middle name. – Rachel F.

8. Our rainbow babies carry names honoring their late sister, Elaine Christine. Eden Elaine means “place of delight,” and Evelyn Christine means “longed for.” – Tara L.

9. I’m the youngest of six siblings, all with names starting with S. My living siblings are Susan, Sean, and Shelley, while my brothers who passed were Seth and Stephen. – Aaron C.

10. We honored my late father-in-law with the name Coby, a playful twist on his nickname, Cob. – Michelle T.

11. The name Rowen struck me after watching a Nicolas Cage movie. My husband couldn’t resist the story and agreed to the name. Rowen means “little redhead,” and she has beautiful red curls! – Lily R.

12. I fell in love with the name Irie after meeting a preschooler with that name. Despite numerous pregnancy challenges, we finally welcomed our little Irie. – Mia P.

13. Our daughter is named after Madison, CT, a town we cherish. We had a chuckle over the long name Hammonassett, but Madison felt just right. – IG @janesmith

14. Olivia was a name I adored. It was suggested by my mom, and she’s now forever tied to Olivia Benson from Law & Order: SVU, much to my daughter’s amusement. – Elise K.

15. My love for Star Trek inspired me to name my son William after Captain Riker. His name embodies everything I dreamed of in a child. – Clara D.

16. We had planned for three kids, but then twins arrived! We named the younger Cai Ephraim, which means “rejoicing.” – Jennifer O.

17. My daughter is named Emily Leonor Anberlyn—Emily was always on her dad’s wish list, and Anberlin, our favorite band, gave it a unique twist. Leonor honors my late great-grandmother. – Rachel N.

18. After years of trying to conceive, I was pleasantly surprised to find out I was expecting and named my son Ian Michael, representing a precious gift from above. – Lisa S.

19. I fell in love with the name Halle after my teacher shared it years ago. When I finally had a daughter, I named her Halle Fayth. – Jessica W.

20. We wanted a name that reflected both our cultures, leading us to Kiran Vincent for our first son. Our middle son is Isaac, which turned out to be perfect! – IG @lindaferrante

21. My wife chose our kids’ names from a Hebrew baby name book while she worked at a community center. That’s how we got Lera and Aviah! – David K.

22. While expecting twins, I joked about naming them after a wine bottle. One became Jackson, and my husband picked Van for the other. – Kelly G.

23. After the loss of her first baby, my mom waited to name me until she felt certain I would be born. She named me Sunshine when the grey lifted. – Sunny O.

24. I loved the name Aiden after hearing my coworkers rave about it. Turns out, they were talking about a character from Sex and the City—but I still adore it! – Sarah T.

25. My husband had a strong attachment to Walter for our second son, but I suggested the name Walker after a child I once nannied. We compromised, and he became Walker Rhys. – Emma J.

26. As the seventh of eight children, my mom humorously named my twin brothers Pete and Paul after a saying about financial struggles. – Jenna M.

27. My daughter, Elise Kendra, has a name filled with family meaning. Elise is my middle name, while Kendra honors my late sister. – Caren F.

28. Before we even got pregnant, we agreed on Jackson Christopher for our first son, as we both loved the name. – Tom H.

29. My husband and I had a shared love for the name Sophia, but we agreed on different spellings for our daughter, ultimately landing on Sofia. – Diana G.

30. My partner and I adored the name Nora. It felt classic yet trendy, and when our daughter was born, it just felt right. – Amy Q.

If you’re curious about how other parents choose names or want more information on pregnancy and conception, check out our other posts on home insemination and learn more about home insemination techniques at Make a Mom. For a deeper dive into the world of pregnancy resources, visit ASRM.

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In summary, naming a child often involves a blend of personal experiences, cultural significance, and cherished memories. The stories shared by these parents reflect the love and thoughtfulness embedded in each name, illustrating how a name can carry a story through generations.