Deciding what to name your baby is one of the most exciting decisions you will ever make. That name will stay with your child for the rest of their life, so you want to be sure to pick carefully. Whether you choose a family name or base your decision on a name's meaning and history, Baby Names Plus is a great resource! With that in mind, we have a huge list of baby names and their meanings to help you consider every possibility. Also, please take a moment and review the tips below before beginning your search.

Baby Naming Tips

If choosing a family name is important to you, but there are none that you particularly care for, consider using your child's middle name to follow the tradition.

Try to avoid names that could be mispronounced or misspelled easily. There is nothing more frustrating to a kid than having to correct people, like his or her teacher, every time they say the name for the first time. Or having to say "no, that's spelled with an 'I' not a 'Y'" a thousand times! Plus, if you like to buy things with your child's name on them, you'll never be able to find anything with the correct spelling unless it's specially made for you.

Remember that "cool" names that seem unique today may not be so great when your child is 25.

When the search is narrowed down to a few names that you really like, check the meaning of the names chosen to help make your final decision.

Finally, since parents must choose the first and middle name, they tend to think of how the first and middle name sound together when making their decision. But that is not how the child will be addressed on a daily basis. So, say the names out loud using first and last name, which is how the child will almost always be addressed. For example, if it the baby name begins or ends with the same letter as the first letter of your last name, it may sound awkward.