How hard can it be to name your baby? Well, actually, pretty difficult. In past generations parents called their children names which would help them to ‘blend in’, resulting in classrooms full of Rebeccas or Andrews, for example.

The shift nowadays is for parents to call their children names that will stand out. The reason for this is probably because parents are thinking about the bigger picture; will this name get my child into the right nursery/school/university or ultimately, the right job one day? Pretty tough decisions after you’ve just gone through labour and birth.

In 2006, the names Olivia and Grace knocked the most popular girls' name Jessica off the top spot. Another high climber was Ruby, rising 69 places since 2001 to take third place. Old favourite Emily was still going strong in fourth place.

Floral names were also popular, with Lily, Daisy and Poppy all coming in the top thirty. And the time of year that parents have their child can influence their choice of name: Summer had 864 registrations while Autumn had 55 registrations.

It’s a different story with boy’s names as Jack continued to reign at number one  with 6928 registrations. Thomas pushed Joshua down to third place and Oliver came in at number four. Whether it’s down to Prince Harry or Harry Potter we can but speculate, but Harry is now in fifth place, forcing James – an old favourite - down to sixth position.

And then there are celebrity baby names. As television and music has such a big influence on society, it is inevitable that celebrities would start baby name trends. When Alfie became a character in EastEnders, there was a rise in the name Alfie for baby boys. However, the opposite effect can sometimes happen. When Madonna named her daughter Lourdes (ten years ago) the name actually fell in popularity.

There has since been a rise in celebrities giving their babies religious names - think Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's son Moses, Tom and Katie's daughter Suri,  and Brad and Angelina's Shiloh. These will inevitably reflect what the general public call their babies.

The problem with baby name trends is that the name will not only have an affect on you but on plenty of other couples naming their babies. This means that your son Moses is likely to end up in the same nursery class as Noah, Jesus, Shiva and Mohammed, or worse, he is one of five ‘Cruzs’. Also bear in mind that trends are just that. They will eventually go out of fashion.

Here are a few hints when you’re faced with the daunting task of naming your little one:

Stay away from trends
As mentioned above, celebrity baby names may be fun... for about ten minutes. Once your child is older and has had years of playground taunts he might not forgive you for calling him Satchel (the name Spike Lee named his child), or Moon Unit (Frank Zappa).

Look to the past
Old-fashioned names are making a comeback, proving that traditional names tend not to go out of fashion. This is also a lovely way to honour a family member. If you have access to your family tree you might be surprised at the names that appear. Who cares if your baby and all her friends sound like they belong in an old people’s home (think: George, Ruby, Alfred, Lilly and Elsie!).

However, don't let family members persuade you to use their names. If their name isn't to your liking but you feel you have to use it, consider it for a middle name instead.

Individuality
While being individual is great, if your child spends her whole life having to correct people or re-correct how her name is spelt she may start to resent it. On the other hand, being one of five Benjamins probably won’t do his self esteem any good. The trick is to find a middle ground – if you have an unusual surname, go for a plainer first name and vice versa, so you don’t end up with a name like Steve Stephens or Octavia Belushi-Greenington.

Hang out at the playground
Go to your local playground and listen out for the type of names parents are calling their children. You might stumble across a name you love. Alternatively, you may hear one name far too often and decide you cannot call your child that name since they will probably all go to the local school together!

Don’t rush
Have a list of likely names for your baby but don’t fix on a name until you see your baby. It’s incredible how many babies will suit a particular name as soon as you lay eyes on them. Resist telling too many people your name choices for this reason.

See our other Babynaming articles: The Do's and Don'ts of naming your baby and The dangers of baby naming.

If you have any queries about naming your baby or want to ask other members what they think, why not post a comment in our Chat Forum? Alternatively you can ask other parents questions in our Questions and Answers area.

Last Modified: 29/08/2007