Naming your child is possibly one of the most important, most impactful things you will ever do as expecting parents.
There are a few things to consider when naming your baby. First, a good name sounds good. A classic name like Benjamin stands the test of time, but if you are not a fan of common names, you may also opt for a more unique name like Brooklyn. These names sound good and roll off the tongue smoothly.
Second, a good name, whether unique or classic, should be reasonable. The nice thing about unique names is that they are often memorable and, well, there might be no one else at school sharing the same name. However, there is a fine line between unique and strange. Anastasia is unique, Abcde is strange. Avoid the strange territory.
Third, a good name will fit your baby from childhood to adulthood. Unlike clothing and toys, your child will be using their name forever, so name them wisely. For example, it may be cute to name your child Kiki now, but does it work well in adulthood? It is perhaps wiser to name your child Kristina and then use Kiki as their nickname.
Now that you are ready to name your child, when is the best time to start cracking open baby books and name websites?
When to Start Picking Baby Names
You can start anytime! You have nine months ahead of you, so make use of the time you have to pick the perfect baby name. It’s a good idea to list the names so you never forget about them. Also, don’t settle for just one option. Keep searching because you just might stumble upon a better name idea.
You can start thinking of names upon confirming your pregnancy. Some expecting parents, on the other hand, wait until the revelation of the baby’s gender.
Or you can wait until you actually meet your baby to see what name fits them the best. Yes, you can do that! For this option, you may want to have a list of gender-neutral names to get ideas from.
Top 10 Truly Gender-Neutral Baby Names
A truly gender-neutral name is a name that is used for both genders equally. This is in contrast to, for example, boy names used for girls or vice versa. Here’s a list of the most popular truly gender-neutral baby names according to nameberry.com.
1. Charlie
Move over Sam! Charlie now heads the list of gender-neutral baby names. Charlie can be short for Charles for boys or Charlotte for girls. You may also use just Charlie, as using nicknames for standalone names has been growing in popularity recently.
2. Finley
Finley is the perfect name for light-haired babies as the name literally means “fair-haired hero.” A Scottish royal name, Finley used to be an exclusively boys’ name, but now, there are almost more girls using the name.
3. Skyler
Skyler sounds like a fun baby name, but did you know that it originates from an old Dutch name, “Schuyler,” that means “scholar”? Both popular among baby boys and baby girls, a common alternate spelling to this name is Skylar.
4. Justice
One of the most popular naming trends is using abstract concepts like virtues as baby names. “Justice,” for one, follows this trend. The name originated from the Roman name, “Justus,” but it is now more common among girls than boys.
5. Royal
Still on the trend of using words as names, “Royal” rose up the popularity charts as the gender-neutral, well, royal name. This is in contrast to gendered royal names like Princess, Duke, Earl, and Empress.
6. Lennon
The name “Lennon” will remind you of John Lennon, which is not a bad thing. But more than that, the name actually originates from the Irish name Leannáin, which means “lover” and Lionáin, which means “cloak.”
7. Oakley
“Oakley” originates from an English word that means an “oak clearing.” This name is perfect for parents who are looking for a name that is not only truly gender-neutral but also nature-inclined and inspired.
8. Armani
Although it may remind you of Giorgio Armani, the name “Armani” has Persian origins and means “freeman” or “warrior.” It will make an amazingly badass name for either a boy or a girl, don’t you think?
9. Azariah
With Hebrew origins, the meaning of “Azariah” is “helped by God.” This pleasant-sounding Biblical name was once used exclusively for boys, but it has grown in popularity as a name given for girls. It is also alternatively spelled as Azaria.
10. Landry
Finally, we have “Landry,” with roots from both French and English words and means “ruler.” It is a common surname, but with the trend of using surnames as names, Landry has been growing in popularity as a gender-neutral name as well.
Gender-neutral names make for beautiful baby names that age well, too. They are especially helpful if you are hesitant about naming your baby before meeting them, if you haven’t found out your baby’s gender yet – or if you just don’t want to conform to old traditions.
While naming your children is a difficult job, we hope that these ideas were able to help you with the task!