Choosing the perfect baby name can be quite the task. After all, this is the name that will follow your child for the rest of their life. That's a lot of pressure to be under for just about any parent.
But what if you had someone to do it for you? What if there was someone who would come and pick the perfect, most fitting name for your baby, leaving you to have to do none of the work at all. Would you opt in for this? Well, professional baby namers do exist, and they're here to help. One details just exactly what goes into their job.
Colleen Slagen launched her business, Naming Bebe, in 2022. She was on maternity leave with her daughter at the time, and had been obsessed with baby names since she was a child.
Her business was initially just a hobby that she did on the side. But when she started posting more about her consultations to TikTok, her clientele grew. Now, she gets to do what she absolutely loves as a career.
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"I talk to people a lot about popularity — that’s a big concern," Colleen explained. "But I give them the numbers and explain that popular names aren’t used with the same frequency as they used to be. And I think that settles people’s fears."
"People feel like the name they choose starts their child’s reputation, almost like it could be predictive of who they could become," she continued. "So I think that’s part of the pressure, too. And nobody wants their kid to be made fun of for their name, so that’s another component." She went on to explain that there's more desire to be unique within this culture. "Names come with a vibe and an aesthetic and people want that aesthetic to match their own personal style."
And of course, social media also plays a big part in it. "There’s a desire to put forward this beautiful name that stands out, that you haven’t seen a million times on your feed. And, I don’t want to say it’s like you’re branding a baby, but there’s more excitement with it now."
As far as booking a baby name consultant, Colleen explained that the first step is booking one of her packages, starting at a rate of $250. She then sends over a questionnaire to get a better understanding of their preferences. Some questions it has are:
What are your top contenders right now?
Why don’t they feel right?
What are the names that you like, but your partner has vetoed, and vice versa?
Are any names off limits?
Do you have any preferences around the phonetics of the name?
"Some people keep it brief. Some people write me a novel," she shared. "People can get very specific — I had somebody who wanted a component of figurative language built into the name, so either assonance, consonance or alliteration, something that gave the name a poetic element to it. I encourage people to give me as much information as possible." Colleen uses baby-name books, Google, the Social Security Administration site for popularity data, and some other "tricks" that she didn't share.
"I send them everything in a video or a Google doc. Each name has a short analysis — its popularity, its meaning, why I think it would be a good fit for them. And I also give them feedback on their name list; that’s a big piece for a lot of people. Especially because people often don’t share their chosen name with anybody before they have the baby," she said.
She also advises parents to do their research on names, and tells them not to allow negative comments or outside noise dissuade them from a name they like. As for Colleen, she never gets tired of coming up with endless possibilities for parents. "My 8-year-old self would faint if she saw me now!"
