Choosing a name for the baby

So you've decided you like someone a lot, enough to live with them, make all kinds of promises in a big pointy building and grow someone inside them.

You must have a lot in common. But does that stretch to the same taste in names?

Blogmum-to-be and I have talked a lot about names, had a few "in waiting" years before we wanted to use one, and today began the process of casting the net wider (and chucking back a few of the tiddlers).

We started by following the process put foward in the book 100,000+ Baby Names

This involved shortlisting some we liked and scoring them on 12 categories: spelling, pronounciation, sound, last name, gender clarity, nicknames, popularity, uniqueness, impression, namesakes, initials and meaning.

And we've got a few contenders which we're considering, though knowing the baby's gender should cut around half of them out of the running.

In the meantime... maybe the web can help.

1. Choose the first letter of the baby's name and then select a category. Want a Shakespearean name beginning with T? Theseus, Timon, Toby Trinculo and Tybalt - any good to you? Well that's what the Baby World Baby Names generator came up with.

2. Choose a baby name based on its meaning. Same site different tool. (no results for "mad", "grumpy" or "weird" to save you looking).

3. Choose a baby name based on your name. The Baby Name Predictor does just that. Apparently my baby's going to be called Rio. (I'll let you know.)

4. Choose a baby name to suit your surname. (Strike Rio. It's Omar now)

5. Choose a completely random baby name. I like it. The ultimate in lazy. (Strike Omar. It's Plat now)

6. Choose a showbiz baby name. (Strike Plat. My kid's now going to be Prune Unit)

7. Choose a first name and a middle name for your baby. That's MORE lazy! Forget the politics of remembering to name it after her favourite aunty. Get the whole job done in one go. Bosh. (Strike Plat. It's, erm he apparently, is now going to be called Glenn Lane)

8. Choose a baby name and three middle names in one go. Oh yes, it can be done. (Strike Glenn Lane. We've got Alpha Alix Morgan Sydney in there now).

9. Choose a baby name scientifically. Don't trust name generators. Take Chris Hemedinger's approach and do it yourself. Its hard work - but it worked for him