Choosing a name for your bundle of joy can be one of the most challenging -- and also, most fun -- parts of pregnancy. Fortunately, there are tons of books, websites, and apps out there to give you plenty of inspiration. Here, we present our top five baby naming apps (bonus: four of the five are free)!
Learn almost everything there is to know about a particular name with this free app, the most comprehensive one we've seen. Each name's profile features its various meanings (according to culture, literary or religious reference), a view of the name's Wikipedia entry (provides more in-depth history of the name), and popularity stats. Search for the Top 10 or Top 100 names back to 1880. Or, if you're looking for a classic, unique name, search for names not in the Top 100 from the last 100+ years. Free; available for Android & iOS.
A little outside the box, this app gives insight into the path your baby's life will take, based on the principles of numerology. Learn what characteristics, strengths, and challenges your little one will take, and what role the first, middle and last names play in a person's overall numerological profile. Input a due date or birthday, and you'll get added details on destiny. A surprisingly intriguing perspective on baby names! Free; available for iOS.
Related: The 10 Best Baby Name Sites
A couple of features make this baby naming app stand out from the rest. Besides the usual search features (first initial, popularity, origins, etc.), the "Ideas" section provides two dozen fun, themed lists of names (think Christmas, Cowboys, Gems and Jewels, Preppy, etc.) The "Twins" section suggests perfect pairs of names for boys, girls, or one of each. You can also mark names to keep track of your favourites. Free; available for iOS.
This simple, streamlined app has extensive search options let you find the perfect name based on first initial, origin and characteristic. Each name profile includes origin, a description of the name with helpful pronunciation notes and famous namesakes, similar and related names, along with popularity statistics for boys and girls. Mark your favourites and send the list to up to five email addresses at a time. Free; available for iOS.
While not strictly a baby naming app, this app makes our list because it presents name data in such a fascinating way. With the tagline "Doctor or Dancer?", the premise of Nametrix is simple -- it uses U.S. government statistics and other public sources to determine which occupations have disproportionately high numbers of people with a particular name, along with data on political leanings, and geographical and year popularity. For example, the top occupation for a person named Aaron is rabbi, the top political party is Libertarian, and its popularity peaked in 1981 in the Midwest. A must-see for baby name buffs and stats junkies alike -- and well worth the small price of $1.
Written by Emma Durand-Wood for BabyPost.com
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