What are the Pros and Cons of Picking Your Baby's Name Before Birth?

If you ask most junior high and high school girls, they can list a few names they would love to name their future children. I remember loving the name, Riah. I thought I would be calling one of our little girls that. Of course, that never happened. With my husband having different opinions than I, we had to come together to decide. One significant decision was whether we give our kids names before they were even born. What are the pros and cons of naming your baby before meeting them?

Pros of Picking Your Baby's Name Before Birth

1. By naming your child before delivering, you are avoiding stress! From nurses to family members, you'll be constantly asked, "What's the baby's name?" Then you have tons of paperwork to fill out. The baby's name is a must-have for this paperwork. You cannot fill it out until you have picked one. Rush, rush!
2. After hundreds of questions about the baby's name, rushing brings me to the next point. I have known many friends and family members who have chosen a name in the hospital and regretted it later. Most of these couples probably imagine sitting in the hospital room for hours holding a cute baby and having time to think. This is not the case with hundreds of doctors and nurses coming in and out every day and night. Then paperwork, baby checkups, not feeling very well, lack of sleep, feedings, and hundreds of other things to do. And the stress you are likely going through to give the baby a name and then regretting it. Good luck finding a baby's name in the hospital!
3. The name is associated with your new arrival before she gets here. All of our kids have been decided before the hospital. It is fun to hear friends and family use our baby's name while I am pregnant. Our last little girl is named Hazel. We had friends ask how baby Hazel was doing when I was only seven months along. I felt like the baby was a part of our family even before she was born.
4. Because you have used the baby's name before she is born, the baby is not a stranger when she arrives. Sometimes babies can be overwhelming. Long nights, dirty diapers, and hundreds of feedings. Would you do this for a stranger? Of course, your baby is part of your family. Suppose you have used the name months in advance. It feels like the baby has been with you before their arrival.
5. Heaven for bid, but what happens if your labor does not go well and you have been rushed off to emergency surgery? Then for the next couple of days, you are drugged and cannot think straight. Do you want to name your child with that state of mind? I have a friend that ended up having this happen to her. She told me after that that she wished she could have thought a little clearer about her baby's name because now he will always have a girl's name.
6. All babies are so cute! But let's be honest, many people think their babies look like aliens when they first arrive. To give the baby the benefit of the doubt, they just experienced tremendous pressure, making them look like they have a conehead. So to those who say they want to name their baby after seeing what they look like might be a mistake. That is unless you want to call your child Conehead Alien. haha
7. You have two exciting announcements if you name the baby before going to the hospital. One day to announce the baby's name and then the day the babies arrived. Who doesn't want an extra day to celebrate?

Cons of Picking Your Baby's Name Before Birth

1. The surprise of telling everyone before the baby might not be as exciting as you hoped. I remember random people telling me that one of my kids had told them their baby sister would be named Hazel. Suddenly, these people acted as if they knew baby Hazel. I don't know why that bothered me, but I hadn't even met my baby. How are they supposed to know her better than I?
2. You might tell everyone your baby's name before arriving and then randomly switch. This was hard on my niece. We were told the whole pregnancy that her baby brother would be named one thing, and suddenly, at the hospital, it was something else. I remember telling her that her little brother had arrived, calling him by the name that never was given to him. She was so confused when the baby was brought home with a different name. Ask a three-year-old to understand that, haha.
3. Everyone has their own opinion about names. If you are someone that likes to please others, I would suggest not picking a name until the baby is born. Because right as soon as you tell someone the name you've decided, there's guaranteed to be at least one person giving a reason why you should never name your child that.
4. Your baby might not fit their name. What if your baby is named Sarah, and they look like a Jessie? You have a dilemma! In my opinion, what does a Sarah look like, and what does a Jessie look like? Does it make a difference? I guess that is up to you. 

"Our goal is to help the world make decisions with a list of Pros and Cons. We invite all to add to our lists to help others make the most educated decision possible. We are all in this world together to help each other and learn from what others have learned from their lives journey."

- Pros and Cons Team

Written By: Sarah