Two and a half months ago, I asked readers of this blog to help in our mission to create the worlds most advanced baby name search engine. We received a lot of great feedback and suggestions from expectant parents and name enthusiasts alike.

Today I’m happy to announce that after many a late night, these ideas have at last come together in a uniquely powerful search tool specifically design to help you:

• find names which perfectly match your personal tastes and criteria
• research name origins and usage trends 
• generate creative name suggestions through association

Try the new baby name search engine now!

For some preliminary notes on how to get started with the new search tool, please see the Brainstormer Help. I’ll be posting further details and tutorials over the next few weeks.

Thanks to everyone who participated in and sent in feedback during the private beta testing. We’re happy to be now able to offer this great new tool to an even wider audience where it can continue to grow and develop.

A very special thanks also to Stuart Yoder of inogolo for generously providing pronunciation data for the brainstormer. The pronunciation data from inogolo helps to power our unique rhythm search feature and will also be instrumental in the forthcoming improvements to the sounds-like search.

The Brainstormer will continue to develop and improve over the coming months so stay tuned for further updates and keep sending your feedback. We’re always glad to have it as we’re committed to making this the best baby name search tool on the web.

Every parent-to-be knows the giddy excitement of the big news and the first question that inevitably follows:

“Have you thought about a name?”

Oh, the joy, the privilege, the responsibility!

Like many modern day progenitors, you have turned to the internet in search of inspiration. So it’s with acute disappointment, that you soon discover, too many baby name websites read like a dictionary printed on recycled wrapping paper; and excitement quickly turns to tedium as you wade through thousands upon thousands of alphabetised name lists amid a chorus of blinking banner ads.

But why? When this should be such an enjoyable time. How can you filter out the babble yet still discover new ideas and possibilities? 

Wouldn’t it be great if you could feel your way to the perfect name?

The solution, I’m pleased to announce, is close at hand. Places have just closed for the private beta programme of the Brainstormer Mach 2:

The worlds most advanced baby name search engine is just a few short days away. 

This new, purpose built, search engine creates beautifully presented baby name suggestions according to your personal preferences. Using the unique search tools, you can build customised search patterns by combining advanced criteria including:

• rhythmic stress patterns
• phonetic similarity
• recent popularity
• historical popularity
• meanings and origins
• style, theme or arbitrary associations

Results are generated using sophisticated scoring algorithms and dynamically re-organise as you tweak your search parameters and weightings. You can also exclude names matching particular criteria or arbitrarily block unwanted results.

And of course you can still Brainstorm names through the graph view as well.

Eye glazing lists, be gone!

The search engine is due for release sometime in May. In the meantime, please enjoy this sneak peak at the interface.

Blog instalments have been on a bit of a hiatus of late due primarily to a hectic academic schedule. Apologies for the dry spell. I’m breaking the drought now to say a big, big thanks to everyone who took the time to answer our survey questions on baby naming preferences. The response was truly overwhelming and has been invaluable in helping to guide the development of the Brainstormer: Mach 2 (development of which continues unabated).

In the meantime, I thought I would make available some results from the survey which may have broader public-interest.

Our survey asked, among other things, which of 15 name attributes most influenced preferences in choosing a name. According to readers of this blog, the most influential decision factors are:

• Sounds (68%)
  
• Feelings and associations (53%)
  
• Style (49%)
  
• Popularity / originality (47%); and
  
• Honouring of family members (45%)

The middle ranks are made up of more special interest factors such as meanings (43%), origins (27%) and spellings (39%). Rhythm is also a popular consideration at 43%.

Compatibility with siblings names was a consideration for only 26% of respondents, but this number might be skewed because less than half of the respondents admitted to having had children.

Historical and literary references are favoured by a relatively small minority; while the least important factor for respondents was association with a prominent namesake (only 16%); a result consistent with an earlier survey I ran on the subject: Namesakes where voted least popular feature request in an earlier poll. Okay—I get the message.

Perhaps most interesting of all is how diverse preferences are with regard to these categories. Only two categories received more than 50% of the vote with the remainder fairly equally represented. And perhaps it’s not surprising. You can’t get much more personal than in choosing a name, and these numbers reflect that.

In our last instalment I promised some more brainstormer goodness was on it’s way. Time for an update. But first: a question for you.

What’s the biggest problem with baby name search engines?

Is it…

a) they’re no fun

b) they’re not helpful

c) they’re all the same

d) all of the above

If the threat of immanent parenthood has suddenly flung you, wide eyed into the spellbinding world of baby name websites, chances are you answered… D. The more seasoned and enthusiastic among you, on the other hand may have found passion and euphoria have gradually dulled your sense of agony at the unfortunate dearth of beneficial tools in this area.

But whatever your circumstance, If you’ve ever found yourself asking for a better way, allow me to let you in on a little secret: there is a better way. We’re making it.

Work is underway on secret weapon which we’re optimistic will revolutionise the way you search for name ideas from now on. And the best part is that you get to help design it.

If you’re a baby name addict, or an expectant parent in search of baby name inspiration, please take 2 minutes to answer 10 quick questions about your baby name preferences.

Your feedback will help us design a baby name search and suggestion engine which best suits your needs and interests.

And watch this space for more exciting updates on our progress.

Tally ho.

Just how important are name meanings when it comes to naming your child? For the majority of parents it seems, entomology is not the primary criterion in the choosing of a moniker. Most rate it as a supplementary interest or perhaps a reason to veto a name that suffers a negative connotation. For some however, meanings are of vital importance; and there are cultural traditions that hold a person’s name will even endow them with particular traits. The meaning of a name can express spiritual values, hopes and aspirations.

When my wife and I were searching for a name for our daughter, we wanted to find one that rang true on all levels. The meaning was an important aspect of that. And, while not the deciding factor, it’s certainly satisfying to find a name that ticks all the boxes and has a cool meaning as well.

Unfortunately though, word etymologies are not always clear cut and name meanings sometimes vary depending on who you ask. But even if you’re not particularly concerned with literal meanings, chances are your associations to a name are very important.

The original concept behind the Brainstormer was a means of visualising the phonetic and semantic relationships between names in a virtual space. Meanings and origins are key piece of the puzzle. That’s why it’s with great exuberance that we announce the addition of this important feature to the Brainstormer. Check out the screenshots:

Some of you may have noticed that meanings began to trickle in over the last several weeks, unannounced. Well, now it’s official. So far we’ve gathered almost 2,000 meaning and origins covering about 15% of our database which, thanks to the valuable contributions of our users, has grown to over 13,000 names. Many thanks to all those contributors for your generous support!

We’re very pleased to announce this exciting addition to the Brainstormer as it brings a sense of completion to our original vision. But as the saying goes, ‘every journey’s end is another’s beginning’; and that’s certainly true here. 

The baby name muses have struck again and inspired us to a whole new level of possibility. I won’t let the cat out of the bag just yet, but suffice to say there are many fun and exciting features in the works and we will be looking to the community to help guide in creating a truly outstanding resource for baby name inspiration. Stay tuned.