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.