Hello berries,
It’s been a while since I posted and I’ve missed Nameberry a lot. I have just logged in and looked through my signature and I realized I still love all the names listed here. It’s not like it’s a problem, but my favorites haven’t changed for years. Everybody has lovely new names in their signatures and I still have these that are a few years old. I still find new names I like but they are not good enough to replace my old combos.
Does that happen to anybody else? If so, what do you do? Maybe you could just throw some random names at me?
Thanks in advance for any replies!
I think it is a good sign that you know what you like and that it doesn’t really change. In the future I’m afraid of naming my child something and then not liking it later on or regretting it for whatever reason (constant correcting, receiving weird looks, etc.). I don’t always love other peoples name choices, but on nameberry I always can still appreciate the unique and unusual names and name combos. With the exception of [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f], it seems to be a popular name on the board lately that I just can not get behind. 
[name_f]Welcome[/name_f] back, [name_f]Olympia[/name_f]! I just returned from hiatus, too. (Hiatus buuuuuds.)
I struggle with this exact thing. I used to just sometimes add new crushes to my long list and leave it at that, but now I challenge myself to try and make combos with every single new addition, or to incorporate them into my old combos. A big part of my personal name stagnation issue was my refusal to admit when I’d fallen out of love with a name. When I realized how close-minded I was getting about which names I liked and disliked, it led to a kind of name list renaissance for me. I decided to stop worrying about cohesion and consistency and just let my style evolve wherever it wanted to. Now I find it much easier to shake things up whenever I feel like it.
I also relaxed my own personal rules for what could and couldn’t go in my signature. Before, I only had rock-solid, enduring favorite single names there. Now I’ve got some of those but also lots of experimental combos and crushes.
As far as specific stuff I do that helps me find new favorites/keeps my lists from stagnating:
- I have the world’s messiest Listography, where I keep my short/long lists plus tons of random additional lists, which include ones like “Considering” (names I really like but that don’t quite make the list yet, like [name_f]Aleta[/name_f] and [name_u]West[/name_u]) and “Radar” (names I just heard or re-noticed that have been sticking in my head lately, like [name_u]Zola[/name_u], [name_f]Starling[/name_f], and [name_m]Leif[/name_m].)
- I frequently lurk the “names that make you go WOW!” thread and just generally try to find inspiration from other berries
- I make combos as much as possible, both with my own favorite names and other people’s, even ones I dislike. Things like the “make a combo from the previous person’s sig” thread and the threads where you make combos out of the names being searched right now or the names in the NB homepage cloud are fun.
- When I’m looking for something specific (say, a second MN for [name_f]Esme[/name_f] [name_f]Leocadia[/name_f]) I don’t discount anything. I pair it with every name that pops into my head and flows with the combo, even ones that aren’t on my list. Then I go back later and decide which ones to eliminate. I’m often really surprised by what sticks around. (The latest? I was trying to find a second MN for [name_f]Cleo[/name_f] [name_f]Amadea[/name_f] and tried it with [name_f]Lumi[/name_f], which I’d never much cared for before, and now it’s growing on me really fast.)
- And along with all of that, I pay attention to which names I compliment other people on that aren’t on my own list. A lot of the time, that’s a good indicator for names I should add to my list but I’m holding back from because I don’t think they “fit” or disliked them in the past or whatever dumb reason.
Anyway. I somehow managed to make that all sound very serious, but one of the main things to remember is that all this name junk should be fun. For me, keeping an open mind and playing around with names as often as possible has made all the difference.
Thank you! That’s what I think, too, but it would be great to make some new combos just for fun, you know? It can be a lot of fun. And don’t worry, I don’t love [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] much either. I prefer [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]. 
Hello [name_f]Gwen[/name_f]! I am so flattered that you remember me. Hiatus buddies for sure.
Thank you for your advice, it was very helpful! I realized I don’t have a Listography account so I am going to create one to organize my lists. And you are right, this thread is wonderful! It inspires me so much.
Honestly, most of the names on my list I have liked since childhood, my style doesn’t really change much; besides for my love Italian girls names, that somewhat new!
I loved [name_f]Mary[/name_f] as a kid, [name_f]Annabeth[/name_f] is more recent, [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] I saw in an name book when I was little and thought it was gorgeous. Many of the others are about the same. My boys names were a lot more basic when I was younger, those have definitely changed, though the girls have mostly stayed the same. I find it harder with girls names though, I am always looking for something feminine and a little unique, but it always feels like I have heard every name I like on someone before. Haha. But I wouldn’t change my choice for the world. Anywho! That’s a good thing in my opinion as well, if you like things that consistently then it’s almost meant to be, I’d say.
Personally, I find consistency like that to be an extremely good thing. For me, when I’m consistent with names it calms me because I know if I name my child one of them, I don’t have to worry too much about if I will fall out of love with a name as my child grows.
With that being said, i do find myself finding new names that I find intriguing, beautiful, and maybe dream about using but I always seem to go back to my “basics”. (Which now may change since I have to include my boyfriend :rolleyes: ) While it’s nice to, what I call, “lust” after new names, I think it’s great that to still be in love with names that you were in the past!
Also: [name_f]Welcome[/name_f] back!
I agree with all of this. Also, [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] [name_u]Roscoe[/name_u] and [name_f]Margaux[/name_f] [name_f]Plum[/name_f] are to die for!
I feel you, I’ve liked the same names for 10+ years lol. I like the names in your signature. Solid choices and no need to change! It is a good sign, it means that if you ever use them on a child, you most likely won’t regret them. 
Thank you all, you made me feel much better! I think I should start collecting my crushes and then picking my favorites out of them.
Thank you for the compliments too!