Where do you get your naming inspiration?

I was just wondering where you guys look for inspiration when you’re working on your list!

[name_f]Do[/name_f] you look in the newspaper (birth announcements, obituaries or both?), watch certain tv shows with lots of passing by names (My sister watches toddlers & tiaras purely to hear some of the names, so she claims) or do you just look at the signatures of other berries for gems (Is there someone whose style you really admire?)?

I personally like to look at the cast listings for really old movies on IMDB.

Would anybody like to share?

The super unhelpful answer is “everywhere.” You pretty much covered it already—TV, birth announcements and obituaries, signatures, real life acquaintances.

Lately I’ve been trawling the “names that make you go WOW” thread for inspiration—I’m actually compiling a spreadsheet of data from that thread so I can see which names get mentioned the most etc. So far I’m on page 36/600+ :S

I’m honestly not too sure. The Bible has been a source of names for me for the longest period of time. I do like to read books and find some cool ones there. [name_m]History[/name_m] is also a huge inspiration to me as well (for example, [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]) and so are royal families. I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who reads obituaries for names…there’s some great old gems there. However, I think that a number of names that I like (especially new additions) just randomly come to me…maybe I see them on here, or maybe I hear them said somewhere. I don’t really hunt for names anymore lol.

Some are from looking through history and mythology. I tend to look towards my family tree for surnames that would work well, specifically for the middle spot. Although I haven’t played anything in awhile, games can sometimes have some great names. Movie credits are also great for names and usually there’s a nice variety since movies are so international these days. I’ve also used things like name themes, like British Baby Names or searching on behind the name for themes, background of names, and seeing what names have similar “ratings”.

There are names that I have picked up from berries on here. Most berries have a wonderful style, even if it is different from my own, but off hand @dearest has one of the most unique, ethereal styles.

Frankly everywhere. From movies, books I read, people I met both online and in real life, mythology, poems, the outer space (er… so I actually peruse the sky map/astronomical websites to get some of my favourite astronomical names) and from other berries. :slight_smile:

Same here :slight_smile:

I normally get my inspiration from books and mythologies, stories, fairytales, and even history. I’m more concerned about the meaning behind the name and it’s history than I am about how popular it is.

[name_f]Inspiration[/name_f] comes from everywhere. I don’t really seem out new names very often. Usually I will hear a name on TV or in books or history and I’ll fall in love with it. I also use baby name books (my library has a pretty good selection of naming books including old census reports and such) and behindthename. Of course, there’s always the option of asking other Berries for suggestions.

For some reason I can’t edit but my last post was meant to say I don’t seek out new names, not seem. I’d also like to add that it’s a good idea to carry a notebook to write down names you encounter or any other ideas you have, for that matter.

everywhere

I love to read, most of my favorite names came from my favorite books. Most of the books I like have a sense of romance and are older books. My favorite author is daupne du maurier and pretty well each book she has written has at least 1-2 names in them that I like. Like like some [name_f]Bronte[/name_f] novels, as well as [name_m]Dumas[/name_m], [name_u]Austen[/name_u], & [name_m]Hugo[/name_m]. As a result names I like are: [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], [name_f]Rachel[/name_f], [name_f]Rebecca[/name_f], [name_f]Jane[/name_f], [name_f]Cosette[/name_f], [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f], [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], maxim, [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m], [name_m]Edward[/name_m], [name_m]Charles[/name_m], ect.

Everywhere, but I work in Healthcare so I see names of people of various ages on a daily basis.

Mostly from books and the internet

The names from Toddlers & Tiaras are awful, lol! Although I fell in love with [name_u]Paisley[/name_u] from it, but quickly talked myself out of that.

I’d say I get my inspiration from TV shows and movies, as well as the entertainment world in general (celebrities names and what they name their kids, especially the latter). I also check the top names on Nameberry quite often because that is all my style.

TV shows. The more obscure, the better. Also with my husband and I both teachers, it Inspires us by giving us names NOT to use.