"These days—whether you choose to embrace it or steer clear—it feels like Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere. Some of society’s favorite uses are smart assistants, like Siri and Alexa. Being able to ask it a question or tell it to add something to your grocery list completely hands-free is pretty magical. Plus, these days when you head to Google and search something, you’re almost always given the answer wrapped in a nice bow. Beyond invisible assistants, AI is starting to cross over into other aspects of our lives. Because of this, new questions are forming. One of my favorites: Would you let AI choose your baby name?
That’s right! AI baby name generators are now a thing. Some may shy away from the concept. But for others who are tirelessly searching for a baby name they love, this may be a saving grace (or at least a thought starter!). Recently on TikTok, baby name consultant Jessie of @dreambabynames tested out an AI baby name generator. Her video showed the ins and outs of how to use the generator, as well as her own testing of the software.
Below, I’m diving into her video and experience with an AI baby name generator, as well as sharing my own review of the software.
A Baby Name Consultant’s Experience
Jessie’s video is basically a one-stop shop for what to expect when using an AI baby name generator. She begins by explaining that the software is “supposed to give you baby name suggestions based on what you actually like.” From there, she walks through the process using Naimbot from BabyNames.com. It has her list five names she likes, up to five names she doesn’t like, any name preferences (Italian baby names, last names as first names, Irish baby names, etc.), as well as gender.
It’s really as easy as that! Jessie shared that she likes the names Esme, Gaia, Poet, Dove, and Veda. The names she listed that she didn’t prefer were Lainey, Kinsley, Everly, Mackenzie, and Lakelyn. For preferences, she listed unique names, word names, and French baby names. The AI generator then produced a list of name suggestions for her, including Soleil, Seraphine, Marigold, and Reverie, among others.
Her Thoughts
Jessie went on to explain that she felt the generator leaned a little too heavily on the French name preference she selected but noted that she did love the suggestion of Soleil. She also stated that while she thought the names were beautiful, she didn’t feel like they fit with the names she input herself.
To re-test the generator, she went back and added surnames, unique names, and traditional baby names, and took out French names. She explained, “I kind of just wanted to play around with what they did with saying I like unique and traditional.” With suggestions like Juniper, Marlowe, Rowan, and Lyra, she concluded that she wasn’t very impressed. She did, however, explain that in another video she would be open to using the generator for boy names or using Naimbot’s setting for gender-neutral names to see if the experience differs. Overall, this baby name consultant gave the experience a measly 3/10.
My Experience Testing Out an AI Baby Name Generator
After seeing this video, I knew I had to test the generator out for myself. While I’m not currently pregnant, I do have a running list of baby names saved in my notes app that is always open for additions. The test was more for experiment’s sake, but I also went in hoping to understand if it is a viable option for any parents really struggling to nail down the perfect baby name. Here’s how my personal experience went.
Step 1: Entering in Names I Like
Since Jessie used the AI generator in her video for girl names, I decided to try it out for boy names. I started out by entering five boy names I like. For reference, I tend to like western-style names and edgy baby names with a hint of classic traditional for boys. Here are my selections:
- Maverick
- Harvey
- Wyatt
- Jackson
- Bowman
Step 2: Entering in Names I Wouldn’t Use
As Jessie pointed out in her video, I don’t necessarily dislike any of the names I listed in this step, I simply wouldn’t use them myself. As a girl who grew up with a “boy’s” name, I like something a little off the beaten path. This is not to say I wouldn’t use a name simply because it’s popular, but I do like names with a little flair. For this reason, I veto-d the following:
- Liam
- William
- Michael
- Daniel
- Henry
Step 3: Selecting Name Preferences
Naimbot offered these 14 options for name preferences:
- Nature Names
- Popular Names
- Surnames
- Unique Names
- Word Names
- French Names
- Irish Names
- Traditional Names
- Italian Names
- Arabic Names
- East Indian Names
- Persian Names
- Japanese Names
- Chinese Names
Of these options, I selected surnames, Italian names, unique names, and word names.
Step 4: Select Gender and See Results!
After selecting that I wanted to see names for boys, I was presented with my results. Here are the names it gave me:
- Colton
- Sterling
- Donovan
- Rocco
- Alessio
- Fabrizio
- Orlando
- Santino
- Thatcher
- Cassius
My Thoughts
Overall, I’m fairly impressed with the names Naimbot generated, but I tend to agree with Jessie’s assessment. While I think it leaned a little heavily on the Italian options—something Jessie also experiences with French names—I think there is some variety as well. On top of that, the names Colton, Sterling, and Thatcher certainly fall into a similar category as the names I submitted. Out of the options listed, the ones I would most consider are Colton and Donovan. I would give the overall list of options a 6.5/10.
Using ChatGPT to Pick a Baby Name
When thoroughly investigating the use of AI to source baby name inspiration, I knew I had to also look to the AI chatbot many of us are familiar with: ChatGPT. To start, I simply asked it to “Help me pick a baby name.” It responded very conversationally with the prompt, “I’d love to help! Do you have any preferences in mind, like gender, style, or cultural significance?”
Staying with some of the same preferences as above, I told the chatbot I was looking for a unique name that’s western-inspired and for a boy. From there, it quickly produced 10 names and their meanings or popular references. Some notable inclusions were Cash, Wyatt, Ranger, Cody, Gunner, and Tucker. From there, it asked if any of these resonated with me. For experiment’s sake, I said no. I was then given 10 more options (sans meanings), including Rhett, Colter, Harlan, Walker, Finnick, and Dallas. This time when it asked if any resonated with me, I said yes. It quickly asked me which ones and then proceeded to provide more context for my two choices (Harlan and Dallas) as well as offered to provide potential nicknames for each.
Would I Recommend Using an AI Baby Name Generator?
Yes and no. Of the 10 names generated for me, there were only two that I would genuinely consider when naming a baby. Because of this, I wouldn’t make it my first stop when baby name shopping. That being said, it does seem like a great thought-starting tool—even the beginning prompts can help decipher what you like and don’t like and open your eyes to a potential theme to look into.
What was nice about using ChatGPT for the baby name search was that it quickly generated 20 options for me to consider. On top of that, each response was very conversational, almost like you were talking with your own baby name consultant. Since it was willing to keep the brainstorming session going, I feel like this really could be a viable option for couples who are struggling to consider.
All that to say, I think if parents are stumped on picking a name and want to consider the AI route, going with ChatGPT may be a more efficient and engaging experience. In general, I think it’s a helpful resource for parents who are really struggling to come up with a name. While they may not find their golden ticket in the name department (which, if we’re taking the same baby name consultant’s advice, sometimes you don’t have that magical a-ha moment when picking out a name), using AI may be a great starting point.
Brett Nicole Hayden, Assistant Editor
As the Assistant Editor, Brett works with the editors of The Everymom on the content creation process by updating stories, sourcing images and graphics, and pitching and contributing her own articles. Her favorite topics to write about are culture, relationships, and living. She’s also The Everymom’s resident baby names and family movies expert!