We all face the naming decision differently. Some couples throw a yellow legal pad on the kitchen counter and use it to toss ideas back and forth to create a list of baby names. Some wives and husbands work each in their own corner, and only pull out the names they seriously want to throw in the ring. You may find this checklist for baby names useful as you cull through literally hundreds of names that have immediate positive associations but could never make the final cut after a little analysis. Print and save this guide for your top naming choices:
| Pronunciation is easy: | Positive Neutral Negative |
| Clear on gender: | Positive Neutral Negative |
| Personal impression: | Positive Neutral Negative |
| Initials/monogram: | Positive Neutral Negative |
| Meaning: | Positive Neutral Negative |
| Popularity: | Positive Neutral Negative |
| Nicknames: | Positive Neutral Negative |
| Fit with last name: | Positive Neutral Negative |
| Sound of name: | Positive Neutral Negative |
| Namesakes in the news, history, family: | Positive Neutral Negative |
| Uniqueness: | Positive Neutral Negative |
Give 2 points for Positive, 0 for Neutral, and 1 for negative. The name with the most points would be the winner.