Did You Keep Your Baby Name a Secret?

Deciding on a baby name isn't always easy, and when you finally do have a name, choosing whether to share before the baby is born can be a back-and-forth discussion.

My husband and I decided to share our babies' names before they were born — even when we didn't know the gender (because we chose a name that would work for either gender). For us, it helped us bond with the baby, and when we had older children, it helped them bond as well, having a name to call their sibling to be.

If you're not sure if you will keep your baby name a secret, read on to find out how six parents came to the decision to share or to keep their baby's name a secret until birth:

No: Feels more real

“We aren't keeping it a secret. It feels more real and exciting when we refer to her by name!” – Christy

{ MORE: Arlie, Bailey, Connor, and More: The ABCs of Baby Names }

Yes: Didn't want opinions

“Yes because I didn't want opinions. When there is an actual baby with the actual name in front of a person, they'll keep their opinions to themselves and deal with your decision.” – Casey

Yes: Didn't want anyone to steal them

“Yes. They were unique names, and I didn't want anyone to steal them from us!” – Alexandra

No: Named after Dad

“We didn't with our first because he was a junior, and what could people say? Tell my husband they didn't like his name? With our other two, we waited until they were born, partly because we weren't 100% sure which name we'd pick and partly because we didn't want opinions. You don't tend to hear much if you present the baby with the name already decided, but you'll hear a lot of opinions ahead of time.” – Shell

{ MORE: Names from the Family Tree: Grandparent and Great-Grandparent Inspired Baby Names }

Yes: We didn't like the questions

“We had a name earlier in the pregnancy that we were pretty sure of. My husband and I said it all the time to each other when referring to the baby and even spoke to him using it. When others would ask us about it and we said it out loud, their responses made us uncomfortable. Some would wonder how it was spelled or just scrunch up their face and repeat it and go ‘Oh … OK.' It made saying it to anyone else awkward, and eventually, we hated it. We then spent months trying to come up with another name.

“We have a couple weeks left until baby ‘M' is here and are quite positive this is his name; however, we aren't telling anyone until he is born because of our first experience. As much as you might think you are a person who is unaffected by the opinions of others when it comes to your child, it's easy to be a little more sensitive.

“And, moreover, there are very few surprises in life anymore, especially since we could never wait for birth to find out the gender. The name being a surprise to friends and family kind of builds up the excitement a little.” — Sam

Yes: I wanted to know them first

“We kept it a secret! Even though I knew there was a little person/persons (twins) growing inside me, I hadn't met them yet. I couldn't be sure I had chosen the right name(s). Once I saw their little faces, then I could call them by name and share with the world, but I had to be sure the name matched the little person first.” – Kristi

{ MORE: Better than Pumpkin Spice: Baby Names Inspired by Fall }

Did you keep your baby name a secret? Share why or why not in the comments!