Drawing of a man and woman expecting a baby. The man has on a tan shirt with dark jeans, and the woman is wearing a white top with jeans.

welcome to the name slate

Expert consultants helping you find the perfect name

The Name Slate is a confidential and personalized name consulting service based in the Washington DC area with virtual service throughout the United States. All are welcome at The Name Slate from prospective parents trying to narrow down a name for their baby, to adolescents and adults seeking a name change.

Our straightforward approach to finding the perfect name is based on more than just current trends. We take your heartfelt preferences and match them with name options backed by thoughtful research and data.

By working with The Name Slate, you will feel supported in this important decision and confident in your final name choice.

learn more about the name slate

Life is a blank slate - what matters most is the name you give it. 

Drawing of a man and woman holding their baby. All are smiling. The woman is wearing a peach top with green skirt, the baby is in an orange one piece outfit with whit polka dots, the father is in a light blue shirt with navy pants.

why work with
the name slate

Choosing a name is an important and challenging decision that you should not have to manage alone. The Name Slate is here to partner with you on this journey.

We’re extremely sympathetic to how difficult it is to choose the perfect name. Our goal is to support you in this process and offer a personalized, confidential and neutral space to guide you through your decision.

Let us do the research for you and find names that match your special meaning so you will feel confident and happy with your final choice.  

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who we help

From prospective parents to adolescents and adults and LGBTQIA+ identifying clients, all are welcome at The Name Slate.

  • We partner with prospective parents to find a name that is aligned with your heartfelt preferences. The Name Slate coalesces these preferences with name options backed by research and data-not just current trends.

    Names are the important first step in building a child’s identity, yet choosing a name can feel overwhelming. We join you on this journey and guide you to the best choice so you will feel confident and happy about the name you give your new baby.

  • There are times throughout life where you may want to change your name for personal identity reasons.

    Maybe you’ve always gone by your middle name or a nickname and you are contemplating making a permanent change.

    The Name Slate will work with you and help you find the best options so you can feel confident and supported in your final choice.

  • Perhaps you have gone by your middle name or a nickname your entire life and you have decided to make the permanent change.

    Or, you and your spouse may want to merge last names or create a new blended name that better reflects your family.

    These are all areas where we can help you navigate finding the perfect name and making the change.

3 circles joined together in a pale green/yellow tone. The sculpture shape is a small circle, large circle and small circle joined together representing the shape of a baby.

 how we help

  • Choosing a name can be daunting - there are truly endless possibilities yet it is an incredibly important decision. We have found that people don’t actually want more options, they want to feel better about the choice they made.

    It’s our goal at The Name Slate to provide a curated list based on your inner heart preferences and rooted in data so you can feel informed and confident in your final choice.

  • The veritable ocean of names available can leave some parents feeling adrift. At The Name Slate we help people get beyond the “top ten list” and do the comprehensive research for you.

    Our strategy is to work one on one with each client to find meaningful anchor points that can be used to distill out the perfect name and even pairing recommendations.

  • The Name Slate is not just looking at names that are flashy on social media and random “top ten list” websites; the research is based on actual data and current and historic trends.

    Whether it's a modern derivative of great uncle Albert, a place meaningful to the parents, or a harmonic match to your family name, The Name Slate will do the research and find names that match your special meaning.

  • When you work with The Name Slate, you have a dedicated resource on your side that is independent from family politics. We will be forthright and honest when your family or your friends might not feel comfortable doing so.

    Some prospective parents feel incredible pressure to use family legacy names even if it’s not a name of choice. The Name Slate can provide a necessary buffer with difficult family pressures.

    Some prospective parents disagree amongst themselves about names. As an external consultancy, we can take the stress out of the conversation. We act as a neutral and confidential third party to help you make a decision you will be happy with in the end.

  • Choosing a name is a textbook example of the ‘paradox of choice’ where - counter intuitively - having many options to choose from can cause stress and make people less happy.

    After working with The Name Slate you will feel confident about your name choice knowing that the name selected will be the perfect combination of your heartfelt preferences backed by thoughtful research and data.

Let’s talk!

Questions about working with The Name Slate - send us a message to schedule a free 15 minute consultation.