Many parents choose not to reveal their baby’s chosen name until after the baby is born. What’s with all the secrecy?

There are various reasons for parents choosing not to reveal their name choice until after birth. Every parent has their personal favorite names and names that they just don’t connect with. There is always the chance of negative criticism. Although the criticism may be well meaning, the name that is chosen to give to a baby is close to the parent’s hearts and of personal meaning and significance.. Some simply don’t want to take the chance of letting others spoil their feeling about the name or even send them second-guessing. Many parents feel that since it is their baby, the name is strictly their decision.

Surprise is one of the most prevalent reasons. Some don’t want to tell, and some don’t want to know! Many expecting couples may come across family and friends that actually want the surprise. Sometimes even gender is concealed to respect individual wishes. Announcing a baby’s name and gender are incredibly special moments. There is nothing like an after labor "It’s a Boy!"

Some parents keep the name a secret for religious reasons. In some cultures, it is customary to tell a baby’s name only once the baby is born. The giving of the name may be accompanied by a ceremony celebrating the event. In some cultures, the name is revealed only one year after birth!

Ultrasounds done to predict gender are usually correct, however there have been cases of women who were told they were having a girl, and ended up giving birth to a boy! Since the gender predictions are not 100% foolproof, some couples choose to keep their baby final name choice to themselves until the know the gender of the baby for sure.

On the other hand, revealing the baby’s name before the birth is a choice many couples make. Once the name is decided, it is very hard to keep the excitement to yourself. Plus, some parents prefer to start to call their baby by its name while it is still in the womb.