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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Athena Stavrou & Zahna Eklund

Baby name expert who charges £200 to help parents predicts 2023's biggest trends

For some parents, choosing a baby name can feel like an impossible task. But thankfully, there are people out there who can help you if you're struggling to pick a moniker for your impending arrival.

Colleen Slagen offers parents-to-be consultations on names that she thinks would be the perfect fit for their babies, and currently receives up to five requests a day for her services.

And the 33-year-old name expert - who charges between $175 (£140) and $250 (£200) per consultation - has now also revealed the name trends she thinks will take off in 2023, including a rise in popularity for some vintage classics.

Colleen often shares her name opinions on TikTok (Colleen Slagen / SWNS)
She has a range of names she would never use (Colleen Slagen / SWNS)

Colleen, from Boston, US, believes 2023 will see "vintage names" such as Margot or Eloise rise in popularity in baby girls, while boys will also take on traditional names - as long as they can be shortened.

The expert, who also works as a nurse, said: "There are a few trends I really like right now - with girls, we're seeing a lot of feminine, vintage names like Margot or Eloise. With boys, there's been a similar trend, but parents are also keener to have nick-nameable names like August which can be shortened to Gus or Augie."

Colleen also predicted a jump in popularity when it comes to gender-neutral names such as Ellis and Noah, and said using surnames as first names is becoming more favourable too.

"I think one thing people are really interested in is how popular a name is," she explained, "You can easily look up a name on a social security website and see how much it's been used.

"Another way to find names is through social media or looking at baby-focused companies that name products after kids. Discussion boards are also another great way to find a name."

Colleen began her career as a name expert last year after being "obsessed" with baby names her "entire life".

"I have been obsessed with baby names my entire life. I spent my whole life preparing for this job - without knowing it existed as an option," she said.

"I used to read yearbooks, phonebooks and baby name books and forced all my friends to talk about baby names with me. My sister and I used to have full lists of baby names and play games revolving around baby names.

"I just thought of it as a quirky hobby, but then as my friends and I got to the age where we started having kids, I started unofficially advising them. I'd get feedback from friends and even their partners saying that it was very helpful.

"When I went on maternity leave with my daughter, who is now one, in January 2022, I bit the bullet and launched my website. It was a slow start, but then in January of this year I started making TikToks and all of a sudden it really took off."

The expert doesn't just help parents either, as she also assists couples in choosing a new surname if they don't wish to take each other's, and helps some clients change their name altogether.

Colleen says her consultations are "pretty in-depth", as she takes into account any names parents can't use because they know someone else with it or because it doesn't "flow well" with their surname.

She added: "After the consultation, I send them the list of names I think would work. I also go into detail on the style of the name, its meaning, its popularity and why I think it's a good option for them. I also give them feedback on names they've already considered."

Colleen's name trend predictions for 2023:

  1. Vintage names such as Mallorie or Eloise for girls
  2. Surnames being used for first names such as Sutton, Miller or Brooke
  3. Gender neutral names
  4. Names that can be shortened to nicknames like August to Gus or Augie

Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at yourmirror@trinitymirror.com.

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