Coming soon · Baby names with a story

What will we call you?

More than a name. A story to begin with.

A gentler way to find your baby's name: the real story behind every name, names that feel at home in both of your families' worlds, and a swipe you can do together.

Join the waitlist Free at launch. We'll email you once, when it's ready.

Theodore

THEE-uh-dor · Greek

A story for your family

In November 1902, on a hunting trip in Mississippi, President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear that had been tied to a tree for him. A newspaper cartoon made the moment famous, and a Brooklyn shopkeeper named Morris Michtom began selling a stuffed toy he called "Teddy's bear." So the name that means "gift of God" also gave the world one of its most hugged gifts.

Checked facts

Meaning: "gift of God," from Greek theos + doron

Also carried by: Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss

Nicknames: Theo, Teddy, Ted

Just for funHoney gold · Earth · Sagittarius

← Not for usSwipe to decide togetherLove it →

How it works

Three minutes to your first ten names

No endless lists. You tell us a little about your family, and we bring you names worth reading about.

Quiz

Tell us about you

Where your families come from, the feeling you want, how popular is too popular. A few short questions.

Swipe

Meet names with stories

Every card opens with the story behind the name. Swipe right to keep it, left to let it go.

Match

Decide together

Both partners swipe on their own phone. When you both say yes, that's a match. Your no stays private.

Home & Here

Names that feel at home in two worlds

If your families come from different places, we look for names your grandparents can say without stumbling and your child's teacher can spell on day one. We also tell you when a name means something unexpected in another language.

AdamHebrew · Arabic · EnglishThe first man in the Torah, the Bible and the Quran

LaylaArabic · Persian · Turkish · English"Night" in Arabic, and the heroine of the love story Layla and Majnun

MateoSpanish · Italian · Croatian · EnglishSounds the same in Madrid, Mexico City and Texas

Why we're building this

Most name sites give you a list. We give you something to tell your child.

Every story is checked against standard name references before it goes live, and kept clearly apart from the fun parts. Because one day your child will ask: why this name?

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Checked facts, always labeledMeaning, origin and history are checked before a card goes live. Stories are stories, and marked as such.
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Real US popularity dataHow a name has moved since 1880, from Social Security records, so you know how many classmates may share it.
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Honest heads-upsIf a name has picked up a meaning or a famous bearer you'd want to know about, we say so, kindly and plainly.
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A little magic, kept in its placeColors, elements and star signs for every name. Just for fun, and never dressed up as advice.

Waitlist

Be among the first families

We're launching with thousands of carefully written name stories. Join the list and you'll be the first to try it, free, and you can tell us which names deserve a story next.