Parents Are 'Paying Experts' To Find Names For Their Babies (And It Doesn't Come Cheap)

Baby name service has a hefty price tag.
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Some parents-to-be are so worried about choosing the perfect name for their baby that they're calling on the help of 'experts'. 

Brand agencies in America and Europe are now offering to help parents find a name for their child, for a fee.

According to Bloomberg, Switzerland-based naming agency Erfolgswelle will charge up to £20,000 ($29,000) to name one baby. Just one.

But rather than just finding a name and passing it on, Mark Hauser who runs the agency, will devote up to three weeks to research the name's history. 

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'My Name for Life', a company run by Sherri Suzanne in New York, has a similar aim.

Suzanne, who is a baby name consultant, will spend 30 hours on a single name report and prices start from "several hundred dollars", according to her website.

The website states: "My Name for Life is here to help you discover the attractive and memorable name meant just for your baby.

"You’ll find the patient, supportive assistance you need to pick the name your child will say and write proudly for the rest of his or her life."

The service describes itself as a "personal, private, no-pressure way of getting honest advice and wonderful name suggestions". 

Albert Mehrabian, a professor of psychology at the University of California-Los Angeles believes it is "worth every penny".

"Believe me, you don’t want to name a child with an unattractive name and have them go through life and suffer the consequences," he told Bloomberg.

"If you are getting somebody who really knows the evidence, then I’ll say it’s worth every penny, whether its $500 or $5,000."

There is, however, no information about where these "consultants" get their expertise from. 

Duana Taha, who writes the Name Nerd column on American website LaineyGossip.com, believes parents appreciate having a "complete stranger" giving advice.

Although Taha doesn't charge for consulting, she offers her opinion on celebrity baby names and said she receives letters from parents seeking guidance.

She previously told HuffPost Canada: "Parents really appreciate that there's somebody that's judging based only on the merits of the name and that they get to tell their story in its entirety without somebody saying you also have to pay tribute to Great-Aunt Margaret.

"It's not as simple as finding a name that is phonetically pleasing for a child.

"You also want to have a name that kind of signifies how you feel about them or how you want them to feel."

Siobhan Freegard, founder of video parenting site Channel Mum, isn't keen on the idea.

"Hiring a baby brander is solely for people with more money than sense," she told The Huffington Post UK.

"A baby's name should be personal and meaningful to the family - not plucked from a list by a person with no connection to the child.

"There is so much information available for free online that no one needs to pay a so-called expert for it.  

"The golden rule is if you're not sure on a name then don't choose it and keep looking.

"There are thousands of lovely names so choose the one that speaks to you and feels right for your child. You'll know when you've found it."

What do you think? Would you ever want help in naming your baby?

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