Parents' New Stress: Baby Names

If you're thinking about naming your child after a comic book character, just stop: You don't want to be among the increasing number of parents experiencing "baby name regret," do you? More parents are finding themselves remorseful over the names they chose, a baby name expert tells LiveScience, and that's probably because they have so many more choices these days. Consider that in 1997, 15,000 Baby Names was published … while a baby name book published in 2008 featured a whopping 140,000 names.

Psychologists have found that more choices can lead to more regret—or to a complete inability to choose. Expectant parents experience this because, as the number of available names has risen, "names are becoming more important … every choice sends a stronger signal," the expert says. She often hears from parents who are upset when it turns out their darling's name is unpronounceable, has a previously-unknown negative association, or simply doesn't fit. If you really can't live with it, just change it, she recommends; the baby probably won't even notice. (More baby name stories.)