Baby Names I Hear Less Often And Love as a Newborn Photographer

Choosing a baby name can feel surprisingly emotional. It often happens late at night, somewhere between scrolling on your phone and imagining who this tiny person will become.

I’m not here to tell anyone what to name their baby. But after photographing hundreds of newborn and family photo sessions, I’ve noticed certain names tend to carry a softness with them. They feel calm. Grounded. Timeless in a way that doesn’t try too hard.

These are baby names I hear less often but have come to love as a newborn photographer.

Gentle Gender-Neutral Baby Names I Love as a Newborn Photographer

More families are choosing names that leave room for their child to grow into themselves, and I absolutey love that. These names feel flexible, thoughtful, and quietly confident.

• Ellis
• Bentley
• Sage
• Reese
• Linden
• August
• Quinn
• Blair
• Arden
• Noa
• River

These names tend to photograph beautifully not just because of how they look on paper, but because of how parents say them: softly and with intention.

Nature-Inspired Baby Names With a Soft, Timeless Feel

Nature-inspired baby names have a way of feeling grounded and expansive all at once. They’re connected to something familiar, steady, and calm.

Botanical & Earthy Names

• Laurel
• Alder
• Juniper
• Flora
• Willow

Sky, Water & Landscape-Inspired Names

• Cove
• Skye
• Soleil
• Atlas
• Briar
• Rain

These names feel especially fitting as reminders during the newborn stage: quiet, gentle, and rooted.

Soft & Timeless Baby Names That Never Feel Trendy

Some names don’t demand attention. They simply belong. These are names that feel just as natural on a newborn announcement as they will years down the road.

• Nora
• Henry
• Simon
• Eliza
• Maeve

I often think about how names will live across a lifetime. These are names I can easily imagine whispered during a newborn session and called across a backyard years later.

Baby Names I’ve Loved Photographing Over the Years

Some names become attached to a feeling within a moment: quiet mornings, sleepy stretches, and nearby sweet, loving parents doing their best. A few names that have stayed with me because of moments like these:

• Clara
• Sunny
• Briar
• Olive
• Isla
• Callum

I won’t ever share identifying details, but these names are forever linked in my mind with tenderness and connection.

Choosing a Baby Name That Feels Right for Your Family

There’s no perfect baby name, only the one that feels right to you.

It’s okay if you change your mind.
It’s okay if you keep it private until birth.
It’s okay if the name feels strange at first.

Over time, your baby will grow into their name in a way that makes it entirely their own.

Planning for What Comes Next

For many families, the naming phase overlaps with another quiet season of preparation: thinking about newborn photos.

If you’re considering newborn photography, this is often the perfect time to start planning. Newborn sessions are typically booked before baby arrives, allowing for a calm, unhurried experience once they’re here.

You can learn more about my newborn sessions [HERE] or explore when to book newborn photos [HERE].

Final Thoughts

However you choose, your baby’s name will soon be spoken with familiarity, love, and a thousand small moments in between. And that’s when it truly becomes theirs.