Professional baby namer Sonya Prior reveals her surprising list of names you should never give your child

7NEWS

15-05-2025

Choosing a name for your child seems more art than science but that doesn't mean it doesn't have rules.
Now, professional baby-namer Sonya Prior, known on TikTok as BB Namer, has shared her list of 10 banned baby names — telling expectant parents they should reconsider if they've settled on one of these monikers.
Speaking to 7NEWS on Thursday, New Zealand-based Prior, who also works in financial services, said she started as a baby name consultant back in 2023, with the side hustle quickly taking off.
Prior said top of her 'banned list' is any name which is 'too artillery heavy' such as Cannon or Gunner.
'The Egyptian name Isis, which means throne, and Swastika, which is a Sanskrit name meaning good fortune, are beautiful but have been co-opted by exceptionally terrible periods from world history so are rather understandably off the table,' she said.
Prior also warned parents to steer clear of names with heavy religious connotations.
'I personally don't recommend the name Cohen due to its Judaism significance and Bodhi for its importance within Buddhism,' she said.
Prior added names that are too sweet often do not work later in life.
'Honey is a name that is growing in popularity,' she said.
'I'm not mad at it as a middle name, however, those sweet, term-of-endearment names such as Sugar and Honey aren't ones I readily suggest.'
Prior said 'any distinctive #booktok TikTok boyfriend names such as Xaden, Cassian and Lorcan' are also on the banned list for her.
BookTok is a TikTok group discussion about books.
'Although established #booktok boyfriend names, think Dorian and Rowan, are thankfully in the clear,' she said.
And rounding out her list, she said: 'Gratefully, I think the name Adolf is extinct.'
What to consider when naming your baby?
Prior said parents should take 'absolutely everything' on board when choosing a baby name.
'The people you want to involve in this decision, usually just mum and dad, mum and mum or dad and dad.
'But it has become a bit of a public sphere, so there's 101 things to contend with depending on how broad you want to keep it.'
How much does it cost?
The costs of a professional baby-namer vary.
For a public TikTok consultation, it costs $180. For a private consultation, it's $150
A middle name is slightly cheaper at $100 while a name list review is $120.
All prices are in New Zealand dollars.
Professional baby-namer's banned list
1. Cannon
2. Gunner
3. Isis
4. Cohen
5. Bodhi
6. Honey
7. Xaden
8. Cassian
9. Lorcan
10. Adolf