Expert consultants helping you find the perfect name.
The Name Slate is a boutique consulting service based in Washington, DC. We help parents and individuals choose the perfect name by providing confidential and expert support.
We use historic and current data trends to match your inner heart preferences with a name that is the perfect blend of data and you.
Life is a blank slate - what matters most is the name you give it.
who we help
From new parents to adolescents and adults, all are welcome at The Name Slate.
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Names are the first step in building a child’s identity.
We work with parents to find a name that is rooted in data and your inner heart. The end result is the perfect mix of artistry and analytics.
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There are times throughout life where you may want to change your name for personal identity reasons.
Maybe you’ve always gone by your middle name or a nickname and you’re contemplating making a permanent change.
TNS will work with you to find the best options.
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Perhaps you have gone by your middle name or a nickname your entire life and you have decided to make the permanent change.
Or, you and your spouse may want to create a new last name that better reflects your family.
These are all areas where we can help you navigate finding the perfect name and making the change.
how we help
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Choosing a name can be daunting - there are truly endless possibilities. Yet at the same time, it is an incredibly important decision.
Names are the first part of one’s identity and they are long lasting. We have found that people don’t actually want more options, they want to feel better about the choice they made.
It’s our goal at TNS to never provide a list with more than 5 names to a client.
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Choosing a name from website listicles (20 most popular names that are also cities in France?), is totally fine for lots of people. But for others, TNS helps them get beyond the lists.
The veritable ocean of names available can leave some parents feeling adrift. Our strategy at TNS is to work one on one with each client to find meaningful anchor points that can be used to distill out the perfect name.
Whether it's a modern derivative of great uncle Albert, a place meaningful to the parents, or finding a harmonic match for your family name; TNS will do the research for you and find names that match your special meaning.
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The Name Slate is not just looking at names that may be trending on social media, but is using actual data on actual names to inform decisions.
We find the perfect blend of your personal preferences backed by research and data. We do the research so you don’t have to and so you can feel confident in your final choice.
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When you work with TNS, you have a dedicated resource on your side that is independent from family politics (avoid the drama) and can be forthright and honest when friends might not feel comfortable.
Some prospective parents feel incredible pressure to use family names even if it’s not a name of choice so hiring The Name Slate can provide a necessary buffer with difficult family pressures.
Some prospective parents disagree amongst themselves about names so bringing in an external consultancy can take the stress out of the conversation and outsource the hard conversation and hard research to The Name Slate.
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Choosing a name is a textbook example of the ‘tyranny of choice’ where - counter intuitively - more options tends to make people less happy.
After working with The Name Slate clients will feel confident about their name selection. The name selected will be the perfect combination of your heartfelt preferences backed by data.
Our Process
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Initial Consultation
We begin by having a one on one discussion with you to learn more about you and how we can help you choose the perfect name.
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Questionnaire
Complete our intake questionnaire to share preferences and ideas to start the name finding process.
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Research
The Name Slate conducts research into name possibilities based on the consultation and the feedback from the intake questionnaire.
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Data Analysis
Data analysis conducted on the name possibilities-your options will be backed with data and based on more than just trends and what’s popular.
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Provide a List
We curate a list of potential names created based on criteria and research and share this via email.
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Follow-up Consultation
We schedule a follow-up consultation if necessary to help you make the final decision on the perfect name.
A husband and wife team in Washington DC - Jessie (fueled by a passion for names) and John (fueled by data science) - bring you The Name Slate.
Jessie loves researching names and seeing trends evolve - they always do. She has been reading baby name books forever and keeping tabs on the most popular names.
John’s background in data science brings an element of expertise to the naming process. He deciphers the wealth of information and data available on names being given to babies every year and helps narrow down options.
They work together using their extensive knowledge on names backed by data to strike the perfect balance of your heartfelt preferences so you can feel confident in your choice.
They do this by honing in on your preferences and comparing them with trending data. By working alongside you, Jessie and John can help integrate familial names but with a modern or personal twist. We do the research so you don’t have to.