You heard me right...I am a Baby Name Consultant and I help new parents find the most perfect forever name for their little baby. A dream job? YES!!!
That's me. Michelle...a Mum of 3 wildflowers living in QLD, Australia who is simply obsessed with names. In fact, I named my little sister when I was just 8 and now this is my profession. WILD right?!
As I grew, I found myself helping family and friends with their future babies name...I would intuitively suggest ideas and help to brainstorm with the parents to be for months and months until the perfect name was chosen. It filled my heart with so much JOY! I became known as the 'go to' person for baby names and would often find out about pregnancies very early on just so we could chat NAMES!! It was the best ever, but never once did I think that my passion for names could be a full blown business! Basically I was a baby name consultant well before being a baby name consultant...crazy pinch me moment!
So, what made me start sharing names?
It wasn't until 2020 when the world paused for a while that I felt this incredible urge to share my pure love of names with the world. I wrote out the words 'Grow Little Wildflower' and within a few hours, I had created an Instagram page and shared my first name. This felt like the perfect creative outlet while I was homeschooling my boys and navigating the slow life with my 1 year old girl following my every move...my littlest wildflower!
I shared name after name and with each name, I wrote my own intuitive words...words I felt drawn to for each name. I thought about who that baby/child would be, what traits and qualities did that name portray? Very quickly, my following grew and before I knew it, I had a community that waited with baited breath every day to see which name I would share next! I continued to share for the love of names...I helped hundreds of parents via DM with name advice and I also shared lists and lists of names that suited different naming styles, to really help new parents find that elusive 'one' they had been on the search for.
The demand was CRAZY!
In 2022, the demand via my DM's was increasing at a rapid rate. I could barely keep up and if I am honest, I truly couldn't keep up! This is when I decided to take that scary leap and launch Grow Little Wildflower as her own little business. I designed my own website and began a waitlist for those wanting a 1:1 consultation with me to chat NAMES whilst continuing to share my beautiful Keepsake Prints and Ebooks I wrote along the way.
The rest is history.
From hobbiest baby namer to Professional Baby Name Consultant...I pinch myself daily that this is a Job, MY JOB! What started as a side gig is now my full time job as of September 2023... as I left my job as a Broker Assistant to go all in. Eek!!
The wide world of Baby Naming is really just taking off!
Although it has been around for many many years, only now are we truly thinking even more deeply about the profound gift of naming our baby and the lifelong joy that name will bring them. It isn't as easy as just picking a name!
Back in the day it was very normal to just chose a name you liked and that was it. There was less thought that went into names and often a name would be passed down through generations. Nowadays parents are really keen to choose a name that is new, fresh, bold, brave! If a name is too popular it can really steer parents away from it. I always say though, if a name is popular it is just very very loved and it has withstood the test of time...this is a good thing!
There has been a huge change in the world of naming where nothing is off limits and choosing a name that has a certain vibe or aesthetic is high on parents agenda! Parents are really open to ALL the name possibilities and in fact, I encourage this as often we have this idea of what name we want and this can cause a block to all the other amazing names that might flow SO well for you!
With the rise of Social Media and gender reveals...we now are entering a phase of baby name reveals. Hearing the chosen name for the first time is HUGE!! It is highly anticipated and so many cannot wait to hear the final choice! People are making it fun, interesting and exciting! And so, this is where I come in.
Enlisting the help of a Baby Name Consultant can be part of the fun and really help you to open your mind to ALL the possibilities! Especially because now more than ever, we will choose to keep the name close to our hearts until the baby is born and we are certain we have found the perfect name... so chatting to someone like me is the perfect outlet to have an unbiased opinion!
So what do I actually do?
Well, firstly I listen. I put aside my own naming preferences and I simply listen to yours. And this is how I tailor every single Name Consult to suit YOU.
I help my clients -
Feel clarity and confidence in their naming choice
Be open to ALL the name possibilities and to choose a name that feels right for them no matter what
Feel heard during such a sacred process which often can feel like a lonely one
Navigate their worries and doubt alongside their hopes and dreams
Make bold and brave name choices that they are proud of!
Feel encouraged and supported in choosing the name they love OR finding a new little gem of a name that simply just feels like joy!
New parents will purchase one of my offerings and I gather information as a guide via a Questionnaire that is sent immediately upon placing your order...this asks you to share what you love, your style, what lights you up, names that are on your list and names that are a no for many reasons, names you must use and a little about your story so far plus a few other details. Some people keep it simple and to the point, others share the depths of their naming and pregnancy journey so far and have a very detailed naming requirement. I love hearing the stories as often these will shape part of my suggestions and I also love those who keep it short...this is when I draw on my intuition to suggest names I just feel drawn to for each client.
Once I have some background information I can start my research (I have listed below my favourite websites to help with stats and name meanings). My suggestions are both research based AND very often, they are intuitive suggestions that I just feel drawn to. It is uncanny how many intuitive ideas I have sent through that are EXACTLY the name that has been on their mind! This is what I feel sets me apart from other Baby Namers - I am very open about my intuitive side and I absolutely love suggesting the first names that come to me, it is such a fun part of the baby naming process for me and the parents to be!
Some people simply want middle name ideas - others have the middle name sorted and are looking for the perfect first name that flows with the middle and last. Others want a name that can be pronounced well in both English and their cultural language - I do a lot of research for these ones to make sure I honour their preferences and style!
Others come to me with Name Regret. Yes, this is a thing and it is more common than you think. I could have a few new clients each week chatting name regret or even just feeling so uncertain on the final name once baby is born. This is another reason why enlisting the help of a Baby Name Consultant early on is very appealing to new parents and why my podcast which covers off on ALL the topics and dilemmas that could arise while deep in the naming journey has been such a great help for those currently navigating the naming journey.
It could take me anywhere from 30 mins for a 'Ask me anything' to a whole day to finalise a list depending on the package chosen. The process isn't a quick one BUT it is a fun one plus you get my full attention and expertise to help guide you to the perfect name...priceless!
What are my offerings?
I recently opened my 'Ask me anything' where a Mama or Dad to be can ask any question and get a response within 48 hours! This has been hugely popular and I love love love the pressure of a quick turn around...the 'Ask me anything' is purely intuitive as a questionnaire is not completed for this option!
We then have my 1:1 consultations - sent via email in a beautiful PDF. I also offer a Golden Hour chat where I dedicate one hour to chat names with the parents to be...we open our hearts to all the possibilities. We share stories and hopes of who this baby will be and we ultimately come out of this chat with more clarity and a readiness to allow the name to find us!
The final offering is a 1:1 Mentorship - this is up to 3 months of advise, wisdom and guidance with face time calls and many many emails back and forward.
If a 1:1 Consultation isn't your thing, perhaps the many Ebooks I have created may allow you to feel less stressed with the millions of names on google and to focus on just a select, intuitively led few hundreds of names. OH and don't forget about the beautiful Keepsake Prints that I custom create for ANY name you choose with my own intuitive meaning and the traditional meaning. A forever keepsake that shares some very special traits with your child to remind them just how amazing they are.
There really is something for every new parent no matter your budget or naming need. I am here to help!!
OH and don't forget about my Podcast - Grow Little Wildflower - over 30 episodes available where all good Podcasts are shared...filled with name advice, name dilemmas, name ideas, real names used RIGHT NOW and so much more!!
Each day is new, each day presents a new naming challenge...and I am up for ALL the challenges! Give me a name challenge and I will tackle it head on!!
Little 8 year old me would be AMAZED at what I have achieved and now at 40, I can truly say I have found my thing. What a full circle moment!
SO with that...I would love to say if you are thinking about pursuing your passion, whatever that may be. GO FOR IT!!! You just never know where it could take you. I know for sure, my soul contract here on earth is to help others...so watch this space as I want to not just help new Parents find their perfect forever name but I also want to inspire them to pursue their passion and create a thriving business that could gift them the freedom to stay home and raise their babies while earning an income! A way to give back to my wonderful community for allowing me to achieve something that dreams are made of.
Find me over on IG - where there is a community of 97,000 name obsessed Wildflowers just waiting to help YOU find your most perfect forever name.
OH and don't forget to follow your HEART, it knows the way!
Michelle xx
aka Grow Little Wildflower
Favourite websites I would love to credit for stats and name meanings: