I’m a baby expert, parents pay me up to £30k to pick the perfect moniker – why you shouldn’t choose a traditional name

Taylor Humphrey makes thousands of dollars by helping to choose what parents will call their babies.

Taylor has a TikTok following of over 70 thousand people under the username @WhatsinaBabyNameDoula.

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She makes videos giving advice and being a “name nerd,” but to have a tailored experience, you’ll need to put your money where your mouth is.

She told The Guardian last year she thinks the obsession with having a unique moniker – think Apple Martin or North West – comes from the “desire to stand out”.

“In today’s age of social media, uniqueness is paramount.

“It’s the first impression people will ever have of you.

“I think parents are finally recognising that name choice can really dictate the course of their children’s lives.”

Taylor noted it’s no longer about looking on a baby name list and saying ‘I like Liam, do you like Liam? Yes, let’s name our child Liam.’

It’s all about working out your “core aesthetic”.

She’s got quite a well-known clientele, though it’s very hush-hush, and includes celebrities, influencers, politicians, and athletes.

Despite the hefty price tags she puts on searching for a perfect moniker, she did share three tips to help parents-to-be.

1. Home decor

“Go to your favourite room in the house, look around,” she instructs. “What sense does it evoke?

“What’s the architectural style? What is the interior design style?”

“What is your favourite object in the room and how does it make you feel?”

2. Wardrobe

“We wanna get a better sense of your personal style,” she says.

She suggests getting three outfits out: something you wear every day, something you would “wear to brunch with the girls,” and something you would wear to a wedding.

The New York-based influencer then says to find something in common between the three: “Is it hyper-feminine?

“Is it casual? Is it chic? Is it modern?

“Find some evocative adjectives that describe the feeling.”

3. Music

Taylor says for expecting parents to look “beyond” favourite genres and artists and instead “really think about ‘what does it feel like when you listen to your favourite song?’

“What is the emotion that comes through and what are you imagining?”

After thinking about one or all of these elements, she suggests thinking of a character, person, place, or era that “orients you in space and time that really epitomises the vibe of all of your surroundings.”

She adds to think about “core ascetics” and gives the example of ‘Barbie core’ with the doll representing female empowerment, hot pink, and playful.

The 33-year-old makes a lot of money thanks to her business and going viral a few years ago, and after a lot of speculation about her earnings, she spoke out.

In March she shared a video with a screenshot of an article which suggests she makes “$10,000 per name” and said: “This $10,000 … like, I just, I mean, it’s so comical.

“I do have packages that are at a high luxury price point, but these packages are offered to people who are living public lives.

“I’m working with them for months on end.”

She said she found the suggestion funny as she has “never” charged that much for just one name.

“A lot of my packages are at affordable price points, so don’t let these outrageous headlines fool you.”