For most parents, naming a baby is an emotional journey—part tradition, part trend, and part gut feeling. But in San Francisco, a 37-year-old woman has built a full-fledged business around the very act of picking names. What might sound like a quirky side hustle has grown into a luxury service where parents spend as much as $30,000 (about ₹26 lakh) to give their child a carefully curated identity.
From Hobby to High-Priced Service
Taylor A. Humphrey describes herself as a “professional baby namer.” What began as a fascination with names more than a decade ago is now a booming boutique agency. According to the San Francisco Chronicle , Humphrey charges anywhere between $200 for a simple email consultation to $30,000 for a VIP naming package that includes detailed questionnaires, genealogical research, branding insights, and even family-wide brainstorming sessions.
In 2020 alone, she named over 100 babies and earned $150,000. Today, her portfolio spans more than 500 names, and her social media presence—particularly on Instagram and TikTok—has attracted over 100,000 followers intrigued by her unusual profession.
How Do You “Brand” a Baby?
Humphrey’s process goes far beyond flipping through baby name books. Parents who seek her services are usually looking for names that feel distinctive but not bizarre, modern but timeless, strong but not overbearing. To achieve this, she combines branding techniques with family history, mining ancestral records for hidden gems while also ensuring that the name fits into the client’s desired “aesthetic.”
Her packages can even include “baby name branding,” which involves creating a family identity to match the chosen name. For couples who disagree, she sometimes acts as a mediator, helping to calm anxieties and prevent naming disputes from escalating.
“Sometimes I get calls from clients that are so urgent I need to drop everything,” Humphrey told the San Francisco Chronicle, reflecting the pressure some parents feel when making what seems like a once-in-a-lifetime decision.
A Business Both Mocked and Admired
While wealthy and celebrity clients flock to her services, critics online have often dismissed the idea as frivolous. In fact, when The New Yorker profiled her in 2021, memes and jokes flooded social media, mocking the idea of spending thousands on something many families decide over a dinner table. Humphrey admits that she understands the absurdity. “It’s a little embarrassing when you get made fun of on the internet,” she said. “But at the same time, it is silly. I come up with baby names for a living.”
Yet, despite the laughter, her business is thriving. Parents who see a child’s name as a brand launchpad are willing to pay big money to avoid regrets later. For them, it’s not just a name—it’s an identity investment.
Putting a Price Tag on Identity
The VICE report that spotlighted Humphrey’s work suggests that her success is less about the names themselves and more about the anxieties of modern parenthood. In a world where identity, uniqueness, and “personal branding” are increasingly valuable, some parents see professional naming as a safeguard.
Humphrey’s waiting list shows that this niche service is far from a gimmick. It’s proof that in today’s world, even something as intimate and timeless as naming a child can be outsourced—if you have the means to pay for it.
So the question remains: would you spend ₹26 lakh to ensure your child’s name stands out?
From Hobby to High-Priced Service
Taylor A. Humphrey describes herself as a “professional baby namer.” What began as a fascination with names more than a decade ago is now a booming boutique agency. According to the San Francisco Chronicle , Humphrey charges anywhere between $200 for a simple email consultation to $30,000 for a VIP naming package that includes detailed questionnaires, genealogical research, branding insights, and even family-wide brainstorming sessions.
In 2020 alone, she named over 100 babies and earned $150,000. Today, her portfolio spans more than 500 names, and her social media presence—particularly on Instagram and TikTok—has attracted over 100,000 followers intrigued by her unusual profession.
How Do You “Brand” a Baby?
Humphrey’s process goes far beyond flipping through baby name books. Parents who seek her services are usually looking for names that feel distinctive but not bizarre, modern but timeless, strong but not overbearing. To achieve this, she combines branding techniques with family history, mining ancestral records for hidden gems while also ensuring that the name fits into the client’s desired “aesthetic.”
Her packages can even include “baby name branding,” which involves creating a family identity to match the chosen name. For couples who disagree, she sometimes acts as a mediator, helping to calm anxieties and prevent naming disputes from escalating.
“Sometimes I get calls from clients that are so urgent I need to drop everything,” Humphrey told the San Francisco Chronicle, reflecting the pressure some parents feel when making what seems like a once-in-a-lifetime decision.
A Business Both Mocked and Admired
While wealthy and celebrity clients flock to her services, critics online have often dismissed the idea as frivolous. In fact, when The New Yorker profiled her in 2021, memes and jokes flooded social media, mocking the idea of spending thousands on something many families decide over a dinner table. Humphrey admits that she understands the absurdity. “It’s a little embarrassing when you get made fun of on the internet,” she said. “But at the same time, it is silly. I come up with baby names for a living.”
Yet, despite the laughter, her business is thriving. Parents who see a child’s name as a brand launchpad are willing to pay big money to avoid regrets later. For them, it’s not just a name—it’s an identity investment.
Putting a Price Tag on Identity
The VICE report that spotlighted Humphrey’s work suggests that her success is less about the names themselves and more about the anxieties of modern parenthood. In a world where identity, uniqueness, and “personal branding” are increasingly valuable, some parents see professional naming as a safeguard.
Humphrey’s waiting list shows that this niche service is far from a gimmick. It’s proof that in today’s world, even something as intimate and timeless as naming a child can be outsourced—if you have the means to pay for it.
So the question remains: would you spend ₹26 lakh to ensure your child’s name stands out?
You may also like
Want to hoin Yash Raj Films? script cell now open for writers
Celebrity Big Brother's Tiffany Pollard comes out as non-binary - 'I'm out of the closet'
Bengaluru man leaves Internet in splits as he shares picture of his unlikely co-passenger: 'There was a faint smell...'
Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das to Lead Gandhi Jayanti March in Malkangiri
Japan logs third-hottest September on record
