How to choose a baby name as Strictly's Janette and Aljaž reveal they picked one 'about eight years ago'

Strictly Come Dancing couple Janette Manrara and Aljaž Škorjanec may still be awaiting the arrival of their first child, but they first chose their baby name over eight years ago.

Manrara, 39, and Škorjanec, 33, married in 2017 and announced they were expecting their first child in February this year.

"We settled on a name about eight years ago but then as soon as we fell pregnant, we completely erased that one from the options," Škorjanec told Hello! Magazine.

"Then, not that long ago, Janette suggested a name and that was the one that we kind of stuck with. Now, whenever we caress the bump we say the name. People say that you need to see the baby before you solidify it but I feel like we do have a name."

However, they added that they won't reveal what the name is until their baby is born.

Whether parents are looking for something tried and tested or simply want to check out the names to steer clear of, most popular lists provide never-ending inspiration for mums and dads-to-be.

But choosing a name from the lists isn't the only way to pick a baby moniker, of course.

Here are a few other ways to come up with a name you'll love long-term...

Picking the perfect name

1. Seek out inspiration

According to baby names expert SJ Strum, founder of the Baby Names Envy podcast, when it comes to choosing, parents should be looking to pin down their own personal style.

"When I do a Baby Name Consultation normally the parents-to-be are seeking something truly special that has personal meaning and isn't just from the pages of an A-Z book," she says.

"We always start by thinking about their own personal style – give it a go yourself; are you daring or traditional when it comes to your tastes? For your home and clothes do you love minimalism, vintage or even gothic style? Once you pin down your style, you can get creative looking for names within that genre."

2. Consider your passions

Strum says you could think about a quote from a book, something musical, an animal or place or your favourite literary character.

"There's so much inspiration in these areas," she continues. "It's no surprise Luna is trending amongst millennial Harry Potter fans and animal and nature names are trending across the charts from Wren to River and literary names like Harper and Poem. Meanwhile, travel-mad parents have seen Atlas fly into the name charts."

3. Don't end up with a banned baby name

You might think that choosing a baby name is in your hands, but it turns out there are some options parents actually can't give their newborns.

Yep, that’s right, there are actual banned baby names.

While the UK is more relaxed than some other nations when it comes to the outlawing of monikers, Strum says there are certain things you should bear in mind when choosing a name for your new arrival.

“Monikers that contain obscenities, numerals, misleading titles, or are impossible to pronounce are likely to be rejected by the Registering Officer, when registering a birth," she says, so don't go too wild...

4. Find something unique

Though this might be more tricky than ever according to researchers at the University of Edinburgh who say uncovering a unique name for your little one is becoming much harder.

Scientists analysed the names of 22 million people born between 1838 and 2016 (imagine how long that must have taken?). Unsurprisingly they found that trends are linked to historical events, celebrities and those in the public eye and our favourite TV programmes (welcome to the world baby Daenerys!).

While global communication and rising immigration have increased parents-to-be’s exposure to alternative names, the Internet has meant these have become common just as quickly.

And so uncovering a unique gem of a name has become a little more tricky.