Millennial parents are picking baby monikers based on the availability of domain names

Mums and dads-to-be take inspiration for baby names from all sorts of places, but new research has revealed that millennial parents are picking monikers for their little ones based on available domain names.

The trend emerged as part of a study which looked at how the Internet is impacting parenting approaches and uncovered the fact that parents are now thinking about a child’s online presence even before they are born.

According to the research, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of GoDaddy, as many as one in five millennial parents said they had changed or seriously considered changing their baby’s name based on what domain names were free at the time.

The study team quizzed 1,000 millennial parents (aged 24-38) and 1,000 Gen X parents (aged 39-53) and found a rise in the number of parents prepping their kids for a life online, often before they’re even born.

While almost half (48%) of millennials believe it is important for their child to have an online presence early in life, only 27 per cent of Gen X respondents feel the same.

Millennial parents are also much more proactive about getting their kids set up with their own websites with 38% revealing they have created or are considering creating a website for their little ones. Compared to just a fifth of Gen X parents.

The results also revealed a rise in ‘sharenting’ or sharing images of their children’s life events online.

The average child of a millennial has 107 photos of themselves posted online before they can even walk, while Gen X parents were found to have posted 56 pictures fewer.

The results suggest that in years to come the Internet could become an increasing presence in a child’s life.

Commenting on the findings Melissa Schneider, trends expert at GoDaddy said: “It’s no longer enough to make sure that your baby is enrolled at the top elementary school at birth, parents today are claiming their child’s name and online identity to make sure that they’re set up for success down the line.”

“More than ever, it’s essential to own your own identity on the internet, and millennials know that better than anyone else. Today’s parents know that the internet is woven into the fabric of our daily lives, and teaching them how to show up well online is vital.”

When asked about their own digital identity, millennials were nearly twice as likely to have their own domain and/or website than those from Gen X.

“The internet is where so much of life happens, and we’re seeing parents in today’s world make sure their kids have a place for themselves online,” Melissa Schneider continued.

“Whether it’s to give them a leg up on school or work, or just to hold their spot for some future use, we expect to see registering for a domain become as common as registering for a stroller for new parents.”

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