Taylor A Humphrey, 37, has built a unique career helping families, including celebrities and the ultra-wealthy, navigate the high-stakes process of naming their baby.

With a background in branding, marketing, and doula training, Ms Humphrey describes herself as a “name nerd”. Her services range from a $200 email providing personalised name suggestions to a $10,000 VIP package. Her most exclusive service, at $30,000, can include genealogical research, hiring think tanks to brainstorm ideas, and creating a full “baby-name branding campaign”.

Clients often have specific requests: names that are uncommon but not odd, simple but not basic, or timeless yet modern. Ms Humphrey says her role often extends beyond simple suggestion. “Sometimes I feel like more of a therapist or a mediator between parents,” she told the San Francisco Chronicle, recounting an instance where she quickly resolved a couple’s dispute over a middle name, saving them from a costly extension to their hospital stay.

Ms Humphrey began posting about her passion for names a decade ago and now has over 100,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram. Her business gained viral attention following a profile in The New Yorker in 2021. While her high fees have attracted online mockery, Ms Humphrey embraces the humour, admitting she sometimes marvels that she makes a living from choosing baby names.

She is one of approximately a dozen full-time baby-name consultants in the US, tapping into a growing demand from parents who feel overwhelmed by choice and fear “name regret”.