A free printable baby name game.
A baby name game gets every guest involved in one of the most exciting parts of the pregnancy — and it doubles as a genuinely useful way to gather name ideas the parents-to-be might not have considered. This page covers three ways to play the same printable, so you can pick whichever fits your shower.
Three ways to play
The same printable works for any of these formats — just explain the rules you're using when you hand it out.
- Open suggestion (easiest, works for any group size) — guests simply write their favourite name ideas for a boy and/or girl anywhere on the sheet. No timer needed. Best for smaller, more relaxed showers.
- Alphabet challenge (most popular format) — guests try to think of one baby name for every letter of the alphabet within a time limit, usually 5 minutes. Whoever completes the most letters wins. Works best with groups of 8 or more, since it becomes a friendly race.
- Team suggestion — split larger groups into teams of 3-4 and have them brainstorm together, then read out their favourite from each team. Good for baby showers where guests don't all know each other well, since it breaks the ice.
Whichever format you choose, collect the completed sheets at the end — many parents-to-be genuinely use a few of the suggestions, and it makes a nice keepsake either way.
Hosting tips and timing
- Run this game early in the shower, while everyone's still arriving in waves — it's a natural way to keep early arrivals occupied without needing the whole group present
- Have pens ready at each seat before guests sit down — hunting for a pen mid-game kills the pace
- If running the alphabet challenge format, announce the time limit clearly before starting and use a visible timer (phone timer projected or just called out) so it feels like a fair race
- Read out a handful of the funniest or most unexpected suggestions afterwards — this is usually the part guests remember, more than the game itself
Adapting it for a virtual shower
For a video-call baby shower, send the printable ahead of time as a PDF for guests to print at home, or have everyone use the open suggestion format and type their ideas into the call's chat instead. The alphabet challenge format works less well over video since there's no easy way to enforce a fair timer across everyone's connection — open suggestion or team suggestion (in breakout rooms) both translate better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this printable free to download?
Yes — download and print as many copies as you need, with no sign-up required.
How many copies should I print?
One per guest for open suggestion or the alphabet challenge, or one per team of 3-4 if you're using the team format.
What if we run out of time during the alphabet challenge?
That's normal — very few groups fill every letter. Whoever has the most letters completed when time's called wins; there's no need to finish the full alphabet.
Can we use this for a gender reveal party instead?
Yes — the open suggestion and team formats both work well before the reveal, since guests won't know whether to suggest boy or girl names, which often makes for funnier results.
Should we tell guests their suggestions might actually be used?
That's up to the parents-to-be — some like to keep it as a fun game only, others genuinely browse the sheets afterwards for real inspiration. Either way works; it's worth deciding beforehand so guests know what to expect.
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Resources reviewed by qualified UK primary and secondary school teachers. Content aligned to the National Curriculum.