Scaling a Baby Name Database From 500 to 2100 Names: Lessons Learned

BabyNamePick started with about 500 carefully curated names. We're now past 2,100. Here's what we learned scaling a structured dataset while keeping quality high.

The Quality vs Quantity Trap

It's tempting to bulk-import name lists from public datasets. We tried this early on and quickly reverted. The problem: inconsistent data quality. Origins were wrong, meanings were oversimplified, and gender classifications were outdated.

Instead, we add names in curated batches of 20-30, each manually verified for:

• Accurate origin(s) — many names have multiple cultural roots
• Nuanced meanings — not just dictionary definitions
• Current gender usage — some names have shifted over time
• Popularity scoring — based on recent data, not historical

Data Structure Evolution

Our initial schema was flat:

{ name: "Sage", gender: "unisex", origin: "latin", meaning: "wise" }

At 2,000+ names, we needed more structure:

{
  name: "Sage",
  gender: "unisex",
  origin: ["latin"],
  meaning: "Wise",
  popularity: 4,
  length: "short",
  style: ["nature", "modern"]
}

The style array was the biggest improvement — it powers our thematic browsing. Parents can find nature names, vintage names, or literary names without us maintaining separate lists.

Performance at Scale

With 2,100 names, we still use a single JSON file loaded at build time. Next.js static generation means zero runtime database queries:

// Build time: generate all 2100+ name pages
export async function generateStaticParams() {
  return names.map(n => ({ slug: n.name.toLowerCase() }));
}

Each name gets its own statically generated page, which is great for SEO. Google has indexed over 2,800 pages on babynamepick.com — individual names, letter pages, category pages, and blog posts.

What's Next

We're targeting 3,000 names by mid-2026, with a focus on underrepresented cultures. Our African names, Arabic names, and Korean names sections are growing fastest.

The key lesson: grow deliberately. Every name added should make the database more useful, not just bigger.