A speech therapist has advised parents to avoid three common baby names due to pronunciation difficulties. Chloe Conrad, a speech-language pathologist in San Diego, posted a video on Instagram listing the names Rory, Rowan, and Aurora as ones she would never choose for her own children.
Conrad explained that names containing the letters 'R' and 'O' together are particularly challenging for young children. 'Most young children substitute a W for a R, which is completely developmentally appropriate. That substitution usually starts to resolve around age six,' she told Today. However, the combination of 'R' and 'O' creates a greater articulation hurdle.
Other names such as Laurel and Axl can also be difficult for similar reasons, Conrad noted. In the comments on her viral video, many parents agreed, with one writing: 'I have the hardest time saying it!' Another said of Rowan: 'He can’t say Rowan and refers to himself as “Ro Ro.”'
Despite these concerns, Liam and Olivia remain the most popular baby names in the US for 2025, according to Social Security Administration data. Liam has held the top spot for eight consecutive years, while Olivia has been number one for six years.
Baby naming consultant Taylor A Humphrey previously told The Independent that many parents now choose surnames as first names to honour family members. 'It’s a fun way to modernise the honour-name tradition,' she said.
