Start with names both people would use
Use your mutual saved names as a starting point, then confirm that each still feels acceptable. A name may have been saved early in the search and need a fresh conversation now.
Remove an option from your own Saved list if it no longer works for you. Matches update when either person changes a choice, so the final list should represent current agreement rather than a historical vote.
Read each complete combination
Write the first, middle, and family names together. Read the combinations at a natural pace and say the first name in a few ordinary sentences. Check initials and decide whether likely nicknames are ones you would enjoy using.
Try the spellings you actually intend. If one option is Theo and another is Theodore, discuss the legal first name separately from the everyday nickname instead of comparing one short form with another full name.
Use popularity as context, not a prediction
Recent US counts can help when you prefer a familiar or less common spelling. The data is national, annual, and separated by recorded sex. It does not tell you the names in a future classroom or a particular neighborhood.
Missing small observations are not zero registrations, and alternate spellings are counted separately. Compare the same year and category when looking at two names, then decide how much that difference actually matters to you.
Name the remaining uncertainty
For each finalist, identify the one question that remains: a family association, a spelling preference, or whether the full combination feels comfortable. A specific uncertainty is easier to discuss than a vague demand to pick the best name.
Ask relatives for information only when it is useful, such as how a family name was pronounced. Decide together how much outside opinion you want before collecting more votes.
Agree on a decision you can both support
You may prefer different finalists and still be comfortable with the same final choice. Discuss which option each person can support rather than expecting identical rankings of every name.
If you need more time, keep the finalists saved and take a pause. The shortlist has done its job when it supports a clear shared decision; you do not need to keep using the app every day afterward.