Have you attended a gender reveal party recently that was more elaborate than your wedding?
![A baby in a diaper looking up at dollar bills falling from the sky with an Instagram “like” symbol over its head.](https://20627419.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/20627419/hubfs/The%20Hustle/Assets/Images/418643542-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Baby_20230920212010.webp?width=595&height=400&name=418643542-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Baby_20230920212010.webp)
Today’s parents aren’t messing around when it comes to their baby’s social media presence. The global baby products market was valued at $214B in 2021, and money is pouring into services fit for Instagram:
- Decor for gender reveals abounds on sites like Etsy, and events companies charge thousands for executing upscale baby showers.
- Newborn photo shoots are everywhere, with parents hiring professional photographers to document their child’s earliest moments.
- Cribs and strollers, which double as status symbols, can cost well into the thousands.
There’s even a growing group of interior design firms that’ve made baby nurseries their specialty.
Naomi Coe of Little Crown Interiors tells The Hustle that her Southern California clients spend an average of $15k-$20k decorating a nursery, with some clients dishing out as much as $80k.
And design trends are as powerful in the baby industry as they are with adults: The “sad beige” trend has gripped social media so tightly that some have questioned if it’s harming babies’ development.
The trends don’t stop at material goods…
… They’re actually influencing who babies are. Or, at least, what they’re named.
Baby naming consultants are taking to TikTok to name people’s babies — for a price:
- Colleen Slagen of Naming Bebe offers packages ranging from 10 names for $250 to 30 names for $400.
- The baby name site Nameberry charges $350 for an hourlong meeting with a naming consultant, and $10k for nine months of on-call naming advice and unlimited meetings.
So, for parents who want to keep it picture-perfect on social, these services can really add up.
Hot tip: ChatGPT will name your kid for free.