New baby gift ideas: 10 original alternatives to a soft toy
2 September 2026 8 min read
In short: the best new baby gift names the child, is never outgrown and asks nothing of the parents. A soft toy or a bodysuit lasts a few months; a Salernes terracotta tomette engraved with the baby’s name and date of birth, from €18.90 to €27.90 and prepared within 3 working days in the Var, stays in the nursery and then in the child’s life. Friends, grandparents or godparents: the right gift depends on who is giving it.
A baby arrives, and with it the first gifts. Soft toys, clothes and night lights are useful presents; a personal keepsake can complement them. Which new baby gift idea should you choose so that it truly suits the family? Here are ten ideas, from everyday help to a decoration to keep.
A personalised decorative tile is one of the gifts that keep a record of the birth: a name, a date or the details of a birth announcement become a keepsake to display. It complements the practical presents needed in the first months. At MyTomette, the collection brings together customisable tomettes and tiles, so you can choose the design the parents will love.
What makes a good new baby gift
The parents of a newborn are short of time, space and sleep. A gift that hits the mark takes all three into account, and usually ticks these boxes.
It names the child. The name and the date: these are the details people are happy to find engraved.
It is never outgrown. A three-month bodysuit lasts three months. A keepsake lasts through childhood.
It asks nothing of anyone. No upkeep, no floor space, no batteries to change.
Two new baby keepsakes to personalise
An illustrated layout puts the name first; an engraved birth announcement brings together more details. Wait for the date and spelling to be confirmed before ordering. To give the gift before the birth, prepare your idea, then finalise the engraving once these details are known. The piece is intended for decoration and should be placed out of the child’s reach.
10 new baby gift ideas: practical, personal or decorative
A soft toy. Ask the parents whether they have already chosen one; their preferences or their baby gift list will help you.
Bodysuits and sleepsuits. Check the size and the season they will be worn in, so that you add what is genuinely missing.
A night light. An idea to discuss with the parents, depending on how the nursery is arranged and on their routines.
A photo album. Choose a format that is easy to fill, or offer to prepare the first few pages yourself.
A nursery decoration. Take your cue from the colours and patterns the parents have chosen, and agree on a suitable spot.
An early-learning book. A gift to choose according to the recommended age and the books the family already has.
A baby-shop gift voucher. It leaves the parents free to buy what they need when they need it.
A piece of birth jewellery. A keepsake to give according to the family’s tastes and wishes.
A tree to plant. A symbol worth considering if the parents have a suitable place and would like to look after it.
A tile or tomette with the baby’s name. A decorative keepsake engraved with the confirmed name and date, to be placed out of the child’s reach.
A practical gift and a keepsake can complement each other. The baby gift list and the parents’ preferences remain the best starting points for choosing.
The right gift, depending on who is giving it
Friends and colleagues
Keep it simple: the name and date beneath a gentle design, Girafe or Montgolfière. For a joint gift from colleagues, choose a single piece and a card signed by everyone.
Grandparents
An engraved birth announcement, such as Empreinte, or a tomette with the names of all the siblings. Grandparents love to keep the whole of that first day. And if the baby arrives before the festive season, have a look at our gift ideas for baby’s first Christmas.
Godparents
A message that comes from you, such as “Ta marraine qui t’aime” (your godmother who loves you) or “Attrape les étoiles” (reach for the stars), or the date of the christening. It is the gift the child will find at home as they grow up, and will associate with you.
The birth announcement engraved on a decorative tile
Name, date and first milestones brought together in terracotta
A personalised new baby tomette takes the details of a birth announcement and engraves them permanently into the terracotta. The result: a unique object that hangs on a wall out of the child’s reach or stands on a shelf, and that the child may one day take to their first flat.
Salernes terracotta brings its warm colour and natural variations. Each piece is laser-engraved to order in our workshop in the Var. It is a decorative piece: stand it up or hang it with a suitable fixing, out of the child’s reach.
What should you engrave?
The name alone, in large letters: the most timeless choice.
The name and date of birth: the composition chosen most often.
A gentle phrase: “Petite merveille” (little wonder), “Attrape les étoiles” (reach for the stars), “Libre comme le vent” (free as the wind).
The place of birth or the town, like a pin on the map.
The siblings’ names, to welcome the new arrival.
The preview updates as you personalise, so you can check the wording and its placement before ordering. To find out more, read How do you personalise a new baby gift?
A birth, a christening or a baby shower?
Choose the design and the personalisation fields to suit the occasion. For a birth, the name and date are engraved once the baby has arrived. For a christening, people often add the date of the ceremony and the names of the godparents. For a baby shower, the baby’s name is not public yet: a gentle phrase or the family name is then a better choice, keeping the name engraving for later.
A personalised Muslim new baby gift: Masha’Allah
For a family who would like a keepsake carrying a blessing, the Masha’Allah design combines a crescent moon, a star and a mosque with the message “Qu’Allah te protège et te guide” (may Allah protect and guide you), along with the baby’s name and date of birth. For a Jewish birth, Mazal Tov follows the same principle.
Masha’Allah: a terracotta new baby keepsake to personalise.
What budget, and when to order?
Format
Price
Best for
Hexagonal tomette, 12 × 10 cm
€18.90 (€21.90 with a hanging hole)
Name, date, a sweet message
Square tile, 13 × 13 cm
€24.90 (€27.90 with a hanging hole)
Full birth announcement, longer compositions
Personalisation is included. Each piece is engraved to order in our workshop in the Var: allow 3 working days for preparation, then 2 to 4 working days for delivery within France. Delivery to a pick-up point is free from €39, which is two pieces.
Before ordering your personalised gift
What if the name or the date is not known yet?
Pick out the design in advance, but wait for confirmed details before ordering an engraving with the baby’s name. If you would rather give the gift before the birth, choose an inscription that does not depend on those details and check that it suits the parents.
Do you need to engrave every birth detail?
No. A name and a date are enough for most designs. Choose the composition according to the details you want to keep; do not shrink the text too much just to fit everything in.
Which new baby gift should a godparent give?
A piece engraved with the child’s name and a message from you or the date of the christening, from €18.90. It is the gift the child will associate with you as they grow up.
How much should you spend on an original new baby gift?
Between €18.90 for a hexagonal tomette and €27.90 for a square tile with a hanging hole, personalisation included.
Engrave their name for good
Choose a design, fill in the details and check the preview before ordering.
To keep a first memory, you can choose a photo of the baby or a portrait with their parents and turn it into a personalised new baby photo gift. The drawing is engraved on a tomette or a tile, with the name and date if you wish.
Faced with the pile of soft toys, aim for a gift that names the child, is never outgrown and asks nothing of anyone. A name and date engraved in terracotta bring these three qualities together, for €18.90 to €27.90, and turn one more present into a family keepsake. A question about the wording, formats or lead times? Write to us at contact@mytomette.fr.
