Unique Baby Names
Thursday, May 1st, 2008Expectant parents often say they are looking for a unique baby name. But what do they mean? Do they really want a name that is totally unique? In the strictest sense, if you want such a name, then of course you want it to be the only one of its kind. But how realistic is that?
Realistic or not, a sizeable number of prospective parents still try to come up with “one-of-a-kind” names. Some names, such as Mackenzie, now have literally dozens of spelling variations, including McKenzee, MacKinzee, and Machenzie. But taken to the extreme, the hunt for a unique baby name can lead to some curious, clunky variants. Do you want your child to be named “Mukkenzy,” after all other possible variations have been taken, simply so your boy or girl can have that unique name? Probably not. You probably don’t want to go with a name like Pilot Inspektor, Moxie Crimefighter, or Version 2.0 either.
A growing body of research suggests that giving your child a unique baby name may not be the best thing for the child, longterm. This argument holds that your name subtly influences how people see you, and this affects how they treat you. In turn, this influences your self-image and self-esteem, starting as a small child. In its simplest form, a child with a ‘weird’ name, such as Elmer, may be continuously teased in school, and this will hurt Elmer’s self-image and future development. By contrast, ‘Alexander,’ named after the great emperor, may be empowered by his name, because other people unconsciously respond to him with a certain level of respect.
Robert Needlman, MD, has written an interesting discussion of this topic. The research implies that boys with unusual first names tend to display more emotional disturbances than boys with more traditional names. But, as Dr. Needlman points out, it is important not to overstate the case. Are the boys in question more troubled because of their names, or because of the parental support structure which gave them strange names in the first place? Nonetheless, there are many instances where ‘desirable’ names are shown to lead to greater success. A recent report from the School of Business at Arizona State University shows that the names of top CEOs in Phoenix come from a disproportionately small group of names, implying that certain names are more likely to lead to greater success. The three most successful names in the study group were Robert, John, and Steve.
But whether or not it’s a good idea to give a child a unique name, some parents seem driven to find one. The following list may make it a little easier.
While the following names are not totally unique, they are very unusual. They are real names, and some even have very interesting histories. The boy’s name Jago, for instance, is a variant of the name James, from Cornwall, in England. And the girl’s name Lettice is another old name, Latin in origin, meaning “gladness.”
But while all these names are “real,” none of them has been in the top 1000 names in the last hundred years, according to U.S. Social Security data. Maybe they’re not one hundred percent unique. But they’re unusual, out-of-the-ordinary, and very individual. If that’s the kind of name your’e looking for, then this list is definitely for you.
Girls’ Names: Briony, Dalena, Easter, Flick, Gaia, Happy, Jaine, Lettice, Odelia, Opal, Posy, Saffron, Tarina, Unity, Wilda, Xanthe, Zinnia.
Boys’ Names: Alban, Barker, Chay, Digby, Edan, Fergal, Jago, Laban, Napier, Parsifal, Somerled, Trayton, Urban, Vanslow, Yorick, Zeno.
Neil Street is co-publisher of Baby Names Garden, a leading website devoted to baby names, including unique baby names and unusual baby names
