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Should You Choose An Unusual Name For Your Baby?

Synka | Aug 28, 2009 | 0 comments

Giving a name to your baby is one of the most important gifts you will give him or her apart from life itself. The first question to be considered is do you choose a traditional name, a traditional name but with different spelling, or do you go for a unique name? Increasingly parents are opting for the latter, but is this a good idea?

There are advantages in choosing an unusual baby name: people with such names stand out from the crowd; at school they won’t have to use an initial after their name because someone else in the class has the same name; and they won’t get confused with anyone else. However, nobody will know how to spell their name; it may be mis-pronounced; and other kids can be very cruel. There’s nothing worse than being teased and kids will quickly pounce on a weird name as a reason for teasing or bullying.

Studies have shown that people react negatively to those with unusual names. The author of The Name Game and The Baby Report Card, Dr Albert Mehrabian, reports that, sociologically, a general finding is that people don’t react well to things that are new and unusual. They aren’t comfortable with it, and that applies to names.

During the last ten years, Dr Mehrabian has studied how a person’s name effects them. His findings suggest that when compared to a more traditional name, the ratings of unusual names are much lower in every category: for example a person’s happiness, success, and morality. By choosing an unusual name parents think they are being creative and are ensuring their kids are individual. But green hair is individual and having green hair is not necessarily a good idea!

Mehrabian says he has counselled many adults who were ridiculed by their co-workers because of their names, and finds that the more unusual the name the harder it is to adjust.

I knew a man whose middle name was Mary. Apparently his parents wanted him to have a saint’s name and chose Mary. He was embarrassed by it and tried to keep it very quiet.

Maybe there is a middle course? Avoid the really weird. Don’t go down the road followed by Frank Zappa who named his kids Moon Unit and Dweezil – one is a boy, the other a girl; no idea which is which! Or Gwyneth Paltrow who named her daughter Apple. Just imagine what kids in the playground would do with those names. Perhaps as more and more parents choose unusual names the problems will diminish as the unusual itself becomes the norm.

Your baby is already unique, he or she doesn’t need a unique name to be special. Bear in mind that your baby will grow into an adult, so make sure the name you choose will suit your child in later life. Too many cute baby names sound silly when baby grows into an adult.

If you do decide on an unusual baby name and need a personalised gift for a baby, we can help; visit our store.