Unusual baby names for boys and girls

Should I choose an unusual baby name?

Research shows that many parents who regret their baby's name do so because it became too popular or wasn't distinctive enough, so choosing an unusual name for your baby girl or boy is a far better decision than it might first appear.

As for what is defined as “unusual”, well that really depends on the area you live in and the circles you mix with – whether you like it or not. It might seem obvious, but if you live in Wales, you're likely to come across a lot more Sians and Catrins than you would were you to live in Sunderland, for example.

And you shouldn't forget that fashion is a fickle beast. Think about how popular “Kevin” was in the 1970s. While you might argue that it's high time it made a comeback, Harry Enfield has probably rung the death knell of Kevin for some time to come. On the flipside, traditional names have stood the test of time for a reason. There is nothing wrong with following the crowd to an extent – and indeed, when Jane does go on to rule the world, people will stand back in awe and say in hushed tones: “not-so-plain Jane.”

You could go off-piste and come up with your own unique spelling or combination of more typical names. But be careful – if you go too “out there”, your child will be forced to spell it out to doctors' receptionists and at job interviews for years to come, with the mumbled explanation that his mother had a spiritual awakening by way of Pinterest when he was six months in utero.

Finding the balance between unusual and unoriginal

Want to avoid your child being one of five kids responding to the same name in the playground, but not quite brave enough something which doesn't even appear on most baby name lists? If you're looking for a nice middle ground between overused classics and the really obscure, then why not opt for one of these popular names, which still have a bit of an edge on Jack and Olivia?

My husband's mum almost named him Moonbeam, but she was off her face during labour at the time. She eventually settled on Paul.

Unusual boys' names in the top 100 in 2018

Carter
Elijah
Finley
Harvey
Jaxon
Jayden
Jenson
Logan
Lucas
Mason
Riley
Sebastian
Theo
Tobias
Kai

Unusual girls' names in the top 100 in 2018

Aisha
Amelie
Aria
Aurora
Clara
Esme
Martha
Maryam
Mila
Robyn
Summer
Willow
Zara

Choosing a name no one else will have

If you don't want to run the risk of any other parents on the maternity ward announcing they've chosen the same name as you, then why not go for a (pretty much) unique boys' or girls' moniker? Try these uncommon baby names on for size.

I think if I had chosen a really unusual name, I would be fully prepared for some to love it and some to hate it. It wouldn't bother me if someone thought it was the worst name ever if I liked it.

Unusual boy names

Ambrose
Amos
Arran
Atticus
Axel
Bertram
Blaise
Brock
Cassius
Clarence
Clement
Corin
Cormac
Elric
Emil
Enzo
Ernest
Flynn
Gregor
Innes
Ivo
Jago
Jolyon
Kingsley
Laurie
Lucian
Magnus
Malachi
Marin
Nelson
Orson
Oswin
Otis
Pascal
Peregrine
Rafferty
Raoul
Rufus
Silas
Solomon
Sorley
Struan
Sullivan
Sylvester
Thibault
Valentine
Vaughan
Victor
Wulfric
Xavier

"I wouldn't want to use a name from another culture unless it was something I had some sort of link to, such as if I had lived there."

"Is Peregrine too 'Lord of the Rings'?"

"I love the name 'Sorley'. It's a Viking name meaning 'summer visitor'."

Unusual girl names

Allegra
Anais
Antonia
Ariadne
Blythe
Calliope
Catrin
Constance
Cressida
Daphne
Delilah
Deryn
Eden
Elin
Etta
Gaia
Gloria
Honey
Imelda
Judith
Laurel
Leonie
Lucinda
Maeve
Malin
Merryn
Morven
Nina
Nora
Octavia
Ophelia
Paisley
Paloma
Phaedra
Priscilla
Quinn
Raven
Romy
Rosamund
Saskia
Savannah
Seraphina
Solange
Tallulah
Verity
Willa
Wren
Xanthe
Yasmin
Yolande

"I like strong names that are still suitably feminine-sounding."

"Paloma is such a beautiful Spanish name."

You might also want to take inspiration from the great and the good (and perhaps the most bizarre) in the world of unusual celebrity baby names. After all, you wouldn't want your darling child to look passé at school sat next to Blue Banjo Science, would you?

Ultimately, it's up to you where on the spectrum of popular to esoteric you choose to sit. One thing is for sure here: you have to think about whether your future mini-me would be comfortable introducing themselves as the leader of the free world with the name you've chosen.

Rare baby names

There are certain names, however, that stray past the boundaries of unusual and right into outlandish. From the mythical to the biblical and everywhere in between, here are some of the very unusual baby names that Mumsnetters sighed over… and then cast aside (well, mostly).

Guilty pleasure girl names

"I like Amethyst too. What would her nickname be though, Thysty?"

Amethyst
Arizona
Arrietty
Athena
Bathsheba
Bellatrix (Trixie)
Cleopatra
Cymbaline/Cymbeline
Emerald
Euphrasia
Finty
Ganymede
Ginevra
Guinevere
Heaven
Hepzibah
Hero
Loveday
Myrtle
Nyx
Pixie
Queenie
Sage
Tigerlily
Waverley
Winter

"Heaven… loved it since a teen reading Virginia Andrews."

Guilty pleasure boy names

"We were inspired by The Sopranos, but alas it could never be because we have no Italian connections and you can't really have a wee boy cutting about Glasgow called Furio."

Achilles
Algernon
Aloysius
Cassian
Cornelius
Fox
Garnet
Griffin
Jedediah
Jupiter
Merlin
Montgomery
Obsidian
Osiris
Phineas
Ptolemy
St John
Tiberius
Tidus
Wilder

"DH wanted Ptolemy. DS (13) thanked me the other day for not letting DH get his way."

For more unusual baby name inspiration or opinions on your baby name ideas, head on over to our Talk forum.

Still searching for the perfect name? Try our baby name generator

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