What do you consider an 'out there' name?

DD1 (now 10) used to go to nursery with a Tallulah, I thought it was a perfectly normal name. There was a Tallulah, played by Jodie Foster, in the American Bugsy Malone film that just starred kids.

I think it is a name that raises eyebrows when revealed or if you have to ask how it is spelt.

I know a Tikka and today in the supermarket I heard a mother calling her DS Shadow

Depends what you meant with 'out there'.

Negative 'out there' names:
Made-up names (Chaynne-Jay or Neveah-Mai) or silly names (Smirnoff, Wurzel, Porshe, Red, Blue, Orange or Champagne).

Positive 'out there' names:
Perfectly normal, classic names that are simply not used very often e.g. Seren, Tallulah, Cecily, Quentin, Atticus, Gabriel or Persephone.

We chose names for our dcs that are 'positively' out-there imo . I also believe that we name people mainly so that they can be identified - in that respect 'out there' can be a positive.

Smirnoff? Please please tell me you're joking. That's horrendous.

Personally, kr8-ive spelling is too much for me and the names that sound made up or like two random names cobbled together for the sake of being yoo-neeq. I'd take a Persephone or an Atticus over a Braydon-Jai or a Lacey-Cheyanna-Mai.

At our school (just outside London) there are lots of families from different cultures and backgrounds - nobody would bat an eyelid at a Gabriel, Quentin, Cecily or a Soren (in fact we know a half Swedish one). Some names are very popular in other countries (e.g. I think Quentin was in the top 10 in France until a few years ago), so I do think that being open-minded and well travelled (or working in an international environment) makes you more open towards 'different' names.

OP, have a look at the ONS statistics and look at all the names outside the top 100 for inspiration. And even if people initially find a name 'out there' they will very quickly associate the person who owns the name with it.

At risk of outing myself as there cannot be many of them....

I grew up with a girl call Ysatis. (Ee Sa Tees)

Which I personally think is a lovely name, but was hilarious watching people that didn't know her try to pronounce.

I think it's a bit out there but in a lovely way.

I don't think it is necessarily about how often a name is used. Mary and Jane are normal names, but infrequently used now, but no one would say that they are unusual.

From some of the names people find ordinary, I'm guessing there are a lot of people from North London on here. There are names which are considered fashionable there which might sound (dare I say) a little pretentious elsewhere. It's not to do with being "cosmopolitan" or "open minded", as of course there are as many prejudices there as anywhere else, just different ones. Sure, London is a cosmopolitan place, but so are all cities! It's much more to do with local fashions and attitudes. Some other cities where a larger proportion of people pride themselves on being down to earth are going to go for a slightly different type of name in general.

Recently met a 16 year old Gypsy, her 13 year old brother is called Hercules. Gypsy is all flicky hair and Notting Hill, have yet to meet the brother, but am keen to.

I have a friend with a DD named "Seren", I think it's lovely. It means "star" in Welsh. :)

Gabriel is a lovely name. It sounds very angelic to me.

I love the name Gabriel and Soren is a popular Scandinavian name, not unusual there, but Smirnoff?, Wurzel? honestly, what are people thinking?

I think on the whole babies grow into their names and just become them. Something that sounds a little out there on a baby then becomes cool and unique.

We have a Ralph near us and eyebrows were raised at that on a baby but now he is our lovely Ralph. It suits him.

Someone in our town called their bay boy Wurzel ! ( and yes we do live in Somerset), poor little chap having to deal with that one all his life !

I know a Jaxx, Zee and Smirnoff - personally they are rather 'out there' to me!

Also know a rainbow, a snow, a stone-rose, a nevada (girl) and a raven (boy) again out there names

We named our son Gabriel and we had alot of raised eyebrows, people often stare at us when we call his name, and i was told by a look-alike Junkie in the supermarket that i was up my own backside for calling my toddler that.

At my daughters school there is a Soren which many think is a little out there too....

To me a lot of names on here are not 'out there' - I know of real life Cecilys, Cordelias, Quentins, Phoenixs and even a Persephone.

I agree, dubz, once you meet a 'real life' Ptolemy, Percy or even an Obelix, you associate the name with that person, and if their are nice, then you automatically like the name.

Never met a Waterfall (!) but I do know a small Ariadne, and very lovely she is too.

Out there to me is certainly not names like Cecily or Cordelia. To me it's names that have to be spelled or said twice or three times to everybody like Cai-Onn or Kobi (actual names of boys I knew).

poppydaisy obelix I wouln't be surprised if the next celebrity baby is Asterix!

I walked into a breastfeeding support group when dd was 4 weeks old and the first two babies I met were Percy and Ptolemy . I live in fife which with the best will in the world can at best be described as down to earth place to stayy (apart from st andrew and i don't stay there ) anyway, i've got to know these mums and now think of both as perfectly normal names. Like others say, knowing someone with a name changes your perspective of it
I still think fifi trixibelle is a bit much though

'Out there' names might be

Ulysses
Amadeus
Socrates
Hubertus
Hildegard
Obelix

You're right, Step. Our perception of names depend very much on where (which country) we grow up, where we live/work and who we've met with that name.

Where we live (and work) in London I hear names from all over the world, so perhaps I'm used to hearing more 'unusual' names.

I'm sure your Quentin is as lovely as you say rachel :) Names are so subjective and there are many factors as to what sounds "ordinary" or "out there" to a particular person. Agree with freerange about location having an influence.

step, Quentin is not one little bit 'out there' . We have one and he is very lovely!

Lol @ yellowflowers. Freerange, you're completely right that there are plenty of absolutely terrible real names! I suppose I just meant I wouldn't be rolling my eyes at them. Still don't think I like any made up current trendy names though :o

(But then I have a child with one of the names mentioned here, so am clearly a fruit loop :o )