Anyone actually managed to pick an unusual name?

[Carlitawantsababy]

I'd really love my DC to have an unusual name and personally wouldn't like it if there ended up being 4 others in his/her class at school etc. I gathered together a list of names I like bit looking on here loads of other people like them too so I've clearly, subconsciously, picked up a penchant for fashionable names. So..I was wondering, did you pick an unusual name for your DC which is actually still unusual now they are at school? How did you do it and have you got any tips for avoiding the latest trends?

i know an elana. sorry.

I have a Xavier and Eliana. Have never met another person with either name.

I think most people who think they've picked an unusual name have either a) not actually picked anything unusual (Xavier, for example) and just think they have or b) picked something that is just ridiculous. Pick the name you like and don't worry about "trends".

I didn't say Xavier was unusual, I said I have never met one.

I have a Linus. we have never met another one and I think it's relatively unusual without being weird

that's a little catty peppa! Xavier is hardly a common name! I'm not saying I want a name that no one has ever heard of, just not one that everyone says, oh, I have 6 friends who've just called their babies that. I'm finding the baby names statistics useful, I've eliminated 3/4 names from both the boys and girls lists I have so thanks for that tip! :) also googling baby - name - 2011 and seeing how many come up!

Surely Xavier is quite unusual? As in, it is clearly a "proper", recognised name, but not many people call their children Xavier. Surely?

Oh I love Linus btw, I think to be honest its all down to luck as well and where you live. My dd2 has the most popular name eveeer and she has just started nursery school and no-one else has her name, there is also no-one else with her name in dd1 primary school class. Although we are in NI, and most of the repeated names are Irishy ones.

X-posts Carlita

I also have a Gabriel, which is getting quite popular now. and an Asa (I've met one person who has a grandson called Asa)

I don't think the stats are helpful. Be careful of different spellings if you want to avoid "popular". Isobel / Isabelle / Isabella etc etc - essentially the same name but won't appear to be as popular in the stats.

I wasn't trying to pick on Xavier in particular, but it is one of the names I know of where several sets of parents have been self-congratulatory about their originality. I have also found this with Beatrix, and nobody has mentioned that on this thread!

I've not met anyone with DS's name but many friends say they know someone with that name. There is another boy with the same name (about 2 years younger) who lives about 2 miles away who we have never met but have been told about. I searched mumsnet for that name and she's on here too!

I looked over the top 100 list and decided I didn't want anything from there if I wanted an unusual name.

i only know one Xavier.

absolutely lovely name imho.
just wish dh was a little bit more adventurous on the name front.

Linus is cool

Dc4 has a very unusual but very traditional name, one of those only 38 in 2010 type names.

Saying that, DC3 has a top 20 name and despite knowing a lot of them, he's the only one in his class.

Also agree that it is down to luck and where you live. I don't know any children names some of the really "popular" names. And remember the stats really only show last year's trends, not what people are calling their children now!

I thought I'd picked a not-too-common name for DS (it was my great-grandfather's), and 10 years ago it wasn't in the top 100. The year he was born it was about 40 (but I didn't realise!), and it's getting more popular. So far I know one other boy his age and two dogs, one of which lives across the road from us.

Linus is lovely! The only one I've met was Swedish.

Glad Im not the only one who thought peppa was being catty.

FWIW- I never set out to give my kids 'unusual' names. My 1st two have a long Greek surname so we chose names that we liked that rolled off the tongue with the last name.

DS2 has an Irish surname and is named Finn, can't throw a stone at the mo without hitting a baby Finn!

it's pronounced A-ser

Oh I love Astrid, it's such a pretty name :)

I also love Naima but I've never met anyone with the name.

thisisyesterday I love the name Linus, it was on my list for DC2 but DH vetoed and then we had DD anyway. Gorgeous name.
I have nothing useful to add to the thread though, sorry, DS is nearly 2 and DD is 6 weeks so not old enough to see if their names are unusual. Well, DS's name isn't unusual, it's fairly high up in the charts and DD's is around 200 odd, so hard to judge yet.

oh lockets, my dc have the same name as yours (not saying which )
love your dc names, lovely, rare and no weird spellings :)

my friend suggested Eric when i had dc3. i mocked her then. but i have to say it has grown on me. think blond surfer dude.

Lockets - I love your names too