OK, everybody. Time for a public service thread. Post real names that are unusual but not so bonkers that the poor child will have 80 years of explaining, spelling and justifying to deal with.

[seeker]

Clemency
Timothy
Edith

are my first 3.

[shoobidoo]

Eliott is another name that has to be spelled out - Elliot, Elliott or Eliott?

Or what about Finlay or Finley

[TheOldestCat]

I have the most dull, most frequently used name of the 1970s. There are 40 of us at my work.

And I still have to spell it out sometimes.

If you love a name, go for it. Otherwise we would all have the same three names. Dull dull dull.

(have given son a hard-to-spell Irish name!)

[Startail]

Rhys
Ross
Roy
Evan
Ian
Stephen
Talesha
Carenza
Pebble
Sally
Sarah
Echo
I love Ottile, but I think it's not rare enough.
Lara (loads of Larens)
Jane
Diane
Marie
Wendy
Julia
Kerena

[WormCanner]

Kerena?
Good grief, there must be a record number of spelling possibilities for that one. Carina, Karina, Karena, Corina etc etc etc

[plantsitter]

Avery for a boy.

Astrid for a girl.

[plantsitter]

I have always wanted to call a boy Mention. I know it's not a name, but DH so much about it when pregnant with mine it has started to sound like one to me (we had girls).

[mirry2]

startail - pebble? You can't be serious? It's from the flinstones!

[manicinsomniac]

I think some of these are pretty 'out there' to be honest.

Names of children I know that I think fit the bill. I've discounted any names that are not commonly used by British families otherwise there's just too many unusual names.

Miranda, Joanna, Vivienne, Maria, Polly, Iona, Zia, Millicent, Fenella, Nyah, Marta, Juliette, Camilla, Callie, Athene, Tess, Meg, Celest, Fionnhuala, Hester, Sorcha, Genevieve.

Tristan, Rex, Orson, Teo, Gregory, Manuel, Angus, Hal, Patrick, Albert, Paris, Terence, Darren, Alastair, Gavin, Jared, Scott, Anton, Rory, Stephen, Ashton, Xavier, Simon, Jude, Robin, Clyde, Hamish

[exoticfruits]

I don't think that some fit under the rule. Pebble and Echo sound bonkers to me, with massive scope for teasing. Talesha, Carenza, Fionnhuala, Nyah, Sorcha would have a lifetime of spelling.

[notimefors]

Oh nice to see DD and DS's names here. Unusual but not bonkers was just what I was after.

[shoobidoo]

Marcus
Xavier
Quentin
Clement

Georgia
Alannah
Tamara
Natasha

[WormCanner]

What sort of name is Nyah? Sounds like a sneer, or a playground taunt

Nyah nyah n'nyah nyah!

[delilah88]

Marmaduke! "Duke" ...come on!

Reggie.

Harvey.

Zia.

[delilah88]

Hercule.

[delilah88]

George.
Albert.
Millicent.

[IroningBoredDaily]

Nyah is a beautiful name. It sounds nothing like a sneer if pronounced properly ( Ny-ah ). It is one that would need spelling, but luckily is only short.

[capedcrusader25]

Mine and my dd's names are on here, as is my surname! My name (both names) definitely do not belong on here, every single time I'm asked for either I have to spell them and I'm always asked about my first name.

[Peka]

I LOVE Franklin!! Such a fab name!

[WafflyVersatile]

Adeline.