Just for fun

[MyNameHasBeenTaken]

What baby names/young child names have surprised you recently?

No need to be nasty. Surprises can be nice

I recently met a toddler dean.
Dd did a toddler sport thing with an Arthur.
We played in the park with twin girls called anna and arna
(All pre-covid, no recent meetings)

A toddler called Heather. I thought it was adorable.

There are an awful lot of young Arthurs about though....

But Anna and Arna... oh blimey

I met a Bonhomie a while ago, which I quite liked actually.

He was the first (only) Arthur I have met.
Very cheeky little boy. Always had a big grin.
Heather is a nice change to hear for a young girl. We know a heather. And a hazel.

I met a baby Zay a while ago which I actually really like.

Arthur’s are no surprise. They’re everywhere.

Oh I love Bonhomie.
Ive met a little Donna who’d be around 19 now.

Anna and Arna that’s ridiculous.

I knew a couple who named their son Ebenezer (he'd be about 13 now).

They weren't originally from the UK and have since moved, but I can only assume they didn't have the same cultural association with Scrooge.

Ebenezer means 'God is my rock' and I think they liked the meaning behind it.

Arthur is the 4th most popular name in England and Wales. It's more surprising you haven't met any!

Laire.. it's Spanish and I can't pronounce it! I come out with something that's a cross between Lairy and Lady.

Baby boy Maverick!

Laire is a Scottish name....

when dh was little he had a friend called Stephen - pretty unusual even 16 years ago.....

I doubt very much that Laire is a Scottish boy's name.

Laire in Scottish Gaelic means 'lair' ie a savage animal's home or hiding place. It's pronounced approx 'Lie-ah-ruh'.

Lair in Scottish Gaelic means mare (ie female horse). It's pronounced 'Ly-re' appox.

I know 2 Garys .Ones about 8 and the other is about 12,

I may have spelt it wrong but the little girl's parents are Spanish, and they pronounce it with a Spanish 'r'.

Was years ago but I encountered a Jamiriqui in a shop with his dm. She must have said his name about 50 times as of to make sure everyone heard.. Bizarre..

Oh I dunno about Ebenezer. DH is a very canny Yorkshireman and DS was born on Christmas Day. Persuaded him to go with and old English name that meant "Guardian of the wealth" and throw in the name of one of the three wise men as well the one who brought the gold.

@florascotia2

I doubt very much that Laire is a Scottish boy's name.

Laire in Scottish Gaelic means 'lair' ie a savage animal's home or hiding place. It's pronounced approx 'Lie-ah-ruh'.

Lair in Scottish Gaelic means mare (ie female horse). It's pronounced 'Ly-re' appox.

No one said it was a Scottish boy's name. PP said it was a Scottish name. It is - though uncommon and apparently of Irish origin.

It's the name of a female character is outlander
Its spelled Laoghaire

Some of these are definitely unusual.
I said I wanted surprises.
I am surprised I have only met one arthur.
Bonhomie.
Bon Hom ee ?
Pronounced h?
Or more bon-um-ee?
Zay I like. Would have to be a short form of something for me.
Zaphod could be cool!

Laoghaire

pronounced Leery

The most surprising name I have ever come across for a child was Polaris, at a soft play centre about 10 years ago. I checked the signing in sheet on the way out. She was definitely Polaris. I wondered if she had a sibling called Trident...

I know a 12 year old Stephen and an 11 year old Ian. Those were surprising for their ages.

I hadn't realised Stephen had gone so far out of fashion as to be unusual. I had 3 in my primary school class, so I suppose it was overdone then but it wasn't a 'trendy' name like Kevin or Dean were in that era.

The one which surprised us was Elsie.

Laoghaire was not the name suggested by the Mumsnetter whose post I was commenting on.

Outlander has many errors.... for example screenrant.com/outlander-history-accurate-trivia/

But FWIW:
Laoghaire is an Irish name, not Scottish.
It's a male name. Name of an ancient high king of Ireland.
It's also a place name - a port next to Dublin
It does not appear in official Scottish Govt. lists of baby girls' names for recent years www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/names/babies-first-names/full-lists-of-babies-first-names-2010-to-2014

I know of a baby Martin which feels like a very 80s name

I spelt it wrong! I thought I might have done. It's Leire, and it is definitely Spanish. I've just listened to it being pronounced and I still can't say it!

The Leery pronunciation of Laoghaire is an anglicised one. It is used in Ireland though - eg when speaking English, as Irish people mostly do, the town Dún Laoghaire that florascotia2 mentioned is referred to as Dun Leery. But it's an Irish language name, and the pronunciation is different when speaking in Irish.

It's not usually used as a first name now afaik, but is the origin of the (again anglicised) O'Leary surname, which is pronounced O Lay-ree in the part of Ireland I live, but may be pronounced O Leery elsewhere. Ó Laoghaire (or Ní or Uí Laoghaire for a woman) is the surname in Irish and is pronounced something like O (or Nee or Ee) Lay-reh where I'm from at least.