Can anyone pin point when this trend for unique/made up names started?

[Bumperslucious]

And who started it? Were their weird names in the 20s? In the 50s?

Who is to blame?

Do you think that we will get to a point were the majority of people will prefer good ol' common garden names, or traditional family names?

[LadyThompson]

Wendy was made up by JM Barrie, yes; Vanessa is also a made up name!

[Metella]

The children's programme was "Horrible Histories" and apparently Victorian children were called the most extraordinary things!

[GrendelsMum]

Really? What like? (Don't say Lettuce because the name's Lettice.)

[hazeyjane]

Wendy was from the name 'Fwendy'(ie 'friendy') that JM Barries daughter used to call her imaginary friend.

You only have to walk around a cemetry and look at old gravestones to see unusual names have been around for a long time.

I think it is interesting to have a mix of traditional and unusual names, with the occasional downright bizarre thrown in!

[shoshe]

1800's names from my family tree include

Titus (male)

Hay (Female)

Anlin (female)

Mercy (female)

Silas (male)

Rosebud (female)

Conscious (male)

Not made up but would think quite unusual in there time

[shoshe]

We also had a Karen in 1740!

[Hormonesnomore]

My dh had a boss called Bland.

'Ina' added to a father's name was quite common in Scotland for a first-born girl in the early part of the 20th century- eg Jamesina, Davidina, Thomasina (Ina for short ).