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Popular vs. Unique Baby Names

Why Do Some Parents Avoid Popular Baby Names?

By Shannon McKelden

There are also advantages and disadvantages to choosing a less popular name for you kids. Zalon lists several disadvantages:

• Your child will likely be spelling his name for everyone.
• She might always be correcting people on how to pronounce her name.
• There can be teasing if your child is named something like Shenandoah or Huckleberry.
• And it's highly unlikely that she'll find that personalized keychain.

On the other the hand, according to Zalon, there are definitely some positives to bestowing a name on your child that he doesn't share with too many other people:

• There's a feeling of "uniqueness" or that he's "special."
• You won't need to put your last name initial on your child's lunch bag.
• When meeting someone for the first time, an uncommon name usually makes more of an impression (and is easier to remember)!
• And hey, if she becomes a pop star, she can always just go by her first name!

One way to avoid an overused name is to change the spelling of a familiar name, though, as mentioned above, this can lead to your child having to correct the pronunciation of his name, or having to constantly spell his name for people. Krantz mentions the example of Caitlin, which can also be spelled Caitlan, Caitlynn, Kaitlin, Kaetlin, or any one of 150 or so other variations.

Another way to make a name unique is to combine names. Eliza Ferree of Kansas City, Mo., decided this was how to give unique names to her four children. Her boys were given names with an Italian background and the first and middle names of their uncles. Her girls were given names that were nice and sweet, ended with an "a," and middle names from grandmothers' middle names. "We always wanted names that meant something to us, that were different from every other person," Ferree says. "To us it wasn't just about avoiding popular names but finding the name that went with each child."

Want to see more?

• Baby Names as Creative as You Are: Unique Ways to Pick Baby's Name
• "You're Naming Her What?" 9 Rules for Discussing Names
• From Romeo to Juliet: The Power of the Name
• Check out our Article Library.
• Talk about it!