Baby names mums love but don't feel 'cool' enough to use
Watch: Professional baby namer shares top 'guilty pleasure' monikers mums love but don't feel 'cool enough' to use
From Raddix to Rumi and Bingham to Bear, celebrities often don't shy away from choosing baby names that are a little out of the box.
While some parents are getting a little bolder with their moniker choices, there are some names mums-to-be love but aren't quite brave enough to pick.
A professional baby namer has unveiled the monikers that are commonly dubbed "guilty pleasures" because, although parents like them, they often don't feel "cool enough" to actually commit to them.
SJ Strum, 43, a baby naming consultant from Richmond, Surrey, is the go-to expert for knowing the most popular trends and emerging monikers in the newborn naming world.
She recently conducted a poll asking mums on her Instagram what their "guilty pleasure" names were.
Strum clarified the definition by explaining the monikers are "more daring names" that parents love, but don't feel confident enough to give their child.
More than 7,000 mums responded to the poll, which revealed some unusual choices for both little girls and boys.
Turns out the top two most popular choices for baby girls were Honey and Calliope, while the top for boys were Wilder and Atlas.
"People want a name that's not popular, but everyone likes it," Strum, who is herself a mum-of-three, explains.
"People think 'am I cool enough to call my child a daring name?'. But in the playground, children are used to kids having more unique names.
"Just because a name is less used doesn't mean it's less liked."
Strum noted that the moniker Honey for a girl is currently the rise, thanks to celebrity inspiration Fearne Cotton, who named her daughter Honey.
She believes Calliope would be more common but people steer clear as they "know it might be mispronounced" - there are several pronunciations given online, but the most common pronunciation seems to be Kuh-Lie-Uh-Pea.
Other top "guilty pleasure" names for girls include "whimsical" monikers such as Tallulah, Tigerlily, Lavender and Clover.
For boys, other top choices included Ziggy, Rex, Cosmo, Peregrine, Chase, Wulfric - shortened to Wolfie - and Ernest.
Strum suggests parents shying away from using a name they love because it's unusual opt to give it to their child as a middle name instead.
"With the middle name, you can be a bit braver," she explains.
"You don't have to say it, and it's not asked often, but you’ll know it’s there."
Strum has some advice for mums and dads-to-be who are considering choosing a more unique moniker for their offspring, urging them to be brave and go for the names they really like, no matter how unusual.
"If you use it as a first name or a middle name, you’ll always love it," she encourages.
"If you throw it away, ask yourself – will you regret it?"
How to pick a unique baby name
Strum previously put together some tips for Yahoo Life on how to pick a unique baby name.
Check out the competition
Strum recommends visiting http://names.darkgreener.com which shows a name’s popularity over the last ten years.
"Some names are shown as zero ranked which means fewer than three babies were given that name in any year, which means you’re highly unlikely to meet another child with the same name in the playground," she says.
Go transatlantic
Many naming trends start in the US. "Check out babynamewizard.com/voyager which captures the up and coming name trends – so you know which names to avoid before they cross to the UK," Strum adds.
Make up your own name
"Popular ways to create your own name include blending syllables from the parents’ names or family members,” Strum advises. "The trend took off in the UK when Katie Price and Peter Andre’s daughter Princess Tiaamii was named after Peter’s mum Thea and Katy’s mum Amy. However, it’s not a style which suits everyone."
Steer clear of popular culture
And avoid choosing a name from a favourite TV show, film or book. "No matter how obscure the character, others will have the same idea and instead of having a unique name, you may find your choice in the top 100 names for that year," SJ warns. "Plus, these name choices also tend to date very fast."
Go unpopular
By choosing a name nearing the bottom of the popularity cycle. "Know many Beryl’s, Sues, Pauls or Brendas? Probably not," Strum says. "If you want a name which stands out but is still well-known, this is a smart option – and it will come back into fashion eventually."
Pick something personal
"The city where you first met your partner, like Oxford, or holidayed, like Hudson for New York or a name associated with your favourite colour like Sage or Indigo," Strum says.
Moniker makeover
Try using letters from your favourite popular name to inspire other more unique choices. "One of my most popular baby names list on YouTube is daring alternatives to popular baby names," Strum says. "So use sounds and letters to inspire you; so for example James could become Amos. If you love Olivia; why not choose Verity?"
Opt for a theme
"Most people use A-Z baby name books or lists; but during a baby name search it’s important to spend most time finding the theme you love – it could be bohemian girl names, vintage boy names, or one syllable names to suit your last name," Strum advises. "Then you can discover more unique and daring names you may not have come across like dreamy Fable, vintage Gilbert or short and sweet Seth."
Research your family history
To unleash some old-fashioned gems. "One of Megan Markle’s ancestors was named Wisdom and doing some digging into your own family tree can see you branch out with a truly unique name that will also carry meaning for your family," Strum says.
Additional reporting SWNS.
Baby names: Read more
Baby name trends set to take over the UK and US in 2024 (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)
Banned baby names from around the world, from Lucifer to Nutella (Yahoo Life UK, 10-min read)
10 nature-inspired baby names on the rise in the UK (Yahoo Life UK, 2-min read)
