March 21st 2024.
Have you noticed how celebrities are always choosing unique and unusual names for their children? From Apple to North, and even Venezuela and Techno, there seems to be no limit to the creativity when it comes to naming their little ones. And it looks like everyday parents are starting to follow suit and get a little more daring with their own name choices. But, despite this trend, there are still some names that are considered "guilty pleasures" - names that parents love but are too afraid to actually use for their child.
SJ Strum, a professional baby namer, recently conducted a poll on her popular Instagram page to find out which names fell into this category. With over 7,000 responses, the top two guilty pleasure names for girls were Honey and Calliope, while for boys it was Wilder and Atlas. Other popular choices included whimsical names like Tallulah, Tigerlily, Lavender, and Clover for girls, and stylish names like Ziggy, Rex, and Cosmo for boys.
But why are parents shying away from these names? According to SJ, it's often because they worry that the name is not "cool" enough or that their child will be teased for having a unique name. However, SJ reassures parents that children today are used to having more unusual names and that it's becoming more accepted. She also believes that some of these names have gained popularity due to celebrity influence, such as Fearne Cotton's daughter, Honey, and the name Calliope being mispronounced.
In recent years, there has been a significant shift in baby name choices. Using data from the Office for National Statistics, Compare the Market has identified the fastest-growing names since 2011. For boys, Saint and Harper saw the biggest increase in usage, thanks to the likes of Kim Kardashian and the Beckhams. Bowie, Ezra, Bodhi, Hunter, and Hendrix also saw a rise in popularity. For girls, Aubrey, Ariah, Blake, Sloane, and Etta were among the top climbers.
But what if you love a name that is considered a guilty pleasure? SJ suggests using it as a middle name instead. This way, you can still be a little daring, but without the pressure of your child having to use it as their first name. And who knows, maybe one day they'll decide to go by their middle name, and you'll be glad you took the risk.
SJ also encourages parents to not be afraid to use that "brave" name as a first name. After all, if you truly love it, you'll never regret using it. So go ahead and take the plunge, because at the end of the day, it's the love for your child that truly matters, not their name.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
