From Rooney to Heaven and Denim: one third of parents now chooses an unusual name for their baby, says a new survey.
A poll of 3,000 parents shows that a growing number of us are trying to make our children stand out from the crowd by giving them unique names.
But those who choose more traditional names such as Jack or Olivia (the most popular baby names in the UK at the moment) say that giving children whacky names leaves them vulnerable to playground bullying.
A list of the decade's most unusual names, compiled after a trawl through the records since 2000, shows that they are quickly growing in popularity. Many are influenced by celebrities and sports heroes, while some are even more atypical: names such as Puppy, Bean and Shy made the list.
The poll, conducted by Bounty Parenting Club, found that one in ten children say they don't like their own names, and a growing number were asking if they could change them. A similar number of parents said they regretted their decision to give their child an unusual name.
The Top 20 Most Unusual Names are:
- Shy
- Unity
- Bean
- Zowie
- Puppy
- Ice
- Victory
- Porsche
- D'Andre
- Denim
- Diesel
- Armani
- Rooney
- Bowie
- Cobain
- Stone
- Gift
- Echo
- Heaven
- Maroon
What do you think?
Is it selfish to give your child an unusual name, or are you helping them stand out from the crowd?
And what about this couple's choice of extraordinary names?