Does your child have an unusual name? It could be a major advantage

Turns out, having a weird name could actually work in your favour. 

Experts believe that an unusual moniker helps children to think differently than peers with more run-of-the-mill names.

"It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy that begins with an unusual name and ultimately leads to unconventional or creative thinking,” New York University professor of psychology Adam Alter told Yahoo Parenting. “People are very sensitive to how others treat them, “If they treat you as though you’re different, whether because of your name or some other characteristic, in time you’ll come to feel that this difference is real. It’s possible that perceiving yourself as different might liberate you to behave and think differently from other people.”

Interestingly, studies show that girls with masculine names such as Taylor or Morgan are more likely to study math and science in college. Girls with names more commonly given to boys, like Cameron or Leslie, are also more likely to pursue legal careers. And there are other factors to take into account; previous research has shown that writers who include their middle initial in their name are perceived to be smarter and more accomplished than those who go without an initial (step forward JK Rowling), while female CEOs are more likely to have chosen to use the full version of their names, so Deborah instead of Debbie, Jennifer instead of Jenny. It's a tricky business, baby naming. In fact, a Bounty study revealed that one in five parents regret the names they have chosen for their children One fifth wish they'd chosen a name that was easier to spell and one in ten mums and dads admitted that the novelty of their child's 'cool' name had long worn off. Something to consider before you register the birth of little Nirvana, Vogue or Peppa....