10 steps for coming up with the most gorgeous and unique baby name

Trine Jensen-Burke

Baby names, or more specific, picking a GOOD one, has become somewhat of a sport.

Everyone is at it – and the stakes get upped the whole time. Gone are the days when you waited until you were in fact with child to find a name. Now we pick our baby names years in advance, and then spend the intervening time (between name picking and actually having a baby) guarding it like a crazy in case someone (whoever gets pregnant before you, basically) might like it too and end up stealing it.

It totally happened to me once and I still feel somewhat sad having lost such a GREAT name. (If you are reading this, you know who you are, you filthy name thief!) Bitter? Me?

Anyway, a lot of the world’s weird and unique names are now – after years of everyone just competing to see who can get away with the most bizarre one – taken. But fear not; there totally are ways to make sure you come up trumps when it comes to unique baby names. The trick is to stop looking for that perfect moniker and instead INVENT it yourself. You heard me, mamas. Get your thinking caps on.

If I can give you a few helpful and inspirational hints…. :

1. Name your child after a cool colour or plant

Not Blue (as that is taken already, thanks, B!), but how about a colour like Cyan? Or Slate? Oh, and forget about Willow or Rose if you want to go down the botanical route, you need to think outside the box. Thistle has got a nice ring to it…? Or, for the season that is in it, Pine?

2. Go to Ikea

Not to pick up more stuff (you don’t need THAT, put it back!), but to gather name inspo among all their Scandi place-named stock. How about a little Malm or Expedit running around?

3. Go unisex – but the other way

OK, so it has become perfectly acceptable to name girls using boy names (Hello Wyatt and James, we are looking at you!), but how about turning to tables for an extra unique moniker? I am thinking Mary for a boy, or how about Stella? Gender bending is all sorts of cool when it comes to names right now.

4. Add in some extra letters (silent ones are GREAT!)

You know, even if the name in itself is rather mundane, you won’t believed how jazzed up it sounds if you throw in an “x” or, even better, a “z”. Hello, Zophia! See what I did there?! Or, how about Lillyh? Rex? Zean? The possibilities are endless. “Q” is a good one too. Hiya, Quevin! (Coz Kevin is SO yesteryears!)

5. Let your older child name the younger one

Kids are all sorts of creative, which is why it is a BRILLIANT idea to get them involved in picking a name for their younger sibling. My then-three-year-old wanted us to call her younger brother Rainbow Dash. I am not going to lie; I totally considered it briefly!

6. Make. It. Up

The best way to go totally unique is just to toss old traditions and societal norms to the side and let your creativity shine. Here’s a secret trick if you are feeling a little inspirationally challenged: Try combining two names that already exists. So. Clever. Currently loving: Noahander (Noah + Alexander) and Tyoshua (Tyler + Joshua) and Emioria (Emily + Victoria). Mix and match, people. Mix and match.

7. Steal a movie name

OK, so people pick names from their favorite movies the whole time (I named my daughter after the Lion King, for Christ sake!), but if you really want to go unique, pick the name of some random character in the film, not the leading lady or man. Duh! Everyone is going to be going after that one! Another good place to look are middle- or last names (the weirder, the better!).

8. Go international

Don’t get lazy and just settle for a “pretty French name” (Oh, howya, Chloe. Yawn.). No, you are better than that. Mix names from different languages for your own, unique baby concoction. How about something Greek + Irish? Indian/French? Scandi/Hindi? Go. To. Town.

9. Be inspired by nature

No, no, Hazel or Olive is not going to cut the mustard. What you need is something totally once-off. Pebble. Peony. Cloud. Leaf? Sea?

10. Let your cat or toddler walk on your keyboard

Whichever of the two you possess, they will probably come up with something equally fabulous and unique. “Meet our latest addition; httvqqdfd*7”! Actually, maybe Rainbow Dash was better… Now, excuse me when I go and patent that from all you name pilferers!