In a bid to call their baby something unique, some parents are forgoing actual names for… words?
Yep, plenty of people these days are bypassing the baby name books for dictionaries to get inspiration on what to name their bundle of joy.
While the American Social Security Administration-provided lists show pretty strange choices – there are apparently kids walking around the USA with the names of Harsh, Shanty, Eliminate and Awesome to list a few – using words as names isn’t as uncommon as you might think.
Be they fictional characters or real people, plenty of us have heard names like Melody, Faith, Wren or Willow. Lots of people name their kids after colours, seasons, jewels or flowers. Celebrities are also fairly well-known for using words as baby names, be they nouns or adjectives.
The Kardashian-Jenner clan are a big example. Kim’s choices include North, Saint, Psalm and the place name of Chicago. Kourtney’s eldest son is named Mason while her youngest is Reign, Khloe’s daughter is called True, Rob’s is named Dream and Kylie’s is named Stormi.
Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin also made headlines around the world when they named their daughter Apple. Beyoncé and Jay-Z called their first daughter Blue Ivy. Busy Philipps is…well, named Busy, but she also gave her children the names Cricket and Birdie.
Should you fancy taking a page from their (dictionary) book, here’s a list of one-word names people use to ensure their kids stand out at roll call.
Rue
In English it means regret, but it’s also the French word for street.
Carter
A person who drives a cart.
Wade
To walk with effort through water or another liquid or viscous substance.
Ocean
A very large expanse of sea.
Meadow
A piece of grassland, especially one used for hay.
Sky/Skye
The region of the atmosphere and outer space seen from the earth.
Piper
A bagpipe player.
Chord
A group of (typically three or more) notes sounded together.
Heaven/its backwards form, Nevaeh
A place regarded in various religions as the abode of God (or the gods) and the angels, and of the good after death, often traditionally depicted as being above the sky.
Quill
The main wing or tail feathers of a bird.
Banks
The land alongside or sloping down to a river or lake.
Dove
A stocky, white bird or a person who advocates peaceful or conciliatory policies, especially in foreign affairs.
Cliff
A steep rock face, especially at the edge of the sea.
Love
An intense feeling of deep affection.
Nova
A star showing a sudden large increase in brightness and then slowly returning to its original state over a few months.
Teddy
A soft toy bear.
Would you use words as baby names when it comes to naming your kids? Let us know in the comments.
