“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given

We had the opportunity to speak with several experts who shared their insights on absurd baby names. Parenting expert, conscious parenting coach, and Awarenest founder Blanka Molnar says it could be a way for parents to project their “desire for self-expression” or their wish that the child “grows up bold and unafraid to be different.”

Culture also plays a role here, according to Anna Pyshna, spokesperson for human-led language learning platform Preply. And since naming traditions vary between countries, some have imposed laws that prevent parents from giving their child names that could harm their dignity or blur cultural norms. 

“In countries with fewer restrictions, parents have more freedom to ‘go out there,’” Pyshna told Bored Panda. “But that freedom also means greater scope for names that might become a burden, legally, socially, or personally as the child grows up.”

While some unique names can be excellent conversation starters, those that are “too unique” could pose long-term challenges, according to Molnar. And these hurdles vary in severity. 

“(These can range) from frequent misspellings and mispronunciations to misunderstandings, frustrations, and even identity confusion.”

Some of the repercussions can be traumatizing. Based on their team’s research, Pyshna found that 52% of people in the UK who have unconventional names had them changed or shortened without consent, which has led to frustration, embarrassment, and bullying.

Their research also revealed that 29% felt their name influenced how other people perceived their intelligence or professionalism, while 22% reported experiencing workplace discrimination. Another 34% believed their name had “negatively affected” job application outcomes. 

Given the burdens of having an overly unique name, how easy or difficult is it to have it changed legally? According to lawyer Emma Alves, the easy part is filling out the paperwork. 

However, the challenge begins when it’s time to pay legal costs, which Alves says could be greater than $200, depending on the jurisdiction. This could be an added financial burden for people who don’t have enough monetary resources.

A unique name may seem adorable for a child, but that can all change once they get to their teenage years and beyond. Molnar says it shows a lack of long-term thinking on the parents’ part. 

“It’s very short-sighted parenting, giving a child an overly complicated/unique name, and chasing likes on social media,” she said.