Unique VS Traditional

[RhiChiChi]

Depends on what you other childrens names are.. If they are traditional then IMO 'throwing in' a unique name is odd and vice versa...

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Honestly i don't think having a unique name is any more of a PITA with spelling as a 'traditional' name, so many traditional names have variations now your almost guaranteed to ask 'how is that spelt' my name was common in high school yet the other 3 girls i knew with it all had a different spelling.

I think go with what 'feels' right, which do you like most, is it JUST the spelling stopping you from using the unique name?

[*Twinkle*]

I'm going with traditional.

[ladybird11]

I'm thinking you lot are about 50 / 50...

My other kids have fairly common names, spelt 'normally' too....for info .

I think its more about standing out (not in a show off sense) as opposed to blending in childhood and adult hood. Anyone have a crystal ball lol!!

[~Saram~]

Another who thinks it really depends on the name. My kids both have unusual names although we didn't 'make them up' One is a shortening of a traditional family name Xander (which yes is his 'offical name' on his birth certificate - some people call him Alexander, thinking Xander is his nick name) Our daughters name is based on a traditional Indian name which meant something to both DH and I - but with differnt spelling as we felt the traditional Arya would be mispronounced in Australia as ARE YA instead of ar REE yah so she is Ariya. Both DH and I have very traditional names and although I was all for an Ethan and an Emma DH was very keen on something unique and now I couldn't imagine them any other way. Having said that, as a teacher I have taught in a class with 3 Jacks, 2 Daniels and 3 Joshua's and it was a little much. Now yes this year they possibly won't all be in the same class but last year I had to resort to calling them by their last names as 4 of them had the same initial as well!

Finally I do agree unique doesn't have to mean weird. there are some traditional names that have gone out of fashion and would now be considered unique... So the question really is... is the name you are thinking of - a traditional one spelt differently, a unique name, or a traditional name that has gone out of fashion :-)

PS - both my kids LOVE thier names -only difficulty is finding cups etc with their name on it but thanks to the internet we can customise just about anything these days

[nickers]

i vote unique.
names dont have to be a burden just because they are uncommon.
we prefer to have our children be the only one in their class room (hopefully) with their name

[*Sparklez*]

i vote unique.
names dont have to be a burden jsut because they are uncommon.
we prefer to have our children be the only one in their classroom (hopefully) with their name

:yeahthat:

[LimeSlice]

Maddah-Lynn

Gold!


I am a bit of a traditional person, but I would also depend on what your other kids names are and if they suit each other too. I know that doesn't really matter, but to me it is just stupid to have a Moon Unit and a Katherine, iykwim.

Why don't you wait and see what she looks like when she gets here?

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

Traditional every time.

I don't mind my name now, but people can be so rude about it. It is not pronounced "Crane" (by teachers, who did not listen to my corrections) and as to "why do you spell it like that?"... because I came out of my mother's womb perfectly articulate and saying "Please, mother dearest, give me a name with an unusual spelling so idiots have to start a new form when I speak to them on the telephone seventeen years from now." I think there is a central computer with that has flagged me up with "don't mention the name" as it stopped happening completely after I started to have fun. But until I did that, it really hurt. And I mean really. I still have a friend who mocks my name a little, but I do his so it's all good fun. Having strangers and people who have power over you doing it... not nice.

My son has traditional names, but an unusual nickname. (I call him Welly, although Liebling is fairly unusual around here too.) He actually has the same name as a brewery when you google him (great for future employment: employers less likely to find his drunken teen photos.) Although his name isn't uncommon, the girl name we had picked out for him is normal, easy to spell, pretty, traditional... just hasn't been used a lot in recent years. Traditional doesn't have to mean same as everyone else.

[MrsFabuloso]

I would usually say traditional. I am a pretty traditional kinda girl. My first two children have traditional names, spelling and all- Lily, and Liam. But with #3 we just could not agree on a name until we came across the name Caelan. Not a totally unusual, out there name, but definately not traditional.
I say if it tickles your fancy, use it. Traditional or not, it's up to you and if you like it, why not??

[Jas]

I think it depends on what the 2 names are...woud you share them???

I go between unusual and traditional names.....but I agree with whoever it wa that said it before sometimes the traditional names are unique.

For example ds2 Spencer...old old name but I've never met or heard of another one (other than Spencer Tracy and that idiot off the hills - but no one irl)

Noah old too but much more common and it does annoy me a little that its more common now and in his kindy class their r Noahs...the one little Noat gets Noah e, my noah just gets noah. But at the end of the day I love love love the name and he just soooooo suits his name, the meaning of it and everything I couldn't imagine him to be anything else and so it doesnt really both me that its common

[toomanyshoes]

If your worried about kids in their class/group having the same name because you picked something traditional, think again. At DS school he is the ONLY Dylan in his grade, 70% of the kids have very unique names and theres a lot of double ups.

Personally and this is just my opinion, I don't understand the reason behind "new" spelling of names. My SIL recently called her DD Khloe and now that kid it going to go through life correcting everyone. I guess I just don't see a point, because it's not like we walk around with a name badge stating the way our names are spelt, Khloe and Chloe are still going to be "Klo-ee".

However I don't think having to spell out a first name because it's a unique name is that big of a deal. Every time I have to give my surname I have to spell it and also with Australia being so multicultural there are a lot of uncommon names as first names.

I guess my point it most people will assume the spelling of a common name so "new" spellings will constantly have to be fixed but if the name is unique most people will just ask "how do you spell that".

It makes sense in my head but maybe not so much so on paper

[Rowellen]

I prefer traditional personally. We picked a traditional name for DS but not one in the top 10. I intentionally avoided top 10 names for the double up reasons. It has increased in popularity recently though. Funnily enough, when DS started daycare, his name was the only name that was doubled up in the nursery room and there were quite a lot of top 10 names in there. Now he's in the toddler room and his name is still the only one doubled up.

[LionsandBears]

I'm not sure I understand the difference between unique or traditional anymore. Names have to start somewhere. Wendy was unknown before Peter Pan was written. Are names like Taylor or Mackenzie unique or traditional now? because they're common as muck.

One thing I do absolutely loathe with a passion is crappy, made up spelling. It screams bogan to me. If you're going to name your kid Jason, spell it Jason. I honestly believe the weird spelling damns the kid to a lower socio-economic status. I think there was a study done recently - weird names increase the likelihood of criminality. Whether that's because criminal types can't spell or prefer calling their kids Briyahnah or Jaycen or Skyleen or the poor little sods are just doomed from birth, I don't know.

I look at the top 20 names and exclude them. That said, every time I like a name, it becomes really common and then I don't want to use it - what's with that? Am I a name guru or something? Another way I rule out names: if they're printed on cushions in homewares or kids shops, they're too common.

After all that, I prefer what I'd call traditional names, within reason. I'd name my kid Amelia after a grandmother, but not Beryl.

[Cherished]

unique vote here! My name isn't particularly unique but I still have to spell it and it's never bothered me. It's not like you have to tell new people your name every day and once you are in a new job or class room or any group and people know your name then that's it, people get to know you are remember your name kwim. The only time I have to spell my name is if I am verbally giving it to someone to fill in a form for me such as over the phone which realistically hardly ever happens.

[Feijoa Mum]

I am all for unique names here.

I have only ever met two other kids with the same names as my boys and I love it. Kees (pronounced Case, its dutch) is the only one who has ever said something to me about having a problem with his unusual name. He always gets called "keys" until they get told that how to say it properly.


My name has many variations and I get asked all the time how to spell it, its not an unusal name at all but lets face it even John, Jon, Jonn has different ways it can be spelt.
I dont think it matters how you spell it someone is always going to get it wrong.

It is a very personal choice naming your baby and something many couples think about for months.
You are never going to please everyone with your choice some will love it some will hate it but its what you think that matters

[BekZ]

I like both. My girls names are common names in Poland but not so much here. We choose them because they are derivatives of more common names and they are easy to spell and say.

Good luck

[Neoma]

Depends on what you other childrens names are.. If they are traditional then IMO 'throwing in' a unique name is odd and vice versa...

:yeahthat: