Creating a Unique Baby Name for Your Child

Choosing a name for your baby can be a stressful process—and if you’re hoping to land on a unique baby name, the process can feel even tougher. But where do you gain inspiration for developing your own unique name? After all, you can’t always rely on baby name books or online lists, which often include the most popular and trending names.

Fortunately, some strategies can help you narrow down your options and create a name that's the perfect fit for your baby. Here's how to create a name for your baby, including what research says about unique names and other things to consider.

Why the Name You Choose Matters

Your baby’s name matters in more ways than one. Throughout your child’s life, people will form an impression of who your child is based on their name. Every time your child submits a job application, sends an email, or makes an introduction, the person on the other end will form an instant impression.

Your child's name can influence how they look and are perceived by others and even determine their level of success. But it’s not just other people’s impressions you should care about. Studies show that kids' names may have a big impact on how they see themselves.

Here’s what research says about how names influence people throughout their lives.

Impacts test scores and college admission

Did you know test scores and college admission might depend on your child's placement in the alphabet? A study conducted by researchers in the Czech Republic found that students with last names that are toward the end of the alphabet tended to get higher test scores. Meanwhile, students whose last names were closer to the beginning of the alphabet were more likely to get admitted to competitive colleges.

Communicates intelligence

Middle initials make a child sound smart. In one study, students were asked to rate authors based on their names. Authors with a middle initial received high marks but the one with the most initials, David F.P.R. Clark, received the best reviews overall. The authors of the study concluded that people who use middle initials are perceived as smarter and better performers than others.

Impacts career selection

The same study that found people might live in a city that sounds like their name suggested that they're also more likely to gravitate toward a career that reminds them of their name. For example, individuals named Dennis and Denise are overrepresented among dentists.

Research on Unique Names

If you grew up in the early 1980s with a name like Jennifer or Michael, you know what it’s like to have several kids in your class with the same name. Or, if you named your child Sophia or Jackson a few years ago, you probably know several other kids with the same name.

While there’s nothing wrong with having a common name, some parents want their baby to have a special name. After all, people like Oprah, Beyonce, and Drake only need to go by their first names to know who they are. And many people wonder: Did having a unique name help them stand out from the crowd?

Unique boy names and girl names are on the rise. A study confirmed that parents have been increasingly giving their children less common names since the 1990s.

Jean Twenge, co-author of the study and author of The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement, says, “Parents used to give their children common names so they would fit in and their names would be easy to pronounce and spell. Now, they give their child a unique name so their kid will stand out.”

While standing out from the crowd may sound good on the surface, Twenge argues that it also may inspire kids to think they are extra special to the point that it becomes detrimental. Twenge’s co-author, W. Keith Campbell, says, “Unique names may have some benefits, such as creating a more individual identity, but they run the risk of promoting separateness, which is linked to narcissism.” 

Things To Consider When Creating a Unique Name

Clearly, your child’s name isn’t something you should take lightly. It’s important to put a lot of thought into what your child is going to be called. So, consider your child’s name from all angles. No one wants to be surprised by the fact that their toddler’s initials are B.A.D., or worse yet, an inappropriate word, acronym, or abbreviation.

Write down the name you’re considering. Think about how others might pronounce the name or how it might sound when combined with a middle and last name. While running the name past other people may lead to some negative reactions, you might want to share the name with a few people to ensure you aren’t overlooking something. Here are some additional things you’ll want to review before landing on a name:

• The length of the name and the number of syllables it has
• How easy it is to spell
• How easy it is to pronounce
• Your child’s initials
• The names of your other children
• Whether you want the name to be gender-neutral
• Your child’s last name and how it sounds with the first
• Your child’s middle name and how it all sounds together
• What your child’s name rhymes with
• Nicknames and what you want your child to be called

Celebrity Examples of Unique Names

When it comes to unique baby names, celebrities don’t disappoint. You might gain a little inspiration from familiarizing yourself with some of the names celebrities are giving to their kids. Here are just a few of the unique celebrity baby names from over the years:

• Luna Simone: Child of John Legend and Chrissy Teigen
• Pilot Inspektor: Child of Jason Lee and Beth Riesgraf
• Blue Ivy: Child of Jay-Z and Beyoncé
• Exton: Child of Robert Downey, Jr., and Susan Downey
• Seargeoh: Child of Sylvester Stallone and Sasha Czack
• Bear Blu: Child of Christopher Jarecki and Alicia Silverstone
• Sparrow James Midnight: Child of Joel Madden and Nicole Richie
• Reign: Child of Scott Disick and Kourtney Kardashian
• Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah: Children of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore
• Stormi: Child of Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott

How To Create Your Baby’s Unique Name

If you’re feeling a bit stumped when it comes to naming your baby something original, there are many places you can turn to gain some ideas. Here are some strategies you can try.

Combine two names

You may have heard about combined last names, but what about combined first names? Think about a couple of names that you like and find a way to combine them. Let’s say your partner likes the name Liam and you’re a fan of Teddy, you might find that Tiam or Lieddy have a nice ring to them.

You also might combine the names of two people you love. If your mother’s name is Marilyn and your mother-in-law’s name is Theresa, you might land on Tarilyn as a good name.

Use a last name

Last names can be a rich source of first-name ideas. Consider the variety of last names in your and your partner's families. But, it doesn’t necessarily have to be your last name. Think about the last names of other relatives, friends, or even celebrities.

Consider hiring a baby name consultant

If you're looking for a creative name but aren't quite creative yourself, consider hiring a baby name consultant for inspiration or just a helpful second opinion. A baby name consultant can help create a list of potential names based on your tastes, preferences, and popularity preferences.

Gain inspiration from other places

You might find that your baby’s name doesn’t necessarily need to be unique to the whole planet. Instead, you might be happy with a name that’s uncommon in your language or region.

Look up baby names in other languages or from other countries. You might decide to alter the pronunciation or you might want to change the spelling. But listening to names you’re unfamiliar with is a great way to gain inspiration.

Use a unique spelling

You might decide the best way to add a bit of uniqueness to your child’s name is by spelling a common name in an uncommon way. Emily can easily be spelled Emmalee, Emely, Emilee, or Emilie. Kaden could be spelled Caden, Caiden, Kaeden, Kaidan, or Kayden. So consider adding a little flair to your child’s name by using a non-traditional spelling.

Pick an object

You might gain some inspiration for a unique name by simply looking around at the objects in your home. Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, for example, may have found a little inspiration in the kitchen when they named their daughter Apple.

Look around at everyday objects in each room and see if anything seems to have a nice ring to it. Keep colors in mind too. For example, Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo named one of their children Dusty Rose while Sting and Frances Tomelty named their child Fuschia.

Choose a place

While Paris Hilton made the capital of France a popular baby name, you can still find plenty of places that make unique baby names. For example, Bono and Ali Hewson named their child Memphis Eve. Kanye West and Kim Kardashian named one of their children Chicago. Another child is named North, as in North West. Consider naming your child after the place you grew up, the city where you fell in love, or any other place that sounds like it might make a great name.

More Baby Name Ideas

For more baby name inspiration, take a look at the following lists: