Three years ago, HuffPost blogger Kate Quarfordt was sure she had found the perfect blend of unique, personal and not-too-weird in a name for her daughter. “My husband’s family is Swedish so we gave her what we thought was the most obscure one we could think of,” she says. “Siri.”
Now, Quarfordt’s daughter shares a name with the iPhone’s virtual personal assistant.
“Really Apple? We should have trademarked it before they swooped in,” she says.
BabyCenter’s Editor in Chief Linda Murray agrees that most expectant parents look for name that isn't too popular. "The top 10 is the list to avoid," she says. "I always love to look at the names that only two or three [members of our community] have chosen."
In an effort to provide inspiration for next year's parents, here are some of the names Murray was most surprised to see pop up in 2011. And while she says only a few kids will be walking around with these names in 2012, we can't guarantee Google won't steal one for their next product.
This one's a throwback to the 60s when free-spirited parents across the country were naming their children Sunshine, Willow, Sage and Aspen. Feeling a little post-millennial indie? Try Air instead.
Couture
Move over Armani and Prada, long popular in the baby-naming community. It's now 'Couture' that is gaining favor as the name-of-choice for baby fashion plates. "We always saw specific brands but now it's the whole category. It has a French sound and people always like those names for girls," says Linda Murray, Editor-in-Chief of BabyCenter.
Daytona
Nascar fan? This might be the right name for your baby girl. "It's really popular when you get out of the coasts," says Murray. "You think of racing as a manly sport but this is becoming popular as a name for girls."
Favor
Twenty percent of parents in the BabyCenter survey said that they wanted an unusual name for their child. The best way to find something you've never seen before? Just flip through the dictionary, says Murray. "This one might be popular because it sounds like an alternative to blessing," she says.
Kindle
The world's first e-reader. Enough said.
Havoc
Hello there, gender stereotypes. Parents often have a tougher time finding unusual boys' names, says Murray. Havoc is that perfect combination of masculinity and memorability
Tesla
No, this isn't a nod to the Serbian-American inventor who helped create commercial electricity. Instead, it's inspired by an electric sports car company. "We've always had Fords and Chevys on the list, but this is an interesting new trend," says Murray.