Names, Names, Names - Unique Baby Names for Baby Boys and Girls with Links to Name Meaning

Choosing unique baby names - "Have you picked a name?"
As soon as your pregnancy starts to show, this is one of the most common questions you are likely to hear, second only to "When's your due date?" or "Do you know if it is a boy or a girl?"

I know this question can sometimes be irritating, especially if asked by the person sitting next to you in a waiting room, but what can be more irritating is finding it impossible to choose between the thousands of unique names you will find on popular sites like parents connect or baby names.com. (click the blue links if you want quick access to these sites)

Most parents want a name original enough that their child won't be the third or fourth Ava or Jayden in his or her class yet not so eccentric that they will be teased for the rest of their lives.

If this is your case, here are some tips that should help you make your choice easier.

Choosing Unique Baby names - Know what is popular
If you are looking for a unique baby name this is the place to start. It will be useless to spend hours on the web searching for a special name, only to find that there have been another 1,000,000 parents who had the same idea.

Jacob, Ethan, Michael, Alexander and William are the top five boys names for 2009. Isabella, Emma, Olivia, Sophia and Ava are the top pick on the girls names list.

This link will provide the most popular baby names in 2009.

Choosing Unique Baby names - A personal experience
When I was pregnant with my first child, I wanted a name that was unique and original. I scoured name sites and baby name books for months in search of the perfect name and then decided to stick with the patron saint of a small village in Ireland my husband and I had recently traveled to. This name reminded us of pleasant memories and the magic of this enchanting village tucked on a rolling green hill next to the ring of Kerry.

Sounds romantic and beautiful right? A unique name that evokes pleasant memories - the only glitch was when I discovered the name we coveted, was one of the most popular names in the year my son was born.

Did we still stick to our decision? Yes. Do we have any regrets? No.

Your child's name will be special to you no matter how many Liams, Jacobs or Benjamins you will meet in your life, but if you are that kind of person who wants to be original at all costs, check out the popular names list before you make your decision.

Choosing Unique Baby names - What is your style?
A Harvard university professor is likely to have very different tastes when it comes to names from a Harlem rapper, and a traditional Irish Catholic is less likely to name her child Anjali or Naima than a devout Hindu.

Choosing Unique Baby Names - Links to names according to origin and nationality
Do you want your son or daughter to carry her heritage in her name or do you want to make a clean cut and stick to something new and unique in your family?

Here is a link to site where you can learn more about origin and name meaning.

Links to original English or American names, Indian names, European and Russian Names Spanish Names and MeaningMuslim names

Choosing Unique Baby Names - Things to consider
When choosing your child's name think about your values and what are the meaningful things in your life. Do you want to name your child after someone who made an impact in your life? Like your parents or grandparents, or a mentor who has shaped you?

Maybe you want your child to have the name of someone you admire or who has a direct connection to your child's birth - maybe the doctor or midwife who helped you during child birth.

Remember that your child will be carrying that name for the rest of his life, when making your decision, so don't take it lightly. Try to envision how you imagine him or her as an adult and think about particular traits you would want your child to have - hopefully that image will inspire your choice.

Choosing Unique Baby names - Beware of celebrity names
We heard about Shiloh, Zahara and Maddox Jolie-Pitt and also about Suri, Apple and Lourdes Marie, but while you might think that giving your child a unique name inspired by these child stars is the coolest thing, think about how an Apple Perez will be teased in second grade. The same thing applies if you are passionate about a singer or movie star - Lady Gaga, might be your favorite singer right now, but think how an Axel Rose Smith or an Elvis P. Jones teaching English literature or mathematics in high school might feel about his name?

Link to celebrity baby names

Choosing Unique Baby names - How unique do you want your child to be?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with choosing a name that sounds exotic and original. In many instances these names leave a strong impact that makes them unforgettable. A traditionally English name such as Jeffrey on an adorable three-year-old Chinese boy I met at the playground was truly sweet and a Shiva with cornflower blue eyes and a fair Irish skin also made an impact on me.

There should not be a limit, if you choose to be creative with your child's name. The only thing you should keep in mind is that an unusually long or difficult to pronounce name is more likely to be misspelled or shortened.

Horatia might sound OK to you, but think what happens if you shorten it to the first syllables.