How to Choose a Unique Baby Name

I always wanted my name to be different. As one of five girls named "Amy" in my fifth grade class, I was jealous of my friends who had unique names. I still remember some of them, and always dreamed of being named something exotic or unusual. While I'm happy with "Amy" today, mostly because I never have to deal with misspellings or mispronunciations, I can still relate to the urge to name your child something a bit more unusual.

When choosing an unusual or unique name for your baby, it's important to make sure that it won't hinder the child's future in any way. Although a unique name may be wonderful in your eyes, will your child like it when he or she is 12 years old? 15 years old? 21? 60?

I like unique names a lot, and am always impressed when someone gets it just right. It's important to use a unique baby name that will not hinder their future ambitions. For example, picture the name (first and last) on a business card or at the top of a resume. Does it look okay? Will it be a turn-off when he or she wants to find a job? Also, picture him or her as an adult, introducing themselves and shaking someone's hand. Will the name sound fascinating or just weird? Will it incite fear in the other person? While you may want to go way out on a limb with your name choice and completely avoid common culture, you also don't want to handicap your child's future in the process.

There are many places to look for unique baby names. One of my favorites is to look through your ancestry. Many names from the past are rarely used any more, and can be a unique moniker with a tie to your family's past. My daughter is named for her great-great-grandmother and, when she is older, I can't wait to tell her the story of her namesake.

You can also look through your family for last names that would work as a really unique first name. I knew someone who used the name "McLain" for their son's middle name, and it started as a family last name. I've also known many who use the mother's maiden name as a first name.

If you don't want to look to your family history for name ideas, you can also try religious or ethnic names. "Irish Names" on Google pulls up many results, as does "Hindu Baby Names". Biblical baby names are also easy to research and can provide a lot of interesting name options that are unique and rarely used.

Characters in books or movies are also good sources for potential names. However, be wary of any series or movie that is very popular, as the names tend to become overused within a few years after its release. Just look how many children were named after the characters from the "Twilight" series, when their names originally seemed so unusual!

You can also look to other languages for interesting and unique names. Be sure to check with someone who speaks the language to ensure you are selecting the correct spelling, and that you understand fully what the name means. You wouldn't want your child to end up in a bad situation if he or she travels in the future.

To make sure your baby's name is truly unique, check the Social Security Administration's name database. You can search by decade or by name to see the name's ranking among births.

Finally, consider a unique spelling on a popular name! Maybe your "Michael" could be "Mykal", or spell "Christine" with a "K". The options are endless.

Still unsure what unique name to choose? Try some online sites to help with your search! Here are a few resources:

• Nymbler - This site allows you to pick names you like from lists, and then click the "Find Names" button and the site will generate more names based on your preferences.
• Unique Baby Names from The Bump.com - Lists of baby names from various nationalities and religions.
• Baby Names from SheKnows.com - Select names by languages and nationalities.
• BabyZoink.com - Create your own unique names here.
• Baby Name Genie - A really fun site to find a name. Just ask the Genie!

Enjoy your unique name search!