It’s a hard row to hoe for parents these days coming up with a name that encapsulates the spirit of their new-born in a unique and different way.
And although the trend toward ‘interesting’ monikers has been around for a while, every year the mash-ups and mad misspellings just seem to get a little more extreme.
Writing for Kidspot, Australia-based baby names author Sabrina Rogers-Anderson has revealed some of the more ‘creative’ names doing the rounds right now, and has added a little light-hearted commentary, for a touch of gentle humour.
The bogan names expert has been horrified by some of the mad mash-ups (stock image)
KREEPED OUT BY KENDREW
This name – part Ken, part Andrew – is one the author is less than enamoured by.
Ms Rogers-Anderson said the strange hybrid conjured up an image of a ‘vapid version of a Ken doll.’
She also added how a “Kendrew” might actually sound.
‘Hello, Barbie, will you marry me?’ [he says] in a creepy broken loop. Hello, Barbie, hello, Barbie.. Eek.’
TOP OF THE LAKEN
Nature names definitely don’t make it to Ms Rogers-Anderson’s list of preferred monikers.
‘Names such as Cedar, Falcon and Lake are a bit odd as it is, but adding a random ‘N’ to Lake makes it worse,’ she said.
Wacky spellings don’t make for interesting monikers, the expert said (stock image)
WHY WILLIAM WHEN YOU CAN WYLIUMM
Of course ‘interesting’ spellings will always funk up the unique factor of any name.
Unfortunately, the baby names expert said, Wyliumm doesn’t make the cut – in any way whatsoever.
‘This distorted spelling makes me consider signing up for anger management classes.
Questioning her feelings, the author asks: ‘Is it normal for me to feel this upset over someone else’s lack of judgement?’
Dodgy mispronunciations don’t make for interesting names, no matter how strange they sound (stock image)
ALIZE, NOT YOUR AVERAGE ALICE
This one is a doozy, according to the expert. Not just because it mangles a perfectly pretty name, but also because of the way it’s pronounced.
‘Alize is pronounced ‘Ah-lee-zay’ has led Ms Rogers-Anderson to declare: ‘is about as bogan as baby names get.’
Writing passionately – although with her tongue firmly in her cheek – about bogan baby names, the author has a new complication out, featuring the best of the best.
Other popular names she includes in The Little Book of Bogan Baby Names are Nicomachus, Harleen and Braelyn.
Unique: Many names have unusual spellings, such as Tahmykkha or Kymberleigh (stock image)
While Ms Rogers-Anderson notes some of the names may be entirely new, there are some themes that emerge.
It appears that many of the names are often variations of more traditional names, but with different spelling and pronunciation.
The name Tamika, for example, has alternate spellings of Tahmykkha, Tameekah, Tameka-Jane, and Tammika.
Using names for places or things as a baby name is also popular, for example Vegas, Sierra-Leonie, Rocket, Khe Sanh and Narnia.
Long names with excess letters are also common, like Alycesaundra, Torianna-Sharisse, Kymberleigh, Jhamasyn and Mackennziee.
Choosing the right name for your baby could effect their chances of getting a job later in life (stock image)
And while the good-humoured writer isn’t out to slam bogan stereotypes, the expert does caution strange mash-ups and misspellings can have future repercussions.
Speaking previously, Ms Rogers-Anderson said employers have told her of their aversion to hiring someone with a ‘bogan’ name.
‘One CEO of a particularly big name company said to me ‘I cannot help but look down on names that are misspelled’,’ the author said.
‘Obviously no one will go on record, because it sounds like discrimination.’