The eras of Sarah, Jessica, and Emilyreigning supremeare behind us.
But in the past 20 years, the focus has been 100% on standing out.
Parents are really, really worried about their kids being ordinary."
There’s a fine line, though, between special andsilly.
No one wants to see their child being bullied for school years to come because of their name.
Even worse, it could detriment their adult-life and sabotage their future.
Thus, parents are on the hunt for the nextHarper.
It’s not easy finding something that’s hip and modern, but not too trendy.
Interesting, but not weird.
Classic, but not dated.
There’s so much to think about!
But, alas, we’re offering some objective information about names that might spark some inspiration.
To help, here are some unique baby names your kid won’t hate as an adult.
Clover
Usingnature as inspirationfor your child’s name is nothing new.
Names likeIrishave been middling in popularity for girls in recent years.
However, there’s endless obscure sources just begging to be used as inspiration for your baby’s name.
Willow also gets an honorable mention for its natural roots andmystical feel.
Plus, it has that celebrity flair thanks to Will Smith’simpressively precocious daughter.
But don’t let that stop you.
Trees and flowers aren’t just for girls!
Forrest and Sage both sound dignified with a cool earthy twist.
And that association certainly isn’t limited to girls.
Cecil
It’s always fashionable to go the nostalgic route.
We currently live in an era where the 1980s are making quite acomebackin pop culture.
Nowadays, it’s less than 30 per million.
For the more historically-minded, you might recognize this name from the famous filmmaker.
The feminine version of the name, Cecilia, has quite the sophisticated ring to it as well.
Caution is recommended when it comes to nostalgia, though, since not all names are created equal.
None of us want to see a return of Ethel into the public consciousness.
A name from the past should age like fine wine, not become crusty and dated.
Good classics include Theodore, Henry, and Clara.
A good vintage name should give off a sense of refinement.
A bad one just reminds everyone of their embarrassing great-aunt Agnes.
Estelle
Parents have been calling their daughters their “little princess” for decades.
However, in the modern day and age, more of them are starting to becriticalof the princess stereotype.
Snow White needs a man to save her from a lonely life in the woods."
It doesn’t have to be that way, though.
Estellehas risen in popularity due to both theR&B starand the real life Swedish princess.
Kieran sharesIrishancestry with popular namesLiam and Aiden.
It sounds similar to both, but manages to fly under the radar.
Cadence
A good name should roll off the tongue like asong.
Cadencemeansthe rhythmic flow of a sequence of sounds.
Just hearing the word brings singing and dancing to mind.
It’s a beautiful way to pay homage to the arts with a modern-sounding moniker.
These kinds of names are especially great for couples that are passionate about classical music.
Those not afraid of a little spice could go for the boldLola.
Take heed, though.
Any songs that produce these names are liable to get stuck in your head all the time.
Dorian
Names are constantly immortalized in the pages of literature, which is great for parents!
It shows that the name has stood the test of time.
It still gives off an heir of nobility and class.
Books can also give us glorious flights of fantasy, so why not use that to your advantage?
Alice is a great choice it’s currently on therise, but still obscure enough to be different.
Jules almostnevergets used and that’s a real shame.
More people should pay homage to the great French novelist.
If you’re not a fan of the classics, go pick up a book you loved to read.
It’s 2019, whynotname your baby boy Morgan?
It’s a beautiful name!
After all,Ashley and Lindsayare considered hyper-feminine names today, but they used to be strictly for boys.
In a way, now you have twice the amount of options.
Others like Quinn, and Tanner arefollowing suit.
Picking a name from another gender is the perfect way to have your kid stand out.
It’s unexpected, but still keeping it respectable for years to come.
You might even be ahead of the naming trend!
Nova
Long has man looked up to the sky and been filled with awe.
With a galactic name, your baby could embody that same glorious wonder.
Celeste and Stella are also good star-based choices.
Though, with Stella, be prepared for manyA Streetcar Named Desirereferences.
A lot of planets and moons are named after Greek mythology figures and Shakespeare characters.
This works fine for names like Venus, which gains clout from the famoustennis player.
It might be safer to stick with the literal names to avoid confusion.
According to Jennifer Moss, CEO of the siteBabyNames.com, this is due to the current obsession with genealogy.
This phenomenon would partially explain why names likeJacksonandHunterhave gained so much popularity.
Emery is a surname that startedpopping upin England and France from the invading Normans.
It means busy, industrious, and powerful.
Thus, you’ve got the option to celebrate both sides of your baby’s family.
Ellie is one of the protagonists of the belovedThe Last of Usvideo game series.
She’s a spunky little girl that works to survive a zombie apocalypse.
The late actor Robin Williamsnamed his own daughter, Zelda, after the titular video game character.
Geek media is becoming more and more mainstream, especially with Disney pumping out Marvel films every year.
Names from the recent hitBlack Pantherlike Shuri and T’Challa are starting to appear, according toToday’s Parent.
As long as a name sounds good, it shouldn’t matter where it comes from.
Though, we’d probably advise against naming your baby afterSonic the Hedgehog.
Ray
Americans live in busy times, we don’t have time for a long name!
Maybe that’s whyNameberryreported a strong trend towards three-letter names.
It’s even better if you’re able to say them with one syllable.
It also brings to mind the classy singer-songwriter, Ray Charles.
Change one letter to Rae and it transforms into an uber-feminine classic moniker.
Many of the female three-letter names move into two-syllable territory.
This is most likely due to those irresistible “a” or “ia” ending.
Both Ada and Ava broke through to thetop 20names of 2018 in the United States.
To move away from the same sound, you could try Ivy, Ali, Joy, or Val.
Vienna isrecommendedas a substitute for the mega-popular Sierra.
The name saw a rise in popularity in the 1990s, but has been dropping steadily over the decades.
For whatever reason, location names tend to be used for girls more than boys.
Elton
It might not always be such a disaster to take a naming cue from celebrities.
Now, that doesn’t mean you oughta go full Kimye and name your baby after a literaldirection.
Elton obviously comes from the master musician Elton John.
The man has created many classichitsand composed music for the Broadway darlingBilly Elliot.
It makes sense to select such an icon as your child’s namesake.
Looking at celebrities of the past, though, can be simply vintage-chic.
Meera
Sometimes, you get sick of being humble and just want to show off!
Those of the Hindu faith might associate Meera withMeera Bai.
Meera Bai was a mystical Hindu poet, whose works are still popular today.
Fans ofGame of Thronesmight also recognize the name.
Don’t worry, she’s one of the good guys who hasn’t been killed off just yet.
