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Baby Names Sure to Shock Grandma
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The unusual and unique baby names on your list are likely to shock Grandma, especially since she probably thinks you should name the baby Helen, after her. You can tell her that Maverick and Messiah, even Khaleesi are all mainstream baby names, but she might not believe you.
Along with Khaleesi and Maverick, other names sure to shock Grandma in the US Top 1000 include Legend, Persephone, Ace, Brylie, Saint, Goddess, Seven, and Journey. If you really want to blow Grandma's mind, tell her you're calling the baby Vendetta or Bellatrix, Lucifer or Rocket.
After hearing these names, Grandma will probably tell you to give your baby a "normal" name, like Kevin or Linda or Gerald. But even if she's more open-minded than most, the following baby names will probably render her speechless — which may be the effect you're after.
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The names
Maverick
American
"independent, nonconformist"
It's ironic that the name Maverick is not such a maverick anymore. Heard first in a 1950s James Garner western TV series, and then as the Tom Cruise character in Top Gun , Maverick symbolizes an…
Ace
Latin
"one, unity"
No longer tied to the hapless Ace Ventura, this jaunty, high-flying nickname name is starting to take flight among celebrity and other parents, with its countless positive references to doing well in…
Legend
English
"hero or fable"
Legend joins cousins Story, Saga and Fable in the baby name pantheon of narrative words. Unlike Story and Fable, however, Legend comes with additional weight, being used for fame ("living legend")…
Messiah
Aramaic word name
"expected savior or deliverer"
A handful of years ago, a judge in Tennessee ruled that parents could not name their son Messiah, "because there's only one." That decision has since been overturned and the name no longer looks out…
Ophelia
Greek
"help"
Floral, elegant, and bold, Ophelia re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after more than 50 years off the charts. It has risen more than 700 spots since then and shows no signs of slowing down. Now in…
Saint
English word name
"saint"
Saint as a descriptive word name was first chosen by rocker Pete Wentz for his younger son (baby brother is Bronx), and now Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have catapulted the name into the celebrity…
Lilith
Assyrian, Sumerian
"ghost, night monster"
Lilith is derived from the Akkadian word lilitu meaning "of the night." In Jewish folklore she is portrayed as Adam's rejected first wife, who was turned into a night demon for refusing to obey him.…
Colt
Word name
"young horse"
Colt is the kind of unconventionally macho name that is so trendy right now, because of or in spite of its association with horses and guns. A rent study of voter names by political party found that…
Cash
Word name; also diminutive of Cassius
"hollow"
With the popular 'ash' sound and a contemporary feel, Cash is a widely used name in the US. Used occasionally before the 2000s, Cash really took off in 2003, following the death of American musical…
Daxton
Modern invented name
"from Dax town"
Following in the footsteps of Weston, Braxton, Clayton, and Paxton, Daxton has been climbing the US charts since the late 2000s. While recent years have seen it decline slightly, it remains a Top 500…
Journey
English word name
"passage from one place to another"
One of the new word names, appealing to parents attracted to the idea of a spiritual -- or even an actual -- voyage. The Journee spelling is also being used. Unisex alert: Jenna Jameson used Journey…
Raiden
Japanese, English invented name
The name of the Japanese god of thunder makes an assertive choice, very much at home in the Western world. Because of the name's similarity to popular baby names Aiden and Jayden, most people will…
Dream
Word name, English from German
"cherished ambition or hope; thoughts and images experienced during sleep; ideal"
A whimsical and serene feeling word name, bestowed to reflect the joy and perfection parents might find in their children and the ambitions they have for them. Once a fantastical and celebrity-only…
Capri
Italian from Greek or Latin
"wild boar; goats"
Chosen by the late Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa for their youngest daughter, Capri is the name of an Italian island, lending it a light, bright and sunny feel. Derived from either the Greek…
Khaleesi
Literature
"warlord"
Khaleesi is an invented name introduced to the world by inventive and prolific author George R. R. Martin for his wildly popular Game of Thrones series—it's Dothraki for "queen" and is one of the…
Persephone
Greek
"bringer of destruction"
Magical and earthy, sophisticated but off-beat, Persephone appears as the daughter of Zeus by Demeter in Greek mythology. After she was kidnapped by Hades to be Queen of the Underworld, it was…
Royalty
English word name
"people of royal blood or status"
Royalty represents the convergence of two important trends: word names and superlative names such as Legend and King. Blending status and power with a fashion, flair, and confidence, it this longer…
Pandora
Greek
"all gifted"
Pandora has occasionally been used by the British gentry (for girls with brothers who might be called Peregrine) and is now starting to be heard in the US too: It was given to 34 baby girls last…
Pink
Color name
The singer known as Pink (born Alecia) brought this hue onto the name-possibility palette, especially as a middle choice. Could Pink be the next Blue?
Lolita
Spanish, diminutive of Lola and Dolores, Spanish
"lady of sorrows"
In Nabokov's notorious novel, Lolita is the pet name given by the pedophilic narrator, Humbert Humbert, to his victim: a young girl called Dolores and nicknamed Lola or Lo by her mother. Still, it…
