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Baby Names Sure to Shock Grandma
Across 6 pages
of 6
Sixtine
French feminine variation of Sixtus
"sixth-born"
While Sixtine is a name with ancient roots that's popular in modern-day France, it's hard to imagine it gaining hold in English-speaking lands, given its similarity to the number sixteen and its…
Snow
English word name
There's definitely a cold front of names for winter babies moving in, with Summer, Spring and Autumn giving way to Winter--plus North, January, Frost--and Snow. This name feels brisk, fresh, pure,…
Starlet
Starlet is a feminine English word name that evokes images of both celestial beauty and Hollywood glamour. Derived from 'star' with the diminutive suffix '-let,' it literally means 'little star,'…
Strawberry
Fruit name
Another entry in the fruit name category, this one borne by writer Strawberry Saroyan, granddaughter of William, so named by her hippie parents. While fruit names may become more familiar, they'll…
Taffeta
English, from Persian, word name
A few boys have adopted fabrics like Denim and Suede; here's a singular one for the girls, with a distinctively silky sheen.
Tequila
Spanish
"liquor distilled from the agave plant"
Mexican national drink, not to be served as a name to a baby.
Tigerlily
English flower name
This name of the bright orange flower found in Asia has been used occasionally in English-speaking countries. A notable namesake is Tiger Lily, the Native American princess from Peter Pan . Read more…
Tip
American nickname
Though distinguished former Speaker of the House Thomas P. O'Neill was known as Tip, it's usually best to leave names like Skip, Flip, Kip, Pip, Rip, and Tip to the pets of the household.
Tycen
English, variation of Tyson
"firebrand"
Since girls have already coopted Tyson (singer Nenah Cherry's daughter, for one), no need to go to these lengths to feminize it.
Vegas
Spanish
"meadows"
Viva Las Vegas? What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas? We think not. Maybe Vega, the name of an actual heavenly star?
Vendetta
Word Name
A pretty word, but laced with violent imagery.
Walburga
German
"strong protection"
An ancient saint's name belonging to an 8th century English missionary. Variants include Walpurga and Walpurgis.
Whizdom
Spelling variation of Wisdom
Configuration coined by troubled former NBA star Jayson Williams for his daughter.
Wolverine
Nature name
Fox, okay. Buck, maybe. But Wolverine? You gotta be kidding us. On the plus side, your five-year-old will love you for giving him this superhero name. Your fifteen-year-old, not so much.
Xanthene
Color name
A yellowish chemical compound that produces fluorescent dyes ranging from bright yellow to hot pink to flaming red -- but as a name sounds glaringly sci-fi.
Xen
Japanese
"meditation"
Xen and Zen, both pronounced the same way, are two hip new spiritual word names from Buddhist practice. Among the celebrity set, Corey Feldman has a Zen and Tisha Campbell Martin's son is Xen.
Zeus
Greek mythology name
The supreme Olympian god represents a mighty image for a little fella to live up to, but more and more parents are beginning to consider it seriously. The Roman equivalent Jupiter has also come down…
Zsazsa
Hungarian, , diminutive of Erzsebet
"God is my oath"
Zsa Zsa is a zippy Hungarian nickname name, sometimes used independently, linked for decades with the Hungarian-born actress Zsa Zsa Gabor--who was born Sari.
Adecyn
English, phonetic spelling of Addison, English
"son of Adam"
As soon as a name becomes mega-popular, parents start to look for spelling variations to set their child apart. This is one of the less graceful ones.
Afternoon
English, “afternoon”
An early day name worthy of consideration today for someone seeking a truly unusual name.