Do I look like a Puck?

Are you looking to name your baby something unique, a name that is special, that perhaps no one else has? Many parents are. In fact, one of the top reasons that parents have regretted the name they chose for their child is because the name became popular. While the top baby names projected for 2012 have more of a zing to them than Christopher or Isabella, they have been done before, perhaps several times. So more parents are straining their brains to come up with a unique moniker for their newborn.

Nameberry, the popular website devoted specifically to baby names for the past 25 years, has released a list of new baby names that were recently added to their database. (Of course, with so many parents reading about it, it stands to reckon that the names wont be exactly new for much longer.) Yet, I guess you can say, they are newer.

Here are their list with explanations for each new name:

Brinsley - Another new entrant to the already-crowded space of androgynous-sounding girls’ names ending in -ley, Brinsley is a British place-name and surname that provides an alternative to the super-popular Kinsley. This one is simply in the air.

Cesaria - Cesaria is a feminine form of the ancient Roman name Caesar or Cesar, brought to our attention by the death of The Barefoot Diva, singer Cesaria Evora. With the rediscovery of many long-dormant Latin names, this one seemed a natural.

Divine – Blame Nevaeh: Heavenly names that once may have been used only onstage – there was a famous drag queen named Divine – have now become baby-appropriate. But like Precious, Divine is a name that sounds as if it’s protesting too much.

Emese - A Hungarian name meaning mother; obscure beyond Budapest. This one was sent in by a reader in Hungary.

Fifer – Fifer isn’t a new name to us, exactly: We knew a charming little girl named Fifer more than a decade ago and always thought it was an original, energetic choice. But this Scottish occupational name had somehow had eluded the Nameberry database and so we added it.

Hutchings - A Scottish surname-name related to Hugh, Hutchings seems more possible as a first name when you consider adorable nickname Hutch.

Maple - Maple is, of course, a tree name, one that seems to have quickly captured the fancy of baby namers. It has a rich sound and is redolent of bright leaves and syrup; perfect as a nature name or middle name. Maple is one of the best-liked of the new tree names (like Pine and Oak) that we’ve written about.

Mercer - Occupational names are one source of fresh possibilities, and Mercer is a choice mentioned by a mom-to-be in the forums. We hadn’t included it among Archer, Booker, and Sawyer, but it’s a great possibility for either boys or girls…who might be nicknamed Mercy. Mercer is a French occupational name meaning “merchant.” We added this one after a mom on our forums was debating using it for her child.

Pixie - Pixie is another new/old name on Nameberry, the choice in the ’90s by Sir Bob Geldof for one of his daughters that suddenly sounds more possible for the world at large, as either a spritely first name or a nickname.

Puck - We knew about the Shakespearean Puck, and the equally mischievous MTV one, and the hockey one. But we didn’t realize until a berry wrote to us that Puck was a popular name for girls in the Netherlands. Why? Enlighten us, Dutch readers.

What’s your favorite name? How important is it that your child have an uncommon name?

Image: Stockxchng

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Find more of the latest lists and trends with Babble’s Baby Names Database!

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