These Are The Baby Names Parents Admit Gave Them “Namer’s Remorse”
The Guardian reported in 2016 that 1 in 5 mothers regret their child's name. On the bright side, that number decreased to 1 in 7 according to a 2019 study that polled 2,000 parents. Parents have a multitude of reasons why they may regret what they named their child. The name being overly common, a celebrity naming their baby the same thing, and the name being difficult to spell are just a few of the reasons those polled gave for their eventual disappointment. Let's dive into some of the most-regretted baby names and why they fell from grace.
Elsa
Whether you're rarely around children or see them all of the time, odds are you're familiar with the film Frozen. The children's film grossed nearly $1.3 billion at the box office and now has an equally successful sequel.
Being that the protagonist's name is Elsa, it isn't hard to fathom why some parents would regret giving the name to their child. Between Elsa dolls, Elsa costumes, Elsa hairstyles, and more, the name has become as watered down as a cup of tea.
Shiloh
The 1990s brought us an adorable dog film franchise about a beagle named Shiloh. While millennials may remember Shiloh the dog fondly, that association may be why the baby name is not preferred these days.
Another possible reason is that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie opted to name their daughter Shiloh. We all know the dramatic "Brangelina" saga that has plagued tabloids for decades, and some parents don't want their child to be associated with any of it.
Kylie
According to Essentialbaby, Kylie has been one of the most common names since the 1970s. Its persistent popularity is a mystery, especially considering its meaning is "boomerang."
One thing that may finally knock this name off of the frequency charts is the most famous Kylie of today: Kylie Jenner. Whether you like the Kardashians or can't stand them, it's hard to justify naming a baby after a young billionaire whose primary talent appears to be shameful self-promotion.
Benedict
According to Parade, Benedict is one of the names that's anticipated to be on the rise in the 2020s. That's bad news for new parents since many would prefer a name that isn't common in their child's classroom.
The reason for the sudden rise in an old school-sounding name like Benedict may be linked to actor Benedict Cumberbatch (aka Doctor Strange). However, the talented man's growing popularity may have more and more parents renouncing the name as unoriginal. Plus, what kid wants to be teased by being called "Eggs Benedict" or worse, Benedict Arnold?
Baby
Naming a child "Baby" is like naming your dog "Puppy." First, it's painfully obvious. Second, humans are only babies for a couple of years, after which the name transitions from being obvious but kind of sweet to being insulting.
While the protagonist in Dirty Dancing acknowledged that Baby was merely a nickname, some fans of the film took the name seriously. Then characters Darci and Rogelio in Jane the Virgin named their daughter Baby, and it seemed cute. As some parents can attest, naming your child Baby is still as bad an idea as it sounds.
Rihanna
Rihanna went from being an adorable singer from Barbados to being an over-the-top hip hop artist. While she's undoubtedly talented and successful, imagining your innocent little girl growing up and performing like Rihanna can be a terrifying thought.
Celebrity associations aside, the name is also easy to misspell and to mispronounce. Is it "re-anna" or "re-ona"? And what's with the silent "h"? If it weren't for the singer, teachers would probably be confounded by the name.
Xavier
The letter "x" may be one of the most confusing of the alphabet. Half the time you see an "x," it's making a "z" sound. The debate over the strange letter has escalated thanks to its use in the name "Xavier."
All over the internet, people argue if the name is pronounced "ex-avier" or "zay-vier." Some even pronounce the name "Javier." Despite the confusion, the name is on Parade's top 100 popular names for 2020. The one thing worse than having a common child name is having a common child name that no one can pronounce.
Maverick
The name Maverick means an unorthodox or independent-minded person. That may sound like a characteristic you'd want to pride your child for having until you realize that you've handed them an excuse for not listening.
The name's meaning may also explain why there are so many conventional ways to spell the name. From Mavericc to Maveryck, it's as though the parents wanted to prove their independent-thinking by coming up with a new (and more confusing) way to spell their child's name.
Luna
Luna came in 23rd place on Parade's list of the most trendy baby girl names in 2020, and it isn't hard to see why. The name is short, sweet, and easy to pronounce and to spell. At the same time, that's precisely why it's bound to become overused.
Aside from being ordinary, couples may also regret the name after learning that John Legend and Chrissy Teigen have a child named Luna. The spellbinding singer and his supermodel wife are not a pair you want to be in the shadow of due to a shared baby name.
Game Of Thrones
The Hard Drive reported in 2019 that thousands of parents were filled with remorse upon naming their child "Game of Thrones." While the show has become one of the most talked-about series, that doesn't make it suitable as a baby name.
To make things worse, the series' highly anticipated finale turned out to be a giant disappointment to many. However, a decline in the show's quality shouldn't be necessary to realize that naming your child after a show is a terrible idea.
Harper
Harper has long been a popular name for both boys and girls. The iconic author Harper Lee was an example of a famous female with the name, which also gained widespread attention in 1972 when musician Paul Simon named his son Harper.
Years later, in 2011, athlete David Beckham and singer Victoria Beckham named their daughter Harper. The name has since become popularized as a girl's name, which means a male Harper might seem unusual to classmates, while a female Harper seems unoriginal.
Paris
Paris is known as not only a famous city but one full of romance and adventure. That's what the movies promise, anyway. This may be why Paris became one of the most popular, if not THE most popular, city names to enter the world of baby naming.
However, the name Paris went south fast thanks to the celebrity Paris Hilton. One of the frontiers in social media influencing, Hilton is famous merely for being famous. When it comes to naming your child after someone, you probably don't want to choose the person who popularized the phrase "that's hot."
Ezra
When literature buffs hear the name Ezra, they immediately think of the late and great Ezra Pound, a poet during the early 20th century. However, the name is making a steady comeback, according to Parade, which called it one of the most popular names in 2020.
This may have something to do with actor Ezra Miller, who has risen to prominence with roles in Fantastic Beasts and as the DC Comic hero The Flash. The sudden rise of an otherwise classic name has some parents regretting the decision.
Rafferty
While many of the regrettable names on this list had to do with overuse, Rafferty is one name you might resent for being too unique. The Irish name means floodtide, abundance, or prosperity, according to Nameberry.
Though the name may feel strange to pronounce, the meaning won over actor Jude Law, who has a son named Rafferty. Parents can expect to either receive a curious look at the name or to be told, "Oh yeah, like Jude Law's son!" Neither reaction is exactly favorable.
Amelia
Amelia is one of the most popular baby girl names in 2020, according to Parade. That's surprising to hear given the fact that the name has been around for some time. Maybe its because parents would love to think their daughter is bound to be the next Amelia Earhart.
Then again, those are pretty large shoes to fill. If sharing a name with an aviation pioneer wasn't enough, imagine also sharing the name with half the girls in the class. Additionally, many of them will probably spell the name Emelia, just to add to the confusion.
Leo
Astrology has made a giant leap in popular culture over the years, so parents who name their child Leo should be prepared to answer whether their baby's astrological sign is Leo.
On top of that, we are living in the age of Leonardo DiCaprio, one of the world's highest-paid actors. His films have earned more than $7 billion worldwide, meaning that odds are the first thing to come to mind when hearing the name Leo will be the actor, not your kid.
Charlotte
Many things may come to mind when you hear the name Charlotte. Perhaps you first think of the lovable children's story Charlotte's Web. Maybe Charlotte was your favorite character in Sex and the City or in Lost in Translation.
You may think of Princess Charlotte, the daughter of Prince William and Kate Middleton, or the rock band Good Charlotte. Whatever the association, the point is that the name Charlotte is everywhere, and that's what makes it so regrettable as a baby name.
Dior
According to The Bump, the name Dior was virtually nonexistent in the 1970s, but rose drastically around 2000 and has continued to rise since. The name may sound familiar thanks to the luxury goods company of the same name.
If that association didn't make the name seem posh enough, its meaning is actually "golden." Naming a girl such a swanky name may be a little limiting in today's feminist culture, where odds are she'll grow up rolling in mud and playing sports.
Asher
Asher seems like the perfect name for a baby boy considering that it's meaning is "happy one." However, that may also be why it's on the rise as one of the most popular boy names in 2020.
According to Nameberry, the name fell off the map for a century from 1890 to 1990. It's reemergence probably has to do with parents opting for unusual names. Unfortunately, that strategy may have backfired as more and more people started name their sons Asher.
Itzayana
It may come as a surprise that Itzayana ended up on Parade's list of the most popular baby girl names for 2020. Furthermore, Nameberry called it "one of the fastest-rising girls' names in 2016."
Though it looks difficult to pronounce, it's spelled phonetically and sounds similar to the name Isabella. Nevertheless, all of the vowels give it an odd mouth feel. With such a unique-looking name, it would be a major disappointment to find out that everyone else who tried to be original had the same idea.
