Do you think giving a baby a weird first name could be construed as selfish or even cruel to the child?

A survey by parenting website Netmums has revealed some very unusual names given to newborns, such as Lanesra (Arsenal spelt backwards), Galaxy Star, Cash, Buzz and Simba.

Celebrities have always had a penchant for strange choices (Apple, Cruz, Blue Ivy etc) but it seems non-famous parents are also piling in with contributions to the bizarre book of baby names.

Do you think giving a baby an odd first name helps or hinders the child, either when young or later on as a grown-up?

Does an unusual name help someone to stand out from the crowd or open them up to ridicule?

Is it selfish, or even cruel, for a parent to risk their child being taunted or bullied just so they can satisfy their personal tastes with a wacky name? Or do you think it’s good some parents break from the norm and get creative when naming their kids?

Do you have a name which could be considered as peculiar? What are the good and bad effects it’s had on you?

The Netmums research also found many parents believe names influence how teachers respond to children. George, Edward, Emily and Elizabeth are examples of names teachers are said to feel most positive about, while Jayden, Crystal, Bailey and Tyler are among the names seen as most likely to make teachers assume the children could misbehave.

Do you think there is prejudice from society to people with certain names, even relatively ‘normal’ names? Have you been guilty of it yourself?

Add your comments below.

News Shopper: Burning Questions

The Burning Questions feature aims to discuss some of the oddities of life, settle some of its dafter perennial arguments and crack some of those tricky questions with readers’ collective knowledge.

If there is an issue you’re always squabbling about with workmates or friends or something that makes you go hmmm, email me with your suggestions for future burning questions to ask.

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