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10 Things Book

How unique is your name? (Chances are, you’re just one in 546)

How unique is your name?

Sure, you may have replaced a “y” with an “i” (let alone decided that dotting the i with a smiley face would be “your thing”).  Your parents may have given you a unique spelling of a typical name, in order to differentiate you as being “special” when you finally go off to school… much to the chagrin of those confused teachers, or the future ability for your child to every find a personalized license plate at SOUTH OF THE BORDER souvenir shop.

The Baby Name Wizard: A Magical Method for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby
The Baby Name Wizard:
A Magical Method for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby

Maybe uniqueness in a baby name isn’t what parents should be striving for.

As baby name expert Laura Wattenberg points out, unique names are a modern trend.  In 1800, 50% of all children born in England could be identified by a list of six first names.  In 1950 in the United States, the same could be said with a list of 79 first names being representative of 50% of children born.

Today, 50% of children born have a first name on a list of 546 different names.

The sheer variety can cause all sorts of problems, as Web Watch has pointed out previously in terms of HOW YOUR NAME CAN DICTATE WHAT YOU WILL BE LIKE LATER IN LIFE.

Your child has their entire lifetime ahead of them. Burdening them with a unique name may do them more harm than good.