Baby Names: Is Beyonce's Blue For You?

SEPTEMBER is said to be one of the busiest months on the maternity ward.  Many people put this down to a frisky festive season.

If you are expecting this year, then you'll probably have started to think about the all important name for your new bundle.  It's a difficult decision.  Do you go traditional, something you know your mother will like or do you pick a name that's unusual, a chance to show everyone that you're not affraid to be different? 

You just know you're going to hear "Bluuuw" being shrieked across the supermarket aisle in a year's time.

If you fall into the latter catergory, then you're not alone. It seems those shiny, glossy people we call 'celebrities' have been pushing the boundries when it comes to names, as far as they can possibly go.  The weirder, the more ridiculous, the better.   Names that are so out there, they've gone interstellar.

 Take chirpy soprano singer Mariah Carey and her husband Nick Cannon.  Mariah gave birth to twins in 2011.  Their baby girl was called Monroe but her poor little brother was lumbered with Moroccan - I have some hair oil in my bathroom.

Mariah and Nick with Monroe and Morrocan

And just days ago, super cool couple Beyonce and Jay-Z announced the birth of their little girl.  Her name? Blue Ivy Carter. You just know you're going to hear "Bluuuw" being shrieked across the supermarket aisle in a year's time.

But wacky celebrity names are not a new phenomenon. Mariah stands in a long line of A,B,C etc listers to fall into the potentious/ridiculous names trap.  David Bowies son (now 39) changed his name from Zowie Bowie to Duncan Jones.  He said the re-name was because he didn't want to live in his dads shadow and make it in the movie industry on his own. Could it just have been because it was a really silly name?

And let's not forget one of our personal favourites....wholesome Gywneth Paltrow and hubby Coldplay's Chris Martin's little girl Apple, named so because "apples are so sweet". Hmmm.

But this fashion has spread to us mere mortals across the globe.  A recent report from the Internal Affairs Department in New Zealand listed names that had been rejected over the past decade. Although names can't be banned, the department says they have to fall within the bounds of the law; they can be no more than 100 characters, use an unearned title, or be offensive to the general public. On the list? Justice, King, Prince, Royal and absolute winner, Lucifer.

Landing back on planet earth now, the most popular names list of 2011, compiled by the Bounty Parenting Club, has been released.  The national survey consisted  of 434,756 babies born to members of the club.

Lisa Penney, spokeswoman for Bounty.com said: ''Our records show that parents are continuing to be influenced by popular culture and celebrity fads.  Unusual and quirky can quickly become mainstream and common in the classroom."

''Ten years ago the name Ruby was relatively unheard of as a baby girl's name, yet these days Ruby is regularly ranked in the top 10.

''Likewise for boys, a decade ago the name Riley would have rarely been considered, yet this year it's also leapt into the top 10 most popular boys' names. Common baby naming tips often warn against calling your baby something too trendy, unpronounceable or difficult to spell.
''But, in general whatever name you give your child they always grow up to make it their own."

Harry is no.1Harry takes poll position for the boys. Possible inspirations for this is the popularity of celebrities Harry Judd, the McFly drummer who recently won Strictly Come Dancing, Harry Potter and lovable royal Prince Harry.

Oliver lost the top spot just a year after it took the crown from Jack, which had held first place for 16 years.

In the girls' list, Olivia kept top spot despite strong competition from Lily which climbed one place to second with Sophie slipping from second to third place.

So, whatever name you choose for your nipper remember, it's not you that's going to have to live with it.

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