Lately I have been loving some very unusual and uncommon names. I feel as though I may be taking naming too far and while my mother and best friend think I am insane, I quite like the sound of them! Mind you, I will most likely be raising my children in [name]England[/name], so the names need to sound fairly normal there. Let me know what you think!
I’m not from the UK, so I cannot comment as to the weirdness of these names there, but here are my thoughts for what they are worth:
[name]Beatrix[/name] – This name has never appealed to me, but I do appreciate its qualities. If you want to make it a little more normal, [name]Beatrice[/name] is nice too.
[name]Felicity[/name] – I think this is a lovely, happy, and light-sounding name! I am especially partial to the nn [name]Tilly[/name].
[name]Lavender[/name] – This might be a little out-there. It is a very peaceful, pretty name though!
[name]Mabel[/name] – I think [name]Mabel[/name] is mild enough to get away with being quirky.
[name]Ottilie[/name] – Pretty, but not my style.
[name]Primrose[/name] – Sounds too frilly and odd for me.
[name]Alistair[/name] – This seems very quintessentially British to me, so I think I would fit in well but I guess I have no idea.
[name]Hugo[/name] – Reminds me of [name]Victor[/name] [name]Hugo[/name] which I think is a great connection! If he finds his name a little too odd, he could always go by [name]Hugh[/name].
[name]Jasper[/name] – A little too weird for me.
[name]Niall[/name] – Is a 1D member named this? If so, it should fit right in but might become too trendy for your taste.
[name]Phineas[/name] – I would say it is too out-there, but [name]Finn[/name] is very up-and-coming here, so a boy may be able to pull this name off nicely.
[name]Rogue[/name] – I like word names, but this one does not have a great connotation.
Most of those sound perfectly usable to me. [name]Beatrix[/name] and [name]Felicity[/name] are my favourites (although if you went with [name]Beatrice[/name], that would be the clear winner for me). I like [name]Jasper[/name] best of your boys’ names, I think.
I’m in [name]England[/name], none of these would be considered weird.
[name]Beatrix[/name] - tons of little [name]Bea[/name]'s around, [name]Beatrix[/name] is less common than [name]Beatrice[/name] but combined it would rank just inside the top 100. I think it’s very pretty.
[name]Felicity[/name] - familiar, but not popular. It’s just inside the top 200. [name]Lovely[/name] and joyous name.
[name]Lavender[/name] - was not ranked in 2011, but people are familiar with it because of [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name], and the flower obviously. I like it, but I think of bath products before I think of a name with this one.
[name]Mabel[/name] - never met one, but it was ranked at #360 in 2011. I’m not a fan.
[name]Ottilie[/name] - it was ranked at #778, 48 babies. It’s my middle name, I’ve always thought it was pretty.
[name]Primrose[/name] - only given to 31 babies, most likely upper middle class/upper class ones. I think it’s super pretty and makes me think of proper English gardens.
[name]Alistair[/name] - very much a dad name, or I’m guessing a grandfather name now. I like it a lot.
[name]Hugo[/name] - lots of [name]Hugo[/name]'s around, ranked at #139. I love [name]Hugo[/name], so sweet and cute.
[name]Jasper[/name] - one spot ahead of [name]Hugo[/name]. This is one of my favourites, it’s a wonderful name.
[name]Niall[/name] - familiar to most, and is ranked just inside the top 300. I am not very fond of it.
[name]Phineas[/name] - 5 little ones born in 2011. I like it, it’s quirky and cool.
[name]Rogue[/name] - Why on earth would you name you child this? This is the only one I think is too much, and in a bad way too.
[name]Rogue[/name] - please look up the meaning in a dictionary. Not a good name for a human being.
[name]Lavender[/name] - better in the middle spot
[name]Primrose[/name] - see [name]Lavender[/name]
I’m from [name]England[/name] and think most of your names would fit in really well here. I’ve come across them all before except [name]Ottilie[/name] and [name]Rogue[/name], although [name]Rogue[/name] is the only one I’m not sure would work here. Opinions given below:
[name]Beatrix[/name] - love this though I prefer [name]Beatrice[/name]. It’s currently an uncommon name in the UK (I don’t know a single one) although its on the up & is well know due to [name]Princess[/name] [name]Beatrice[/name]. This is currently top of my list for daughter 2 due in 7w. My eldest daughter is [name]Edith[/name] [name]Anna[/name]
[name]Felicity[/name] - quite a common name actually I know 3 [name]Felicity[/name]'s but all aged between 30 & 45. I do like it though & wouldn’t sound odd on a baby
[name]Lavender[/name] - uncommon name but recognisable due to character [name]Lavender[/name] in [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name] & would be totally acceptable given popularity of flower names like [name]Lilly[/name], [name]Iris[/name], [name]Poppy[/name] & [name]Daisy[/name]. I personally like it
[name]Mabel[/name] - this is second on list for our daughter! Again not yet a common name but familiar, & on the up. ‘Old lady’ names are very popular in the UK
[name]Ottilie[/name] - I’ve only ever seen this on this site & had never heard it before so can’t comment on its UK use but seems nice
[name]Primrose[/name] - as with [name]Lavender[/name] not common but familiar & would be a great alternative to the more popular flower names
[name]Alistair[/name] - very popular name for boys of all ages, has a Scottish heritage
[name]Hugo[/name] - not a common name in the UK but familiar & would have ‘posh’ connotations. I think its cute
[name]Jasper[/name] - again not common but familiar. It’s used quite a lot for cats here though not associated so much it would stop you using it! Usually nn [name]Jazz[/name]
[name]Niall[/name] - is a 1D name but actually Irish & fairly common in [name]England[/name] too. It could well end up trendy & dare I say it a bit chavvy (trashy?) - this happened with [name]Rhys[/name] a few years ago a welsh name
[name]Phineas[/name] - I agree with [name]Sunshine[/name].10 not common at all only heard of [name]Phineas[/name] Fogg but you could get away with it as [name]Finn[/name] is very popular
[name]Rogue[/name] - don’t like this. Random word names are not common in the UK at all despite what you might imagine from the Beckhams & usually have down market/chav connotations. I agree this also has a negative feel
[name]Beatrix[/name]: Very pretty, and similar enough to [name]Beatrice[/name] that no one will find it too strange. The x at the end is cute and unexpected.
[name]Felicity[/name]: Delicate and sweet, with a great meaning and a pleasant sound.
[name]Lavender[/name]: Personally, I find it a bit flowery. But then I don’t tend to like girly names too much.
[name]Mabel[/name]: Old-fashioned and charming. It’s familiar but uncommon, which in my opinion is the ideal combination.
[name]Ottilie[/name]: I’m a big fan of [name]Otto[/name]. [name]Ottilie[/name] doesn’t quite have the same appeal for me.
[name]Primrose[/name]: I immediately think of the Hunger Games character, which is not the worst association ever. Prim is a cute nickname. It manages to feel quirky and classy at the same time.
[name]Alistair[/name]: Gorgeous! [name]Love[/name] it. And fairly common in the UK, though not overly so.
[name]Hugo[/name]: This is one of my favorite names ever. Works for all ages and has the connection with [name]Les[/name] Miserables, not to mention that amazing -o ending.
[name]Jasper[/name]: This one has been getting quite popular recently, thanks to Twilight. [name]Lovely[/name] name.
[name]Niall[/name]: I wouldn’t consider [name]Niall[/name] on the same sort of level as names like [name]Hugo[/name] and [name]Alistair[/name]. Maybe I’m biased, but I find it somewhat…cheap, I guess.
[name]Phineas[/name]: Very unusual, but I like it a lot. It has history and a nice ring to it.
[name]Rogue[/name]: Like [name]Niall[/name], this isn’t quite up to the standard of some of your other names. It’s not a great name for an adult - heck, it would be questionable on a four-year-old.
They are all really nice.
The only one I really don’t like is [name]Rogue[/name]. I know someone with a dog named [name]Rogue[/name].
[name]Ottilie[/name] is a bit frilly and I think it would be better as a middle name, but other than that, I don’t see anything wrong with your list.
[name]Primrose[/name] and [name]Rogue[/name] are really the only ones that I perceive as a little too different to work. Some of the others are nms but are certainly not weird.
[name]Beatrix[/name]- prefer the spelling [name]Beatrice[/name]
[name]Felicity[/name] - Gorgeous! This name is great!
[name]Lavender[/name]- I prefer this name as a middle name option
[name]Mabel[/name] - Vintage and charming
[name]Ottilie[/name]- Pretty
[name]Primrose[/name]- Prefer this name as a middle name
[name]Alistair[/name] - I like it
[name]Hugo[/name]- has a handsome sound to it, to me it’s very dashing
[name]Jasper[/name]- This is in my top 5, love it!
[name]Niall[/name]- read a book once with the main character with this name, great character and great name!
[name]Phineas[/name] - It’s okay
[name]Rogue[/name] - This one is interesting, I like it. Honestly I think this is the only name on your list that would get possible questioning stares
Your names are great, I really don’t see anything weird about any of the names on your list, granted I’m from the U.S., but nothing shouts out there to me.
xxx