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“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
CuriositiesAUG 12, 2025

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given

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As a parent, there are many things you could do to a child that could cause them lifelong trauma. It could be various forms of physical and mental mistreatment, sibling favoritism, or giving them a name that they’d be ashamed to carry or say out loud. 
A Reddit thread from a few years ago explored some of the worst baby names ever bestowed upon a person. While some were tolerable enough, others were so bad, you’d likely wonder what the parents were thinking (if they were, at all). 
Scroll through the list and maybe have a few laughs, but if you’re planning to have children, be sure not to commit the same mistakes these people did. 

#1

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
Triplets named Joy, Joyful and Joyfulness.

Hamsternoir:
If ever there is a trio doomed to a lifetime of crippling depression and therapy it's those three.
34points

#2

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
Areola.

I know someone who literally named their daughter... Areola.

I asked "you know what that is, right?" And she was like "I know but the sound of the word is her name, not the meaning." My response? " Tell that to her classmates in 5th grade when they won't stop bullying her over her name..." Poor kid.

NoCompetitiveHum:
This is edging close to ab**ive.
31points

#3

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
I knew a Smerlin once. We all called him Smerlin of Smamelot.
31points

We had the opportunity to speak with several experts who shared their insights on absurd baby names. Parenting expert, conscious parenting coach, and Awarenest founder Blanka Molnar says it could be a way for parents to project their “desire for self-expression” or their wish that the child “grows up bold and unafraid to be different.”

#4

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
Well they weren't babies, but at the summer camp where I worked this summer. 3 brothers: Honor, Heritage, and believe it or not, Henceforth. I felt a little bad for those kids.
25points

#5

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
Gynyfyr

Pronounce: Jennifer.

SpiritAxolotl:
Do the parents have any history with epilepsy?
Because they had a stroke making that name.
23points

#6

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
King and his brother Prince.

brianna_sometimes:
We know who the favorite is.
23points

Culture also plays a role here, according to Anna Pyshna, spokesperson for human-led language learning platform Preply. And since naming traditions vary between countries, some have imposed laws that prevent parents from giving their child names that could harm their dignity or blur cultural norms. 

“In countries with fewer restrictions, parents have more freedom to ‘go out there,’” Pyshna told Bored Panda. “But that freedom also means greater scope for names that might become a burden, legally, socially, or personally as the child grows up.”

#7

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
My friend's sister named her twins Danger and Fury.

1questions:
That’s just asking for trouble really.
23points

#8

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
I knew a doctor that collected unusual baby names. One lady was actually going to name her baby girl Chlamydia. The lady who puts names on birth certificates refused and told the lady what it meant. In a kindergarten class a little boy had 23 letters in his name. It was unpronounceable. Everyone called him a nickname "Trey" ( not the name) Even his family called him "Trey". It was sad. Why name a kiddo something no one can pronounce.
21points

#9

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
A girl named Berlin-Germany. And she had a brother Dublin-Ireland.

erpods:
They had to have been conceived in these places.
21points

While some unique names can be excellent conversation starters, those that are “too unique” could pose long-term challenges, according to Molnar. And these hurdles vary in severity. 

“(These can range) from frequent misspellings and mispronunciations to misunderstandings, frustrations, and even identity confusion.”

#10

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
Blue and Pinky, brother and sister, their surname is Green


So yeah Blue Green and Pinky Green.
20points

#11

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
Coworker grew up with a girl named Kelly Kelly Kelly.
19points

#12

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
Noodles and Papoose.

I heard these 2 magical names uttered in a single sentence by a woman. "Noodles! Put Papoose down!".
19points

Some of the repercussions can be traumatizing. Based on their team’s research, Pyshna found that 52% of people in the UK who have unconventional names had them changed or shortened without consent, which has led to frustration, embarrassment, and bullying.

Their research also revealed that 29% felt their name influenced how other people perceived their intelligence or professionalism, while 22% reported experiencing workplace discrimination. Another 34% believed their name had “negatively affected” job application outcomes. 

#13

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
Jathan. Not Jason, not Nathan. Jathan.

I tried the trick to remember his name by using it four times quickly. “Hi Jathan. Nice to meet you Jathan. How are you Jathan?”

He looked at me and said, “Are you theriouth right now?”.
19points

#14

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
Twins Adam and Eve. Twins Jett and Deezel (like if you're going to play matchy, at least spell Diesel correctly).
18points

#15

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
Jam Metallica for a baby girl.

Commander_Doom14:
If you absolutely must name your daughter after a rock/metal group, Pearl works just fine.
17points

Given the burdens of having an overly unique name, how easy or difficult is it to have it changed legally? According to lawyer Emma Alves, the easy part is filling out the paperwork. 

However, the challenge begins when it’s time to pay legal costs, which Alves says could be greater than $200, depending on the jurisdiction. This could be an added financial burden for people who don’t have enough monetary resources.

#16

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
I was at the park with my nephew last week and a woman started calling for her son to get off the swings. His name was Messiah. That seems like a lot to live up to!
16points

#17

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
Jamie Oliver the chefs kids. One of them is named BUDDY BEAR MAURICE.

OtterCat79725:
And people trust him to cook. All his kids are stupidly named.
Poppy Honey Rosie, age 19, born March 2002
Daisy Boo Pamela, age 18, born April 2003
Petal Blossom Rainbow, age 12, born April 2009
Buddy Bear Maurice, age 11, born September 2010
River Rocket, age 5, August 2016
Some taken individually are fine like River, Daisy or Poppy but then you add some more bulls**t and its just awful.
16points

#18

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
Occultist Diablo. Who would name their sweet boy such an awful name?
16points

A unique name may seem adorable for a child, but that can all change once they get to their teenage years and beyond. Molnar says it shows a lack of long-term thinking on the parents’ part. 

“It’s very short-sighted parenting, giving a child an overly complicated/unique name, and chasing likes on social media,” she said.

#19

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
I knew a guy names Don Phan. Surprisingly he was born before the pokemon donphan was released.

I met two brothers once named Cain and Abel. Cain hasn't k**led Abel yet.
15points

#20

“You Named Them What?”: 40 Of The Strangest Baby Names Ever Given
They named the kid Tic Tac because it was smaller than the average newborn, like what.
15points
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