To the parents considering an unusual baby name: I say 'do it'

Choosing a baby name is a huge responsibility - one of the first big decisions we make as parents. And, as writer Alessia Santoro explains in a piece for Pop Sugar - it's a decision that can have lasting consequences.

In an open letter addressed to "parents considering a unique name", Ms Santoro writes that years of mispronunciation, and having her name "butchered" has given her social anxiety. "[It] made me feel like my feelings didn't matter, and put dampers on some of the most important moments of my life," she said.

While I feel for Ms Santoro and the impact her unique name had on her sense of identity, I wanted to share another perspective on having an unusual moniker - just in case you're considering one for your kids.

My name is Ariane, which is pronounced Ahh-ree-arne. It's a French name, it's not very common (in Australia, at least) and I absolutely love it - I always have. Like Ms Santoro, my name has been "butchered" in more ways than I can remember. I've had  Arry-Arne, Adriane, Adriana, Ariadne, Ariel, Ariella, Marianne and now, thanks to Ms Grande, I get Ariana quite frequently, too.

For years, I listened to teachers stumble over my name during roll call and assemblies, skip it entirely and go straight to my surname instead, or call me Adrian - much to the hilarity of my classmates.

But the thing is - thankfully - having an unusual name hasn't caused any lasting damage at all. For every "butchered" attempt, there's also been a compliment on how nice it is, or a question about where the name comes from. And while I often need to repeat myself when I meet someone for the first time, that's okay. I expect it. And more often than not, it's a conversation starter, too.

I've had some unusual "coffee names" in my time also, but it's always been something to giggle about, rather than anything I've taken to heart. 

The response to Ms Santoro's article indicated that she's not alone in her feelings about having a unique name. Many commenters could empathise, expressing similar anxieties and frustrations accumulated after a lifetime of corrections. It's certainly something to consider - and something to be aware of when deciding on a baby name, one of many factors to take into account.

But if you're thinking about choosing an unusual moniker then take heart.For many of us, the benefits of having an unusual name - a name we rarely share with classmates, or colleagues or other school mums - certainly outweighs the challenges.

And, interestingly, when it comes to baby name regret, of the one in five parents who regret their baby's name, the leading reason for their change of heart is because a name was "too commonly used", with Amelia, Anne, Charlotte, Daniel, Jacob, James and Thomas leading the list of "most regretted" choices.

So while you won't know until later on in their lives whether your little one loves or loathes the moniker you've selected, don't strike that unusual name off your list just yet. For every person who shares Ms Santoro's feelings about her tricky name, there are others, like myself, who wouldn't have it any other way.