Figgy, Monaveen, Npeter and Wigbert: Tatler's top 2017 baby names are as weird as you'd expect

They're unusual to say the least

Sarah Young
Tuesday 03 January 2017 18:11 GMT
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Tatler's list includes some of the poshest names known to man
Tatler's list includes some of the poshest names known to man (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

When it comes to naming babies, most parents prefer not to rock the boat.

Short, straightforward names like Oliver, Jack, Emily and Olivia have topped the baby name lists in recent years here in the UK.

But among the blue blooded aristocracy, a normal name seemingly just won’t do.

High-society bible Tatler has published a list of the boys and girls names it would like to see return in 2017.

The magazine insists that they’re “some of poshest names known to man. These are the real deal. Some are even centuries old. Let's make them popular again!”

Unfortunately for the gestating foetuses that’ll bear these monikers, they’re not great.

For girls, Tatler suggests Koala, Queenie, Czar-Czar and Scar. Yep, the name of the baddie in The Lion King.

For boys, there’s Innsbruck, Npeter, Ra and Uxorious. Great names for a game of Scrabble, but not so good to shout at the school gates.

Luckily for lads, some of the names are a bit more normal – with David and John making the blue-blooded cut.

Despite their peculiarity, some of the most eye-catching monikers have interesting meanings and histories behind them.

Amid the cluster of plummy girl's names are Tansy and Vervain, two names derived from herbaceous plants far rarer than common counterparts like Rose or Lily.

Gethsemane might sound familiar to you too; it’s the name of the garden where Jesus was arrested, located on the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem.

Perhaps one of the most bizarre though, albeit rather festive, is Figgy. Yes, that infamous Christmas pudding referenced in “We wish you a merry Christmas.”

Topping the list of the most pretentious names of the year for boys are Euripides and Uxurious.

The first, an ode to one of the great Athenian playwrights and poets of Ancient Greece, Euripides.

Uxurious on the other hand, is a little more peculiar as far as names go. An adjective that traces back to 1590, it is a term used to describe someone foolishly fond of, or submissive towards one’s wife. Strange.

Sure, picking a name for your baby can be a minefield but these are unusual to say the least.

Would you give any of these names to your bundle of joy?

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