Possibly risking offending some, but genuine question.

I've met an Abeygayle and a Zakkahryah. As the OP says, some of the spellings makes one's brain do pronunciation somersaults.

I actually like unusual spellings...My son is called Marc....i lost two daughters unfortunately my eldest called Sonja and my youngest called Kirsti.

In my day it was all Janet John Peter and Susan.
My parents generation had Elsie, Doris, Wilfred and Arthur - nobody calls their children by those names any more.
Some of the daftest names today amaze me - having said that my brain has died and I can't think of any examples. Celebrity childrens names for example. Poor kids...

I don't see it as anybody else's business how you spell your name or what you call yourself. Live and let live.

Mrs mop. I know a 7 year old Elsie and a 2 year old Arthur.

nannypink No words for such loss, but so sorry ...

Whatever names we choose, our children make them uniquely their own. I know a few people with the same names as I chose for my children, but they are, of course, simply my own dear ones. I guess it is all the collected memories and associations that make us hope to see some names passed on to a new generation.

Imperfect, absolutely not! I think there was a song by Jim Morrison called something like "Cain was my brother", which both DSs liked very much and wanted for their own son! DS2 got his first... Just a very odd name to give a child. He says that there are two other Cains in his class - one a "Kane" and one "Cain"...

nannypink just read your post. That's so sad (((hugs)))

Mrsmopp, Arthur is very popular amongst DS1's friends. In fact, he can't remember their names and calls them all "Edward/Arthur"Henry"

When my DS2 started at primary school, he had a brown uniform with brown and yellow striped ti. In week 2 he proudly announced to us that he had made a friend and would point him out at drop off time.

We stood in the playground with 300 children running and skipping before our eyes.
"Which one is he then?" H asked.
^The one in the brown!" he replied.

Who needs a name!

A relative wanted to call her son Arthur, some 28 years ago. There was a cat food advert at the time featuring a cat of that name. The midwife was horrified, and talked her out of it. His given name was not a common name at the time, either, but has since become much more so, but as already been said, so has Arthur!

Only recently I discovered that a midwife was to blame for my own name, too. Apparently, I was going to be Karen, but the midwife who attended my home delivery made another suggestion, saying it was much ''softer' than Karen. After very little thought, my mum (not sure my dad got a say ) agreed, and the midwife's suggestion used. While I don't actively dislike my given name, I have never really felt that it was 'me', and perhaps now I know why!

Their chosen name was Chlamydia,

Surely that's an urban myth!

grandMattie, Kane I like - but then I am a Tottenham Hotspur supporter ... Even so, I think ok for a middle name, but not a first name.

I've always thought it interesting that we had a very definite 'feel' for what would make good middle names for our children and yet would NEVER have contemplated them being first names. This seems to be the case with DD1 and SIL too - my DGs' middle name is rather unusual and I would have disliked it as a first name, but feel it adds a certain dignity in the middle - odd really!

That might explain why so many children dislike their middle names, Imperfect - at least, i remember that a lot of those who I was at school with did.

It irritates me beyond all reason!

I don't mean the foreign versions of names, but just plain stupid spelling of "normal" names.

It's not like, for example, a parent is going to stand in the middle of the park and call - "Come here Jenni-spelled-j - e - n - n - i ", or some other variation of a normal name. The name SOUNDS exactly the same, so why try to be clever and spell it in some fancy way.

All that happens is that the poor child is going to spend their entire life having to correct people's spelling of their names.

My friend's grandson is called Kristofor.
Why?

Actually, Phoenix - to be correct, Amy is the Anglicised version of - ahem - Aimee, the original French name!
However, I am not without sympathy for your irritation - I did hear in a supermarket a rather disturbing "call" from a mother to her darling toddler "'Ere, our Chardonnay, f***ing gerr 'ere". Oh dear.... And I am aware of a lovely young woman who's parents saw fit to call her - wait for it - Bordelle. Presumably they thought it was exotic and sophisticated!
So, for my money, bring on the Aimees, Aymees, etc - rather those than the others...

Arthur is definitely coming back into fashion. A friend has a fairly new GS called Arthur (Artie) and another friend a son aged about three also called Arthur. I don't think it's after the cat in the adverts .

I do think tv programmes give rise to all sorts of names and spellings thereof. I remember in the 60s there was a programme starring Clint Walker called Cheyenne. Lots of little Cheyennes appeared around that time.

And Bodie... I could go on.

In a farmers market in France a year or two ago, someone was calling their little daughter, 'Aurelie' they called. Such a lovely name. I haven't yet heard it mangled over here. There's time, I suppose.

If we are talking foreign names, i love Agnės (I think the grave accent is correct?) when pronounced the French way - Ann-yez -, but really don't like its English equivalent!

Why has the accent changed since I typed that? Grrr - give us an edit button!

My friend at school was christened 'Vicki' but was always being asked if it should be 'Victoria' - she was forever having to explain herself which she found irritating.
I find the boys' names, Marc, Nic and Ric a bit silly.
Near us we have a waitress called Charlee.

Only just logged on to GN Phoenix so haven't read all the posts.
We have an Australian family member with the Aimee spelling.
There is also a similar name for another member of the family.
but could be too much information.

Off to read the rest of the posts

this is so funny
in the digital age
people dont want themselves"outted"
on forums facebook etc
but choose names for their children that are so weird that all it takes is one google to find them.
also posting pictures...
it all out there and all available.

again i site the midwife whos patient wanted to know the word on the box in the delivery room
and named her child Modess
a brand of sanitary napkins.
i still muse on that child,she would be an adult by now