What grandparents really think about unconventional baby names

A Saga poll reveals the fears grandparents have about quirky baby names – and whether you should stay silent or speak out.

Children's coats hanging on a rack with their names over in a school
Image credit: Getty Images
By Rachel Carlyle | Published - 21 Jul 2025
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How would you react if your son or daughter told you the name of your new grandchild was… Honeybee? Or Rainbow? How about Genesis, Teal, Meadow or Kiwi?

These are all names chosen by young relatives or friends of Saga customers, revealed in our survey of 1,800.

The reactions to those particular names were not recorded – just as well, as an older relative’s negative response to a baby name is a big cause of upset to new parents, says SJ Strum, author of Baby Name Envy (RRP: £16.99).

“I understand grandparents’ concerns over names they are not familiar with,” Strum says.

“Names have really changed. There used to be a much smaller pool: if you were a John or a Linda you were one of many – my mum was ‘Sue 7’ at school.

“Now 4,500 girls’ names are registered each year, and every year it goes up so even the most popular names are not as frequently used.”

Margaret was the top girl’s name in 1924, 1934 and 1944.

John reigned for boys in 1914, 1924, 1934 and 1944 (and was second in 1954).

What grandparents really think about baby names

  • 41% of Saga customers prefer traditional names, rising to 55% among over-80s.
  • Only 1% love highly unusual names, though 43% find them appealing if they’re not too “out there”.
  • Top concerns about quirky baby names include: Names becoming quickly dated (77%). Associations with celebrity culture (74%). Fear the child will face teasing (69%). Names sounding made-up (59%).
  • Two in ten (22%) Saga readers have disliked or found a friend or relative’s baby name choice too unusual – about a quarter of these were names of grandchildren.
  • The names they disliked included Honeybee, Rainbow, Teal, Meadow and Kiwi.
  • 84% kept their opinions to themselves, while only 2% openly shared their true feelings.
  • Interestingly, 93% believe a child’s name affects how they’re treated in life.

It was always thought a good, solid traditional name would get you further in life (not backed up by research, incidentally – though girls with masculine-sounding names were proven to go further in law and more likely to study maths/science).

“However, today’s parents are looking for a name that stands out,” says Strum. “Your name has become more of a unique identifier, a calling card – important in a digital world.”

But if you are concerned about a quirky name choice should you speak out or stay silent?

Strum advises against obvious opposition, saying, “It speaks loudly. Instead you might say, ‘I’ve not heard that one, how did you choose it?’ Don’t follow up with, ‘Have you thought about George?’ Those kinds of comments can cut deeper than you think.”

However, one quirky name recently chosen by US actor Megan Fox for her daughter certainly gets our vote: welcome to the world, baby Saga.

Written by: Rachel Carlyle

Over a career spanning 30 years and counting, Rachel Carlyle has written features on news, health, family, education - and everything in between - for national newspapers and magazines. She’s Saga Magazine’s contributing editor and has also ghostwritten two bestselling health and lifestyle books for Penguin.

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