Unusual baby names are given for many reasons: they may be named in honor of a relative with an unusual name too, may be given to ensure originality, to promote an independent, free-thinking child, and because the parents themselves just simply love the name Kal-El (Nicholas Cage’s son).

Think your ready to stick an uncommon moniker on your child (and ready to face their wrath later on in life)? Here are some names to get you started:

20 Unusual Celebrity Baby Names and Their Celebrity Parent:

• Jermajesty – Jermaine Jackson

• Pilot Inspektor – Earl star Jason Lee.

• Sage Moonblood – Sylvester Stallone.

• Audio Science – Shannyn Sossamon

• Moxie Crimefighter – Penn Jillette

• Petal Blossom Rainbow – Jamie Oliver

• Poppy Honey – Jamie Oliver

• Daisy Boo – Jamie Oliver (had to include all three kids!)

• Bronx Mowgli – Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz

• Shaya Braven – Brooke Burke herself and David Charvet

• Neriah – Brook Burke and David Charvet

• Brawley King – Nick Nolte

• Cedella – Bob Marley

• Destry – Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw

• Duncan Zowie Heywood Jones – David Bowie

• Fifi Trixibelle – Bob Gerdorf and Paula Yates

• Seraphina – Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck

• Gaia Romilly Wise – Emma Thompson and Greg Wise

• Kyd – David Duchovny and Tea Leoni

• Pax – Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt…okay and their whole brood: Shiloh Nouveau, Maddox, Zahara, Knox, and Vivienne.

Of course not all strange monikers are christened on celebrities, there are plenty of names out there for either gender that can still be claimed by a non-celebrity child, born of parents with a lot of gumption.

Unusual Boy Names:

• Alban – from Alba, town names during Roman Empire

• Chay – thought to be a nickname for Charles

• Fergal – Irish; manly valor

• Jago – Cornish form of James

• Kyran – Irish, see a form of Kieran

• Laban – Hebrew for white

• Mabon – Celtic for son, or a Celtic god

• Napier – French origin, used in England most; linen keeper

• Ormond – Irish; red

• Parsifal – German form or Percival of King Arthur’s round table knights

• Somerled – Scottish; summer traveler

• Trayton – English

• Warwick – common English surname

• Ximun -Hebrew, used by Basque; Simon

• Yorick -Jester in Shakespeare’s Hamlet

• Zeno – Greek, short for Zenon; root of Zeus

Unusual Girl’s Names:

• Briony – English, a flowering vine

• Cacey – Irish, female variation on Casey; alert or vigilant

• Flick – English nickname for Felicity; good luck

• Gaia – Greek; earth, mother earth

• Kohinoor – Persian, mountain of light

• Majella – Irish/English, for St. Gerard Majella

• Nekane – Basque; sorrow

• Saffron – yellow flower often used as a spice

• Tarina – English; hill, seat of the high kings of Ireland

• Valentia – Latin; healthy or strong

• Wilda – English; form of wild

• Xanthe – Greek; yellow, referencing Xanthos, Socrates’ wife

• Yaffa – Hebrew; beautiful

• Zinnia – English , the flower

Need some more ideas? Search for names of other countries or cultures. I’ve found beautiful names from Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, Irish, Gaelic, Celtic.

You can also mash yours and your spouse’s name together. For example if your name is Amanda, your husband’s is Tony, your daughter could be…Amony. No?

Well, experiment some more. And comfort your kids if you need to, that they can always change their names later.

Editor’s Note: This article was re-written on June 2, 2009