NAMING YOUR CHILD is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make.

Not only is it the word you’ll yell most for the next 18 years or so, but you’re basically holding your little bundle of joy’s fate in your hands.

It could become a future team captain and honour-roll student, beloved by all. Or it could become the butt of a million playground jokes.

Luckily these parents – culled from the BabyCenter.com list of Unusual Baby Names 2012 – made all the right choices.
BabyCenter.com is a US site, but used by parents all over the Anglophone world. All of the names below have been registered with the site for at least two babies in the last year

1. Shoog

(7 babies per million in 2012)

It’s like a cross between a shoe, a snood and a snug. Also suitable for parents who are stricken with a permanent head cold.

2. Burger

(6 babies per million in 2012 – down from 24 per million in 1996)

Who doesn’t like burgers, am I right? This name is FOOLPROOF.

3. Espn

(6 babies per million in 2012 – doubled from 3 in 2011)

I love watching sports on ESPN. So I will call my baby Espn.

4. Thinn

(No data available – at least two babies had this name)

Not fatt.

5. Ball

(6 babies per million in 2012)

Simple word, simple concept, simple name. Plays well with his elder brother, Stick.

6. Haven’T

(6 babies per million in 2012 – down from 27 in 2004)

No words.

7. Donathan

(6 babies per million – down from 11 in 2008)

It’s like Jonathan, but with a D. The beauty of this is that you can do it with any name. I’m calling my firstborn Dichael.

8. Villiam

(6 babies per million)

See above.

9. Hippo

(9 babies per million – up from 3 in 2008)

Self-explanatory.

10. Inny

(7 babies per million – up from 5 in 2001)

Named after a variety of bellybutton.

11. Turbo

(6 babies per million – up from 3 in 2008)

Totally badass.

12. Rysk

(No data available)

Ditto

13. Excel

(7 babies per million)

“It’s my favourite spreadsheet application.”

14. Navaryous

(No data available)

15. Drifter

(6 babies per million)

Hobo/something that washes up on a beach.

16. Joshitha

(7 babies per million – down from 18 in 2009)

Just an excellent name.

More: Wait. Someone called their newborn baby Hashtag?>