|{ Thoughts On Having A Unique Name }|

I love my name.  I have met one other person with my name in my life and there have been a few times where people say they have met someone with my name. BUT, I have never met someone with my same spelling.  I'm not saying there aren't because I know there are, I've looked my name up on Facebook and there are plenty of people. :)

As I have looked on the internet for baby names or heard about people talking about naming your kids with a unique name, the feedback is often (though not always) negative.  People say things like, "No one will be able to pronounce it", "They will get made fun of", "They will always have to correct people and they'll hate that", etc.

However, as someone who has a unique name, I don't agree.  Yes, people say my name wrong, though as the years go on and more and more people have unique names it happens less often, I think people are getting used to it.  I have never been made fun of.  I don't always correct people, only when I know I'll see them again, and I don't really mind.  I don't get mad when people say it wrong.  It really doesn't bother me.

Most of my conversations go like this, "How do you say your name?"- "Shalay"- "Where does it come from? Is it Irish?"- "No, my Mom made it up actually."- "Well it's absolutely beautiful, I've never heard that before."

My Mom did make up my name, I asked her how exactly she did that because I can't even imagine just making up a name and she said that she was just putting letters together one day.  I had my name picked out before my parents even met.  My Mom even wrote me a letter, with my name, before she had met my Dad.

I'm proud of my name, I like that it's unique!  So I say, if you want to name your baby something unique then go for it! :) (Just don't let it get too out of hand, there are some crazy ones out there! Haha!)