Meet Thor Hercules: Scottish couple lead list of quirky baby names chosen by British parents last year include Md, Nimbus... and several Khaleesis

  • Baby boy Thor Hercules Williamson lives in Lochgilphead in Argyll, Scotland 
  • Proud parents Cathy and John Williamson chose a Greek god inspired name
  • Other unique names registered in Scotland in 2017 include Md and Rebbl 
  • But classic choices are still the most popular - Jack and Olivia kept top spots 

He may live in Argyll in West Scotland, but Thor Hercules' name is straight out of Greek mythology.

Proud parents Cathy and John Williamson took inspiration from not one but two ancient myths when deciding what to call their baby boy - opting for Thor, after the Norse god of strength, and Hercules - the son of Zeus in Greek mythology - whose principle power was his own superhuman strength.

And Cathy and John aren't the only parents in the country skimming over the likes of Ewan or Duncan in favour of more creative names for their adored offspring.

Data released by the National Records of Scotland revealed a number of unique names registered in 2017 - including girls called Bella-Caledonia, Arabesque, Balsam, Indie-Star, Nirvana-Raine, Obsidian, Queen Johannah, Rebbl, Starlette, Tuppence, and Ultra-Violet.  

Quirky boys' names included Amazon, Benedykt, Boston-Blu, Daemon, Findhorn, Fox, Jaxn, Ka, Md, Nimbus, Ransom, Sheriff and Tiger.

But not all families are avoiding the traditional route - data released by the Office of National Statistics at the end of last year revealed Oliver and Olivia were the most popular baby names in England and Wales. 

Olivia also topped the charts in Scotland for a second year running according to the NRS stats, but Jack pipped Oliver to the post for boys north of the border.   

A gift from the gods! Meet baby Thor Hercules, who lives in Lochgilphead, in Argyll, Scotland

A gift from the gods! Meet baby Thor Hercules, who lives in Lochgilphead, in Argyll, Scotland

Proud parents John and Cathy Williamson, seen with baby Thor, chose a name inspired by not one, but two Greek gods

Proud parents John and Cathy Williamson, seen with baby Thor, chose a name inspired by not one, but two Greek gods

Thor Hercules Williamson, now five months old, was welcomed by delighted parents John and Cathy in October last year.

The couple said their unusual choice was inspired by the Hollywood blockbuster of the same name starring Chris Hemsworth, also the favourite character of Thor’s eldest brother John-James, 12.

He joins a brood of seven siblings in Lochgilphead, who themselves have an array of noteworthy names, including five-year-old Shakira and two-year-old Valencia.

Mrs Williamson, 30, who has lupus, said: ‘It was John’s idea and I was a little hesitant at first but now I can’t imagine him being called anything else, it fits him perfectly.

‘And I have to admit when he was first born it was little strange saying the word Thor all the time.  

But his mother is convinced he will 'grow into it'. 

What are the most unusual baby names in Scotland?

Quirky baby names registered in Scotland in 2017 include...

For girls 

Bella-Caledonia

Arabesque

Balsam  

Obsidian

Queen Johannah

Rebbl 

Tuppence

Ultra Violet 

For boys 

Amazon  

Findhorn

Jaxn

Ka

Md

Nimbus

Ransom  

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‘He’s such a lovely little guy and I think he’ll grow into it. Thor as a character is strong and dependable.’ 

According to the National Records of Scotland data, Thor was the only child to be born with that name in 2017.

And figures show that he is only the 12th Thor to be recorded in Scotland since records began in 1975, though experts believe previous namesakes have been inspired by explorer and television personality Thor Heyerdahl, who was popular in the 1970s and 80s for his exotic treks across the globe. 

While the ONS data proved classic children's names are still very much in favour in England and Wales, it also revealed a similar surge in interest in pop culture inspired monikers. 

There were four girls called Daenerys, presumably in honour of the dragon queen from the hit series.

Another 69 were dubbed Khaleesi - the Dothraki word for queen used for Daenerys Targaryen.

Some 302 sets of parents went for Arya, the youngest daughter of the Stark clan in George R.R. Martin's best-selling epic. 

Another five were named after her older sister Sansa, while three were called Brienne - in apparent tribute to female knight Brienne of Tarth.

Eleven boys were called Tyrion, after the dwarf character from the House of Lannister. 

Quite the role model: Chris Hemsworth as Thor, the ancient beefcake baby Thor was named for

Quite the role model: Chris Hemsworth as Thor, the ancient beefcake baby Thor was named for

 Big shoes to fill! The adorable tot's unique name means both 'thunder', and 'glorious gift'

 Big shoes to fill! The adorable tot's unique name means both 'thunder', and 'glorious gift'

The new NRS records show the series is influencing Scottish fans too - with four children named Khaleesi and one each called Khaleese, Khaleesi-Destiny, and Khaleesi-Grace.

In total 486 babies registered in Scotland in 2017 were named Jack and 512 were called Olivia.

Oliva knocked Emily off the top spot in 2015 while Jack has been number one since 2008. 

The second most popular boys' name in 2017 was Oliver, followed by James, Lewis, Logan, Noah, Harris, Alexander, Leo and Harry.

For girls the rest of the top 10 is Emily, Isla, Sophie, Amelia, Jessica, Ava, Ella, Charlotte and Aria. 

Cathy and John aren't the only parents in Scotland to veer away from traditional baby names

Cathy and John aren't the only parents in Scotland to veer away from traditional baby names

Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop said: 'Picking a name for your baby is one of the first, and most important, decisions new parents make.

'Once again this year has seen some of the most popular names from recent years remain in the top ten, with Jack and Olivia holding on to the top spot for another year.

'I am extremely pleased to see that overall there continues to be a great variety in baby names across Scotland, reflecting our unique and diverse society and culture.' 

 

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