For some parents, the name Unique is simply not unique enough.
Here are all variants of Unique I’ve spotted on the SSA’s baby name list so far, and the year they first appeared on the list:
- 1972: Unique, the original
- 1974: Unika
- 1978: Eunique
- 1982: Uniqua
- 1983: Uneka
- 1990: Imunique
- 1991: Amunique, Eunika, Uniquea, Uniquia
- 1992: Omunique, Uniqueka, Uniquewa
- 1993: Euniqua
- 1996: Uneek
- 2000: Yunique
- 2001: Younique
- 2008: Unyque
I have no idea how “Uniqueka” works. Two [k] sounds in a row? Hm.
Probably “you-NI-kwah-kuh” with the “que” making a “kwah” sound.
Eunika and Unika seem most name-ish out of all of them (I kind of want to pronounce them “YOU-ni-kah”). But the rest are..are…not my style. :/
Imunique and Amunique remind me of immunisation and ammunition respectively
The potential YOU-ni-kah pronunciation as pointed out above sounds a lot more like Eunech (castrated male). Not a great association for a name!
I suspect Uniqueka is pronounced “yoo-nik-ka”, similar to Uniqua. Wonder if this name will rise thanks to the Backyardians character.
Uniqua vs. Eureka could make an interesting poll.
I don’t personally see Eunika or Unika as variants of Unique, but rather Eunike [the origin of Eunice].
Just learned there’s a Backyardigans character named Uniqua.
Also, usage of Uniqua spiked in 1992:
The cause was probably New Jack City, which featured a character named Uniqua.