Unusual baby names of 2013: Say hello to Cheese

It's old news that parents are naming their kids after television show characters. But now, names are getting even weirder. Say hello to generation of children whose parents are bucking convention and naming their kids Panda, Phone, Rocket, Blip and Cheese.

Popular parenting website Baby Center released their annual list of the most unusual baby names of 2013.

Also see: Baby name trends from television

Cheese as a unisex name experienced a 450 per cent surge in popularity in the U.S. Out of a survey of 500,000 American parents, nine babies were named Cheese in 2013, whereas only two children in 2012 had the honour of being named after this tasty food.

Other hot contenders for unusual girl names include: Fairy, Kiwi and Eternity. And for boys: Baobao, Danish, Egypt and Jag.

If you a dying to know how frequently a certain name has been given, Baby Center includes a database that allows you to search for just that.

Also see: Asa, Knox, Louis and... Persephone? Next big trend in baby names

A quick search for some rather comical names shows that at some point children have been named the following:

• Ugly (five in 2000)

• Pee (six in 2008)

• Swag (two in 2012)

• Turtle (35 in 1995)

• Butt (three in 2010)

• Hotdog (two in 2012)

• Butterbean (6 in 2013)

• Freak (34 in 1995)

• Poopy (three in 2010)

• Superman (two in 2012)

• Mushroom (three in 2008)

• Elbow (three in 2009)

What are your thoughts on the unusual baby names of 2013? Beautifully unique or painfully awkward?