Unusual name for Angelina and Brad's new arrival

The name Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have chosen for their daughter – Shiloh Nouvel – makes those of the actress’ two adopted children, Zahara and Maddox, seem almost run-of-the-mill.

According to the biblical encyclopaedia, christiananswers.net, Shiloh is generally understood to mean the Messiah; “the peaceful one”.

Is is also said to be a place in ancient Israel, north of the Dead Sea.

In addition, Shiloh was the name of a major battle in the American Civil War.

In April 1862 in south west Tennessee, confederate forces launched a surprise attack against the union army, almost defeating it.

Today the scene of battle, which was also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, is preserved as Shiloh National Military Park.

The second part of Jolie-Pitt’s daughter’s name has less religious and historical resoance: “nouvel” is French for “new”.

Angelina and Brad are not the only celebrities who have chosen weird and wonderful names for their offspring.

In the last few months former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell named her daughter Bluebell Madonna, Katie Holmes and fiance Tom Cruise called their baby girl Suri and Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin named their newborn son Moses.

Paltrow and Martin’s first child, Apple recently came second in a poll of celebrity offspring with the mst bizarre names – runner up to Frank Zappa’s daughter Moon Unit.

Bob Geldof and Paula Yates called their girls Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches and Pixie and footballer David Beckham and wife Victoria called their sons Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz.

A quarter of all children given wacky names by their parents said it was the main reason they were bullied at school, according to one study.

But despite cringing in the playground, most people with strange names grew up to be proud of what they were called, it found, and 67% said they would choose an unusual name for their children.

According to a separate study, adults with more unusual Christian names may get better jobs because their CVs stand out from the rest.