to think that there is no way that kate will be most popular baby girl name in 2011 because of Royal wedding?

[BarbieLovesKen]

Ok, I adore the name Kate and have done for a number of years. Had my last ds been a girl, he would have been a Kate.

I've started a thread in baby names as Im slightly torn between Kate and Gabriella for a girl for DC3.

It had never, ever crossed my mind for one second that this name would spike next year, when this baby is due, because of the royal wedding until it was suggested by some helpful mumnetters. This was also said on my ante natal group thread. After a quick google, I then found this and others like it:

www.examiner.com/kate-middleton-in-national/kate-middleton-to-inspire-baby-girl-name-trend-2011

Surely, there is no way on this earth that people are going to start naming their daughters a particular name just because shes marrying Prince William? Im probably being a little OTT about this but honestly, I cant fathom it for a second .

Is it because Im not in the UK?

[DuelingFanio]

Katy is nicer.

[popstar]

I don't think Diana suddenly became hugely popular in 1981.

[BarbieLovesKen]

I didnt think so either popstar (although it is a lovely name), a point I made to dh earlier as it just wouldnt make sense.

[QueenGigantaurofMnet]

I would be gutted if it does suddenly become super popular.

My Grandfather used to call all us girls Kate as a kind of nickname. He is my most treasured family member and since he died i have always said that i would very much like to name any future DD Kate.

But there aren;t a great number of 20 somethings named Diana so fingers crossed.

[jessiealbright]

Well, there was a rash of Britneys in Britney's heyday.

Any kind of famous owner increases a name's profile. And then people consider it for their baby.

I'm sure Madeleine has increased in popularity in the last year or so, for example.

[MerrilyDefective]

I would'nt have thought Madeleine increased in popularity because of any 'famous' Madeleines.

[curlymama]

I think you would be surprised, About Kate, I mean, not Madeleine. It probably will become more popular, but it's not unpopular now.

[jessiealbright]

Could be random clustering, or me simply noticing baby Madeleines that I wouldn't have done five years ago. Or both.r

[Catnao]

My name is Kate...smug although I was born in 1977!

[Catnao]

And I'm Catherine Naomi - can i be royal?? ; )

[KittyTwoShoes]

If you are, Catnoa, I want to be doubly royal, because I'm Katherine Beatrice!

[sunnydelight]

I think Kate is a really gorgeous name anyway, as are most variants, so yes I would think the royal wedding would make it soar in popularity. Might not be the same if she was called Edith

[piscesmoon]

Catherine, Katherine, Kate, Katie have always been popular-it has nothing to do with Kate Middleton.

[SeaTrek]

Kate has always been my favourite name for a girl, too. I am a secondary school teacher and I have NEVER come across a 'bad one'. They always seem to be such lovely girls!

I do think it will become even more popular because of the marriage though.

[pantomimecow]

I have a Catherine.She is the only one in the school.

[TandB]

I thought of this the other day - I hope not as Catherine/Katy is my choice of girl's name if we ever have a DD. My mum was Kathleen and before her there were 9 unbroken generations of Catherines, well except for my Grandad who probably couldn't have pulled it off!
[imagines salty sea captain going by the name of Katy]

[PhishFoodAddiction]

I love the name Kate, it's one I would consider if I had another DD. I wouldn't choose it because of Kate Middleton though.

Has there really been a surge of Madeleines after Madeleine McCann I wouldn't have thought so.

[PfftTheMagicDragon]

They talk about this in Freakononics - that celebrity names do not actually affect real life names that much. Everyone thinks that there will be a rash of kates/dianas/cheryls but it actually doesn't happen

[Suncottage]

My ex Dh was an Andrew born in the 1960's - he went to school with five other Andrew's/Andy's - when we met at college I shared a house with three Andy's and we had lectures with SEVEN other Andy/Andrew.

Prince Andrew was born in 1961 - yep - it does influence people.

[theevildead2]

No, yabu.

There will be a rash of kates, but after katie waissel the horrific one from xfactor

[CerealOffender]

there are already a million kates up and down the land. had she been 5 years younger kate m. would have been called grace or daisy

[PfftTheMagicDragon]

Suncottage, possibly - but you can't say for sure. Between 1954 and 1964, Andrew rose in popularity, but it was already a top 20 name. Paul, Mark, Ian and Robert also rose in popularity, most of them more so than Andrew. Yet we explain the rise of Andrew with the birth of Prince Andrew.

[Suncottage]

I actually knew two sisters - one called Kylie and one called Charlene - yep the mum was a neighbours fan in the 1980's.