Emily

[Tanif]

I've always said if I had a little girl I would call her Emily Grace. However, in the past year I've heard more and more little girls with the name Emily and worry it's becoming the Sarah of its generation. So, I've been wondering about alternatives and quite like Abigail or just plain Millie.

Would you choose a new name or accept that Emily is popular and go with that?

[Psammead]

It's a very pretty name, and although it's one of the most poppular names around right now, it will never be the new Sarah because there has been a sharp increase in name diversity. So the most popular names of today are bestowed on less % of babies, if that makes sense.

Amelia is also quite popular. Abigail less so. I like both.

How about

Eliza
Alicia
Clementine
Amelie
Eleanor
Ainsley
Emma

As alternatives?

[Ephiny]

I think it's a nice name, very pretty without being excessively 'girly'. I like it better than Amelia/Emilia for that reason. It's a good classic name too, so even if it is popular now it shouldn't sound too 'dated' in the future.

Emily Grace sounds lovely. I would use it if you love it, and not worry too much about what everyone else does. And I say that as a Sarah!

[fruitshootsandheaves]

I have an Emily. I knew if I ever had a girl even before I met DH that she would be called Emily. It is quite popular but there aren't as many around as I thought there would be and the popularity of the name didn't put me off.
I would say stick with it but then I'm biased

[PipFEH]

I think Emily is pretty timeless, so even though it is popular it shouldn't date.

[hellymelly]

I love Emily.It was nearly my name,and it was my Grandma's name.I only know two Emilys and they are 10 and 8.I don't know any little ones at all.I agree it is classic and timeless and really pretty.

[PaperBank]

I think Emily is a lovely name - popular for a reason. It's also quite classic so won't date as much as names which gain very sudden popularity. Abigail is very nice too. Millie is lovely but I'd use it as a nickname rather than full name.

[Tanif]

Emily it is then! I have nothing against popular names, I have an incredibly unusual one (have never met another) and used to get miffed as a child when I couldn't get a mug/keyring/pencil with my name on it at least Emily would never have such problems!

[PaperBank]

You'll smile every time you buy her a mug/keyring/pencil :)

[PipFEH]

My name was never on those things either! I still check them now just in case they've started doing it, but alas.........Maybe the random popularity of Pippa Middleton will help me in my plight!

[BehindLockNumberNine]

I love the name Emily.

Dd is an Emily. She is 8 and attends a large, 3 form intake, primary school. She has always been the only Emily amongst the 90 odd children in her year group (Y3). In fact, there is one Emily Y4), and one Emily in Y5 , and only one Emily Y6. Can't comment on current nursery - Y2 as they are in a different building to the Juniors (where I work, hence I know the number of Emily's in that part of the school )

It is a great name, classical and timeless, and Emily Grace is a great combination.

[laughalot]

We liked emily and lauren we ended up with lauren but we still like emily.

[shouldbeelswhere]

my DD is an Emily we chose it when we had our son and kept it but I wish she didn't have 3 other Emily's in her Jo Jingles class! I wanted to change to Amelia when Emily became so popular at the time DD was born but DH had to have his say! :) DD likes to be called Millie Moolar ?

[summerfruitsalad]

If DC2 (currently 16wks pg) is a girl we have chosen Emily Rose (Rose is a multi-generation family name!) or Holly Katherine. DH origionally liked Emma but I know far too many Emma's to want to call DC that.

I realise it is popular but my DH is of the opinion if a child does not have a 'safe' name (a bit boring IMO though) they could end up being teased at school or more importantly not end up liking their name. He vetoed every name I liked but won't come up with any of his own so when we agreed on those two names we haven't discussed it since!

Emily Grace does sound lovely btw Tanif

[CharlieBoo]

Ahhh my 15 year old niece is an Emily Grace. It's a beautiful classic name, and not as popular as the likes of Lily and Sophie/a etc. I love it and will still be being used in another 15 years time... Unlike some names.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Emily is popular but so are Abigail and Millie and I think Emily is much prettier than those two names.

[birdofthenorth]

Emmeline?

[manicinsomniac]

don't think you can go wrong with Emily personally. Yes it's popular but it always has been. Totally classic, timeless name.

I adore Abigail though. It's my sister's name and she's highly affronted that it's become popular for children now. Were very few 80s babies called Abigail.

[foxylady123]

I'm in exactly the same position as you. we always said our nxt girl would be Emily i'm due in Feb. Now i've gone off it for the same reason it's too common and DD1 is Sophie which is also common. Want something a bit unheard of but DH has his heart set on Emily and says i need to find something not to odd that he can spell lol.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

birdofnorth we have an Emmeline and I think you really have to love the name to use it. Really wouldn't recommend using Emmeline because you think Emily is too popular and it sounds a bit like it.

[muminthemiddle]

I know an Emily Grace but am I right in thinking Emily is not quite as popular as it was say 10 years ago?

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Don't know where it is in the league table now Tanif, can't seem to get the National Statistics table to work on our computer at the moment. I do know quite a few Emilys who are around 10 though.