Too popular?

[Whiteangel]

Can I have some opinions please? I would like my son's name to be a little different but not too weird. Starting to worry that my favourites might be too common. I'm a teacher so know which names I want to avoid and am also aware how frustrating it can be for children who share their names with lots of others. I prefer something fairly traditional and quite strong; don't want them being teased about something frilly for the rest of their lives! As this our first and we don't have many friends with young children I'm not sure what is popular at the moment.
Our favourites are Noah Joseph or Rowan (undecided middle name). Our last name is Stanley so we've ruled out anything ending in 'ee'. Whenever I've mentioned Noah to anyone older than us (apart from my mum who loves it) they pull a strange face and make other suggestions! My FiL also said he thought a Noah would get bullied! I have no clue why!
Help please x

[thisisyesterday]

Noah, Joseph and Rowan are all absolutely lovely names!

I think all of them meet your criteria

[Pandygirl]

They are all very good names.

Thinking about our friends who have recently had children, their are 2 Williams, 2 Sams, 2 Mias and an Harry.

(The duplicates don't know each other, but isn't it weird how the chose the same names).

[befuzzled]

Noah and Rowan are both great boys names IMO. Joseph is nice but where we are (Surrey) it is very very common, particularly in my 4 year olds circle.

Dylan?

What are the teacher ones to avoid intrigued - all the teachers I know say there are naughty boy names

[mummybare]

Bullied? For Noah? Round here, if anything I'd say that was verging on too popular...

Personally, I think Joseph Stanley sounds lovely and would be my first choice, although they are all lovely names.

[ZenNudist]

Noah Joseph and Rowan are great choices. I don't think you can worry too much about what is too common. After all you cant control the name choices of everyone else who will have a child round your ds's age! Choose what you like, in the very long run it's not going to matter if 'everyone' has the same name in school.

[Badgerina]

Joseph is massively popular. Noah less so, but on the up. Rowan makes me think of Mr Bean.

I really dislike the whole "naughty boy names" thing that some teachers seem to have. It's massively judgemental.

[Badgerina]

How many times can I slip the word massive into a post!?!?

[PinkChampagneandStrawberries]

I love both those names in fact they were both on my list when I had DS

[BBQJuly]

How about Jonah, Jacob, Luke, Isaac, James?

[Whiteangel]

I like Jacob, Jonah and Isaac but DH doesn't. I teach in a deprived area and many students have challenging behaviour. I don't judge children based on their names but often when you meet them it is not a surprise! I also don't want to name my son after a child who has been particularly unpleasant. For example I've only ever taught one Reuben and he has put me off the name for life. I've been saddled with a rather chavvy name which was unique when I was born but now very popular. My mum chose it precisely because she had never taught anyone with the name. Wish I had a crystal ball at times!

[tammytoby]

Rowan is the least commonly used, I think. I'd go for that - lovely name!

Yes, it can be very frustrating for teachers and children if they have to share a name (especially when the surname initial is identical...).

[CecilyP]

Your choices are fine, even the ones DH doesn't like, though Joseph and Noah are very popular. Your FIL probably thinks that Noah is a rare name (as it was in his day) but it is a normal ordinary name to children today.

[KlickKlackknobsac]

rowan too girly imho
What about John

[glittershoes]

All gorgeous names but not too unusual if you are looking for something different. I love Noah but it is off our list as I know a couple of littles boys called it.

Only other thing to bare (bear?!) in mind is that Rowan is used for girls too if that matters to you?

[rachel1970]

I personally find Noah a little feminine (but I know a gorgeous 3 year old Noa, pronounced the same).

I really like Rowan - classic, masculine and not overused. Joseph/Joe is a little dull, sorry.

[wolvesdidit]

Rowan is lovely. Millions of Josephs around. I'm not very keen on Noah.

[Moti]

All nice names. Joseph is popular and has been for generations. Noah is popular but I think it will only be so for a decade or so, I don't know any aged 10 - 90 years but lots under 5. I know a couple of 4 yr old Rowans (boys) and a couple my age (girls).

I like Joseph best and it wouldn't bother me that it is popular, but then I've seen comments on here saying that my boys names are also dull (Adam, James).

[Groovee]

All 3 names are popular in our school. I chose Murray. There is one Murray in every year group and when dd was at playgroup another mum joined with a Murray born a couple of weeks after mine.

Go for what you like and what sounds right with your last name.

[redstormrising]

I love Rowan.

John? Really underused at the moment I think. Patrick? Peter?

[redstormrising]

Jonah I like also. Ben is nice. Benjamin Stanley- sounds like an intrepid explorer

[KatieMiddleton]

I have a Joe already (didn't really like Joseph) and he's already Joe M at nursery. People also spell it wrong

I like Rohan better than Rowan. It means red-haired. Is ds likely to be? I also like Dylan. Both Rohan and Dylan are on my list.

I'll lurk here because you have good taste in names and at some point dh and I will have to choose one for DC2!

[cece]

I am a teacher too and had the same trouble with boys names. FWIW I know a lot Noahs but not many Josephs! So it can depend on where you live... TBH Rowan sounds a bit girly to me.

In the end we just went for a name we liked and so far we have met no boys with the same name as DS1. Incrdible when you think how well known it is.

DS2 has a more popular name but tbh we were just pleased to find a boys name we could agree on! If you want to know what my DS are called then feel free to pm mee.

[babyblabber]

we have a 2.5 year old noah and my parents thought i was off my rocker when i first mentioned it. i found that anyone in their generation had the same reaction whereas people our age loved it. i love it and now that's his name, my parents do too.

the only thing is, i do think it's becoming extremely popular. we're in ireland but it was something like no.58 on the list when we picked it and then shot up 30 places the following year! i was disgusted!

think we have settled on Luca for this one if it's a boy so am prepared for a similar reaction from my parents!

[iseenodust]

I like Noah and can't think of any round here. Joseph is up there with Sam, Thomas etc in popularity.

[ExitPursuedByABear]

I always think of Rowan as a girl's name.

Sorry