If you called your child a very popular name...

[ShushBaby]

... did you realise it was popular when you chose it? If so, did you care? And does it now bother you that it's popular?

Playgroups in our (middle class) area are filled with kids with the same or very similar names. I've even come across more than one set of siblings with the same combo of names. One mum introduced her child to me (Eva) and then said quickly 'but I didn't realise it was so popular when I chose it', so its popularity obviously plays on her mind.

We are trying to think of names for dc2 (currently gestating) and my instinct is to avoid very popular names. I almost want to ditch a name if someone else has mentioned it on here, for example. But then, is that just silly? After all, everyone is subject to the zeitgeist- a name that seems unique could turn out to be very popular. And if your child has a name, does it become uniquely 'theirs' to you, even if there are five others in the class?

FWIW my name was the most popular in the year I was born and I can't imagine my parents gave it a second thought- and it certainly didn't bother me. But then, thirty years ago I reckon most babies were named from a stock of about ten names! (Rebecca, Sarah, Elizabeth, Charlotte etc).

[FrankWippery]

Didn't really think about whether the names were popular or not (all of them have been/are in the top ten.

Nope - couldn't give a stuff! Love my DC's names.

DDs 1&2 are 17 and 18 and neither have ever been in a class with another, despite their names being between top 2 and top 6 over the years.

DS's name will probably forever be in the top 10 and he's only ever had one other in his classes.

DD3 is 3, no others at her nursery, but there are some about. Doesn't bother me though.

[BringBack1996]

DS (Edward) is one of many with his name, although it doesn't bother him too much as most of the boys in his year refer to each other by their surnames - makes me wonder why we spend so long deciding on a name!
DD's name (Emilia) isn't popular itself but her nn (Millie) is. However she really suits her name so it doesn't bother me. If we'd realised that the nn would be used we probably wouldn't have picked that name though.

The names we've picked this time are a lot less popular but that wasn't deliberate, however I'm happy that there shouldn't be more than one of them in a class with the same name.

[ExitPursuedByABear]

When I was at school many, many, many years ago there were 6 Kathryns in my class, but all spelt differently and all with different nicknames. They survived.

I think you should choose a name that you really like and stick with it.

[MoreCatsThanKids]

My DD's name was, it turns out, very popular the year she was born, there are I think, six of them with a variation on the name in her class at high school, with several more sprinkled through the year group.

I'm so glad I was blissfully unaware of it's popularity at the time as there is no way I would have chosen it and that would have been very wrong of me. We chose it because we loved it at the time and still do.

Just annoys me that everyone else had to 'copy'

[TheOneWithTheHair]

Ds1 was one of seven with the same name in primary school. I chose it because I liked it and it never bothered me or him that there were so many other. One even had the same birthday.

I don't regret it at all because it's always suited him so well.

I did feel sorry for the teachers though.

[DharmaBumpkin]

DD2 is Katie, so there are many others! None in her age group, though. I did hormonally agonise think about it's popularity as a name, but I just love it so in the end decided I didn't care.

[FluffyJawsOfDoom]

I have a very, very common name and - although it's "me" and I love it - it drives me utterly batty. I was once one of 3 Fluffys working at a company of 10, and it was a logistical nightmare (someone would phone up and ask for Fluffy, and we'd have to guess which one of us they wanted ). So we're trying very hard to pick something that is at least going to be unlikely to be "popular" iyswim.

[MoreCatsThanKids]

My own name is quite unusual - my Mum had never met anyone with DD same name - we lived in quite large town. Moved to small village and there was girl with same name in class at primary - out of 12 girls! Her brother was same age as my DB - and same name too! Our Mums hated each other but other girl became one of my best friends - we were in same class at senior school too - school much bigger and we were the only ones with the name. It's not a common name still but 'fate brought us together'

Point being - never can tell - choose a name you love -

[BackforGood]

ds's name is very common. I reckon 90% of 15 - 19 yr old boys are called one of about 4 names, and his is one of them!
I had no idea when I chose it, didn't really cross my mind. I'd not heard that there even were lists compiled of the most popular names ('twas before MN ).
Fast Forward a couple of years, and it was one of the top criteria on our name choosing list that dd1, and later dd2, had names that weren't common although still sensible and easy to spell and heard of by everybody.
When ds was in Junior school, there was 1 boy in the year above him and 1 in the year below him (so 3 in all) with the same combined first name and surname. It wasn't helpful!

[Psammead]

One of my many, varied and bordering on ridiculos criterion for baby names is that it ought not be too popular. No idea why, I think it's the rebel in me. I don't think it matters too much because there are so many names these days that even the top ten does not represent a huge % of total baby names used.

[ScrambledSmegs]

DD's full name is relatively unusual, but her nickname is seriously popular at the moment. In fact I think it's one of MN's most hated.

I don't care. It's a beautiful name and it's who she is.

I've got a 'classic' name which has fallen out of favour recently, however there were four of us in my class at school . Now I'm older I like it, but it still doesn't feel like me so I'll stick with my nn.

[ScrambledSmegs]

Oh, no I didn't know how popular it is. But I would still have chosen it as it's been the name since I was 14!

[ToryLovell]

Didn't purposely chose a popular name, just chose names that we liked.

DS is Ben(jamin) and DD is (Isa)bella - both became v popular in recent years

[frenchfancy]

A bit like more cats that kids, we gave DD1 a very unusual name, none of my friend or family had every known anyone of that name. We moved to rural France and out of just 5 girls in DD1s year group, 2 have the same name. And it isn't particularly common in France either.

Of course the 2 girls have been best friends for the past 9 years, completely inseparable. They don't really use nicknames here either so they are refered to by their full name (ie first name and surname) by everyone even their friends.

[wigglybeezer]

Well I went for the choose common timeless names that will not date approach. Despite all three having names in the top 10 list for boys only DS3 has had a duplicate in his class. Despite being an art school Graduate and a bit if a hippy I feel choosing names to make your child stand out is a bit dubious, as though you were imposing your personality on your child and saying MY child is more special than all the others.
Wouldn't it be funny if all babies were called "child Bloggs 1" until they were 18, when they could choose their own name.

[BobbiFleckman]

we steered clear of Jessica on the basis it was just so popular there woudl be scores in the same class. We went for Eloise instead and since then have had two friends produce Elodies and have an Eloisa and Elodie in the same class. Have never met a tiny Jessica ;-)
go for what you like.

[TalHotBlond]

One of my son's names is quite popular but it's a classic I've always liked, the popularity aspect didn't come into it. He's quite the individual so I don't think I'll have to worry about his name being forgettable.

[Wigeon]

I am that mum who says to people "She's called Eva, but we didn't realise it would become so popular"! She was born in 2008. At the time we thought it was a lovely, classic name which wasn't weird, but was more unusual than the Top 10 type names. We were actively trying to choose a less common (but not weird) name.

I am slightly annoyed that it's shot up the rankings since 2008, and been joined by hoards of Avas and Evies. Having said that, I actually only know one other (child) Eva (as well as one Ava and one Evie). Isabelle / Isabella / Isobel type names seem to be more common amongst my friends and acquaintances.

But I love her name and we aren't about to change it!

[SachaF]

I chose ds's name because I liked it (Jacob) and then found out it was the most popular name in the states and high up on the UK lists! I found out before he was born but just loved the name so much that we stuck with it and I still really love his name.

I was a bit annoyed when I found out but after a few days decided to stick with it. Bizarrely, given the national popularity of the name, no one in his class has the same name but there is at least one Jacob in each school year.

[ShushBaby]

Interesting responses...

I came up with Ida which I love... but something in my waters (and a recent thread on here!) tells me that Ada and Ida are about to go massive- if they aren't already. I suppose it's the next step from Ava.

It has put me off- but if I love the name, then why should it, I suppose?

Someone above made the very good point that given the huge range of names used, even the most popular aren't as ubiquitous as the Rebeccas and Sarahs of our (well, my) generation.

[Rachog]

I chose names that weren't hugely popular (so I thought). DS is named Daniel Jack, and a colleauge recently had a son also named Daniel Jack.

More shockingly my half sister has now called her son Daniel Jack. We haven't seen each other for years as we didnt grow up together (different mums) but still my dad has two grandsons named Daniel Jack.

There are no other Daniels in his class so far though that may change at high school.

DD is called Katie and I have never come across another katie under the age of 10 so I don't think she will ever be katie a or katie b at school.

DS 3 will be called Thomas, I think this may be a popular name so there could be multiples but we are having it anyway.

[Lunarlyte]

I have 2 daughters and we chose their names based on meanings. I couldn't name a child a particular name if that name had negative meaning or didn't mean anything to me IYSWIM.

As it happens, both names are very popular. However, as we hyphenated both girl's names (because of the meaning again!) this is less of an issue for us. Still, both DDs are called by the first part of their name, but I'm not bothered about the popularity issue. I genuinely love their names!

I have, though, been put off by Isabella, Lily, Jessica, as they are a bit too popular where we are.

I was born in 1983 and there were 4 other girls in my class with my name! It just annoyed me by having to write my surname initial after my first name all the time. It's the one and only time I've had this 'problem', though.

[LynetteScavo]

Yes, I realised it was popular.(It's also classic, so won't date to much)

Yes, I cared. I wanted a really way out name but DH was adamant we would have a son and he would be called X.

He was in the same class as a boy with the same name. DS was always known as X-Scavo. People seriously thought his name was double barreled, and used to ask what his surname was!

Funnily enough, though we don't seem to meet that many.

[FriskyMare]

My dc names are popular but 'solid' names that hopefully will never date.

DH and I both have DB called Mark, SIL sister has the same name as me and DBIL nearly married another one - vair confusing for all the little Mares and their cousins!

[strawberrypenguin]

My DS has a name that is never out of the top 10 (William) but I have yet to meet another in his age group where I live (he's only 7mo though so plenty of time!) in answer to your question yes I knew it was popular and no it doesnt bother me as it suits him and we like it he's rarely called by his full name anyway.