Isla

[juniper9]

Both my DP and I really like this name (although my mum helpfully added 'of Mann') but it seems to be really popular at the moment. The September antenatal thread has at least 5 Islas or variants of, and it's number 5 or so in the name charts.

Does it really matter if my baby has a very common name? I don't really want there to be 4 little Islas in my child's class, but is this actually likely?

So my questions are:

1. how popular really is Isla? Do you know many?
   
2. what's it like to have a child with a popular name?
   
   I'm 38+4 with PFB, if that isn't obvious already!

[SinkyMalinks]

I love the name... but I personally know 4 under 12 month girls called Isla.

Its very irritating!

[SinkyMalinks]

Having said that, I've the number one name for my birth year and dont remember being scarred by it...

[Choccyhobnob]

I know 2 under the age of 3 (but don't really have many friends with children and having none myself I don't know that many!)

Interested to hear opinions on popular names though as I have an uncommon one and love being the only one, therefore can't imagine giving my child a popular name but my dh has a fairly popular name and as our surname is foreign and hard to spell and pronounce he doesn't see the problem with a popular first name.

Also I asked my sister as her name has been top 3 for about 20years and she says she's never thought about it before so obviously never bothered her!

[Pobblewhohasnotoes]

Love it but very popular. I know a little Isla and an adult Isla!

[MrsDibble]

It does seem very popular both where I live and more widely.

I haven't ever heard of a child being unhappy with a popular name though.

[tsw]

I was upset in primary school with my popular name actually!

I was always known as my first name & surname initial. The teacher might as well have said the other girl with my name was number 1 & I am number 2 etc. Not very nice at all.

[fanjodisfunction]

I know a few Isla's and also a couple called Isla Rose.

I have a very popular name for my age group and through primary school was one of three in my year and two in my class, I was known as number one because I came first in the register. It did annoy me. But it doesn't annoy some.

Maybe you should buy some local news papers and have a look at birth announcements for your area to gauge how popular it is where you live.

[TwinkleSparkleBling]

I was set on having unusual names for my DC, DH was against so we had to compromise. Long story short, we went for Isla (and DD2 has another fairly popular name). I was worried about the popularity but I liked the name and it was one of the few DH and I agreed on.

Locally there is 1 other child called Isla at DDs nursery but it is spelled differently-I thought it would bother me but it doesn't. Likewise on holiday when every second girl seemed to have the same name as DD2, rather than thinking arrrrgggg, it was actually quite nice to hear it and think, yes, I do like the name!

Also, as others have said, I think it depends on where you are in the country as to how popular it really is.

Go for the names that you love, it doesn't matter how popular they are, they will be your child and that makes them unique!

[squoosh]

I know lots, it seems to have come from near obscurity to suddenly being one of the most popular girls names. I think it will date pretty quickly.

[elcranko]

Love Isla. I know two. It doesn't matter if it's popular, if you love it then use it

[chubbychipmonk]

I know only one Isla and she's lovely.

[Sinkingfeeling]

I like Isla, but it's been the most popular girl's name in my county for the last few months (I live in the South East).

[toobreathless]

Don't think popularity is an issue per se. Some names have always been popular & rightly so. For example Sophie & Charlotte.

What I think most people want to avoid is a faddy 'boom and bust' name that comes out of nowhere & rises in popularity very quickly. These tend to them fall out of favour & can seem quite dated. I think Isla definitely falls into this category so I personally wouldn't use it.

[GrandstandingBlueTit]

Every single Isla thread on the Baby Names forum of Mumsnet is started on the premise of asking how popular it is.

Nobody starts an Isla thread to simply ask about the name. They always start the thread to find out exactly how popular it is.

Needless to say, it's very popular. Very 'of this era' and will therefore date. Not badly, necessarily, but it will date - the way Joanne and Claire date to our generation.

[nurseneedshelp]

Beautiful name, I know one 15 year old.

I wouldn't worry about how popular it is, go for it if you both love it!

[beatofthedrum]

My ds's middle name and I'm really glad it's not her first as it is too popular for my liking (in Scotland). I wouldn't want her to have her surname tagged on in class all the time. Just my opinion though.

[TheRealHousewifeOfSomewhere]

I love this name and it was high up on my list. Sadly dh wasy not as keen and made similar comments to your mum.
Dd who is now 15 wast called something else. Howevertthere has always been an isla in her class and she has been to a lot of schools. 3 Islas in her year at her last school.
It's a strange one with Isla because you don't come across manyy but there always seems a lot of them at school.

[pygmy]

Very very popular in London.

[juniper9]

I am in London. Think I'm going to give it a miss, especially as baby's surname will be hyphenated (and a whopping 19 characters )

[AngusMcFife]

I live in Scotland but I only know one girl by that name. That happens to be my relative on the other side of the world and she's in her late 20s. I know it's said to be popular but I guess it varies from area to area. It's a lovely name though, so I say go for it ;)

[karamcleod]

My neighbours dog is called Isla, although it's a very nice dog

[Spookey80]

Very popular down here.
Sorry I really don't like it.

[seventiesgirl]

No-one's mentioned Isla St Clair. Showing my age here.....

I think it's a lovely name, don't know anyone with the name but if it was popular in my area I'd avoid it.