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Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Baby names

Henry or Edward, popularity worries

28 replies

Floellabella · 17/04/2017 09:08

Hi everyone, I wonder if you can help. We have several reasonably unusual girls names on our list but are struggling with boys names for our first baby. The names we like the best are Henry and Edward but know these are very popular names, especially with the increase in popularity of Ted/Teddy. We live in the South East.

If we chose one of these would there be several in our child's class? Should I be so worried about this?

Other less popular possibles are Albert or Wilfred - but I like these a bit less and I also am aware that they are hardly unpopular and Wilfred in particular is getting more popular so it might not be worth compromising. Any advice appreciated!

OP posts:

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FeedTheSharkAndItWIllBite · 17/04/2017 09:18

Even if you were to go with Albert or Wilfred, there may still be a boy with that name in the same class...
I personally prefer Henry.

Or maybe Henri(c)k would be an option?

VeryPunny · 17/04/2017 09:21

I live in the south east and know more Arlo's than either Henry or Edward. I also know more than one Wilfred, which I think is ghastly. If you like it, sod the popularity.

JoanRamone · 17/04/2017 09:42

We gave our DS a similar name to these, which at the time was outside of the top twenty but is now very popular, and we now know of lots of children with this name. Like a lot of parents we would have liked it to have been a bit more unique, but names previously considered "old man" names are all the rage. It doesn't bother us though as we love our DS' name, and if we have another DC I think we would ignore all the naming lists and just pick something we love regardless of popularity. I would rather give them a name we love than something more original that feels like a second choice, especially as it could then become more popular anyway.

MimiSunshine · 17/04/2017 09:46

I know two Wilfred (Wilf & Fred), one Albert (Bert) two Henrys and no Edwards

How about Edmund if you want something a little more unusual but similar?

Aftershock15 · 17/04/2017 10:02

I think with these names they are popular but not excessively so. So our a single form entry primary there was one Henry and one Edward in most years, but never multiples with the same name in any year. Now at a large secondary there seem to be a few Henry's and Edward's in each year, but then there are multiples of lots of names.

daisypond · 17/04/2017 10:02

Yes, Edmund instead of Edward.
How about Alfred instead of Albert/Wilfred? Alfie/Freddie?

PunjanaTea · 17/04/2017 10:06

Pick the name you like best for your child. Angst about how popular a name is fairly pointless as you can't control what other people name their children.

AnnaNimmity · 17/04/2017 10:06

I don't think either are overly popular. However, in my son's class there are 2 Edwards, but both go by different diminutives. There aren't any in the rest of the school.

I know of one Henry (who's 12).

There are Albert's, Wilfred's (and Arlo's) by the plenty though! Depends what your demographic is I suppose. I chose a really rare name for my daughter - there was another one with her name at her nursery. I don't know any girls called Emily or Amelia.

2cats2many · 17/04/2017 10:07

My son has one of those names and is the only one in his entire primary school. 480 kids in total.

Floellabella · 17/04/2017 10:39

Thanks very much for your thoughts, very helpful to hear your advice. Yes I think we will consider Henrik/Edmund as well, but you have made me feel better about just going with what we like best! One other left-field choice is Conrad, but I think I'd have to see baby's face to decide whether he could carry it off! Henry/Edward definitely still the front runners.

OP posts:

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 17/04/2017 10:43

❤️ Henry.

insancerre · 17/04/2017 10:48

Henry is very popular where I live
It's the most popular name in my nursery and we have at least 2 or 3 every year

dailymailarecunts · 17/04/2017 10:59

I have a Henry! There's another Henry in his class, and 1 Edward too. That's out of a class size of 10, so heavily weighted. That said outside of school (work friends, soft play etc) we rarely meet any others. I love his name (and he's reading this over my shoulder and says he loves his name too )

Sophronia · 17/04/2017 12:15

I really like Conrad!

Floellabella · 17/04/2017 19:25

Thanks guys. I guess Henry is popular because lots of people like it! Good to hear at least one person likes Conrad, Im going to keep it as an option I think...

OP posts:

scrivette · 17/04/2017 19:28

Henley instead of Henry?

I know a few Edward's but are all 'Teddie's' an Edward would be lovely.

CassandraAusten · 17/04/2017 19:30

I know more Henrys or Alberts than Edwards. Conrad is nice too.

marmitecheesetoast · 18/04/2017 11:24

I also came on to suggest Edmund as a possible alternative to Edward!

I know of a couple of Edwards and one Henry but Finn, Noah, Arlo seem more popular to me.

If you love it go with one of them, they are classic names so will always be popular to some extent without being too trendy I don't think. We are in similar situation debating over Alexander and popularity.

Floellabella · 18/04/2017 13:08

If we went with Edward (or Edmund) would we have to avoid the nn Ted do you think? We've always liked it but it has become rather zeitgeisty, which is annoying! Also, is Con a horrible nn for Conrad? Could we use Rad?!

OP posts:

BrieAndChilli · 18/04/2017 13:15

I would go for what you love.
We had 2 names for DS2. One is a classic royal name which is always popular and another (at the time) fairly rare name.
We went for the popular name and as it turns out there are none with the same name in his class but 2 boys with the unusual name plus a girl with the female version!!! So you never know.

FunkinEll · 18/04/2017 18:15

I know lots of Henrys (loads and loads) and Alberts. I know of 3 Wilfreds (I own one) who were all born at the end of 2015.

Not so many Edwards. I prefer Edmund though, that's a great name.

Joinourclub · 18/04/2017 18:34

Loads of Berties and Freds around my way. Not so many Henrys or Edwards.

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Floellabella · 19/04/2017 22:08

Looks like it'll be a bit of a lottery whether there's lots of either Henrys or Edwards/Teds about in our area when the baby is born or not! Thanks all

OP posts:

Bear2014 · 20/04/2017 16:10

Don't know any Henrys in our area. Know and know of a few Edwards that go by Ted/Teddy. One Wilfred that is Wilf and three Alberts - two Albie and one Bertie. South London. I still think it's hard to tell what will end up being popular in your child's year.

Enidblyton1 · 20/04/2017 16:15

I would go with what you like. Conrad is a great name.
I live in the south east and know more Albert/Berties and Wilbur/Wilfreds than Henry and Edward.
In fact the only Edwards I know are both known as Teddy. Eddie seems to be out of favour? Also like Edmund and Edwin.

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