Chosen baby name: Rare? No, not any more!

Anna is at about number #50

There'll always be others but not a cluster. Especially as it's a name with a broad appeal.

I like the more unusual names, and so far it seems to be working - DS2 is the only one with his name in the school and i think that DD and DS3 will be the same.

Whilst their names are unusual, i don't think they are compleltely 'out there'

Annie seems to be popular but for some strange reason not Anne or Anna. In our family traditionally the girl's have Anne for their middle names, but I think I would change it slightly to Anna as it is so much prettier.

When I picked DD's name nearly 13 yrs ago, I was living in Scotland, and didn't know of a single Jade. We moved to Essex just before she was born...and there were 4 in her class through primary!

When I named DS1 nearly 9 yrs ago, his name wasn't even in the top 100. (Logan). Now the world and his uncle seem to be named Logan. This year is the first year that there is actually another Logan in his school. He is NOT HAPPY! And another of my acquaintances also named her son (who is now 5yo) Logan.

PAH! DS2's name doesn't seem to be that popular though. And I spelt it unusually. (Ayden).

Now DP and I are trying to find an unusual name for DC4 (DS3) who is due in just over 2 weeks. We are swaying towards Reuben. Doesn't seem all that popular.

My 8yo nice is Anna and we don't know another one of her age.

my dog is called marmaduke!!

and i know a 4 year old called anna.

@rostbeef - do not hurt your baby by giving him that sort of name, pleeeease!!!

I named my daughter Anna, I dont know any Anna in her age!! ;D

I am thinking Marmaduke for a boy. NEVER met one. Have you??

i know an Oakley

as far as i know there are only two boys with my son's name and the second was named after my son

tehre are a few of ds2's name about but i am in ireland and it's quite a common one here.

veryberry I don't know any Jaspers if that's any consolation :)

swanandduck I know a Tess but not a Tessa. I think it's a lovely name.

PublicHair I only know Caras, no Claras :)

KenDodds Orla is popular in my area already.

growing3rdbump How do you pronounce Nyah? I know a Nia which is Welsh I think and rhymes with Hiya.

tethersjinglebellend Is your Angie short for another name?

ilovesprouts I know a girl called Mackenzie. Is your Kenzie a boy or girl? There was an Oakley at DS' old school and a few Lucases too.

AllieW Molly and Amber are quite popular where I live.

LadyMetroland I disagree. Emma, Peter and Jonathan are still popular. David not so much though. I wish I liked the name David because it is my Dad's name and also not popular so would be excellent for a future baby.

Can you all tell I am also a name freak

Wigeon I know loads of Eves, Evies, Evelyns but strangely no Evas.

My husband named our eldest daughter after the first yacht he worked on in the 1960's. The yacht was called the Yolanda Barbara, to my knowledge our Yolanda has only come across two other Yolanda's in her 35 years.

I think Isla's popularity might have something to do with Isla Fisher, the actress. I know 3 Isla's varying in ages from 8 weeks to 4 and a half. Agree with others though, if you like it go for it. My name is one of those old great auntie names thats just starting to become popular again. Hated it as a child, love it now.

Ds1,ds2 not often heard in this country

dd have heard few others often spelt the eric Clapton way not the orginal way

ds3 not heard it at all in this country Boone can say it either but it is so him loved the name

I knew a Raven, a boy. He would be in his 40s now. I think it's a beautiful name. I wanted to call my son Raven as I thought he would be dark, but he came out with bright red hair!

I know of two other ravens. My old flat mate niece, and a colleague from Essex, also her niece.

Given no one can predict popularity you pick should what you like.Do gen up on soaps, movies, bands and read popularity lists,and celebrity names in magazines if not having an "in" name matters.

But even doing that is no guarantee.

my dd is called Raven.i dont know of any others yet.

True, but at the same time people are totally put off names that were very popular when they were at school eg Louise, Debbie, Joanne, so it's understandable they don't want their child to be one of hundreds also.

Although I agree, it's not something you can control

No,It doesn't matter,and isnt significant that popularity of name increases.Can't get precious that name is used by others. Tons of factors influence name popularity e.g.media, movies and they come in and out of vogue. You pick a name in good faith,but that doesn't give you special claim to it.

I nearly called my dd (now 8) Maisie after my Grandmother but dh thought it would sound 'weird' when she went to school. There are three Maisies in her year and absolutely no Tessas (her name).

If you genuinely like the name you have chosen what does it matter if it is popular?

I will choose names because I like them and I couldn't care less how many other children have the name as long as I like it. My favourite for a girl is Amelie and that is very popular. I don't care, I like the name. If you wouldn't have chosen the name if you'd known it was popular then you can't have liked it that much.

With the name Isla, I knew one at University. She hated it. She said it sounded like slang for "Isle of". That may be becuase her husband to be's surname was White. So her name was going to be Isla White when she married

She also paired it with Isla Dogs, Isla Man and all in all said she wished her parents had never ever given her such a stupid name.

Yep, and another mum to a nearly 5-year-old Oscar Didn't think we were being breathtakingly original, we just both loved the name, but obv had no idea that all the other new parents of 2006 were thinking the same thing!

If dc2 had been a girl, she would have been Clara or Florence, both of which seem quite zeitgeisty now, even though they'd always been my faves. In fact he was a boy, and there were only 400 odd babies given his name last year, so just waiting for it to be the next big thing!

Wouldn't change Oscar though- it suits him through and through