Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Ava? Too popular

32 replies

MissTriangle · 03/07/2011 12:24

I really like the name Ava Florence for a girl. Florence is a family name that has special meanings to me... So would like to use it as a middle name. But feel that it needs a short first name to go with it. I love Ava... But have heard that it is really popular. This is my first baby and have no idea how popular is too popular... If that makes sense. I don't want her to be one of many avas! What does everyone else think?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
JiltedJohnsJulie · 06/07/2011 15:32

Have to agree with poppydaisy I was one of 5 JJJ in my class and am now one of 3 now in a small office, there were 4 at one time.

Have such a popular name that it is tedious, everyone knows how old I am as the name is so "of its time" and I also have to spell it everytime as there are a few variants. Thinkng of changing it to Dolores or Gloria Grin

Sophiesmummie · 06/07/2011 13:09

I used to like it but now I hear it all the time and have to a little tired/bored with it, I'm afraid. Just too many little Ava/Eva/Evies around imo.

poppydaisy · 06/07/2011 13:05

"What's wrong with a popular name?"

We name a person/thing to IDENTIFY it/him/her but if that name is already used by thousands others then it doesn't really do its job, and you'll need to add a modifier (e.g. last initial, adjective like big, small, whatever Ava). Also makes life for teachers difficult.

mimimomma · 06/07/2011 12:58

We had exactly the same worries with our dd. LOVED the name Ava throughout the entire pregnancy, but two weeks before the end had cold feet about how popular it had become, it just didn't feel right so decided to go for Amelie instead (not AS popular :)) If you look at the national name stats you'll see how popular the name is...and the trend for Ava has certainly been on the increase over the past few years. A beautiful name though.

poppydaisy · 06/07/2011 12:27

Lovely name but it has definately been overused recently. Shame. But Aria or Ada are lovely too and not that widely used yet.

hugeleyoutnumbered · 05/07/2011 17:12

beautiful

JiltedJohnsJulie · 05/07/2011 16:58

Know a few Avas and for me the name is too similar to Eva/Evie/Eve all of which I know lots of.

Ariesgirl · 05/07/2011 16:24

What's wrong with a popular name? Confused

pilates · 05/07/2011 16:22

No not that popular where I am, sounds lovely BTW.

sonniebonnie · 04/07/2011 12:15

Yes, very widely used already.

bigbluebump · 04/07/2011 11:47

Of course you have to choose a name you love and that goes with your surname. But we sometimes forget that a name is there to serve a purpose, namely to identify someone or something. And if that someone or something shares a name with many others that job gets more difficult and you need to add a modifier (e.g. initial, adjective like big Ava, small Ava or whatever).

And I'm talking from someone who has had to share a name in many parts of my life and quite frankly I wish my parents had chosen something a little less widely used. Nothing to do with wanting to be 'unique', by the way.

pregnantpause · 04/07/2011 08:50

I wa advised against Eva as it was too popular. But then i decided itss popular because it beautiful and I didnt want to settle for a name that i liked less just because others like it too.
I LOVE my choice. And tbf i only know one eva(mine) and one ava. Go with it if it feels right. I think that to drop it just due to popularity is ridiculous. And all of this 'but it not unique!' is equally ridiculous, a child is an invidual regardless of whether they share a name with someone else in their classroom.

pregnantpause · 04/07/2011 08:44

I was advised against Eva as it was too popular. But then i decided its popular because it beautiful and I didnt want to settle for a name that i liked less just because others like it too.
I LOVE my choice. And tbf i only know one eva(mine) and one ava. Go with it if it feels right. I think that to drop it just due to popularity is ridiculous. And all of this 'but it not unique!' is equally ridiculous, a child is an invidual regardless of whether they share a name with someone else in their classroom.

hester · 04/07/2011 08:41

I have three in my street.

I really like Ada.

tinker316 · 04/07/2011 08:38

I wanted DD 2b called Ava-but DP didn't like it Sad so agreed 2 have Ava as middle name instead

yellowflowers · 04/07/2011 08:31

I think Ava ok but not as nice as Eva. Really dislike Ada though.

emmyloo2 · 04/07/2011 05:07

Very very popular I think. I used to like it but now, sorry to say, I am well and truly sick of it. Ada, on the other hand, is gorgeous and still original.

CaptainBizarro · 04/07/2011 02:48

DH loves this name and it would be top of his list if we ever had another DD but it is too popular now and I think will date quite considerably. It will be this generation's Claire/Karen/Joanne.

SloganLogan · 03/07/2011 22:24

Ava/Eve/Evie/Eva are very popular at the moment, yes. Just depends whether this bothers you.

bigbluebump · 03/07/2011 21:29

Yes, overused imo. There are far nicer names that aren't already used by thousands others. Aria or Ada are nice alternatives.

olddeuteronomy · 03/07/2011 21:26

I know 2 locally but hear it around a lot and have encountered a few out and about. It is lovely, but I would go for something less popular personally - Ada is lovely (though may risk becoming popular as people search for the new Ava...)

MelinaM · 03/07/2011 21:03

Aria is lovely shoobidoo Smile

fedupofnamechanging · 03/07/2011 15:42

i don't know any Ava's and think it is a very pretty name

BikeRunSki · 03/07/2011 15:11

I only know one, she is about 4 months old.

The office of national statistics do a break down of baby name rankings, broken down by year and region (within the spreadsheets for each year) Here.

I am considering Eva for pink bump; popular too, but was my granny and great aunt.

Original poster
MissTriangle · 03/07/2011 15:05

Thanks for the replies. It is such a big decision picking a name! I'll discuss some alternatives with OH. But it doesn't sound like it is too popular everywhere... So am tempted to still go for it. X

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread