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Baby names

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

Original poster

Unpopular names?

183 replies

zumm · 10/12/2011 13:52

Well, it's all in the spin. Tomat-o is to tom-ayto as unpopular is to unusual. Anyone managed to name a child something that isn't in the top 150? If so, share? Everyone seems to be William or Alex around here.

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CBear6 · 13/12/2011 21:49

I love the names Brogan and Ivy, quite keen on Heidi too.

If DD was a boy she was going to be Alexander and if DS was a girl he was going to be Elissa. DH likes Victor but with out surname would form an unfortunate acronym so that has been ruled out forever, he quite fancies Iris if we have another girl next time round (we have a 12wo and we're already discussing "next time", gluttons for punishment, that's us). As it a future daughter will likely be Iris or Kitty and a future son will be Samuel or Sebastian.

DS is 128th but his middle names are 433rd and 2941st. DDs name is in the top ten but isn't that popular where I live, I've only met one other here and there are no children with the same name at baby club/toddler group/weight clinic - loads of people comment about it being unusual popularity seems to be a regional thing so top ten doesn't necessarily mean a school full of children with the same name. Her middle names are 3533rd and 21st respectively.

Oubliette0292 · 13/12/2011 21:43

I know girls called Xanthe, Hebe, Olympia, Cleona, Athena and Ixia.

Not so many unusual boys names - I know one called Phineas and another called Dennis.

I have Helena and Wilfred - haven't met any other children with the same names yet.

FizzyMoonDust · 13/12/2011 21:12

We have a Heidi.

Redrubyblues · 13/12/2011 21:04

I know a little girl called India Grace and also a girl called Brodie and another called Ivy.

Ivy is just gorgeous with blonde natural ringlets and dark brown eyes - I didn't like the name until I met her - I thought of Ivy Tisley (sic) from Coronation Street.

They all suit their names totally!

HowToLookGoodGlaikit · 13/12/2011 20:30

Forgot to say, I have a Brogan & a Bethan.

two4one · 13/12/2011 20:27

Stuffedaubergine - what would you say to someone who called their dc John or Dick? I didn't quite follow that...

HowToLookGoodGlaikit · 13/12/2011 20:18

My kids are 259 and 1040 pn the list - not popular then!

ilovesprouts · 13/12/2011 20:13

my grandsons called oakley-noah ,my son is called kenzie we like them thats all that matters Grin

TeamSledward · 13/12/2011 19:31

DS1 was going to be Asher, but we chose a family name as a first name and gave him Asher as a middle name.

BonnienAlesha · 13/12/2011 19:28

Loving both of those names....Jesse and Asher!!!!! gonna write those down for babies 2 and 3 I think :)

kerala · 13/12/2011 19:24

I love the really simple but underused ones. Peter is adorable also love Mary which would stand out amongest all the Amelies and Rubys.

SantasBumCheeks · 13/12/2011 17:44

DH is a PJ! We have Deacon and Aeryn here.

ellerman · 13/12/2011 17:43

I know a friend Cambria, I have always loved her and her name (even though it is similar to a geological time period). I wasn't brave enough to use it with my daughters. Also like Kasumi (Japanese), and Narita but thats the name of an airport.

TheLaminator · 13/12/2011 16:55

We have two boys, Otis & Tollo.
Otis not that common & Tollo, which is possibly made up!! a spanish nick name for Bartholomew.

DJAngel · 13/12/2011 16:45

We have an Arlo born in 2004 which was unusual then.. a few Woody Guthrie fans were familiar with it but since then there have been a few I've come across locally.. I like to think we started a trend but it wasn't us it was Natasha Kaplinsky ( and the comedian Lee Mack has an Arlo too..).. DD is Stevie (2006 ) and it is unusual although we do know a teenager called Stevie.. and she loves it.. but it's often assumed she's a boy when people see it written down.. I read once that unusual names mean that people are remembered and it gives them a bit of a headstart in life.. so that was the plan .. and we just wanted to be a bit different too I guess..

SESthebrave · 13/12/2011 16:15

Wintersleeps - phew! (we're pretty sure that will be DC2's name if a boy!)

Out of the others recently mentioned I live Catriona and Heidi. Really Luke Michael too but not so keen on Mick, Mike or Mikey as NN.

Annakin31 · 13/12/2011 16:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WinterSleeps · 13/12/2011 15:51

And it is quite 'unpopular'.

DSIL said; 'he will be the only one in his class'.

I think Peter and also names like John are on the next popularity wave....

WinterSleeps · 13/12/2011 15:49

SES, yes that is all- people just did not like it, and thought it was old fashioned.

I think it is quite classic now, and think it suits all ages. It is cute for a baby, cute for a little boy and nice for a man.

PrincessScrumpy · 13/12/2011 15:40

we have a Kitty - keep meeting other Kittys since her birth! Haven't met any girls called Heidi so dd2 is unusual.

norriscoleforpm · 13/12/2011 15:34

my eldest dd is Maisie, at the time of her birth (late 80's) the only other one around was Julie Walters dd, and now it's number 14! We told her she was a trendsetter Grin

CheerfulYank · 13/12/2011 15:24

I used to love it, but really don't like January Jones.

SESthebrave · 13/12/2011 15:24

Wintersleeps - why did people grimace at Peter? Did they just not like it or am I missing something?

MrsOzz · 13/12/2011 15:19

I've known a now 22 year old Charlton her entire life and have never ever met another.

I also know a two month old January, which I kinda like!

PrincessOfWails · 13/12/2011 14:54

DS2's name is not on the list, and hasn't been for the past 4 years (and probably not since the 1940s!). It's Welsh though.