How popular is TOO popular?

One of my DDs was, unbeknownst to me, No 1 and had been in the top 5 for a good while, and still is, 15 years later. It turned out to be a blessing as this particular DD stands out for her flaming red curly hair and pale complexion, big blue eyes. She is also very shy and overthinks everything. Giving her one of the names I was considering - a lot of them were way out - would have made her stand out even more. She ended up as one of two with her name in her class. She is also known as one of the four redheads in her class.

One of the names was Clementine, which would have been ridiculous with the red hair.

Two other DDs were the only one in school with their name. They complained occasionally.

Last DD has a very unusual name, but we met the only other one we've ever run across on her first day in kindergarten, so she too was one of two in her class.

I have a Jack - I knew he would be one of several but it just suited him so we went for it.

I think locality has a part to play as well - If he had been a girl he would have been Eva (shortened to Evie) which I would have thought would have been the same scenario but there are no Evies in his school.

There are, however, 3 Destinys and two Trinitys :D

Can you guess the kind of area I live in?

I agree, something you like. DS1 had a Top5 name at birth. Now it it is under the 50 mark! Popularity fluctuates, how much you like the name shouldn't iyswim.

I think you just have to choose something you like, although saying that, I've just checked and DD's name is just indie the top 2000. Uncommon but spell able we're our key criteria.

Out of interest, how do you find out how many babies we're born with a particular name in a particular year?

My criteria when choosing names was does the name work for them in whatever profession they choose to do and not be too tied into an era. As someone with a very 70/80's name and not used now it was important that their names didn't tie them to an era.

My DD's names have been top 5 for most of their lives, DS has a name that skirts the top 10.

None of them have names that they have been more than the only one of the year (apart from a few months at nursery when DS was one of 3). Other names that you would say are less popular are everywhere. At the risk of outing me DS has 2 girls of a name that hasn't really been popular since the 90's in his class.

I agree with many of the previous posters, choose a name you love rather than worry about its popularity. My dd has a name that was outside the top 500 for the year she was born and there is another in her class at school (plus I also have come across at least 2 others of a similar age). Fortunately we chose the name because we loved it so it doesn't bother us at all. Also, rather bizarrely, 3 girls that my dd does a sports class with share a name that was ranked just below number 700 for their year of birth (they were all born in the same school year). You really just cannot tell!

Ds' name is top 10 I think, and I love it. And so far I've yet to meet another boy the same age with it too. I do work in a school and it is popular name though. It doesn't bother me one bit, but then again I'm not particularly fond of really unusual names.

bananahammocks has hit the nail on the head here
"The problem is names that I like that are not popular are often not popular for a reason and as my child is going to have to live with the name not me I think I do have to consider other people opinions. I'm finding it really hard to find a balance!"

Avoid the top 100 - there are lots and lots of lovely underused classics that aren't too trendy at the moment.

I avoided the top 50 altogether when I was looking for dd's name if I was ever expecting a boy I don't think I could do that only like a couple of names and they're top 20

For me personally there is a difference between 'classic popular' names like Sam, Tom, Emily etc and 'trendy popular' names like Archie, Alfie etc. Personally I am comfortable with using the former but with the latter nothing in the current top 50, ideally not the top 100.

I would maybe choose something near the bottom end of the top 100 if I really loved it but I'm more conscious of looking up names on Darkgreener and seeing if they are shooting up! If it's 150 and shooting up I'd be more likely to avoid it than if it was 80 and tailing off in popularity.

The problem is names that I like that are not popular are often not popular for a reason and as my child is going to have to live with the name not me I think I do have to consider other people opinions. I'm finding it really hard to find a balance!

My name is always in the top 15, mostly top 10. I didn't meet any others until high school, and there were 3 or 4 of us I think. I didn't care or think twice about it. Go with what you love. I'm annoying myself atm trying to find something 'different'.

You have to remember as well, that they are only going to be at school for 14 years, after that they are off into the wider world where they are diluted amongst people from every other generation, so unlikely to be Grace B in the workplace

Also agree with others, you never know about regional differences in popularity until after you have named them. There are two Amelies in DS's preschool, out of 24 children, and it's not that far up the charts. I also know two girls called River, which is definitely not a common name!

My DD1's name is pretty popular... I think it's around the 30 mark and we never meet any. (Though I read it a lot on here.)

My DD2's name is pretty unique, way up there in the thousands and yet in a swimming class of 4 there's another one!!! I couldn't believe it.

In fact Google says my name was #1 the year I was born but I have never felt it was especially common and it's never bothered me. Have very unusual surname though so maybe that's why I have always felt my name to be quite unique.

I had an extremely high ranking name the year I was born. Never had someone with the same name in my class/social circle at school, college, uni or the workplace! I don't know where they all are! My children's name choices are top 40 I think - not unusual at all but they don't feel stale, not to me anyway. I would have loved Ruby for a girl and wouldn't have been put off by that being so popular but I have boys and am a bit less keen on the top ten boys' names!

Top 100.

I have to live with an eternally popular name and it's pretty annoying. The dc's were given names that will hopefully never be that common.

My 3 daughters have very popular names. It honestly doesn't bother me. I have a 6 year old Olivia , she's the only one in her school year (intake of 63), was the only one in nursery school & is the only one in our street.

Agree, if you love a name the popularity shouldnt put you off as it might turn out there are no other children with that name in your area. I dont know anyone called Jack for example.

Gro Scotland statistics issue the top ten names by council area which is interesting. Some names which are no.1 in one area dont make the top ten on another.

I wanted to avoid top 20 with DS1 and his was about no. 63 I think. Since then it's moved to 31 but I love the name so I don't mind.

For DS2 (due any day), all the names I like and agree with DH on seem to be in the top 15. If it comes down to choosing between a name we love (and goes with DS1's name and our surname etc) and one that isn't popular then the compromise we'll make is the popularity.

I agree with Mortified. Ignore popularity and choose a name you like. Popularity changes rapidly anyway. You only need one or two famous people to choose it for their children, or for it be the name of a character in a popular book, and it's flying up the charts

12 years ago, when we had DD, her name was very uncommon in the UK. Now it's in the top 10. We named her after her Grandmother and still think it's a beautiful name that really suits her.

I always judge around my own name. Was I happy with its popularity? Yes was the answer, so I chose a name around the same level or less popular.

My name hovers around 160 and has done for 20 years or so.