Did you change name choice due to popularity?

Yes & no.
Changed our DD choice from Emily as at the time this was the 2nd most popular name (1993). DS's name was 17th in the list, but now top 5. Even if it was the most popular name, its highly likely we would have still used it as we both adored the name.....& still do.

Now I must try & go back to sleep. If only DH would stop snoring!!!

No, as it's a family name, but we checked and were glad it wasn't in the top 100.

coffeechoc... I've loved Ruby for about 10 years. before (I think) it was so popular. I suspect we will dismiss it several times before using it

I'm guessing Ava/Eva/Evie/Etc or Isabelle/Isabella/Isabel/Isobel/Etc. :)

coffechocolatewine what's your DD's name?? intrigued.

My DD's name is very popular at the moment, as are lots of variations of it. But I've love it and had wanted to call my daughter it for about 15-20 years when it really wasn't popular at all!

When we discovered we were expecting a girl it went straight on the shortlist as my DH loved it too, but was very quickly crossed off because it is so popular. But I kept coming back to it, crossing it off, coming back, crossing it off.

In the end it didn't make our shortlist of three names. But when she was born we looked at her and she looked like this name. So we chose it. I'm sure she will be in a class of many with this name or a varient when she starts school (she's 18 months now) and maybe it bothers me a tiny bit, but not that much. I love her name.

It's not worth it because if you're thinking that, the tide has already turned and many others will also be looking for more unusual names which will start to become commonplace. My sister chose Ava seven years ago because it was unusual and now there's loads of them. And going back a few more years, I knew a woman who chose Lily because it was a rare and unusual name.

I think I ruled out Jack and Joshua for my boys as being too popular (sixteen and thirteen years ago) and then everyone else seemed to stop choosing them too.

I think most people currently would prefer to be an Emily rather than a Cassandra, as indicated by the ONS lists. To my ear, Cassandra is out of fashion and dated (reminds me of Only Fools and Horses - I'm showing my age now!) so I wouldn't choose it for a DC of mine, but I do understand someone younger than me wouldn't have that association and therefore may see it as being a good choice. I certainly wouldn't view the name Emily as "trendy" as I know a few of varying ages.

It is impossible to say whether the child you are naming will like their name in the future, so you can only go by your own tastes. Some may turn out to have a preference for names which blend in and not stand out, whereas others may have a preference for more unusual choices - you will only know if you have made the right decision for them when they are old enough to have an opinion and can tell you! In turn, they will have the chance to make their choice of names if and when they decide have their own DC!

We avoided names in the top 20 even though I really liked several of them. We loved our DD's name for various reasons and haven't regretted it a bit. In fact I'm quite glad as I've met several Isobel/Isabellas and Islas in baby groups already since, and they would have been my front runners. No duplicates yet for DD.....

"I'd rather be Emily A. than Cassandra"

Really?

But to answer the op, please remember that you're giving you child a name so that it can be identified. And by giving your child a name that isn't 'trendy' it is less likely to fall out of fashion and become 'dated.

Agree with Lebkuckenlover - there are so many underused classic, lovely names. I was really put off from names that were very "now". Names which perhaps I liked previously but now I hear every 5 minutes at the park. It really put me off. Names like Ruby, for example. I know so many little Rubys that there is no way I would have chosen Ruby. Same with Ava. But to be honest, I think I am in the minority and it doesn't seem to bother a lot of people because I keep hearing about little Rubys or Chloes etc born. All perfectly fine names but I do think they will date.

And I also like Cassandra.

That said, a lot of people wouldn't like my children's names (particularly my DD's name) so each to their own right?

If DD had been born 20 years earlier she would have had the same name but it would have been much less popular. I think her name is mid 30's in the UK but not even in the top 100 in Ireland (where we are from) or Australia (where we now live). So no we didn't change what we wanted to call her based on the popularity of her name.

I'd always loved Oscar since reading Oscar & Lucinda 20 years ago, thought it was beautiful and quirky. Had always planned to use that name but I got scared by the sudden popularity when I had DS last year so called him something else (a normal name but not as popular). We've had funny reactions to his name so sometimes I wish I'd just gone with the name I loved.

Yes, it isn't Jack or Zyxxon with nothing inbetween.

But I don't buy that "top twenty" equals "very popular".

DS1 turned out to be top twenty in his year, and is rarely out of the top 50. To me that says classic rather than trendy - I agree that I'd swerve from trendy wherever possible. Oscar, as discussed above, made a sudden leap in popularity. Ditto Ruby. Those are "of their time" and you'd be more surprised to meet one in Y11 or a new colleague.

But despite his statistical popularity we don't know another with his name: weird local statistical anomaly or something. Thousands with his name, who all apparently live hundreds of miles away.

I also think you have to look at adjusted ONS figures so that homophones such as Isabel/Isobel/Isabelle/Izzy are counted together. Suddenly a name that you search and comes up mid-table turns out to be every other little girl in Reception!

Why are some of you implying that the only alternative to a popular name is an unspellable one?

There are so many lovely underused classic name out there that are easy to spell and pronounce! And for what its worth I like Cassandra.

I don't like choosing popular names. I teach small children... I don't want a name I have several of in my classes year after year, or a name I tend to associate with a particular child (especially a difficult one!).

That said, if the name is just right, if you love it, I think there's nothing wrong with using it even if it is a top 20. 5mo nephew is named Liam. It's perfect for him, goes great with his last name, middle names, and parents' names (all strong Irish names if you couldn't guess...)

Yes, we changed our minds very late in my pregnancy due to popularity. Ended up choosing one equally as popular but it suits our dd perfectly and I much prefer it to our original choice. So no regrets here!

Yes and no. I fancied Isobel, but a different spelling was one of the top 5 that year. And then met a truly obnoxious Isabelle so went looking for another name.

I have an Oscar who was born in 2007. When we chose his name, we only had the 2006 ONS data to go on & Oscar was, as far as I remember, in the top 100 but only just. Fast forward a year & it was in the top 20.
Saying that, my Oscar is the only one in his entire 400 + pupil primary school.

Nope and I never would.
I simply do not understand the obsession with a child's name being 'different'. Every child is unique no matter what. Why do they need a name that no one can say or spell?
Choose what you love. Who cares if its popular? I had a girl at school with my name. We loved it. Called ourselves twins!

A child is an individual regardless of his/her name.

I'd rather my child be "yet another Emily" who is really good at art, or who likes sport, or who is kind rather than giving them a name that they'll have to spend their entire lives spelling and explaining to other people that their parents wanted them to be "unique"

Names are popular for a reason. Don't make your child a Tarquinius or a Cassandra just because you think they'd want an unusual name. I'd rather be Emily A or Jack P......

IMO if you like the name go with it! If your DH really doesn't think its the write name why not use it as her middle name and don't worry about regretting it which you may but you will realise there are other far more important things to think about!

ok now this is causing me quite alot of stress. our dd is Ella and despite knowing it's a v. popular we went with it as we don't actually know any and we both really liked it.

DD2 is on the way and hubby has been completely put off of our other favourite name (ruby) not only because it is so common but in the last 2 weeks we've realised a neighbours children are Ellie & Ruby and our childminder also looks after sisters Ellie & Ruby.

If we don't go with Ruby will we always regret not having it??

hubby & I both have very common names, to the point my best friend & I share the same name, my hairdresser has the same name, one if my good friends/colleagues has the same name & EVERYONE knows at least 1 or 2... It doesn't stop me from liking it though... and I don't dislike that I was called something common... in fact I prefer it to the alternative, which was apparently Candice.

it's a real dilemma. and it's stressing me out.

Top name for each sex is used for less than 1% of babies of that sex that year. Which means you're as likely to have a "birthday twin" in your class as a "name twin".

The percentages drop down quickly outside the top ten too.

That's what statistics mean...