Names touted as "very popular" on here

Shall I tell you a sure-fire way to make a name popular? Start threads on MN about it!

Hush OP

I'm in London and only know one little Clara. Lovely name.

Sorry talcum but I think saying a child will feel "overlooked or a member of a faceless herd" if there's another child with the same name in their class is a bit dramatic!

BitOut, I'm not being in the least 'dramatic', and it didn't consciously bother me as a child. It wasn't even particularly unusual for my nationality/class/generation, which definitely used a smaller naming pool than today in the UK. But yes, there was certainly an impact from a name being so generic you didn't have any particular sense that it meant you. I think that's entirely different to having one other classmate or close friend with the same name.

I won't be aghast if my son has a classmate with the same name, but if I were considering a name for a baby, popularity is something I would take into account.

I know of 2 Claras, both are teens & I volunteer in a senior school, over 700 girls & only 1 Clara there. The most popular name across the whole school is Emma.

Ah mine due in October is going to be Clara, I thought the same that I had found a suitable unusual name (don't know anyone with it) but maybe it is becoming more popular as a close friend of mine and husband had also Clara as their first choice for baby name. Luckily I am first!

I also have a common name for the time I was born. There were two of us in my class. And when I went to uni, out of a tight friendship group of four, two of us had this name.

Never bothered me in the slightest. I was referred to as first name last name at school then by various nicknames.

I think you've put a rather over dramatic spin on it to be honest.

I don't think it's a pointless worry at all. My name was very common in mid-70s Ireland, and there were six of us in my primary school class. Which was a bit grim, to be honest. I only started answering automatically to my name (rather than assuming someone else was meant) in my twenties. No, it's not the end of the world, but it does potentially make a child feel overlooked or a member of a faceless herd when a teacher or classmate says 'X' and five other people also respond. And it wasn't just at school, obviously - it was at any club/gathering/ activity.

Clara doesn't seem to me likely to run into that problem, but in my village, I can think of four Emilias/Amelias and three Mias and three George's who will all be in the same class at the village I gave my son an uncommon name deliberately.

Surely if a name is popular it just means that lots of people love it enough to give it to their child. How can that be a bad thing? And really, having another child in the class with the same name...is that really the end of the world? Hardly!

So call your child a name you love and don't worry about anything else.

This type of worry really is one of those ones that, with the benefit of hindsight really are pointless

Why is it always the case that livestock end up with the best names?

I know of a Clara, but short of cobbling together your own unique, made-up name, you're never going to get a name no-one else has.

Clara is lovely. Go for it.

My daughter's name was in the top ten nationally (US), and top 5 in our state, the year she was born; but somehow in 13 years of school she never had a class with another one.
I've never considered the fact that she has a 'popular' name to be either a good or bad thing. People still spell it wrong.

I once had a goat named Persephone.

I live in Scotland, the only Clara I know lives in Ireland.

I have a Clara. I have to admit, I do worry it is becoming very popular. I know two young Claras in addition to my own. But it's a lovely name so I don't think I regret using it (yet!).

Glad you have stayed with Clara, its beautiful. Only know one and she's a baby.

Follow the national ranking.

I doubt a MNer has done a comparable amount of research.

I've never met a Clara, I think you're on to a winner there! Enjoy

I think on Mumsnet people tell you names are popular simply because they've heard them discussed a lot on Mumsnet...not because they actually know a single child by that name.

I know two little Claras in Glasgow. It's a nice name.

I know two little Claras but am in London. It is a lovely name and nowhere near the popularity of the vowel names or old lady names.

I love it, and know of probably 10-15 under 5s at the minute and don't know one Clara (so definitely not 1 in 3!)

It's on my list as an unusual name. Only 284 were born in 2012 per baby names.co.uk!

Never even met one. I have met 100-150 under 1s in the last year (London).

I teach little ones and have never had a Clara. Lovely name, congratulations.

Clara is lovely. I know one only ( and I meet lots of babies at work) and she's mid 20s!

DD1 has a name that was really rare when she was born, but is no a ten a penny MN name for little people ( you can guess it from my username) but I haven't met any yet.

( disclaimer work in a very " non mumsnetty" area of the midlands)