Popular baby names you're bored off...

I agree Kerela! I like a Dave

I'm sure all the Johns, Davids, Roberts, Marks and Pauls will come into their own again one day as a name that's unusual!

I really like Dave. This generations Dave would stand out from all the Alfie's and Jacobs.

I actually know two Odin's...one with a Thorin for a brother :)

Elijah and Isaiah are far more common than Dave where I live :o

I have aspergers and stood out like a sore thumb anyway, so I think that's one reason I played safe with my own children's names, My unusual name was just one more nail in the coffin, in terms of being different. I think having a different name is fine when you're one of the cool crowd, not so good when you are the class odd ball.

"Made up - Elijah and Isaiah?? Never heard of a book called the Bible then?"

I suspect you are missing my point!

Sometimes people try too hard to have original names which result in children wishing they didn't have such unusual names.

The poster I was referencing infers a lot of inverse snobbery with her comments.... Her friends all have children with weird and wacky names, so does this mean my friends who have kids called Jack and Amelia are unimaginative robots?

Bet some of these kids with the unusual names grow up wishing they were called Dave lol.

I have one DC with a top 20 name and another with an extremely rare, nowhere near top 2000 name.

This makes me both wacky and unimaginative?

"I think people under estimate how much children are desperate to fit in with their peers"

Yes, they definately want to fit in and be popular. But in my experience, this this doesn't come from being Jack A, Jack B and Jack C! On the contrary, this comes from their personality, perhaps their hobbies, the clothes they wear, the way they look perhaps and imo having a 'cool' name can help!

I certainly did not particularly like having a common 1970s name and was envious of some friends with beautiful, exotic sounding names.

I am a little bored of the names around at the moment but I think we are on the cusp of a new selection coming through perhaps names from the 70s gasp.

I chose family names which has kept my little ones in good stead as they have all been the only ones in the school by that name. Even the Head teacher commented on what a lovely name my daughter has. Not particularly unusual names either; not twee or ephemeral, just solid names.

haha I have 4 DC's.....3 of the names are mentioned on this thread, the other ones name took a slagging on another thread

This whole 'fitting in' has imo very little to do with your name but your personality. Kids are pretty accepting of different names and to most it's main function is to identify their friends.

I think some of you are overestimating this function of a name. In reality, it mainly serves to identify you. YOU make your name, not the other way round imo. I know very cool and less popular boys named Jack just as I do ones named Carsten or Cassian.

To me, a very imporant criteria in choosing a name for my kids is that I love it and that it identifies them clearly (esp as we have a common surname).

I think people are different – some are desperate to fit in, some aren't, and this may be influenced by parents too – so, for example, if you were bullied for your unusual name, you'll think of fitting in as a good thing, and maybe your kids will pick that up too. (Not judging that btw - I just think not everyone is the same.)

I have always been a bit eccentric and was bullied a lot, but not for my name, which is kinda dull. I am happy with not being a fitter-in and would have loved a crazier name tbh. It follows that we gave our DC unusual names, but they seem to like them. They are not big on fitting in, maybe because they're influenced by their parents to a degree.

Obviously, that could change and I could end up with teens who resent their names, but you can't predict that kind of thing.

People are lumbered with the name their parents liked, it's the same for everyone.

I was bullied for my unusual name, that's the reason I selected common names for my children. I think people under estimate how much children are desperate to fit in with their peers

Hmm this interesting as I was put off by my husband's recent suggestion of Lucas as too popular but no one's mentioned it (well apart from being popular in Australia).

sooni - - nope, just don't know a single one. I don't know any Jacks or Olivers either. But I do know of 2 Manons. And a Thorin.

I reckon a lot of parents round here are MNers, I think there's so much bending over backwards not to give your child a popular , dull , boring name that in fact those names end up being no more popular than any other name.

Made up - Elijah and Isaiah?? Never heard of a book called the Bible then?

I live in London and I have a Thomas. Woo! Perhaps I should've named him Dolphin or something?

Elijah is very popular round here. The new Joshua I think

Actually, Elijah is probably an older name than lots of the trendy ones mentioned on this thread.

"The problem with avoiding popular names is that you end up with silly, and / or made up names like Trey, Milan, Mila, Isaiah, Elijah, Raiya"

If you have a look at last year's ons lists of all baby names given, there are literally thousands of normal classic names - perhaps not trendy/fashionable at the moment but good solid normal names.

"I found that post quite offensive as I live in London and I have no real interest in what my friends call their kids and certainly don't judge them if they pick a popular name!"

Nobody is judging the parents (or the children). We are judging the super popular names and are finding them boring, dull and overused.

"it impacts negatively on his confidence and he's very embarrassed to tell people his name"

I find that very sad. I can't imagine this coming from the other kids - to them Odin is no different than Oscar, Owen or Orlando! I wonder whether some adults are being unkind? The only name that sometimes gets made fun of at our primary school (and we have lots of names from all sorts of cultures) is Will/William - with Willie! I honestly can't see what is teaseworthy about Odin. In fact, I'd much rather be an Odin than another Alfie or Jack.

"For what it's worth, I don't know of a single Olivia, Isabella or Eve."
Honestly? Are you a hermit or avoiding kids?

As to whether to mention a name's popularity to friends or on mumsnet,
I think a lot of parents would appreciate knowing this information. First time parents or those who aren't around kids much might not know how widely used their considered names already are. They may not even know that the ONS baby names lists exist. By being given access to this, they can then make an informed decision. It is an important one imo.

The problem with avoiding popular names is that you end up with silly, and / or made up names like Trey, Milan, Mila, Isaiah, Elijah, Raiya

(sorry couldn't resist, I found that post quite offensive as I live in London and I have no real interest in what my friends call their kids and certainly don't judge them if they pick a popular name!!)

Looki There's nothing wrong with mentioning the child was named after a relative if that's the case, and you're talking about names and why you choose your childs name, that's nice.
It's the way it's said sometimes, like a defense argument or they feel the need to justify it, I see quite a few posts like that on here and I find it sad.

but it's all relative, isn't it? For what it's worth, I don't know of a single Olivia, Isabella or Eve.

People seem more bothered about this with girls' names, the most popular boys' names account for a far higher percentage of boys' names in total, whereas whilst Amelia might be the most popular girls' name, a smaller percentage of girls will have that name than boys being called Harry (the most popular boys' name). So, for example, I know 3 Harrys, but no Amelias.

So, do the parents of girls feel it's more important for their DDs to have unusual names that mean they will stand out in the crowd, but parents of boys aren't so fussed? Why is that? Is it because girls need all the help they can get to make their mark in the world - I hope not!