Did you choose a popular (top ten) name? Do you regret it?

To be honest, asking people, if they mind that their children have very popular names isn't going to reveal much.

It's not their name. They don't have to live with it. And they liked it enough to have named their child it. Wouldn't it be better to ask people with top 10 names from their own era how much they enjoy it?

I personally really like the fact that I didn't have a popular name-of-my-time. As a child, maybe not so much! But now, yes, absolutely. And ironically, my name (which was so old fashioned in the 70s) is wildly popular now. But I love that it doesn't date me to a particular time. And it's why I didn't give my DC popular names.

There is so much middle ground between very popular names, and ridiculous, made-up names. Of course, of you're choosing a name to honour a family member and it so happens to be currently popular, that's a bit of a different situation.

And everything MillyMolly said. :)

Not top twenty at the time, but name fads change quite quickly... Anyway, it is what it is - we chose the names because we liked them with our surname, rather than to be unique

DS1 has a top 10 name. We knew it was popular, but we picked it because we liked it more than any of the other names we were considering. He's one of 3 with his name at nursery, but I still love his name and I don't regret choosing it for a minute. He's also learnt what our surname is quickly!

DS2's name is pretty popular according to the official stats (although not quite in the top 10), but so far we've not come across another small boy with his name.

Both my DDs have popular names. I have a relatively uncommon name and because I was a shy child hated standing out.

I definitely avoided top ten names. In fact I probably avoided top 1000 names!

Over the years, many date the person to a particular time. Less of a problem with boys names but girls definitely have popular eras. When I was a child, the school was full of girls called Susan, Margaret, Julie, Pamela, Jacqueline .... Are they popular now? No, they evoke a certain past era. Popular boys names were John, Raymond, Peter, Timothy, Keith, Kevin, Alan ..... Not used so much now. My children were at school with umpteen James's, Daniel's , Charlotte's and Jessica's. Our children have 3 names each and they rarely find another person with the same name(s). We like it that way.

Some names area really everywere to the point that they almost become generic, an I know a few who hate to be referred to as the other (place name here). I'd suggest that if you really like the name go for it, but maybe give the child a less common middle name like that s/he has an alternative to being referred to as Eva B/the other Eva/Baker/etc

DS1 and DS2 both have top ten names.

For us, we didn't care a bit regarding the place they came in the top 100 or whatever, ours was because they meant something personal for us. Bugger all to do with how popular they were/ are.

Since I was a child, I always knew if I had a Son , he would be named after my Maternal Grandfather.

DS2 is named after my DH Grandfather, Something we had discussed already prior to becoming pregnant.

I am v proud that my two boys are named after their maternal and paternal great grandfathers .

I actually find it quite irritating that people avoid top ten names that they like because they're too popular. What? But there's only one of your child?

Good luck OP- don't let anything or anyone put you off with what you choose.

DD has a top 20 name and there is another in her room at nursery. It doesn't bother me at all. Practically all it means so far is that she learned her surname quite early on and often refers to herself by her full name (but she refers to lots of people by their full name).

My name was rare growing up (only 2 of us in a v v large secondary school), I hated it.

Ds2 has the number 2 name for the year he was born. I dont know anyone else the same age with the same name. I know a couple of teens (Ds2 is 8) and one boy about 6 years younger!

I don't regret it at all because it is his name. As soon as he was born I knew it was iyswim.

I chose a top ten boys name that has probably been in or near the top ten for the past 500 years.... No I don't regret it. It's a lovely name. It suits him.

I think if you love a name go for it. But as someone with a very popular girls' name (It's normally in the top ten but always top 20) I must confess it annoys me. As a child there were always at least two others in my class with the name, same at uni and work! I was often to referred to by my surname and still am! As a result I've chosen an uncommon (not whacky)?name for my DC1. But I think if you love a name go for it, it's just something I felt strongly about!

Yes we did because we loved it. No don't regret it (DS is 3) and despite his name being a top 10 mainstay there isn't actually another one at his nursery but there are duplicates of 'less popular' names! I guess what I'm saying is go for a name you love rather than one you think no one else will pick.

Dd2's name was top 5

Only one in her year so it doesn't feel like she has a popular name

Yes, picked a top ten name for one of my DC born 20 years ago, and no I've never regretted it and I don't think my DC has either.

Ds1 had the number 1 name in the year he was born (Oliver - see that's not going to out me!). There's none in his school, but we live in a very diverse area so lots and lots of different names. I love his name. Spent a long time choosing with dh and feel it is a bit of a classic.

My ds2 and dd both have more unusual names. ds2's is quite 'trendy', dd's is a place name from dh's home country so I have never met anyone else with that name, though it sounds like other names IYSWIM. I think I still prefer ds1's name.

Already have a top 10 surname, so avoided them like the plague.

There's an advantage to a common name, mind, in the Internet age. You're only properly googlable if you want to be.