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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Would you rather...

85 replies

Gremlinothefirst · 25/06/2017 20:48

... have a really unusual name (ie not in the top 1000 names in the U.K. but is not a made up name) that might (or might not) put you at risk of teasing at school, or have a common, traditional name that is having a surge in popularity right now such that you'd probably know lots of others your age?

This is the choice we are trying to make for our son, born last week, no name! I don't want to say what the names are but it would be the equivalent of Ignatius versus George.

Lack of sleep is making it very hard to think straight. Help!

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harderandharder2breathe · 26/06/2017 10:02

I have an unusual first name and popular middle name. I have never really liked either name (middle name is Louise and I just never liked the sound of it)

I'd say go for the popular traditional name. Especially if there's a variety of shortenings that would give DS some choice later (my first name was deliberately chosen to have no natural shortening)

KoalaDownUnder · 26/06/2017 10:08

Unusual name, as long as it's not downright silly/embarrassing.

ShuttyTown · 26/06/2017 10:08

Fucking hell all the secrecy over two names. Hmm

Thatextrainch · 26/06/2017 11:28

Very much depends on the names. Unusual names aren't always crazy. For example, statistically Kirsty is unusual for babies now.

We were in the same situation. Liked two names, one top 30, one around 900th in popularity. We ended up going for the less popular name. It can sometimes be a pain as I often have to repeat her name but otherwise I'm happy with it. She has a top 100 middle name.

With the top 30 name we liked, we've only come across one in 2 years.

MitzyLeFrouf · 26/06/2017 11:35

I bet it's Humphrey.

ScarletSienna · 26/06/2017 11:55

Ah Humphrey as in Humphrey Dumpty!
I was thinking Simeon as in Simple Simeon met a Pimeon going to the fair.

Why do you think there is a risk of teasing? Is it just because it is unusual or something more?

MitzyLeFrouf · 26/06/2017 11:57

Simple Simeon met a Pimeon going to the fair.

Grin
Original poster
Gremlinothefirst · 26/06/2017 12:06

Grin lol love the rhyme guesses haha. I know I am being annoying not saying the names, soz. And I appreciate all your opinions in the absence of the names. I guess in a way it's more helpful to me that way because otherwise I will get opinions based on those specific names rather than the concept of unusual vs traditional so I do appreciate it. I think I'm erring towards traditional first Confused

OP posts:
MitzyLeFrouf · 26/06/2017 12:11

Well it all depends on the individual names rather than ‘popular names – bad’, ‘unusual names – good’. Some names are unusual because they’re plug ugly and some are unusual because they’re forgotten gems.

Try each name out on him for a day or two and then pick the name that sticks. And congrats!

yikesanotherbooboo · 26/06/2017 12:20

I have a common name and never minded at all ... there was always one other at least around.i had the option of my less common first name but didn't like the fact that it picked me out or that I always had to spell it.in fact I rather liked the fact that my name was frequently used as it almost made me feel part of a community.
My DH had an unusual name that he still detests ... he resents his mother's vanity in choosing it.
Our children have traditional easy to spell names appropriate to our culture... not top 10 but known to all ...

Argeles · 26/06/2017 12:23

Definitely use the unusual one.

BiggerThanTheSunAndMoon · 26/06/2017 12:24

I would rather have a compromise in between, to be honest! Like, top 100-500 rather than outside the top 1000 or inside the top 10!

But I guess if I HAD to choose one or the other, I'd go with top 10.

MontanaSkies · 26/06/2017 18:43

I've just had a quick look at the latest ONS list (2015) - just outside the top 1000 are Ingrid, Ferne, Sally, Marissa, Anita.

All really nice names (imo), nothing "out-there", just underused at the moment. OK those are girls' names but I'm sure there are similar underused gems on the boys' list.

miniss · 26/06/2017 19:02

I get not saying the uncommon one, but what's the common name?

Decaffstilltastesweird · 26/06/2017 19:10

I had a popular name and actually quite liked it when I met girls with the same name. But, I really love unusual (not wacky) names! So I'm totally on the fence .

Original poster
Gremlinothefirst · 26/06/2017 19:17

Ok I concede. The common name is Edward (seems to be loads of teddys right now)...

OP posts:
ScarletSienna · 26/06/2017 19:23

Although I see Ted and Teddy a lot on here and a few irl, Edward is less used day to day I think. So it may be higher on the popularity list, it may not be actually used that much. I know none under 8!

ErrolTheDragon · 26/06/2017 19:24

Edward is a pleasant name and allows for being Ted, Teddy, Ed, Eddie - its a good name.

ScarletSienna · 26/06/2017 19:24

But Gremlin, what I really want to know...is what is the unusual name?!

MollyHuaCha · 26/06/2017 19:27

Whichever you choose, be assured that at some time in his terrible teens he will complain bitterly that you didn't choose the other option.

ErrolTheDragon · 26/06/2017 19:29

The other thing I like about a name like Edward is that it's classless, anyone can have it from a Grundy to a prince. Whereas some unusual names must be quite hard to live with, if they're just not 'you'.

TheSeaTheSkyTheSeaTheSkyyyyyy · 26/06/2017 19:29

MontanaSkies good idea. I did the same for boys names and wasn't so impressed. I found Roy and Lionel, but apart from them and a few other really old dull names, the names outside the top 1000 seem to almost entirely be:

a) foreign names presumably used by immigrants living in the UK (Vincenzo, Krzysztof, Hakeem, etc.)
b) double barrelled first names (Joshua-James, Harvey-Lee, etc)
or c) stupid spellings of normal names (Dillan, Jaxen, etc.)

Ikeameatballs · 26/06/2017 19:35

I love Edward. It's DS's middle name and I often wish it was his first name with the nn Ted.

What's the unusual choice?

And remember that Edward hasn't always been popular....it's had a resurgence lately but there's nothing to guarantee that your more unusual choice won't shoot up the charts.

Do the names sound better in either order when said with your surname? That would swing it for me.

Augustbabyyeah · 26/06/2017 19:37

I love the name Edward.

RoseVase2010 · 26/06/2017 19:45

DS has an unusual name, but not unheard of, it suits him but wouldn't inspire any teasing because of it. It was a fucking nightmare to come up with!

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