London uncommon names

I can only comment on popular names in London - these are the most 'trendy, I thought she / he would be the only one in their school names... oops'
Wren (definitely)
Juno / Juniper
Cleo/Clara
Margot
Sophia
Pearl
Betsy

Dougie
Arlo
Ezra
Ralph
Rupert
Eddy
Otis
Jude

But also thinking of my dc who is at school no one in his class has the same name. Look at baby name predictions & what is trending for 2019 that can tell you more then last yrs list.

I know of a Wren but only 1.

I think it also depends what part of London as there are different trends.

have a unique name in that traditional Irish names were not popular in Ireland in the 80s & definitely not in London were I was raised. I only met 2 other "x" in my life both when I was older. However my name became popular again about 10 yrs ago in Ireland so there are probably loads now.
I gave one of my children an unusual name (from the family tree). However it's now in the top 100 as a celeb used last yr so you can't really predict. Choose something you love

Look at names outside the top 100 here:

www.britishbabynames.com/blog/top-1000-names-in-england-and-wales-2018.html

Then check whether it is increasing or decreasing in popularity by typing the name into here:

names.darkgreener.com

Wren, for example, shows a very steep recent increase so even though it's only 233 on the list, lots more kids are suddenly being called it and it is likely to climb. So it will feel very popular and of the moment.

Laura, on the other hand, although a few more children were named Laura last year (number 169), is showing a very steep decrease in popularity so will feel fresh and unusual.

There are some lovely old English names why the modern fixation with unusual? New age names are cute on a baby not always so on the grown adult.

I live in London and have a 2 year old, I've met a couple of Wrens at classes / nursery, but I'd say max 3/4 over 2 years. I guess the think with an unusual name is that if there is another child with that name it's more noticeable than if there were 2 Jacks for example. I would go for it if you love it and if it wouldn't bother you if you did end up with another child with the same name at nursery or something.

DS has a fairly unusual name and we have only met one other so far in London - living next door but one to us! Luckily both me and the other mum just laughed and congratulated each other on having great taste in names!

And I grew up in London.

I posted this on another thread, I heard a girl called Fanny the other day. In London.I like it but appreciate it might be a bit tricky.

Ren is better than Wren somehow, Had a family member who had Wren as a surname, which seemed fine, as a first name, nope.

Warren, Renaldo?

I’m a Wren. I love it but no one knows how to spell it.

Beau, Zeta, Zoya

I know a Wren, not in London.

I've got a real hankering for the name Pamela. I reckon it's going to have a resurgence and be very cool.

We are in London and I work in education and have never heard the name wren before.

A girl I went to school with has a daughter called wren, she’s in London.

I had a look & it seems the % of boys given the name Wren is almost the same as for girls.

I also agree about the trend being to be as unique as possible meaning even the top names are a tiny fraction of the popularity the top names would have been in our generations

I should also add that in my bit of London people are like the OP, desperate to name their DC something uncommon. The end result is that popular names are nowhere like as common and the uncommon names suddenly pop up all over the place.

I have still yet to meet an Olivia.

I’m in SW London and don’t know any Wrens.

Easier to say what is emerging/has taken off than the other way round! I would avoid Max/Theo/Oscar for boys if popularity concerns you. Names which seemed to be growing in popularity a couple of years ago included Arlo, Hector, Nova and Orla - but that might just be where we were in London. I wouldn’t worry too much about popularity - look outside of the top 50/100 and get a feel for what you like, and just go with a name you love.

For what it’s worth, my DS has a top-20s name and we have only met one other in four years. He has always been the only one in his class/group so far. Whereas we were at a party recently with three Erins present, which seems like a more unusual name!

I am in South London and know a 2 year old called Wren, don’t think it’s overly popular though.

So @Haworthia one should only designate names that perpetuate gender stereotypes and internalised misogyny, eg 'delicate' names for girls?

Not quite, but can I visualise a grown man called Wren? Nope.

Yes I know a couple of Wrens! I named my dd a rare name and there was another one at nursery with the same name (and almost the same surname).

I think you should go for Sheila or Carol if you want rare in London (maybe not East London though). Or maybe bog standard Emily or Sophie - very rare in my school!

Or maybe just go for a name you love and stick to your guns.

I moved out of South London 18 months ago. At the time I knew 3 different Wrens all under 3.

Two were registered at the same library rhyme time. The grandmother of Wren 2 was hilariously affronted that she needed to give the surname over to get a tick on her attendance card because she thought Wren was unique.

Know only 1 Wren (girl, 6).

What about Blaise?

A tiny, delicate looking little bird

I dunno, wrens are kind of dumpy and rotund

Surely Ren is more likely for a boy (as in and Stimpy)