Name popularity

And apologies if I sounded snippy about unusual choices (and for accidentally posting 3 times!)

I should have said perhaps I now realise I was picking names I liked less in a bid to be more unusual. I recognise this is certainly not the case for everyone, but I do know a couple of women who have dismissed Oliver and James even though they openly say they are their favourite boys' names.

Yes I would 100% avoid a name because it is popular.

I'm due my 1st at the end of November and I've just looked at my name choices.

Girl: 2nd most popular
Boy: 70-something

I'm not changing my girl mind as I have my heart set on it. Would be nicer if it was less popular but I've got my mind set on it now (if it's a girl of course)

@Nellle if it’s Jack, then I love it. Sadly DH won’t let me use it, but I’ve only ever known fun loving Jacks!

The idea that people are choosing names they aren't fond just because they are unusual/uncommon is daft, that isn't happening. The vast majority of couples will love multiple names and discuss countless - popularity can help select between names, but this is amongst other factors such as ease of spelling, pronunciation issues, pop culture associations, family links... I have 17 names on my boys list and I love them all, but when including the factor of popularity I would favour Amos (rank 544), Lucien (rank 1051), and Wilbur (rank 473) above Gabriel (rank 65), Isaac (rank 21), Jasper (rank 78).

Yes, I have actively avoided popular names. My DD2 name is now between 120-130, it was over 1000 the year we had her and will only gain more popularity as the years go on. My DD1 is 1240ish on the list and will unlikely ever be in the top 100.

I would rather not choose an uber-popular name but I do think some people can get overly fixated on rankings and whether the fact it's at 150 in the table means it's too mainstream. God help their nerves if the (obscure) name they choose for their child has a sudden surge in popularity a decade later.

I have an unusual first name/surname combo and actually dislike being the only one of "me" in the digital age, I have changed my name online to avoid being so identifiable as anything related to me can be found with one quick search.

That's a good point.

It’s clear from MN threads that people tend to fixate on the number of Olivers in one class and not consider the cumulative effect over time. A Jack born in 2021 might not encounter many namesakes through his schooling but there will be many when he enters the workplace.

I avoided very popular names partly because DH and I both teach and most of them are ruined for us. I do think that if you have a very common middle name and are considering a very popular name it is wise to give a middle name, or possibly even two. There are some professional fields, eg academia, where it is really important to have a reasonably distinctive name.

No guarantee that unusual stays that way. When dd was born her name was three hundredth and something. It's now not far off the top 50!

@Doublethecuddles yes, I know of a couple of people who have recently officially changed their names to more common ones so they can't be found online. They found having a rare name really hard as they work in certain fields where you don't want people to be able to find out information about you. Interesting.

I have an unusual first name/surname combo and actually dislike being the only one of "me" in the digital age, I have changed my name online to avoid being so identifiable as anything related to me can be found with one quick search.

I think chart popularity and regional popularity are very different too.

I've worked with children for 20 years, have DC in primary/secondary schools and gone to local baby groups etc in that time and have met a handful of Olivia's/Oliver's/Amelia's/Jack'sEve's over the years but I know lots of Isla's, Brodie's, Skye's, Esme's and Matthew's.

I have a popular name (it’s not Ruby btw!) and it’s never bothered me in the slightest, in fact when I was little I used to delight in finding my name on things and I would love it when my name topped the charts as I had the ‘best liked name’.

I’ve often been in situations where there has been two of us in a class/workplace but we just laugh when we answer together. I’ve been Name X (letter of surname), ‘blonde’ Name, even ‘big’ name (as I was taller!) - never an issue. And if I turn round if someone calls my name on the street and I realise it’s not me they were after, I’m certainly not scarred for life .

You could choose the most unusual name for your child and find it shoots up in popularity, there is no controlling it.

Use a name you like and that is special to you.

I don't think wanting to avoid a popular/widely used name is snobby.

A name's main purpose is to identify. Much easier if your name isn't shared with lots of others. Especially important if you have a common surname. I actually know two people called Steve Smith, Sarah Smith and Harry Jones!

Why would it be snobby to try to avoid this for your children??

Do you think being bothered about name popularity is more of a female thing? I know there will be exceptions. I do know 2 men who wanted unusual names for their kids but the vast majority wanted a normal popular name. I mean 99% of the posters on this forum will be women (and yes I know that this forum is "mumsnet" so probably not the best example to use). The huge majority of youtube viewers for baby name videos are women.

There are far more Olivers than Olivia's (though each are the number 1 name). Boys are much more likely than girls to be given a top 100 name if you look at the official figures.

My partner says he's never bothered to think if he likes his name or not (it's a top 5 name from the 1980s when he was born). He is glad it was nothing outside the top 50 as he'd have found that embarrassing as he just wants to fit in. He said he is just happy to have a normal name and I'm imagining he's not alone given the total lack of interest most (not all) men have about names.

We chose a name that wouldn't be very common although it appears to be growing with popularity. I have never met one!

I will do the same with my next baby.

I grew up with a very unusual name but now it's pretty common amongst 5-8 yr olds

I'm of the pick a name you like, and that you liked years ago, and you will still like in 10, 20, 30, 50 years' time

I’m of the ‘choose a name you like, or has meaning to you’ school of thought. I’m not sure uniqueness matters. I was one of 7 with the same first name in my year at school and it’s honestly never bothered me. Interestingly of course my Mum always said that when she gave me that name she’d never heard of another one!

It does help that in my lifetime I’ve only met 2 people who share my slightly odd surname…

Due first baby in about 6 weeks and planning to name him after my Dad who died a few years ago. It’s a fairly timeless name that although dropping in popularity remains steadfastly in the top 20. Can have a whole other debate about lumbering children with family names and expectations but I like the idea that something will link my little boy to the Grandad he never met.