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Baby names

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

Original poster

Violet - wow what an unusual name

108 replies

Radicalfaces · 01/08/2022 04:06

I feel like I’m living in an alternate universe!!

We wanted a name for our DD that was a classic normal English name, easy to spell and pronounce. We went with Violet.

From the minute she arrived everyone from family, friends and the nurses/ midwives have been so surprised by our name choice and said how unusual it is, they’ve never heard of any Violet’s etc.

we are confused and feel like the reaction is akin to if we’d named her Larksong or something!

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HappyHappyHermit · 01/08/2022 08:47

I think it was unusual for a long while but in the last 5 years or so has become more and more popular. I know two born just recently.

bloominglovelyorange · 01/08/2022 08:43

Meant to tag you @Radicalfaces

bloominglovelyorange · 01/08/2022 08:43

962 babies were called Violet in 2020
its a top 50 name (at number 48)
it's all relative but to me a top 50 name is absolutely not unusual
the name Violet was outside the top 1000 names 25 years ago so then yes it was unusual but absolutely not now
see graph:

names.darkgreener.com/#violet

Italiandreams · 01/08/2022 08:37

It’s a lovely name, one that was on our list. Not particularly unusual, I can think of 5 I have come across, of the top of my head. Guess it’s area dependent. There are 3 at my daughters school.

Chakraleaf · 01/08/2022 08:31

I have a 9yr old violet and people comment on her name all the time how much they love it.

bittertwisted · 01/08/2022 08:31

My cat is called violet Smile
But that is only because I knew I was never going to have a girl so called my kittens 2 of my favourite girls names, that I would never get to use
So they are Violet and Delilah
It's a lovely name

cushioncovers · 01/08/2022 08:29

It's an older name not an unusual one. Not sure why people are reacting like they are op. Plenty of older names are back in fashion.

SmileyClare · 01/08/2022 08:27

The name is unusual that's all people are saying. Do you know any Violets in RL op?No one is making negative comments to you.

I immediately connect the name to Violet Beauregard in the Chocolate factory who gobbles up the gum and turns the colour violet much to the horror of her parents.

Congratulations on your little Violet 🌸🌸

pinklavenders · 01/08/2022 08:22

Maybe you live in an area where most parents choose top 10 names.... do for them Violet is indeed unusual?

TheFormidableMrsC · 01/08/2022 08:21

It's a beautiful name. My beloved Nanna was a Violet. She was an amazing woman. I'm too old now but if I'd had another girl it would have been top of my list of names.

Numbat2022 · 01/08/2022 08:20

It's a lovely name, was on my list for a girl. I don't it's unusual at all, it's just not very commonly used... definitely more of a granny name, but that means it'll become more common again now.

I knew an Arthur at school and always thought it was a strange name for a child (I'm 40). Now there's millions of them 😁

TeenDivided · 01/08/2022 08:20

KirstenBlest · 01/08/2022 08:19

According to darkgreener it was the 48th most popular name in England & Wales in 2020.

Wow!

KirstenBlest · 01/08/2022 08:19

According to darkgreener it was the 48th most popular name in England & Wales in 2020.

lljkk · 01/08/2022 08:15

We know one who is 14yo.

ChronicOverthinkr · 01/08/2022 08:13

Violet was on our list but MIL kept saying it was too similar to violent 😒 and we ended up going with something else. I’ve got regrets because I still think it’s a lovely name!

florianfortescue · 01/08/2022 06:54

Dave Grohl's daughter is called Violet. I think it's beautiful and on a par with something like Primrose or Rowan in terms of "unusualness".

lastminutedotcom22 · 01/08/2022 06:45

diamondpony80 · 01/08/2022 06:32

The only Violet I know in real life is over 80. It's quite an old fashioned name, but a lot of those names are coming back into fashion.

The name Violet mostly just reminds me of Hyacinth Bucket! "It's my sister Violet! She's the one with the Mercedes, swimming pool, and room for a pony." Of course most people under a certain age won't have seen Keeping Up Appearances though!

Yes this!!
That's brought back memories!

ChessieFL · 01/08/2022 06:45

I don’t think it’s that unusual. One of the Yorkshire Shepherdess’s daughters is called Violet.

cantcomplainabouttheweather · 01/08/2022 06:44

Depends where you live - I have at least 5 friends/colleagues/ acquaintances who called their daughters Violet

Antarcticant · 01/08/2022 06:41

I know of a pre-school aged Violet Nice name.

PopGoesBang · 01/08/2022 06:38

I have one. There's another one in her school too.
I think it's a beautiful name (you'd hope so eh!)
Congratulations on your Violet and just enjoy it.

TeenDivided · 01/08/2022 06:34

I think it fits well with all the other older names these days such as Ivy and Alfie.
I think it is only 'unusual' in the same way that 10 years ago Ivy was unusual.

diamondpony80 · 01/08/2022 06:32

The only Violet I know in real life is over 80. It's quite an old fashioned name, but a lot of those names are coming back into fashion.

The name Violet mostly just reminds me of Hyacinth Bucket! "It's my sister Violet! She's the one with the Mercedes, swimming pool, and room for a pony." Of course most people under a certain age won't have seen Keeping Up Appearances though!

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 01/08/2022 06:17

I would say it's an 'older' name like many that are flowers, e.g. Daisy, Ivy, Rose etc. but many are making a comeback.

I think names are cyclical. When I was young only old men were called Arthur (and a cat who ate out of a tin) but now it seems quite common although they no longer wear cloth caps.

Violet Carson was Ena Sharples in Coronation Street.

The only other violet I can think of at the moment is the little sweets, Parma Violets.

RedHelenB · 01/08/2022 05:54

MooseBeTimeForSnow · 01/08/2022 05:21

My paternal grandmother’s name was Violet.

That's probably why it'll start to be a popular name again, people calling their children after their grandma's.

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