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Original poster

How common is Hermione

55 replies

CakeCrumbs44 · 31/08/2022 18:29

Hi all,
Someone on a different forum said that Hermione is "extremely common" name for adults in the UK. I'm British and have never met a Hermione or even heard of one IRL.

Stats I've found only go back to the 90s. Obviously it had a peak of popularity in the early 2000s because of Harry potter but it wasn't that popular before was it?

Anecdotally, how many women and girls called Hermione do you know and what age are they please?

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EdgeOfACoin · 01/09/2022 08:25

I've met one Hermione in my life. She'd be about 40 now.

Mymoneydontjigglejiggle · 01/09/2022 06:09

Nah it's bollocks op. I know and have taught plenty of Jessicas. I've never met a Hermione although I campaigned hard for it to be on our girls' shortlist for the DC (DH wasn't keen and I ended up with 3 boys anyway!).

startfresh · 01/09/2022 06:06

SmokyQuartz · 31/08/2022 18:36

Wasn’t the blonde actress in Cold Feet called Hermione irl?

Who I was looking to see being mentioned, only one I know.

ProbablyPossiblyPerhaps · 01/09/2022 05:04

Not in the UK - I know two in their 40s, one early 20s, one late teens . Not Harry Potter related I'm pretty sure (and obviously not the older 2). Not common nor as uncommon as in the UK, where I never met any.

You do get pockets of names for various reasons though - we know an unusual number of Magdalenas and Korbinians (all but one of the Magdalenas known by nicknames) neither of which are nationally nearly as popular as our aquaintences suggest!

Claricethecat45 · 01/09/2022 05:03

Have known 2; One is now 29 and one is 17

One was routinely called 'Mi Mi' and never the full Hermione

ImperioMarch · 01/09/2022 04:29

One or two a year at most in Scotland.

How common is Hermione
peaceinourtime · 01/09/2022 03:51

Its too Harry Potter to use now I think. I think anyone with that name born after the release of the books their name would be linked to thee series as it was an uncommon name.

Minesril · 31/08/2022 22:00

It goes back to Ancient Greece: Hermione was the daughter of Helen and Menelaus (yes Helen had a daughter before she ran off with/was abducted by Paris).

I think there was a girl on my uni course called Hermione.

Bideshi · 31/08/2022 20:37

It's been around for along time. 2 actresses in the 1930s called Hermione Gingold and Hermione Baddley. A novelist, Hermione Lee. And.of course, it's in 'A Winter's Tale'. Decades ago I knew a couple at university, both from arty-farty Bloomsbury-type families. No problem with pronunciation, or no more than other Greek names like Penelope.But Harry Potter's changed everything I guess. And at least it's a name and not a random combo of syllables like many that crop up here.

spagbog5 · 31/08/2022 20:36

We know a 17 year old one - she's great !

toastofthetown · 31/08/2022 20:28

Frustratingly in England and Wales, we can't know details about name usage for names outside of the top hundred before 1996. Since then Hermione has been in low to moderate use, peaking after Harry Potter became popular then settling back down. All we can know for sure before then is that since 1904 and in each ten year interval after that it has never been in the top hundred and it's probably safe to extrapolate that Hermione has never been a top hundred name. I'd probably assume usage was similar to the mid-90's, and 10-60ish girls per year were called Hermione pretty consistently before data was available. Extremely common is a massive stretch.

magd2901 · 31/08/2022 20:08

I’m a teacher and have taught in 3 big secondaries over the past 12 years. Never had a Hermione in any of them (students would now be aged 12-30)

CatkinToadflax · 31/08/2022 20:08

There are three Hermiones at DS’s school. I’ve never come across any others though.

Luredbyapomegranate · 31/08/2022 20:07

I had a school friend Emma who had a sister Hermione, a good few years before HP. Always thought that one very common and one hardly used name were a quirky combo.

It’s used more for kids now I think. I quite like it.

Sandysandwich · 31/08/2022 19:54

I know 3 people called Hermione, a 4 year old a 23 year old and one I don't know the age of but she was a friend of my grandmas so probably 80ish

Stroopwaffle5000 · 31/08/2022 19:29

DD has a friend called Hermione. She's 10.

Snugglemonkey · 31/08/2022 18:46

SmokyQuartz · 31/08/2022 18:36

Wasn’t the blonde actress in Cold Feet called Hermione irl?

Yes. She is the only Hermione I know of.

Redsharks · 31/08/2022 18:39

I don't know any but had short-listed it for DD who is 8 now. I love the name!

PuttingDownRoots · 31/08/2022 18:38

DD is at school with one (9yo)

25years ago most people didn't know how to pronounce it.

WhatIsThisPlease · 31/08/2022 18:38

I don't know any

Bilingualspingual · 31/08/2022 18:38

I know two. One of around 50, one of around 30. Still fairly unusual tho I’d have said.

SmokyQuartz · 31/08/2022 18:36

Wasn’t the blonde actress in Cold Feet called Hermione irl?

Original poster
CakeCrumbs44 · 31/08/2022 18:36

Glad I'm not going crazy then! He/She said it was as popular in the UK, as Jessica is in the US.

OP posts:
SmokyQuartz · 31/08/2022 18:35

A sister of a friend has a Hermione who would be around 14/15 but never met a grown up one!

Original poster
CakeCrumbs44 · 31/08/2022 18:35

PimmsOfCourse · 31/08/2022 18:34

Never met one. Also wouldn't names child that- pronunciation/ spelling

I think it would actually be OK now as the name is well known due to Harry Potter. I probably wouldn't use it due to the connection though!

OP posts: