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Baby names

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

Original poster

Are there any names that you don't understand why they aren't more popular?

114 replies

TheNameNerd · 06/11/2022 11:13

Which names do you think deserve more love?

I know it's very much a marmite name but I love Ambrose.

What names do you think should be used more often?

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midsomermurderess · 06/11/2022 14:19

Emil. Tons and tons of Emilys, not not an Emil in sight.

KirstenBlest · 06/11/2022 13:58

Yes, but it amazes me that so many parents pick names that are very popular, and that are so similar to lots of other names

MrJi · 06/11/2022 13:58

toastofthetown · 06/11/2022 12:49

Marina. It’s such a beautiful name: classic, not overused, easy to say, easy to spell, travels well internationally.

I love Marina too. I only know one, and she is a lovely person which makes me like the name even more.

caitlinrose · 06/11/2022 13:56

PeekabooAtTheZoo · 06/11/2022 13:07

Laura
Hannah
Verity
Sarah
Evelyn for a boy
Henry
Robert
Andrew
All gorgeous traditional names that our generations seem to have chucked out of the window in favour of noises and common nouns.

They haven't really been chucked out of the window, names go in and out of style and all of these will be back in about 80-100 years or so.

Most people who will have children soon or are having them now went to school with countless people named Laura, Hannah, Andrew etc. so it's understandable that they don't want to name their child something like Laura which probably 5 people in their class were called.

caitlinrose · 06/11/2022 13:52

I'm going to answer this according to the title (as in which ones we don't understand not being more popular and not as in which ones we'd like to see more often (some overlap, though)):

Lilia - it combines all the popular sounds: Lily, Olivia, Lydia but never became popular.
Allie (as a full name) - Abbey, Abbie, Abby all made the top 100 on their own but Allie never even got close even though Ellie was very common.
Tansy - it fits into the flower name trend.
Hermione - especially now as the people who grew up with Harry Potter are having kids. The name is pretty and close to other favourites like Penelope.
Viola - Violet is popular, names ending in -a are popular but somehow not this.

I also don't understand why Eleanor and Isabella never became popular in Scotland (or at least not overly so) while being very common in England/Wales.

I like Twyla too.

LynetteScavo · 06/11/2022 13:09

Bruno

Hamish

Bruce

Angus

Howard

Arnold

Perry

Felicity

Phoebe

Margo

Peony

Juno

All great names

SummaLuvin · 06/11/2022 13:08

Claudia. It’s just so nice! And always gets such a strong reception here, so many people say they almost picked it, but this popularity isn’t reflected in the overall usage. I can only think it’s the sort of name that makes a lot of shortlist but not the final choice in a lot of circumstances.

PeekabooAtTheZoo · 06/11/2022 13:07

Laura
Hannah
Verity
Sarah
Evelyn for a boy
Henry
Robert
Andrew
All gorgeous traditional names that our generations seem to have chucked out of the window in favour of noises and common nouns.

catinboots123 · 06/11/2022 13:00

Merlin

MoreTeaLessCoffee · 06/11/2022 12:55

Twyla, I know one and I think it's beautiful.

Sherrystrull · 06/11/2022 12:51

Caroline
Claire
Faye

toastofthetown · 06/11/2022 12:49

Marina. It’s such a beautiful name: classic, not overused, easy to say, easy to spell, travels well internationally.

Original poster
TheNameNerd · 06/11/2022 11:26

Also, Ivor.

OP posts:
FourChimneys · 06/11/2022 11:26

Simon
Peter
Jonathan

Claire
Julie
Sally

I had all of these in my junior school class but you rarely see them now.