Is our list too boring?

oops, that should say Hannah - slip of the finger, not the brain!

I don't think any of these names are boring, but I also don't think it really matters whether anyone else thinks they're boring. Timeless names are timeless for a reason. I really like most of this list and Sarah was our top choice for a girl (we never had a girl). The only one I don't like quite so much is Jolie (but then I really do like traditional names and that one feels a bit more modern to me), and I prefer the spellings Zoe and Annabel to Zoey and Annabelle. Sarah, Sophie, Emma or Hanna FTW!

My husband likes so many of these names. I do find some a bit boring but overall still a nice list.

Chloe - this is pretty, my husband loves it but I wouldn't consider it due to the Khloe spelling which has become more popular and the fact that I know so many my own age. It's fun to say and I wouldn't say it's boring, it's just that when you know so many already you feel like it's already taken.
Sophie - it's on our list. It used to be #1. I guess it depends on how many you actually know as it's often a bit regional. I don't know that many so had no problem adding it.
Emma - another of DH's favourites. For me it's too common but I do like the sound.
Sarah - DH's likes this. I like it too and don't know that many (I know way more Chloes and Emmas than Sarahs or Sophies) but it's still popular.
Sarah-Jane - not a huge fan. Many of the Sarahs I know have the middle name Jane.
Annabelle - this is nice but prefer Annabel.
Eva - cute.
Jolie - okay.
Zoey - prefer Zoe.
Hannah - a bit bland but not bad. DH likes it.

I'd pick Annabel or Sophie.

The issue is that even if she won't meet many at school (and she likely won't) her workplace will still be full of Emmas and Chloes and Sophies and Sarahs only that they'll be 20+ years older than her. But she might still be Sophie S. or the tall Chloe.

I like Annabelle/Emma/Zoe best from your list

I don't think it's a problem choosing names that aren't "of the moment" - it means they won't be so popular and there won't be dozens of kids with the same name as your kids? Everyone has their own taste so definitely don't show other friends/family members and make your own decision?

(am speaking as someone who has a Matthew and he's pleased I did for the reasons I quote above!!)

Biased but my 9yo is Eva and since we had her, despite how high on the popularity charts it is, we’ve only ever met 1 other girl called Eva.

It’s timeless and her name gets a lot of compliments amongst the mass of Evie & Ava.
I think it’s beautiful & elegant. My great grandmother, born 1902, was called Eva so it’s not a “new, fashionable” name.

Love Emma but i’m biased as I have a beautiful 18 year old Emma

Its timeless and classic ❤️

For me the only one that sounds dated is Sarah Jane. Possibly because as a mid 80s baby I grew up with many Sarah janes.

I think Sophie, Sarah and Sarah-Jane are painfully boring names. I don’t really like them.

Emma and Hannah are a little boring too, but has more of a classic feel. They’re nice names, they’re just not very exciting and have been very overdone by the past couple of generations.

I think Chloe, Zoey, Eva and Annabelle are very beautiful names. They’re popular, but their sound is so pretty.

Jolie I’d say is an uncommon name and not boring. I quite like it, unless it’s a typo for Julie, which I hate. Love Julia though, as it feels fresher and lighter.

Very much dislike Sarah-Jane but besides that they’re all nice and classic.

It's v personal so definitely go with what you like and has a special meaning for you.

I like Annabelle the best.

Just to give you more ideas with similar vibe:

Martha
Clara
Sylvia
Josephine

I have a Chloe so I'm biased 😅 but it's a pretty name and not overused

Lots of those names are very popular so they clearly aren’t universally considered boring!!

I dislike Zoey and Jolie a lot, though like Zoe spelt traditionally.

I like them all except Chloe and Jolie.

Sarah and Jane are both good, classic names but better as stand-alone names.

Eva I liked, but it's become so oft-used recently.

The rest are great.

All good , except Jolie and I’d spell Zoe not Zoey

I'm an Emma , ( cough ) from the 1960s when my mum was told off by the midwife for calling her baby a nasty old fashioned name , it’s a lovely name

Ignore your friend , and let her call her baby what she likes and you name your baby your way

Emma - Very big in the '80s and '90s and on a downward trend here, but currently popular for babies in the US (where it wasn't so popular in the '80s.)

Emma has bobbed around the 50 mark in the UK top 100 for at least 9 years as i always check. No. 48 currently. 1.5k born the year my daughter was born but Ive never met another a similar age and DDis the only one in her 2 form entry primary. Its a great choice if you have a complicated surname. I have never had to correct spelling or pronunciation. Very popular in scandinavia and france.

There was a fun thread on here a few years back about how boring it is.

They're all lovely choices

Beautiful names, I especially love Emma, Sarah & Eva. My children’s names are definitely too boring for my best friend’s tastes and, equally, her son’s name is too out there for me so don’t worry about her opinion too much. If it’s right for you & your partner, that’s all that matters.

@BCBird , they don't have to be fashionable, but if you use one that's dropping in popularity, you'll be one of several Chloes in the workplace, with the others being about 20 yrs older than you.

I had a granny name and got comments like 'That's my nan's name' as a kid (it made me feel like the odd one out). My name was not on souvenirs (I didn't mind).

If you think about it some names date someone to approximately a decade. How old would you expect a Debbie, Julie and Tracey to be, or a Darren, Paul or Nigel?
How about Margaret, Barbara and Christine, or Alan, Graham and Colin?

Oops, and I would say no to Jolie too. How would you pronounce it? No it means pretty in French.

Why do names hsve to be fashionable? I like all the names apart from Sarah-Jane. Sometimes I think it's best to wait until the child is born before deciding on a name, because sometimes u have ond in mind and think to yourself that it does not suit said child. 🙂

Honestly only Eva is overdone right now

I like Emma or Zoe (the extra y will be a pain for her), the rest are all perfectly nice other than Jolie which is odd (and adds rather a lot of pressure for her) and Sarah Jane - hyphens are never good.

Chloe - pretty, don’t know any under 20
Sophie - lovely, very popular

Emma - classic, stylish
Sarah - classic, stylish
Sarah-Jane - I don't usually like double barrelled names but this is classy
Annabelle - doll's name, frilly

Eva - elegant and simple
Jolie - Angelina! Also difficult for a plain child to carry off. A no from me.

Zoey - ok, prefer the Zoe spelling
Hannah - classic

most of these would be lovely

I love Sophie, Emma and Zoey but without the y

Not boring but classic.
Lovely names