Why do people pick popular names?

Because then my child doesn have to correct people or spell out their name, it keeps it simple

I think bland people pick those names tbh. I'd be damned if I carried for 9 months then went through childbirth to call it Charlie or sophie 🤦🏻‍♀️ my kids don't have out there names but they have never been one of many in their class.

I think most baby names are a compromise between what mum liked and what dad liked, so they tend to the more popular.

Like my top 10 names and DHs top 10 names had very little overlap except the more popular name that made both lists.

Surname harmony is a big thing… If your last name is Smith you would be way more likely to search out something a bit different. But for those of us with unusual last names a top 40 first name is no bad thing 🙌

Because the names are nice, generally the most common names are going to be the ones that are the most liked names.
There are a ton of benefits to having a common name, like the lack of misspelling and mispronounciation. The relative anonymity of not having a super unique first name can be a positive. Unlikely to be teased, judged or embarassed by your name. Even silly things like being able to by those christmas arnaments and water bottles with your name on in gift shops.

But also there are so many names now in use that the top 10 just isnt the same thing as it was 20 years ago. The top name is given to 1% of babies so its not even like there will definitely be two in every classroom, more like 1 Olivia in a 3 or 4 form entry year group. There just is more names now its not as much of an issue.

It's also because the trends are about shared associations for names and these are often shared across age groups. So, from being a kid I thought if I had a DD she'd be called Esme because it was a name I only came across in books when I was growing up and it sounded pretty. Turns out, loads of people my age thought the same! So, it would.have felt original to me but also a few thousand others.

Would love to know your child’s name OP. 😅

It goes in waves and you love what you love - I wouldn’t remove my favourite name in the world from the list just because others like it too.
I could say the same for names that are so unique you end up going “What? How do you spell that?” - I had that kind of surname and it was so difficult.

Both my DCs have names that were in the top ten for the years they were born, but I had no idea at the time. It was irrelevant to me how many others might have the same name. We picked them because we liked them.

As it turns out, they’ve been the only ones in their classes (and year groups I think) at primary school and there are very few at their huge secondary.

You're baffled by Isabel and Jack? I'm baffled that you're baffled tbh. Very odd.

Because they hear them around a lot and if affects what they like, I'd imagine.

I'll admit I was aware of the top 10 names for boys and girls each time we had a kid because I wanted to ensure we didn't use any of them - I guess I'm thinking about the three Katies in my class at school! DH did once or twice suggest names that were on that list. Our first child we chose a name that was getting more popular, so we knew it wouldn't be 'weird' but it wouldn't be everywhere either. Middle name was one of the top 10 names, but it was after DH's grandma who died just before I found out I was pregnant.

DS has a very unusual name, but it's after a great grandfather from another country.

I didn't want a unique name. I don't understand why anyone would.

I am primary school teacher. I wanted my DC to have traditional British names spelt traditionally.

The hard part was finding a name that didn't remind me of a child I had taught!

@postitnote8 no of course not but my point is why should you compromise? If you love a name, use it. People get so caught up in what other people are doing that they either compromise on a slightly less popular name or go out of their way to think of something totally bizarre just to be unique. It makes no sense to me.

Maybe people just don't give a shit because at the end of the day it's just a name. I think it's a very modern phenomena that people put so much effort into what is actually a very shallow, irrelevant thing. It's actually quite vain when you think about it. Because you think the name choice reflects on you somehow, whereas most people don't give a crap or judge others on their name choices. One of my dd's has a very popular name. I save all the effort for the actual, you know, parenting. I researched my family tree recently and practically every woman in it going back 150 years is called Margaret, Mary or Joan and every bloke is James, John or Alexander. Didn't bother them I don't think.

Some people have a horror of being in any way conspicuous.

My parents, for one — they’re quite upfront about the fact that their priority when naming all their large family was ‘to be as ordinary as possible’. There were six girls with my name in my class of 30 all through primary, and one had the same (common) surname too. It took me until I was in my mid-20s and living abroad to respond to my name being called on the street or across a room.

Though what bothers me about my name is that the emphases of my first name don’t work at all with my surname, making it hard to say. I wish they’d said it aloud a few times.

DS has a very unusual name.

Both my kids have top 10 names, the first I had loved for years! I had no idea of its popularity, because I didn't have a wide circle of children I knew. But in my direct circles, they are still the only child I know with that name. (Obvs others in nursery etc).

The second, I had no idea it was anywhere near the top ten. Only knew of one other person called this name who were in their 20's.
Now, I've met a few 😂.

I didn't google them, I picked them because I liked them 😊.

When you actually look at the number of babies born with each name, it's not a huge amount. My daughter has a top 10 name as that is the only one me and her father loved. Popularity wasn't a factor. I personally don't know anyone else with it, it's not that popular locally even though its in the Uk top 10. And frankly, I can't really see what the issue is with having the same name as other people. I have an unusual name which no one can pronounce or spell - it's actually irritating!

It's going to be very valuable to be ungooglable in the future, I reckon.

To be called something like Sophie Jones or Alex Taylor or something like that will give anonymity online.

And popular names are popular because a lot of people like them. The more people that like them, the higher up the rankings they are.

Those of us who frequent this board are the outliers. Most people really do not give that much thought to their children’s names. They pick a name they like and they use it. Unless they have a lot of babies in their families or work with young children they have very little idea what is popular and therefore are mildly surprised (but not especially bothered) to find that their child is one of four Islas / Avas / Arthurs in their class.

Most of these names are popular because they are lovely, classic names that have stood the test of time.

Much better than silly, made up, oddly spelled attempts at uniqueness

IMO

One of mine has a top 5 name and the other whilst less popular is a classic.

The popularity of a name wouldn't influence my choice. If I like it I like it. It's not about trying harder, it's about having your own mind and going with the you actually want, not being so desperate to be 'different' that you compromise or worse still come up with some bizarre unique name.

DS2 has a top consistently 5 name. When I was pregnant with him I vetoed the name. I didnt want a popular name. But as soon as I saw his face I knew that was his name.

So that's why.

DS1 OTOH was 84th most popular the year he was born. I love his name. He loves his name. But he hated never being able to find things with his name on when he was small. We've managed to find about 5 things in 19 years.

So I guess there's that, if someone cared about that kind of thing.

Isn't there a wider range of names in circulation these days? So even if you call your child Amelia or Oliver, it's much less likely that there will be three of each in the class than there would have been in the 90s if your child was Sarah or Christopher.