Is there a good reason why these names are not more popular?

Miranda is odd I agree but Serena is pretty popular. 328th place in the most recent stats. More popular than Amy, Mary, and Megan. I would use Miranda as I only like to choose from names outside the top 1000.

There are others that fall into the Miranda category to me - inexplicably outside the top 1000. Like Viola, Caroline, Marie, Veronica, Anne, Bethan, Jacqueline.

The stats always throw up some funny ones though. Like more baby girls were named Genesis than Jean. And more babies were named Renesmee than Claire. More named Princess than Hermione, more called Brooklyn than Louise.

Strangely, I rather like boy's names that end in an 'O'.

Hardly met any Serena’s but the two I know of different ages are absolutely lovely and weirdly ate both quite serene! So would definitely consider that really like Miranda too

@rainingsnoring Plus Ophelia has the trendy letter - everyone wants ‘O’ names at the moment!

'Just compare the out-of-fashion Miranda with the similarly Shakespearean but currently very trendy Ophelia. Namesake-wise Miranda is far more positive, but those few extra vowels seem to make all the difference!'

I think you are right. Personally, I think Ophelia sounds very unattractive, not to speak of the tragic character. Rosalind, Celia, Miranda or Helena sound much better to me.

Just as an aside, I find the ‘harsh-sounding’ description very interesting when it comes to girls’ names. This was very much applied to DD’s name, and most of our other shortlist choices, when we asked for opinions on here. DP and I liked lots of different names but the thing they all had in common was that they were all quite strong-sounding, not overly frilly and largely had more consonants in than the current trendy choices.

It does seem atm that many people want girls’ names to be very light and flowery and sinuous-sounding - all flowy vowels - while for boys’ names it’s the opposite, with anything a bit softer sounding being deemed ‘wet’. I do wonder how this all plays into stereotypes and gender expectations of girls and boys.

Just compare the out-of-fashion Miranda with the similarly Shakespearean but currently very trendy Ophelia. Namesake-wise Miranda is far more positive, but those few extra vowels seem to make all the difference!

Names go in cycles - they may not be popular now but you’ll probably find in 10 years they’re 1 and 2! There’s nothing horrible about either of them. I suspect it’s just because they’re very old names and at the moment it’s very popular to have Edwardian names.

Miranda is quite a mouthful and a bit harsh sounding without any obvious options to shorten it to.
Also can imagine it may get the nickname randy miranda with how teens can be.

Serena is nice, we know a couple and I can imagine it may be one of the next popular names.

I've always loved Miranda, I think it's a beautiful name.

My association with the name Miranda is a brilliant, funny, warm and stunningly beautiful woman I was friends with for a few years. The name always seems elegant to me.

Serena is a great name too. Neither of them are frumpy at all imo.

I just don’t like the way they sound. There’s lots of unpopular names that I do like but Miranda and Serena just don’t sound nice.

No good reason at all. They are both lovely names, just not fashionable at present.
Like a couple of other posters, I also love classic, more grown up names like Julia/ Juliet, Marina, Claudia, Cecilia/ Celia, Helena and Viola compared to all the Evie/ Ella/ Tilly/ Edie type names that are currently fashionable.

I don’t think it’s anything other than the fact that they just aren’t trendy choices at the moment - and that’s a good thing IMO. They’re not cutesy, frilly or ‘granny chic’ in style, which most of the currently favoured choices are.

I really like Miranda (along with other underused Shakespearean names like Viola, Juliet, Helena and Marina). The fact that it’s slightly ‘harsh-sounding’ is a plus for me, as I dislike most of the vowel-heavy names that are popular at the moment. DD has a similarly strong-sounding ‘marmite’ name that is currently very much out of favour (only 26 babies with her name born in 2022). I’d infinitely rather have/be a Miranda or Serena than one of the many Ava/Ada/Eva/Evies or Lily/Lila/Lyra/Luna/Laylas that are around at the moment.

All I can hear with Miranda is Steve from SATC constantly repeating her name like a question

Serena is lovely

I prefer Madeleine to Miranda, but Miranda is also lovely and that fact that it's much less common is on its side. I'd prefer either Miranda or Serena to the myriad Elsies, Ellas, Evies and Avas who seem to be everywhere these days.

The Tempest and Picnic at Hanging Rock were also connections that sprung to my mind; also unfortunately the protagonist of John Fowles's The Collector, which is one of the most horribly misogynistic novels I think I've ever read. Miranda is also the daughter of the murdered novelist in P D James' The Lighthouse.

Like it.

I'm not sure that Serena was ever that popular. I don't remember anyone in all my time at school with the name. That said, I really like it.

Miranda - again I don't remember anyone at school in any year groups or any hobby friends being called that. It's OK, I don't mind it. It's possibly a bit dated.

I’m shocked that there are so few Mirandas. I think it’s lovely - beautiful, classic name.

Serena is lovely, to me Miranda sounds very hard though and I don't really like it.

Miranda was the full name of a child I knew who went by Randy. Which is okay in the US evidently.

I really like Miranda! Classic, timeless, Shakespearean....

Serena is lovely too.

I also like
Melissa
Marisa
Sabrina
Selena

Miranda is gorgeous.
I think of the eerie film - Picnic at Hanging Rock, Miranda Kerr and The Tempest.

Serena is stylish and strong.
I think of high fashion, Serena Williams and peaceful contentment.

I know both a Miranda and a Serena btw - one in their 40’s and one 50’s. I don’t know any young ones personally but I do think of them as timeless names- I could just as easily imagine them on a little girl. I love both but slightly prefer Miranda - mainly because of the Shakespeare link but also as it has more nn choices if she wants (Mira, Miri and Andie).

No reason they aren’t more popular. Just as many people with think of Shakespeare or even actress Miranda Richardson as they will Miranda Hart. Sone people will think of Serena from Gossip Girl or the word Serene before they think of the tennis player. They aren’t one current major association names like Madonna or Adele or even Boris (at the moment).

It’s just a lot of classical origin names seem underused currently because of all the two syllable and ending in ie/y or a/ah names or “Granny chic” names are so ubiquitous.

Lovely, elegant sounding choices btw - I’d put Julia/Juliet, Celia/Cecilia, Antonia, Marina, Diana, Claudia, Helena etc in the same sort of underused category.

I know a baby Serena.

Not met a Miranda in years, but I really like it. Much nicer than another short, ends in ie or y name that seems to be everywhere

Seren is quite popular at the moment (I've met a number of them who are not Welsh). I wonder if some who might otherwise pick Serena are opting for it as a more "modern" feel.

Miranda is nice but amongst a generation of names that hasn't quite come back yet. The Mirandas I know are the same generation as Pamela, Jean and Sue; current names tend to lean back to the 30s/40s a little more - Ada, Iris, Mavis, etc. Having said that, Miranda is reasonably timeless given its Shakespeare connection.