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Baby names

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

Original poster

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

93 replies

PitterPatter3 · 18/05/2024 15:37

I’m looking for something not too popular and am considering both of these for DD due in the autumn. I just wanted to check there’s not a good reason why they’re so unusual which I’ve missed?

Miranda - There were only 7 born in 2021. Did the Hart connection put people off? Or was it Sex & the City? Or something else?

Serena - Do people just think of Serena Williams? Or is the Gossip Girl connection problematic?

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Downthemedow · 18/05/2024 20:59

I know an 8 year old Miranda. It does seem an odd name for a child these days.

Original poster
PitterPatter3 · 18/05/2024 20:55

thea114 · 18/05/2024 20:22

They're just not particularly modern. It's like Hannah, or Sarah etc. just associated with an older generation, but not the older generation when they become fashionable again type thing!

I don’t think either have actually been popular at any point, have they?

OP posts:
thea114 · 18/05/2024 20:22

They're just not particularly modern. It's like Hannah, or Sarah etc. just associated with an older generation, but not the older generation when they become fashionable again type thing!

Previousreligion · 18/05/2024 20:22

I know one Miranda and it's never shortened.

Previousreligion · 18/05/2024 20:21

I absolutely love Miranda and it was on my list. I think of The Tempest and fairies and don't think it's hard sounding at all (although I'm probably not the best judge as I loathe a lot of the vowel heavy soft currently fashionable names).

Serena is also fine.

Squirma · 18/05/2024 20:21

The name Serena Joy springs to mind from Handmaids Tale for me..

Hoeboe · 18/05/2024 20:00

They're nice names but I suppose quite 80s sloane ranger-Y names so perhaps why? Also a lot of popular girls names are quite 'cute' with the 'ee' endings (Lily, Daisy, Evie etc) so they are just not in vogue.

Moreteaandchocolate · 18/05/2024 18:19

I really like Serena, I’m not sure why it’s used so infrequently!

Miranda sounds a bit hard and dated to me, so I wouldn’t use it personally.

PinkMendinilla · 18/05/2024 18:10

Not in a rude way, I think they're great names but in my opinion probably verging on rather fussy or frilly for a lot of people's tastes with no obvious diminutives. It's not always only length that causes that.

Serena might be edged out by Selena as people seem to like astral names at the minute (not checking any data, just a thought).

No bad references I can think of at all. Serena Williams a definite positive. Miranda as in Prospero's daughter not a bad ref, gentle and I suppose quite naive but very young. Miranda SATC and Hart neutral.

I think Miranda is lovely particularly

ginasevern · 18/05/2024 18:05

Not so keen on Serena but I absolutely love the name Miranda. The only thing is it will be shortened to Mandy which is a bit ordinary.

Simd1 · 18/05/2024 18:03

I like both. Classy and elegant without being stuffy, and unusual without being weird.

Barleysugar86 · 18/05/2024 18:03

Miranda is a mermaid name to me now.

Serena is the cruel wife character from the Handmaid's tale. It is hard not to associate it as a hard name for me for the time being.

SallyWD · 18/05/2024 18:00

They're lovely, just not fashionable at the moment.

Nicebloomers · 18/05/2024 17:58

I think Serena is beautiful. I often suggest it on here. I don’t know if the character in ‘The Handmaids tale’ has had a positive or negative effect on its popularity for newborn babes.

Miranda is fine, but just doesn’t do it for me. I’m neutral about it, although it is refreshingly uncommon.

spriots · 18/05/2024 17:46

I like both

Personally I don't think any name from Shakespeare can really be outdated, they all feel like classics to me

JimPansy · 18/05/2024 17:44

They aren't trendy, @PitterPatter3 . The same names (Sophia, Lily, Ella, Maeve, Freya etc) come up again and again. Some names are popular on here but not IRL (e.g. Claudia, Pippa, Juliet).

I prefer the more underused classics than the overused trendy names.

modgepodge · 18/05/2024 17:44

I’ve taught girls called both - the serena is 10 and the Miranda would be about 17 or 18 by now. I have to say it doesn’t sound like a little girl name to me!

miranda456 · 18/05/2024 17:39

NC for this. I have a Miranda in her mid twenties. I absolutely love it still. She was born in Bermuda, where the shipwreck at the beginning of The Tempest was allegedly set, otherwise she would have been Cordelia. Her maths teacher used to say it was a hard name - I think it's strong but elegant. She was Mandy at school which I wasn't keen on.

I know four Serenas of different ages. Less keen on that.

1984Winston · 18/05/2024 17:39

I love the name Miranda but dislike the actress/comedian but my husband vetoed the name anyway!

AprilPoisson · 18/05/2024 17:30

I think of The Tempest for Miranda.
Serena Williams is a legend.
Prefer Marina and Sienna though.

umami86 · 18/05/2024 17:25

It's just one those things OP.
I don't like Miranda because it sounds harsh (like what PP said), also seems older.

Serena is more common among speakers of Romantic languages. I never thought of it as a particularly British (English or otherwise) name.

not an excuse, I mean Freya is a very popular name, Norse but still related to the English language(Friday is from the goddesses' name). Compared to names like Amelia, Olivia, Charlotte etc Serena doesn't stand out as being related if it makes any sense.

Moveoverdarlin · 18/05/2024 17:20

I think Miranda is old fashioned. I know a couple who are late 50s ish. I put it in the same category as Amanda, Phillippa, Belinda. Nice enough names but of their time.

Tomatina · 18/05/2024 17:16

Miranda is beautiful. Serena is nice, but what if the girl turns out not to be serene (placid)? What if she has an anxious or vivacious temperament?

JimPansy · 18/05/2024 17:06

both are really nice. elegant and not overused.

I don't like Mimi, but Mindy is OK if you need a 'nn'

DancefloorAcrobatics · 18/05/2024 16:48

I don't like either of them ...
But going against the grain here and out of the 2 I would choose Miranda with Mimi as nickname.