Super common/popular baby names - why?

It never occurred to me to look at the top 10/20 etc names when choosing. We just chose names we liked. As it turned out, both DS and DD’s names were in the top 10 for the year they were born.

However, they were the only ones in their class and year group at primary. I think there may have been another one or two in their year groups at their huge secondary.

Well, nobody can guarantee the thoughts and personality of their future children so, when considering a name, parental preference is ultimately the most important thing. That phrase will usually be said in response to someone fretting over other people's opinions (mainly family). We all have different tastes. The only taste that matters when naming a baby is that of the parents, unless they can magically see into the future to know what type of name their offspring may prefer?!

For every child who hates being known as their first name followed by surname initial (if indeed they are, not a given these days), there is another who is relieved to easily blend in with the crowd. For everyone who loves how their unique name makes them stand out, there is another who cringes when other people say it out loud because of how different it is. For everyone who loves being the only one of their name they know spelt that way, there is another who curses their parents every time they have to spell it out. For every kid who likes being the only one at school (if indeed they are), there's another who wishes there were more people with their name to confirm it is indeed a nice, universally liked name rather than an odd choice their parents plucked from obscurity in an attempt to be different.

As long as people have considered how their future child might like their name, it's ludicrous to suggest their decision is selfish. What you're failing to consider is that everyone has different preferences. Just because you may prefer different, does not mean that every parent to be will want that for their child, or that every child will appreciate that. We have no way of knowing, when picking a name, whether it's the right choice for our child. How many people pluck for the exact opposite type of name to the one their parents gave them? We can only please ourselves when picking a name. Whether our offspring actually like it or not will be down to pure chance.

I find it an odd concept that some on here seem to think those who pick popular names have put little thought into it. For them, it could absolutely be the perfect choice after much deliberation, just like any name anyone chooses. Equally, something completely out there doesn't always require great thought, just a desire to be different (without any idea whether the child will actually like it or not).

Also to add, I have an unusual (foreign) surname as DH is not from the UK so having a 'normal' and easy to pronounce first name seems more important

We just went for names that we liked and worked well in multiple countries (husband is from another country)/ pronounced not too differently. Didn’t care about popularity.
to be fair I could never find thing with my name on as a child and people always mistook it for another name so quite liked the idea of it being fairly popular

There are so many “normal” names that are under used but so many choose the same. Eve/isabe/olivia/Lily guess humans are pack animals who want to stay with the crowd!

DC1 has a name that's not even in the top 500. Not totally 'out there' but definitely not a common name.

Pregnant with DC2 now and so far the only name we can both agree on is a top 10 name!! We both really like it.

I have an unusual name and liked the fact I was the only one at school etc (although I've met others in adulthood). I always hated that I couldn't find my name on a keyring or stick of rock though!

I have an unusual name and went to school in peak Claire/Sarah/Joanne/Andrew/David/Chris era. I was jealous of the people with popular names, I wanted to fit in. People tended to be teased for names more back then, perhaps. In naming a baby I’d probably avoid the top 10 but I would want something in the top 100.

I hate it, I have a really unique name and have only met two others with it. I would hate to have a name like everyone else. It was terrible at school when you had to differentiate people by their surname initial

FWIW I have difficult to spell (and pronounce) maiden and married names so an easy and well known first name was important.

DH and I have classic names everyone can spell and pronounce. Think: everyone knows a Sarah or a Dave. We tried to do the same with our DC but apparently Robert is well outside the top 100. I still love it obviously, but that wasn't the plan and I do sometimes feel guilty he won't know anyone who shares his name. Unlike our eldest DC who we know about 5 of.

@Tristar15 yes

I went with names I liked that were also family names. In one case, this meant a name that had been in the top ten for years and in another, a name that wasn't even in the top 500. Weirdly, both met one other child of the same name in kindergarten.

I am like you OP and I've always checked popular names lists when I was choosing a name. My dcs names have never surprised me in being more popular or common than I expected. DC1's name had 9 babies in England & Wales named that last year, DC2's name had 29, DC3 had 250. I've come across a couple of dcs with DC3's name (and more middle aged adults) but not DC1 or DC2.

@IggyAce is it
Odie?

DS was born in 2019 and his name wasn't even in the top 50, I think it's nearing top 10 now, which I'm a bit annoyed about.

DD has a rare and somewhat OTT name (along the lines of Esmerelda or Raffaella) and it's not even in the top 1000. Both sets of grandparents were extremely bemused but they seem to have got used to the idea.

I gave my DC a name the was Top 20 when I chose it. For me the benefits of the name - timeless, internationally used, lots of interesting namesakes, link to my own family, choice of nicknames etc; far out weighed that there will likely be others with the name in school.

I also think there are many benefits to a popular name - unlikely to ever be teased about it (as the name will “fit in” with their peers), most people should be able to spell and say it, most people will quite like the sound of it (or it wouldn’t be popular in the first place) and many kids love to be easily able to get things with their name on them from shops as a bonus.

What I initially thought could be a negative in a name (too popular), I actually now see as a benefit- to the point that if I had a second child, I’m a bit annoyed that the rest of the names I like aren’t very popular! 🤣

My only caveat would be to make sure not to go for a name that is very recently popular - as you can’t tell how it will date. Nobody wants to be the Gary or Tracey of 50 years time (apologies to those with those names!)

My children are 18 and 21, both of their names are more popular now than they were then, dd’s has probably peaked but still lots of babies called by ds name. Most women with my name are older than me. Maybe when my dc are in their 40’s their names will suggest they’re 30 whereas mine suggests I’m 70.

We are Irish but live in Scotland. Both dc have traditional Irish names, though neither were anything like top 10 in Ireland the year they were born. Dc1 was 96, last count, not in top 100. Dc2 was unlisted for years in top 100, but weirdly, year she was born it was up at 70.

As we live in Scotland, both names are very unusual, but we are over in Ireland often and then it is more common to meet others. The children enjoy that, but I believe also like being unique and reflecting their culture when they are at home.

Popular names are really not as popular now they used to be either. It’s not as big a deal as some imagine.

This too. My DS's name was the most popular in our area last year but that equates to 7 babies given that name out of around 400 boys born in the area. Not exactly every other kid.

There are almost 30 primary schools in the area. Of course all 7 could end up in the same reception class but really what are the chances of that?

Exactly. I have a very common name and have no issue with it, dh a more unusual name and he hates it. You also can’t predict if a name will suddenly become super popular. Maybe Disney will make a film next year with your dc’s unusual name as the main character, or a celebrity will use the name. Suddenly it’s in the top 10. Really all you can go on is that you as parents love it, and it’s not anything that will embarrass in the future.
Popular names are really not as popular now they used to be either. It’s not as big a deal as some imagine.

My two boys got very ordinary, common names,and it's never bothered them. My three daughters, first one got a very unusual name, I think I've heard of one other girl who shares it, middle one got a name less common where we lived but more common in Scotland (we subsquently moved north and met a few others, but really not many) and the youngest has a name that I've never seen or heard anywhere (not a YouNique name, but still unusual). None of them have ever had issues with their names, except youngest girl who gets people trying to insist that it's Welsh, which it isn't.

I really don't factor in popularity. I just choose names I like. One of my dc has a popular name that's always in the top 10/20. The other hasn't a rarer but not unusual name.

I'm not that influenced either way by other people's choices. I would never discount a name I loved just because it's popular. Good, classic timeless names are popular for a reason. I will never understand people who dream up ridiculous 'unique' names just because they want to be different.

Just pick what you like.

For me, they had to be real names (ie not made up, not super obscure), but probably ranked 75-100+ so not super common.

DS1 has the most obscure of the 3, but someone saw it on his peg at nursery and named their new baby the same, so the best laid plans…..! It’s fine though, it’s a nice story and a compliment.

My kids absolutely love bumping into people with their same name (doesn’t happen much though), and finding personalised items with their names on. However I do wonder about people I know who called their kids Evie and Oliver, for example….. the point of a name is to actually differentiate them from others after all.

What list is this? And is anyone going to share their names? Mmmm?

My two are
Vinnie and Elsie. Both old fashioned, one becoming more popular

@Makelikeatreeandleaf , criterion is singular, criteria is plural.