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Baby names

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

Original poster

Is Ruby too common now?

56 replies

maedewsbery · 13/10/2008 09:22

We both love Ruby... but is it too common now?

And what about Lola? .. And which is better?!

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mabanana · 05/11/2008 13:16

I think Susan is lovely. Traditional, pretty, like Suzy as a short form. I predict a revival.

LuLuBai · 05/11/2008 13:14

MadBad - those names will come back. Give it a bit more time. I reckon our children will be using Jane, Anne and Susan. People like to name their children after grandmothers and great grandmothers. Hence the current obsession with Rose, Edith, Martha, Florence etc (all of whom are ancestors of mine btw).

MadBadandDangerousToKnow · 05/11/2008 13:09

Every baby group and pre-school around here (sarf London) seems to have at least one Ruby and at least one Lola. They're nice names but ubiquitous.

I think the pendulum has swung so far that if you want to buck the trend, you should call your daughter Jane or Anne (names of my vintage which seem to have fallen completely out of use)!

CuppaTeaJanice · 05/11/2008 12:29

Lola reminds me of that Kinks song.

Ruby is nice but there are loads of them around so she'd probably get called by a nickname or surname at school.

How about Sapphire or Jade if you like gemstone names?

LuLuBai · 05/11/2008 11:20

I had planned to abbreviate DDs name to Lola but several friends named their daughters (on birth certificates) Lola before I got round to it. I love it, and the prostitute, transvestite, showgirl connotations don't bother me at all.

I haven't met many little Rubys although I sat next to one in a restaurant with her family the other day. Her sister was called Poppy and they both had flaming red hair. I guess if they have another girl she will be Scarlett.

AbbeyA · 05/11/2008 10:09

I always see Ruby as a 68 yr old!

Andthentherewerethree · 05/11/2008 09:42

also i cna;t imagnine a lola as a 68 year old, can you?

Andthentherewerethree · 05/11/2008 09:41

Ruby is a very popular name, i recently stopped workign on a delivery suite and it felt like every other baby born was a ruby or a daisy, so for that reason i avoided those names for my dd (although she still ahs a common name whihc no doubt will be hundreds in her class when she gets to school)

Lola is sweet but i can;t help feeling that it is a bit common as in chavvy

both names popular due to famous people calling their children the same names, charlotte church for ruby and madonna calls lourdes lola and sara cox has a lola.

Pinkjenny · 05/11/2008 09:40

I know a couple of both. I prefer Ruby, although the Barry Manilow connotation with Lola is never a bad thing in my book.

anamaria22 · 05/11/2008 09:39

Also very popular names tend to 'age' more, just like fashion. They become very much associated with a certain time period.

anamaria22 · 05/11/2008 09:37

For some people it does matter, because they don't want to be one of 3 or 4 other Ruby's or Jack's in their class.

I have a very common name (well, common in the 70s) and I hated it.. I would have much preferfed a more unique name.

AbbeyA · 05/11/2008 08:00

Does it matter if it is popular?

babysoon1 · 05/11/2008 07:44

who cares if it is popular? - that doesn't stop people using the name Thomas or Oliver does it?

slim22 · 05/11/2008 02:27

yes very common but still very pretty

I really don't like lola, it's not really a name anyway

ninedragons · 05/11/2008 01:42

If I called my DD Lola, I would have "Copacabana" stuck in my head for the rest of my life

I only know one little Ruby, actually.

mabanana · 05/11/2008 00:50

loads and loads of Rubys at my ds's school. They are all known as, say Ruby M or Ruby A! You call Ruby and dozens of little heads turn! Don't really love Lola, it's very of the moment so will date, I think.

accordiongirl · 05/11/2008 00:39

yes

Jodyray · 13/10/2008 22:05

Love em both....and i dont know any!

findtheriver · 13/10/2008 21:21

Ruby is a pretty name but sadly very over used

Ineedsomesleep · 13/10/2008 20:48

Yes, and then some.

belcantwait · 13/10/2008 17:14

i LOVE ruby- and actually dont know any in RL. know loads of Lolas tho. must depend on where you live!

frazzledoldbag34 · 13/10/2008 17:04

I like Lola.
Don't like Ruby (plus its common - around here anyway!)
Lola is cool.

AbbeyA · 13/10/2008 13:42

Ruby is very common, and I still can't help seeing an elderly woman in a nylon overall! However it is better than Lola which conjures up an entirely different picture!
As you can guess, I don't like either.

pamelat · 13/10/2008 13:39

Yep I get the Lola with prostitution link but I dont think it matters ....

WhereWolfTheWildThingsWere · 13/10/2008 13:33

Ruby is currently the most popular girls name Lola is something like 53. (Goverment website)

We had chosen Lola for dd, but when we mentioned it to a few friends and family they all said they associated it with prostitution . My initial reaction was that I didn't care and found it quite funny, but we did end up calling her something else.