Too Popular?

DD is Grace and when she was born her name was outside the top 10 but for the last couple of years it has been in the top 5. I have only ever met one other Grace under 8 and still love the name so its popularity hasn't bothered me at all.

My daughter's names were the most popular in the years they were born. It bothered me a little but not much as I thought as long as I have my little ..... then it does not matter how many others there are. It turns out they are the only ones with those names in their classes. Everyone else must have thought they were too popular too!!!

Call your little girl whatever you like. In your eyes their won't be another Isabella as beautiful in the whole world no matter how many others there are anyway.

Oh and answering your question as I got a little carried away, if you love it, go for it. I don't know any I don't think... I know two babies in the last 3 years with the middle name Isobel/Isabelle but that's it!

I love Isabella and the nn Bella!!

So after all that and finally deciding on Isabella, Isabella has a little something extra between his legs so won't be an Isabella after all

This is a big shock being DB4 after 3 DDs as you can imagine.

Isabella is still gorgeous and I think you should name your DD it

My little girl is an Isabelle and I did really think hard about it being too popular before she was born - but it's just such a lovely name. We don't shorten it to Izzy but others do and that's fine because I think it's cute.

We needn't have worried because it's rare we bump into another Isabelle! So I really do think it depends on where you live.

It's a lovely name ;)

If popularity is an issue for you (haven't read the thread as OH will get moaning about the PC soon lol) then I expect that 'Bella' names will be particularily popular, along with 'Alice' and other Twilight-y names in the coming few years.

I personally love it, but it is ridiculously popular in some areas (it is here) and I think it's a continually popular name that goes in and out of fashion every few years.

You only need a 'celeb' to use the name for their baby or for a popular soap character to have the name and something unusual can become popular v quickly. If you love Isabella and can't find another name you love as much, use it
MamaL - I am intrigued to know what you choose

My name was the most popular when I was born. I usually had someone in my year with the same name (I think there were 4 of us in my year at secondary school). It was never an issue. In fact, I bonded with some of them more because of it! It's such a pretty name, I wouldn't worry about how popular it is.

That's so weird Cloudydaze the only Isabella I know is Dizzydixie's

Maybe Scottish people do not like it the same. In DD2's nursery class there is an Eve, Eva, Ava and Evie, very confusing.

LadySanders - we had the same problem with DD2, although popularity had nothing to do with the name we picked a couple of slebs used it within the same week and now its the fastest growing girls name

can't win

ds1 has what was, 9 years ago when i was pregnant, a very unusual name. then a certain russian football team owner appeared in london and suddenly everywhere i go i hear ds1's name being yelled at 5 year olds in shops and playgrounds. so even if you go for something unusual, your child can still end up sharing a name with other kids at school. i'm currently 38 weeks pregnant with baby 3, and EVERY name i like turns out to be in last year's top 10... i might just have to call her fifi trixabelle after all.

We know, between all our friends children, about half a dozen Isabella's but I think that is because it is a beautiful name & if we had of had a girl (versus 2 boys & 1 on the way ) I would have def considered it for a DD!

Have been researching Isabella was the 80th most popular name in Scotland last year down 13 places.

Popular here is Sophie, Erin, Ava, Emily, Emma, Katie, Amy, Olivia but Sophie is WAY out in front.

Now Sophie would be too popular, a name in 80th place is not.

DD1's popular name was 41st, DD3's 76th and DD2's well there were only about 5 in total

Ironically my other childs name is on your list but there are no other children with that name in class.

Thanks! We haven't decided on a name yet... which is why I'm on here! We're having a hard time agreeing on anything.

If I like a name and it then becomes popular, I cross it off my shortlist, but it doesn't necessarily mean I dislike it. I love Thomas, Jacob, Ruby, Sophie... but will not use them on my own child.

MamaL- good luck with your DC1 then! Is the name top secret?
I was just interested in your comments about your aversion to popular names. Does that mean that, if you previously liked a name, you don't like it any more if it becomes popular or is it more that you just wouldn't want to use it on your own child? I can understand the latter but not the former!

Are you sure it is very popular? I have three young children and don't know a single Isabella of any age. FWIW I think its a perfectly lovely name

My ds has a name not in top 10 but this still happened.
My ds attends nursery. He received a party invite. We duly accepted thinking that the invite came from a child in his nursery group. Have now discovered invite was intended for another child with the same name as son. Invite came from a child with same name as child in his group too.

Luckily ds is not too upset about missing party.

Popularity of a name doesn't bother me. If I like a name, I'd use it.

I think in France, you have to have the name approved by the town hall when you go to register the baby. I know this because I worked with a girl called Carroll, whose mother was told she would have to change the spelling to Carole in order to register the baby. Carroll was not allowed! Though she did just go on to use that spelling most of the time anyway.

Sorry, I got that wrong then!

loobylu3 - no, I don't mind you asking... but I don't have any DCs yet! DC1 is due next week.

Because the whole point of 'naming' someone or something is to identify it as uniquely as possible.

If you only had 10 standard names, you'd have to add something unique to the name, such as the middle name or the surname initial.

So, not only would life be more confusing but also rather boring imo.

And no, in Germany there is no list as such, there are only guidelines to prevent people calling their children ridiculous names like poopoohead. It is simply to 'protect' the child from truly embarrassing names. I think many countries have this.