To wonder why you would pick a name in the top 10?

[FreckledFrog]

So the latest top 100 baby names have been released this week. It has prompted me to wonder why on earth you would pick a name in the top 10-20 names.

There are thousands of beautiful, unique names out there, yet so many people are happy to pick the same names despite knowing their children will go to school with multiple Olivia's, Noah's, Amelia's or George's.

Do these people not desire some originality for their children?

Am I being unreasonable? I have a very very unusual name and have picked less common names for my children and I wonder if this clouds my judgement?

Anyone prepared to share their children's names?

I've known 2 couples who have the same name as each other- they've never had a problem with it, neither have their friends.

As if a name slightly less popular in any given year would be more like likely to be memorable - what a ludicrous scenario. You don't go for interview sonly with people born in the same year. You don't even go to school with people only born in the same calendar year.

What happens if you call your child something beautiful and "unique" and then in 5 years time there's a movie or celebrity with the name and suddenly everyone is using it (I.e Elsa).

Are you not allowed to be in the super special unique club anymore?? :( Must you don the grey drab of "ordinary"?

Perhaps it's best just to give your child a name you love and forget the statistics.

Originality is overrated if done for its own sake in a "Look at me, I'm mad I am" way. Original, critical thinking is a totally different matter. Actually my dds' names are not in the top 20 and there hasn't been another in any class or group we've been in. This actually surprised me though as I consider them classics and I did actively decide I didn't care if there was another in the class. There are several my age though and people seem to forget that school is one of the few places in life where everyone works alongside people exactly the same age

I wonder why you'd give it more than a seconds worth of thought/post about it? Who cares what other people name their kids??

@Lockheart

I won't lie, I'd be gutted if that happened to me and my names were in the top 20. I have picked my babies names based on

Whether I like them (obviously
The popularity of the name
Whether the name matches with siblings and family surname.

@longestlurkerever

Oh yes because being called Nicole screams IM MAD

Some people just have no imagination. I don't know about children but I do know at least 7 dogs in my neighbourhood called Alfie. It's hilarious at the park when they are all calling the same name out.

Even for my dogs I like different names

@mydogisthebest

Totally agree I gave my rabbits non typical names. To be fair your dog deserves a great name because it is the best

I remember telling a friend my son's full name before he was born and she said it sounded like he was footballer or a terrorist! It made me laugh but didn't affect my choice. I would never have chosen the names she called her son.

I didn't say it did - I was just responding to you saying you were baffled by the statement that originality is overrated. Being called Nicole doesn't scream unique and special either tbh.

"Anyone prepared to share their children's names?"

No, would you?

Happy to. Mine are Grace and Patrick.

... a "dearth of" means the opposite of what you think it does - it means a lack of/almost none.

Yes. Yes it does. In my defence I’d only just woken up and not yet had a cup of tea

Because they liked the name?

My name was popular in the 90s... once there was 4 of us in my class!!

Op share your children's names then!!

Both my dds have top 10 names, the first time I hadn't considered it at all, the second time we thought we were picking a more unusual name and then it turned out it was now top 10 as well. We do encounter other kids with the same names but it doesn't really bother me. We chose the names because we like them and we've never regretted the choices.

The main thing when I chose them was that they were easy to spell; my own name isn't particularly unusual but isn't spelt the most common way and I've spent my whole life correcting people which gets on your nerves after awhile.

I will share one as the other is more unusual and it's very outing.

My sons name is Myles James Surname

Prepares for abuse

My Dd's name is now in top list, it was t when she born, still haven't encountered another girl with same name in nursery class or school class so actually it wouldn't bother me

The only thing I would say in this is please choose the traditional spelling of a name.

Oh for the love of Om yes! There is a special circle in hell for parents who go you-nique on the spelling. I registered my first at the same time as someone registering a "Christian" spelt "Kristean".

I've never understood the need for you-nique names, every child is so different already. Do you really need to call a child Khaleesi-Froufrou-Nippletassel to make her stand out? Kids want to blend in.

Unsurprisingly we went classic trad, with a nod to family where we could find the right option. I'm sure the specific choices were influenced by the fashions of the time but in their 20s none have complained.

Myles

I honestly hadn't seen this when I posted but you do realise he will spend his life spelling it for people?

My ds has a long name not terribly popular but regular enough. He used to say as a teen ...could you not have given me a more straightforward short name. He would have loved to be Tom or John. I find, particularly lads prefer a simple enough name.
Years ago people picked family names as a sign of security..you are in this family..we all belong together. Now that is scorned. My dd has name that was very unusual when l picked it but now it the Mary of our times but how was l to know?
My third guy has a simple not too common bame..no complaints!

I don't know about the e but Kristian is the most common spelling in much of Europe

Goodness OP I don't know where you live but both miles and James are common names! I thought you were going to say Adrian or Walter or something

@C8H10N4O2 better than a life being 'top ten name' with his surname initial on the end so people know it's him.