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?

The point is that there are names out there that aren't whacky but aren't top ten.

The point is that the top ten are the most popular names. The top ten change, but there will always be a top ten that happens to be the ten most popular names. Because most people have given them to their babies.
Inevitably, a sizeable portion of people in the UK choose names in the top 10. Or rather, because a sizeable portion of people in the UK choose those names, they are in the top 10, so, you will always be baffled, OP.

I'm getting a headache now.

I agree with an early pp who said something along the lines of most people desire ordinariness, fitting in is important to them and a very popular name is the safe option. They won't be judged by friends or peers, their children won't have difficulty or teasing over that one particular thing at school, the name won't give any clues or expectations as to social class etc.
When I named mine it came down to visual and audible aesthetics of the names as well as being as unique as I could be without the spelling issue. I have a name that no one can spell and a surprising amount of people can't pronounce, which can be annoying. My DC's dad has a name like John Davies which I once told him was the equivalent of a piece of cardboard. He was very insulted! But I still think it and would never have the kind of brain that would think of giving a colourless name like that. Not all top ten are colourless however.

I have an unusual name. It made me miserable at school. I can honestly say to all parents who've chosen 'ordinary' names for their children - you've done the right thing. Never, ever feel bad about it - you've fulfilled a basic duty to your child by putting their needs first.

Naming your child is not your chance to show off how terribly unique and creative YOU are. You are naming another human being. Not a dolly. That human being has to live with the name you pick until they are at least 18 - and the consequences of the name you picked for the rest of their life.

But it does make you a little more memorable in scenarios such as a job interview.

It would be sad if people were chosen based on how memorable their name was rather than competence.

You know that the 'uneek' name in such scenarios is not a GOOD thing, right?
Sure, you're making sure your little poppet stands out but it's not in a positive way. Sad, but true.

My mother thought she was giving me an unusual name when she was inspired by a TV programme late in pregnancy... she wasn't the only one... Saying that, I was the only one I knew until I moved house at the end of infant school. My name was much more popular in the next region I lived in, and less common in the current region.

Names do go round in generation cycles. I barely dare mention the birth of a baby to my grandmother as she'll inevitably moan about how old fashioned it is because it was popular amongst the older generations when she was a child.

Barbara and Margaret will return along with John, Roy, David etc in the not so very distant future as the baby boomers age and the next generation decide they are unusual and sentimental.

A name is also a package of surname and other names. Although my DCs first names are fairly popular in a long term way, their middle names are unusual in this country (they won't need to worry about spelling them too often tucked away in the middle) and our surname only has a few entries in the phonebook for the city.

Just name your kid what you want and let others do the same.

It ain’t rocket science

My name was fairly popular in the UK, but I lived in another country where it was pretty much unheard of. I desperately wanted a "normal" name which people could spell and say easily.

StepDD's name was not top 100, but similar to a top 10 name. She constantly has to correct people that she is Bethan not Bethany (for example).

When we named DD, we wanted a name that was well known, spelled the same in two languages, and DH and I both liked. Once we had settled on a name, I saw it was top 100 but outside top 10. Even if it had been in top 10, I wasn't turning back at that point!

I was so convinced I was having a boy, I didn't really engage with the girl name discussion. Despite googling popular lists for boys names, initials, nicknames, potential rude abbreviations/mixes etc, just agreed with a "nice" girls name that DH suggested.

I was convinced we were having a boy, as no girls born in DH's family in 65 years, I was convinced the Dr said "he is growing very well" at each scan appointment, and felt the same as first pregnancy, which was boy. All the signs pointed to my mind that we were having a boy. We had a girl, LOL.

Lovely name that DH suggested, #3 for that year. Having said that, despite a few activities having 2-3 of her name, school has no other girls with her name. Actually more regret her middle name choice now than the first name

But I still think it and would never have the kind of brain that would think of giving a colourless name like that.

Sorry but this really made me giggle! I have a picture in my head of your brain sat at a desk, chewing a pencil whilst scratching it's head trying to think up baby names

Maybe we should question why people call their DC names which end in an ee sound. DD recently attended a party with Tilly, Lilly, Milly Etc.

Oh, maybe it's because their parents just really like these names.

DS1 is named for his great grandfather. The shortened every day version is an old fashioned name that I've heard once on tv in the last 10 years. There are 3 other boys in his daycare with the same name. It was like no 80 something in the top 100 when he was born. These things happen! I'm just glad we called him what we did cos he really suits it

AIBU to wonder why you would give a shit what someone else named their child?

I pick a name because I like not because other people don't have it. My daughter's name is very popular. I didn't even bother looking at the top 100 list when I was trying to decide

We nearly named DD one of the top ten names that I reckon with variations must be the most popular name in the world (and also her cousin's name). Name trends are like other trends, people are influenced by them.

YABU. And ridiculous. Do you honestly think that a childs 'originality' is anything to do with their name? A parent doesn't 'give' their child originality FFS, that's the whole point, they are who they are.

Someone may give their child a name in the top 10 (do people really find this stuff out anyway?) because they might, you know, like the name.

How ludicrous.

I didn't even bother looking at the top 100 list when I was trying to decide

^ this! Why would anyone care what's in the 'top 100' or even what anyone else thinks of their choice?

My son was going to be George, but then Prince George was born and I knew its popularity would increase so I decided against it.

Still love that name, my son's best friend is called George.

Some people don't mind popular names, both my kids have normal names which are probably in the top 50

DS has a top 10 name. I chose it because I liked it, and its nickname (because boys always seem to have one). Loads of boys when I was growing up had the same names, they were just John B and none of them cared! If it had been the number 1 name, I would still have chosen it.

My DD's name is very traditional, although not currently popular. She is anything but boring!

Two of my DC's names were hugely unpopular when I chose them many years ago. I had no idea that they'd both end up in the top 10 list. That does piss me off tbh.

The list is changeable though OP. So the name may or may not be on the list on any five year. So you should choose a name because you love it and then it doesn't matter, does it.

I never see the point in trying so hard to give a 'unique' name to a child. Just because. Most parents raise their children to be unique individuals; by teaching them to be confident in their own thoughts and opinions, style etc. A name doesn't do that for you. Giving a unique name doesn't change that.

the name won't give any clues or expectations as to social class

I think the top 10 names have very strong class markers!

1. Oliver - MC

1. Harry - MC

1. George - MC

1. Jack -WC

1. Jacob WC

1. Noah - MC

1. Charlie - WC

1. Muhammad - Muslim

1. Thomas - MC

10. Oscar - WC

1. Olivia MC

1. Amelia MC

1. Emily MC

1. Isla MC

1. Ava MC

1. Isabella MC

1. Lily WC

1. Jessica WC

1. Ella WC

10. Mia MC

God I though that was a list of your kids names!

I disagree Teal. I think the top 10 names are pretty classless. I am a primary school teacher and have taught hundreds of children in different locations. In my experience, any one of the top ten names could appear in any location. I have taught some posh Jacks and some not so posh Harry's.

I chose my daughters names which then became popularly again. Both now in the top ten I think? It doesn't make them less individual.
On the other side of that, I think "yooneek" names are U. So they get to go through life explaining or spelling their name every single time? Nah. Not for me thanks. In our family we had to spell our surname out immediately after saying it. It was a running joke that our name wasn't (for example:) Smith. It was actually SmithS-M-I-T-H. Can't say I wasn't glad to get a new one with marriage.