to tell friend that her baby name choice is not unusual?

[toastofthetown]

My friend is expecting her first baby later this year. As I’m massively interested in baby names I asked her if she had anything in mind. She said she wanted something unique and is planning on using Aurora. I said that Aurora is a gorgeous name, but has risen hugely in popularity over the last few years and is now in the top hundred. My friend seemed annoyed with this and told me that it is a very uncommon name with only a few born each year, so I just changed the subject.

Since then I’ve been wondering if I said the wrong thing. Was I unreasonable to point out how popular the name is? I wouldn’t have said anything bad about the name itself, but l didn’t want her to regret her choice later, because she didn’t know about the sudden spike in popularity.

Ivy has had an huge jump since about 2011 according to the figures, although I've never actually met a little one.

I know 3 Ivys born in the last 5 years, and 2 of them also share a middle name (Grace)

@MrsJayy

Btw wasn't Aurora sleeping beauty?

Yes that’s right (at least the Disney version anyway as I’ve seen versions where she’s been called Sunshine 🤔).

Aurora is very popular here in Liverpool at the moment. It's the new Esme 🙄

I loved the name. We wanted it for a girl one day but now no chance. Hideous in our local accent too which I'd never really thought of.

I know, and know of, several. I think it's a lovely name and am glad it's gaining popularity. There were also a few in my mother's generation whom I knew as I grew up.

I wouldn’t have said anything bad about the name itself, but l didn’t want her to regret her choice later, because she didn’t know about the sudden spike in popularity.

Yes but literally any name she gives the child could have a sudden spike in popularity, right after she's named it.

It only takes a movie, song or soap opera to make a name popular.

Not unusual at all, its the new Sharon.
OP you don't need to apologise to your friend, you were just being honest.It sounds like she does'nt understand the difference between unique and common that's all.

Your friend was probably taken aback because she believes it to be an uncommon name and the way you jumped in telling her it wasn't is a bit of a put-down when she obviously loves the name.

It is definitely rising in popularity.

Iris is a great name, as is the flower itself. Much better than Briar which just makes me think of thorns, for some reason, as Rose doesn't. I like Rose.

I wish more people grasped that unique means there is only one. It doesn't mean unusual.

Aurora is still not that high and less than 0.01% of girls are given that name. It’s not like Amelia or Sophia or Ella or Ava is it? There are always a few of those in each school year but Aurora is not a totally common name yet.

Why don't you suggest she calls the baby Borealis instead? that's more unusual.

I never liked Iris, and grew up with one, who wasn't at all nice which didn't help. In a small area there were 3 of them so probably popular in those days, it is still an old ladies name but I believe is being used more now, along with the Sunshines and Glorias. Not sure if I disliked it more than Briar.

I knew a family that had called heir daughter Isis (their sons were Osiris and Anubis ). Last I heard she had made that her middle name...but the sons kept theirs. Odd names indeed

I considered both Iris and Aurora for DD as I wanted a more obscure "goddess" name. I hadn't made the connection between aurora and sleeping beauty at all because I never saw Disney films.

In the end I chose neither and went with a great great grandmother's name, going with the current fashion for old lady names, but one I hoped wouldn't end up her generation's "sharon" or "claire" or my own name. DD is 7 and we have still only met one other in that time.

I know several Irises and one Aurora since DD was born. I still like the names but I'm glad I didn't use them.

Names ending in ie are Uber popular here think Lillie Alfie reggie Ollie Hollie etc etc
Aurora is beautiful tho.

Think you might need to apologise to your friend tho op. You might have upset her a bit

Alternatively, the friend should perhaps get a grip and apologise to the OP, who made a perfectly reasonable remark. It's not her fault if the mother to be has unrealistic ideas about her preferred baby name.

I think you should have kept your mouth shut OP.

I know 2 children with that name but it’s not the most common and you don’t hear it that often. I have 2 dc’s, one with a very common name and one with a less common (but not unique) name. Both dc’s are unique 😁

It's not unusual but when it comes to children's names I always think that if you've got nothing nice to say then to keep quiet so if she's chosen it as she thinks it's unusual you don't go telling her it's common.

Never met or heard of anyone in to called that

Yanbu, you complimented the name but gave her correct information that it is not as unique as she expected.

Both my DCs were named after relatives. DS1's name was #8 that year, but is a long term popular name, not of a particular generation, fashion name. I've come across surprisingly few peers with the same name. It's taken until joining cubs to share his name with someone actually in the same group at the same time.

DS2's was #124. Traditional but popularity has declined in the last decade or two so not trendy. There was another in his group at nursery. Last year there as many of them in the school as the #8 name. (There are 10 boys in DS2's class, two of them share a name that is percieved as less common, but is on trend)

Choose a name because you love it and it will work for the child for life. Choosing for uniqueness is highly likely to go wrong... like my "unusual" name that became one of the dominant names of its decade because everyone latches on to it at the same time, or unlike Aurora is a deliberately younique mangling to ensure no one else could logically think it up

I would be afraid DD would get called Aurora the borealis or Aurora the bore.

Or Aurora the borer

I know 3 Aurora's , one is a relative, other 2 are friends with dd3.
There's also 3 iris's in dd's school, and at least 2 that go to the local toddler group, so I guess it depends on area

You've nothing to apologise for, what could you say "sorry for pointing out that Aurora is in the top 100 name's"

I don't think you were BU.
I personally think it's a mistake to try to find a name that's unique, or at least for that to be the main criteria. I chose a name for DS that has risen in popularity in more recent years - the year he was born I think it was about 26th in rankings. However, it's a name I love and don't regret at all. My friend stressed herself out trying to find an unusual name for her boy and settled on Arthur. Of course, that has grown in popularity too and she has since met several baby Arthurs and even one in her immediate area with the same surname too. So I guess my point is, if you only love a name because it's rare then you set yourself up for disappointment when you discover other children with that name! She should pick a name she loves; that's the important thing.

I don't know why you commented at all. When someone tells me their baby's name I just smile and nod. Unless their name is obviously offensive, why risk putting a dampener on it?