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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to hate popular names

149 replies

macbooksticker · 27/07/2019 19:58

Well I actually love a lot of the popular names at the moment but I wouldn’t use them as I grew up with an awfully popular name in the early 80s and DSD1 had the same issue in the 00s and 10s. We both dealt with our peers calling us ‘ourname X’, teachers not remembering us or confusing us with other pupils with similar names etc.

I just don’t want that for DD. I want my child to be able to be seen as an individual and have a memorable name. DH thinks I am overthinking it as he likes the classic popular names of the late 2010s. AIBU?

OP posts:

BondGate · 28/07/2019 13:25

@OwlinaTree that Good Housekeeping article is about baby names in the USA.

I don’t think last years baby name charts have been released for England and Wales yet, but in 2017, Emma was ranked at the 52nd most popular girls name in England and Wales. So it’s unlikely that it’s leapt into top position in the UK for last year.

names.darkgreener.com/#emma

mycatisblack · 28/07/2019 13:26

Just looked at that chart and my DS's name is ranked 1000+ in popularity so I'm pleased about that. I had a fairly unusual name but then there was another girl in my class at secondary with the same name so I completely changed the spelling at 13yrs old and have stuck with the new spelling for more than 40 yrs.

31RueCambon · 28/07/2019 13:32

It is not as bad as it was. The popular names in my year at school were Nicola, Claire, Suzanne, Jennifer.

And there were between 2&3 of all of those names.

Nowadays there are more popular names. So you can pick a name at number 30 and not come across another.

99mTc · 28/07/2019 13:38

I agree OP. I have come across some very unusual names and while I didn't like all of them, I do love the huge variety of names that are being used nowadays.
My biggest objection to most popular names is that they will date, there aren't many names that have been consistently popular for many decades.

pippy1958 · 28/07/2019 13:43

It’s a bit boring to read all these comments but not be given the names - I understand privacy but really! I have a Nancy and I still love it as it’s not difficult to spell, not wacky, just nice!

whiskeysourpuss · 28/07/2019 13:50

@pippy1958 I've put DD's names on here before (Emily & Lucy) but I never reveal DS's name except once completely by accident because it's instantly outing to anyone who knows me irl

Ameanstreakamilewide · 28/07/2019 13:55

I loathe my own first name. I'm the only one I've met of my own vintage, to also have it.

But it must've been popular about 50-60 years ago. So it's all swings and roundabouts.

Although my mum and dad were going to call me Hannah (a beautiful name, no doubt about it) and then (on the way to the registry office) my dad changed his mind and called me my crappy name.

I've even toyed with the idea of changing it by deed poll, but I don't think any of my family would actually use the new name.

QueenOfPain · 28/07/2019 13:57

YANBU

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 28/07/2019 14:10

It varies so much from place to place though, doesn't it? My DCs have "popular" names but DS is the only one in his class and DD is the only one in her school. Meanwhile between their two classes there are 5 variations on Anne, 3 Fredericks and 2 Elizabeths.

I don't know a single Oliver or Olivia.

fedup21 · 28/07/2019 14:18

You can’t control it though-if you pick a nice name that’s unusual now, chances are, it’ll massively grow in popularity over the next 3 years and will become top 20!

Elly

I don’t think this is a popular name is it? Certainly not with this spelling

Littletabbyocelot · 28/07/2019 17:50

One of my dts has a top 100 name, the other has a top 200ish (let's say Arthur). Never had real interaction with another child with the top 100 name but at nursery not only was there another 'Arthur' but he had a similar surname (think Smith/Smythe but way less common). Now at school there's another Arthur in their class. My ds loves it and they are inseparable.

gamerwidow · 28/07/2019 17:56

It’s just luck the draw who you end up in class with. My DD has a name not in the top 100 and a girl in her class has the same name. They’re the only girls in the school with the name too! In contrast there is a girl with a top 5 name in the class who doesn’t have a double.
It makes me laugh that DD calls herself first name initial on everything even Mother’s Day cards. Seriously love i can work out which one of you it is

MythicalBiologicalFennel · 28/07/2019 18:06

YANBU

MN seems to be full of posters saying:

"I chose a classic but unusual name for our DD and now there are three of them in her nursery class... nobody could have predicted this... boo hoo"

"What's the name?"

"Lily"

Rachie1973 · 28/07/2019 18:18

I met 4 month old twins called Rachel and Emma recently. Refreshingly different :)

We have granddaughters with traditional but less used names. The elder starts school in sept with 3 Mabel’s!

fairislecable · 28/07/2019 18:19

My DS had a fairly unusual name in the year he was born but it has risen in popularity.

It’s now in the 70’s.

As it was unusual he wanted to change it to “Malcolm” ( he was 7)!

I did not agree with him.

Aragog · 28/07/2019 18:19

Emma has been mentioned a couple of times or so now.

I teach 2 girls named Emma in the same class - year 2, so 7y. Also know another Emma who is 9y. So, not uncommon.

LittleDoritt · 28/07/2019 18:20

There are three Evie-Rose's in DDs reception class of 21. I would hate that! But I'm sure they think my DDs name is utterly awful and "yoonique".
I once went to a baby massage class where every boy there was called Jack. Every single one! We've moved 200 miles since and I don't think there is a single Jack in DDs school.

Iamnotagoddess · 28/07/2019 18:21

Both my sons have unusual names. DS1 is 22 and his name wasn’t used back then, now it’s quite popular for babies!

My other son has an even more unusual name and there was a boy with exactly the same name in his year at school, it was weird.

SemperIdem · 28/07/2019 18:29

I don’t think school is necessarily where final decider for how commonly used a name is lies.

Sure it can be a bench mark. However it’s adult life and work which really shows it. Before I started working, I had never met a Stephanie. Not a single one. Now at 30, I know 9 of them all between the ages of 27-32.

Some names are really lovely but so commonly used they seem vanilla now - Lily, Olivia, Jack, Noah.

Some names have been so commonly used they are deadly dull, Sarah is so dull you might as well name the baby Girl these days.

But I would err against going extremely unusual because a lot of those names are ugly as sin. Ethel, for example.

My own child’s name sits outside the top 100 names. Has fallen in popularity slightly since she was born. Which is interesting as there was another born in the mum group I was on at the time so I assumed it was on an upward swing.

hammeringinmyhead · 28/07/2019 19:36

I have a William and in 9 months I haven't met another baby Will. That's having done about 7 baby classes. I'm really surprised!

Our other choice was Nathan which doesn't seem to be used much.

I have a 30-something friend called Julie which is unusual in my generation. They're normally in their 50s-60s like the Christines!

whiskeysourpuss · 28/07/2019 19:43

@fairislecable DS has a Malcom in his class the only other Malcolm I know is well into his 60's

CarlaJones · 28/07/2019 22:07

Dd is 15 and went to school with a Barry for a while

Somuchcheating · 29/07/2019 00:06

My two have two of the four names you’ve stated are lovely but vanilla

Don’t be so rude

Somuchcheating · 29/07/2019 00:07

Meant to say that to @SemperIdem

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