to wish I hadn't called my daughter Ruby?

[gonenative]

When me and DH chose her name 6 years ago, we didn't know any Rubys (or any kids for that matter!) and liked the feisty sound of it. We actually thought we were being pretty original.

It was the MOST popular girl's name in 2007, 2nd in 2008, and there are 4 others in her year at school.

Am I being unreasonable to wish I'd called her something a bit less, well, common?

She has two lovely middle names and to my shame I've even asked her if she fancies being called one of these instead.

I know I'm being an awful snob, and I do still like the name but what do you all think?

I've got one too. She is nearly nine, was born in Muscat and has, through three schools in three different countries been the only Ruby there. I know it will change when/if we return to the UK, but, heyho.

Ten years ago I worked with a Ruby, who I conversed with via phone for a good 6 months before I actually met her.

In my mind for some reason, I had envisaged her as being ethnic or islander of some kind.

She was a wonderful person.

When we finally met I discovered that she was a 35 year old with blue eyes and natural blond hair.

My MIL is Grace Victoria.

I have a Ruby and there is always at least one more at the park when we go. I still think it is a lovely name (always did) and she just is a Ruby. I like the way it seems to cross boundaries, and can be found in many social groups, and many cultural groups, too. You would not be able to make assumptions about a Ruby, I don't think.

When I was growing up my mum also had a friend called Ruby, one called Lily and one called Katherine.

I have a lily so understand how you feel! When she was born there were more than a few raised eyebrows at the "unusualness" of her name. Now I cannot go to the supermarket/park without "Liiiiiiiiiiiilllyyyyyyyyyyy" reverberating through my brain.

I have a very unusual name. Despite the popularity of a certain soap on tv, this name still hasn't gained a similar popularity. But back in the 70s, there was no-one else around with this name, and I'm talking about the town, not just the school. Poeple only had to use my first name to know who was being talked about which, tbh, caused all sorts of problems.

Even now, I can count on one hand the number of people I have met who share this name.

When our daughter was born 14 years ago we chose a name that we thought was charming, traditional, unusual but not odd, and that we were pretty sure would make her the only one in the year if not the school, and that if we called, she would be the only person in a crowd to look up. It raised a few eyebrows when we told people - it was thought "very original", or "very old fashioned" depending on the person's level of politeness.

She's called Grace!

My 2 yo dd is also a Ruby - born in 2007, I didn't know it was the the top name until I read this thread!

When she was born she was an Emily. After about a week the name Ruby just popped into my head and wouldn't go away. I said I wanted to change her name. I was told not to be silly! Every day for three more weeks I knew that if I didn't change her name to Ruby I would always regret it - she just WAS a Ruby.

So on New Year's Eve 2007 I announced that I was changing her name and she was going to be Ruby from now on. We all went throguh a brief phase of saying "Em-Ruby" but it passed and she is now a Ruby through and through.

Having just found out its popularity I still don't regret it. Also my engagement ring is a ruby too - and she loves that! When I die she will get my ring!

My son moved from a school of 425 pupils where he was the only one with his name to a class of 8 boys, two of whom had the same name! I currently have a class where a third of the girls are called Jessica! Names are never unique, children are!

Perhaps you could write an angry letter to the Kaiser chiefs and Róisín Murphy instead?

I would leave it. I haven't taught a Ruby yet (I teach secondary so I have taught numbers in the thousands now). There are no rubys in at my son's primary at the moment, either.

You got in before the trend really started so it shouldn't be a problem in terms of her being one of many in her class/year group. When she is an adult I cannot see it being a problem either, as the trend will die out soon.

A few years back I taught a class that had no fewer than SEVEN Lauras. Cannot remember that last time I taught a Laura now, maybe three years ago.

I have a name that was very popular in the early seventies (when I was born) so there were a few in my year group. I very rarely meet someone with the same name as me now.

ANy anyway, names don't make people unique - people do!

There was a time when parents chose from a much smaller pool of names that we do now - their children were no less unique and special now than the were when most boys were names after one of the 12 Apostles or a member of the royal family!

I know a sibset called Ruby and Grace - at the time they were the only ones of that name in the school. It just means that ppl recognised what great taste you have!

Thought I'd given dd an old lady chic nn but turns out to be incredibly common and, dare I say it, even going the way of chav - groan. She could be known by her full name but she insists on her nn.

Am pg with no 3 and my favourite boy's name is Edward, but have read on MN that it's to become the next 'big thing' because of Twilight, which is barely on my consciousness.

Very intrigued as to what Ruby's sister is called now

It is frustrating when you think you've picked a less common name & then it crops up all over the place. We had that with DD, had never heard another then when DD was a year a sleb named her DD the same now & now it's cropping up all over. She even has another in her nursery! I will forever regret not calling DD Hermione, wish I'd gone with my heart

The thing about nice names is that they get popular. Most of the 'top ten' names at any given moment are lovely, that's why they are so common. I wouldn't waste a moment more thinking about this.

OP I know what you mean - we thought our DS's name was super-unusual, but soon after the birth I heard about another, and since then there's another in our circle of friends. It may become a widespread name pretty soon and I'll be so annoyed! Just hope there aren't others in his class - that's what I wanted to avoid...

I like Roo, I'm sure if I had a Ruby I'd call her Roo anyway. Ruby is lovely and 10 years ago I'd have thought "oh how cool" - then popular opinion catches up with you! I remember 15-20 years ago thinking if I ever had a girl I'd call her Eve, oh how original I thought I was. Would never use that now, you can't move for them round here!

You know what? IT DOESN"T MATTER if your child has the same name as someone else! It doesn't take away from your child in any way - your child is still unique and wonderful and gorgeous and his or her own person! He or she just has a name that's lovely enough for someone else to want to use too. However popular it is you'd be really unlucky to get more than one other one in a class- what's the big deal with that?

Even if you call your child Maishallahhashbaz there is always the possibility that there'll be another on in the class. My ds's friend is John - the most boring conventional name in ther world, some would say - but he's the only one in the school, in Cubs, in football club - probably in the town. But there are three Trinity's in the school.

If your last name was Smith would you change it by deed poll because there might be another Smith in your child's class? And if you have another child, would you create a "unique' last name for him too?

I know a family with 2 girls called Ruby and Pearl

Is this you ?

Seriously, Ruby is a lovely name. You are sounding a bit precious, tbh

When my dd14 was born we chose a very unusual (but not wacky) name. Lo and behold...a couple of years later there is a sudden upsurge in its usage.

Bah !! But I never thought like you did. Your name defines you and you need to stop being silly (although I think you already have )

It's a lovely name. It doesn't matter that it's quite popular. She's her own individual ruby.

My DD has a not original but definitely not popular name. I was quite smug in my NCT group that I'd chosen a name that no-one else had and was generally received with "oh, that's a lovely name". Cue smug rug being pulled weeks later at an NCT coffee morning when there was another baby girl with the same name but about three months older! I still love the name and wouldn't change it.

BTW, DD's father wanted to call her Ruby...

I really wouldn't worry about it. It's a great name - that's why it's so popular.

I think it's common to feel some doubts about your dc's name. I was co-erced in to the dc's father's choices.
Ruby is very pretty and you could take a nick name from it, like Bee if you really wanted to. Sharon and Tracy were unlucky to take such a hammering. I don't think it's certain that any name will be the next sharon or tracy.

ps, maybe Ruby will be more like Jenny. I know a lot of Jennys and I like them all. I always expect a Jenny to be happy and good humoured. I haven't met a Jenny who was a miserable bitch yet

I think it's interesting how some names 'take off ' and others don't - I've always been surprised that Diana never became more popular because of the Princess if Wales.

There are no Rubys at my school or at either of my Dc's.... perhaps you should move