I know people are put off if a name is too popular, but would you be put off if a name was too uncommon?

[CreepyFunbags]

I'm not even pregnant at the moment, but I am interested in names anyway, so I was just thinking about names I've seen on here recently that I liked, or that I had thought of after reading threads on here and I looked them up on the 2008 statistics.

They were pretty much all only used for 20 or less children in 2008. They were all about the 2700th most popular name in England and Wales. So unpopular!

I thought "Gosh I couldn't ever use a name that unusual!" Even though I think they're nice names.

Would it put you off if you thought a name was perfectly lovely but it was just very very rare?

(FWIW the names I looked up were Joan, Ailsa, Persephone, and er... Dolores. I just read a book with a Dolly in it!!)

No it wouldnt, and hasnt put me off. Ds has a name that was used about 40 times I think in Scotland last year. We've only ever met one other.

unusual (very) names on here- try it !!

here

I like Bran and Jolac

Neither would put me off, my favorite girl name is very popular, i will still use it (obviously when i have a baby this may all change) and same for it was completely unheard of, anyhow all this is pointless as dp says he doesn't want any name that comes from something, e.g a show, a friend, e.t.c

Hmm MaryAnn. It gave me Puka and Fools amongst other random selections of vowels and consonants. I would have to have had a hell of a lot of gas and air to consider them!

My friend was thinking of naming her DD Joni, so I was thinking I preferred Joanie, or then maybe just Joan.

Yes it might put me off.

No.

DD's name was used I think 13 times in the year she was born, and her middle name 3 times. But actually, neither are that unusual, especially her first name. Everyone has heard of it and most people can spell it, anyway

Not really.

Maybe too popular. Nobody wants to be the fourth John or sixth Emma (names used for the purposes of this exercise only, I know lovely Johns and Emmas) in the class.

No, a rare name wouldn't put me off but neither would a name that many others like. I know many Williams, for example, from different walks of life.

Selecting an unusual name is no guarantee of uniqueness unless it's extremely unusual.
Look at the name Ruby. It zoomed in from nowhere to become very popular, similarly, the name Lexie. I think, if they zoom in fast, they usually zoom out fast. Who would have predicted that Oscar wouldn't bat an eyelid? It's reassuring that parents weren't apprehensive.

From what I can see, the general public are very influenced by celebrity names, their choice of name for children and the names of characters they play in films. Sometimes, a beautiful film character is given an unusual name with a negative meaning and a few years later up pop a slew of babies with that very name! Not sure whether they don't care or they're just to ignorant to look up the name in a decent name book.

I am currently pregnant and we have already started talking about names. There is a boys' name we love that is very unusual and it has made me a little nervous as DD has a fairly popular, classic name. Mind you, her name has been described as 'boring' on MN and the boys' name we like has been described as 'poncey'- you can't win!

I don't think I would be completely put off an unusual name though unless it was really difficult to spell or pronounce. No one likes having to correct people all the time. Otherwise, if you love a name then I would say go for it.

Personal taste aside, the rarity of the names the OP listed wouldn't put me off using them. They may be rare, but I've come across all of them either in RL or in books.

What I would be very wary of using would be a strange name (eg a very non-English or made-up name).

This is based on my own experience of having a name that is virtually unrecognisable in the English-speaking world. It is perfectly simple to pronounce, yet people struggle with it. They also refuse to believe that it is my real name.

It would put me off if it was going to be potentially difficult to live with, i.e. if many people wouldn't know how to say it or spell it, e.g. Persephone. Something like Joan which everybody knows but is out of fashion right now, would not put me off at all (& I like Joan too!).

We have never come across anyone with the same name as our DS so I wont say what it is! I asked him recently what name he wanted to be known as at secondary school and he said the full name rather than the short names which are more familiar.

I dont think that it matters what children's names are to themselves or their friends. It's mostly only adults who make stupid comments in my experience!

No, because my DC's names are all unusual in that they're not commonly used, but that doesn't mean they're totally unheard of or difficult to spell. For instance, there were no Cuthberts born in 2008 (or at least, less than 3), but most people would have some familiarity with it and how to spell it, even if they have never met anyone with that name. So, I'm not worried about the "unusual" factor.

The trick is to look at consistency. If it is very popular for a few years then avoid but some popular names are timeless.

No, it definitely wouldn't put me off. If I loved the name and there were no dodgy connotations then I would consider it a bit of a find!

Didn't put me off. DS is only just outside the top 100 but DD is 1000+. It got a good response on MN when I asked for opinions.

butterflyeffect Isnt Ealasaid pronounced Ya-la-satch though?

I wouldn't be put off by unusual, but I would if it was one of those 'adjusted' ie spelt wrong for 'individuality' names.

All your names look perfectly fine!

My DH is a teacher, and among others he's taught a 'Typhane' pronounced Tiffany

Not really, my fave girls names are Clarissa and Marianne - and neither are common.

Personally I dont like made up names or IMO incorrectly spelt names.

Nope. My daughter is called one of those... I would rather an unusual name than a very common one - but that's just my opinion! And we didn't choose it to "be different", it just happens to be one of my favourite names and has been for ages and my husband also really liked it.