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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

How common/popular?

26 replies

huffpuff75 · 14/10/2010 17:36

Just how 'common' is too common? For years I have wanted to call a DD Amelia (nn Millie). It is a family name and up until recently was hardly used. Now that it is in the top ten, I am having some doubts. I still love the name but I am worried that it will be far too common. I know that names are often popular for good reason, i.e. because they are lovely names, but still... Even worse, a woman I work with, who has same first name as me, called her DD Amelia about a year ago Angry

I grew up with the one of the top 1970s names, and although I was conscious of it, parents in the 70s seem to have been less adventurous (at least where I lived) and everyone i grew up with seemed to have one of a handful of classic/ordinary names.

What do fellow MNers think?

(27 weeks and don't know if we are having a DD or a DS BTW, and probably no more sorted for boys names either Blush). Will probably have to start a thread about that too Confused

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Runoutofideas · 14/10/2010 18:13

To me, if you love the name, it doesn't matter how popular it is. I think Amelia is lovely and it is one of my dds' middle name.

You never really know how popular a name will prove to be in your area - I was surprised to find 6 Lucy's and 8 Thomas's in my dd's reception year. I knew they were popular names but not that popular! However the next school down the road may have none of either!

FWIW neither of my dds - aged 5 and 3 have an Amelia in their class/year.

chickentwizzler · 14/10/2010 18:16

Amelia is a beautiful name.

If you love it, go with it.

blinks · 14/10/2010 18:20

if i were you i'd still have a list as there's no guarantee amelia will suit bubba.

i know no amelia's but am in scotland so maybe not so common here...

flopsy1974 · 14/10/2010 18:26

Go with the name you love. Don't change it because a few other kids have the same name.

sleepyhorse · 14/10/2010 18:31

Hi I think Amelia is an absolutely gorgeous name as is Millie for short. I think it was more popular about 10 yrs ago. I don't think it should matter anyhow if names are popular - they are common for a reason! I only know one Millie, she is 13 yrs old, very pretty, confident and popular at school :-)

Starberries · 14/10/2010 18:41

I know about a trillion Amelia's to be honest, and most of them are called Millie. It is extremely popular (I'm in London and work with small children!) .. so depends on your preference.

We had planned to name DS Noah, a name we both love, but it has cracked top 30 here and is number 9 in the US (relevant as we spend 1/4 of the year there) so now it's out, as I have always said I will never name my child something super popular.

I hated being one of 5 Sarah's in my class, at one point there were 3 of us and all of our surnames began with C!!! Confused The teacher would call register 'Sarah C, Sarah C, and Sarah C', we would all chime 'here' in unison. HATED it.

mathanxiety · 14/10/2010 19:23

I ended up unknowingly choosing a name that has been in the top 5 for years for one DD, and never regretted it, although if I had known how popular it was I might have opted for another name that I really love that was at the top of the list alongside the popular name. However, I see 'my Popularname' as the only one now. All others are cheap imitations.

Original poster
huffpuff75 · 14/10/2010 19:33

Thanks so much to all for your comments - it is really helpful. My gut feeling as most of you say, is to go with what I/we love. I'll keep Amelia top of the list (but still have others on the list!).

Starberries - had the same experience as you both at school and work. I don't think it affected me any - I was more upset that I wasn't given a middle name TBH, as was my brother. I used to make up new middle names each time I got a new exercise book. They were all of the fairly ordinary variety mind you - Claire, Louise etc. Child of the 70s I most certainly was/am.

DH has vetoed any of the more unusual names that I have come up with. I was quite surprised that he loved Amelia immediately actually.

Do you think Amelia Beatrice +1 syllable surname goes well?

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 14/10/2010 19:39

It's fabulous. (imho)

KERALA1 · 14/10/2010 19:57

Dd was going to be Olivia until I was 37 weeks when it finally clicked with me just how popular that name was. We switched to a name I love way more and was vindicated by the first baby massage class I went to where there were 3 Olivias Grin. If its niggling you now I really would re-think. I also have a tedious common name and love that my daughters names are slightly outside the box (although in no way embarrassing/way out). There are lots of great names out there - its really not a choice between top 10 or Fifi Trixibelle/Moon Unit.

CanNeverDecide · 14/10/2010 20:03

Amelia is beautiful, but there are SO many of them out there, and even more Millies. Personally I think it detracts from the special-ness of the name, but I think it's a very individual thing.

I called my little one Eva, and realised by the time she was 1 that half the girls around us were called Eva, Ava, Eve or Evie! So I changed her name to Ariana, with Eva as her middle name so it's still there if she wanted to use it when older. I prefer having something a little more unusual, personally.

CanNeverDecide · 14/10/2010 20:04

Mind you, I would love to call my second Isabella if it was a girl. But having same dilemna of it being a very popular name, especially when combined with Isabel, Isobel and Isabelle.

sleepyhorse · 14/10/2010 20:11

CanNeverDecide - wow you changed her name after a year? Was it not a real headache with all the paperwork??

Original poster
huffpuff75 · 14/10/2010 20:18

Thanks math - I think so too Smile

Kerala - the names DH is vetoing aren't even that unusual. A big no to Cecily or Cecilia, which was a fave of mine, ditto to Imogen. I was just so pleased we'd agreed on something. Took me ages to pluck up the courage to say it was my fave name just in case he hated it

There are also many many fab names off the list because of surname issues, so we're not talking uncomplicated decisions here. I even kept my own name when we married - one of the reasons being that my first name just doesn't go!

OP posts:
MentalFloss · 14/10/2010 20:24

My name was number 1 in the year I was born and I was one of 4 in my class, I haven't ever really cared as the name was a family name so it didn't just feel like my parents were following the fashion iyswim?

Original poster
huffpuff75 · 14/10/2010 20:25

CanNeverDecide - I agree with sleepy, you were brave to change it. I think Eva is a lovely name, but I know what you mean about overuse spoiling the 'specialness'. I suppose that's what I am worrying about. But to me, I could equally regret not choosing a name I love just because other people do too.

Isabella is fab - we already have one in the family, so we didn't put it on the list.

OP posts:
chaya5738 · 14/10/2010 20:41

Lovely name. What about if you spelt it Emilia instead?

Personally I would be more put off about someone I didn't like naming their daughter it than loads of other anonymous people. I wouldn't be put off about it being in the top ten - those names end up being a fraction of the available names anyway so percentage-wise probably only make up .05 of the popular altogether.

KERALA1 · 14/10/2010 20:41

CanNeverDecide you did the right thing. Eva/Eve although lovely names are crazily popular round here. One third of the girls in dd's class have this name I am already getting terribly confused who is who...

zenon · 14/10/2010 21:09

Would it not bother/irritate/annoy you if there are dozens of other little girls with the same name in your nursery or school?

Amelia is without doubt a lovely name but be aware your own one will be known as Millie ABCD etc.

There are literally thousands of gorgeous names.

Not made up/daft/new/hippydippy/etc.

Just beautiful, refreshing and ready to be used.

You might find one that is just perfect for your own little girl if you look outside the top 100.

RedCardinal · 15/10/2010 11:17

I know you said Amellia was a family name but I know a Camilla who is known a millie so you could change the first name?

tammytoby · 15/10/2010 12:06

Amelia/Amelie/Emily and all the related Milly/Tilly/Lillys are EVERYWHERE round here and I have difficulty remembering their names...

It is a presonal decision but I agree that it takes away the specialness of a name if it being used by so many others. The point of naming someone is to identify them, isn't it?

There are so, so many lovely names out there - isn't there any other name you and dh love that isn't so overused already?

chickentwizzler · 15/10/2010 15:33

Amelia is a beautiful special name.

Amelia / Olivia / Emilia (growing in popularity) / Sophia / Isabella are all lovely names.

For similar names, not as popular, how about:

Maria
Selina
Serena
Alexia
Marielle

Enjoy choosing

silkymitts · 17/10/2010 15:36

I would go with Amelia as it is not too popular where I am. One day your child will grow up and possibly move away from her home town where the most common names might be Sarah and Louise for example.
Don't not pick a name just because others have chosen it.

littleoldme · 18/10/2010 02:33

My DS is one of four we know of with the same first and second names. It doesn't matter to us in the slightest. Popular names are usually popular because they are great names. Go with what you like.

withorwithoutyou · 21/10/2010 21:02

You can shortern Amelia to Amy which is less popular, if that really bothers you.