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Original poster

Is Eloise an unusual name?

29 replies

Clarence15 · 04/07/2011 15:22

My dd is called Eloise. At the time we chose it, we weren't sure if it would be seen as a bit unusual so the option to shorten it to Ellie was there for dd in case she didn't like the full version when she was older.

I didn't think it would be so rare as to never hear of another one but she's 9 now and I've only ever heard of 2 others, and one on holiday.

Is it common or rare where you are?

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flipthefrog · 04/07/2011 15:23

rare, but reminds me of that song

PeppaPigandGeorge · 04/07/2011 15:27

I had it on the long list for no2; it's not common but by no means rare.

What song flip?

Journey · 04/07/2011 15:40

It's not an unusual name because everybody knows the name Eloise.

If you haven't heard many kids being called Eloise then it's just a less popular name as opposed to an unusual name. Hardly any kids are called John now but is certainly doesn't make it an unusal name.

Original poster
Clarence15 · 04/07/2011 15:50

Yes it did come from the song Wink. We were really stuck for a girls name and then Top of the Pops 2 came on with the old Damned song on and we both went Smile

OP posts:
PipFEH · 04/07/2011 16:01

I know one Eloise and she is in her late 20's!

lazylula · 04/07/2011 16:20

I have met a couple of Eloise's, so as others have said it is not a 'popular name' but it also is not rare. I haven't met anyone with dd's name (she is only 8 weeks) until I had her and then everyone seems to know someone by the name and I have seen it mentioned on here alot!

deemented · 04/07/2011 16:26

I know a Eloise who is in her early forties and a six year old Eloise.

mich54321 · 04/07/2011 18:05

I know one Eloise in late 20's and one age 11. I wouldn't say it was an unusual name, not overly common but certainly not "out there". It's a very nice name.

Taffeta · 04/07/2011 18:08

There are two at DC's primary, and one in the pre school.

Bandwithering · 04/07/2011 18:50

I'd say it's medium. Not rare, I know of one or two. dEFinitely not what I'd call over used either though.

FancyALittle · 04/07/2011 18:55

Ava and Eloise have been my chosen names since I was about 15. Ava is now everywhere (and incompatible with my married surname) so I hope to goodness that Eloise doesn't take off...

SloganLogan · 04/07/2011 19:24

I've only heard of one in RL.

AberdeenAngusina · 04/07/2011 20:03

I know a teenager whose middle name is Eloise. It works really well as a MN with lots of names.

Honeydragon · 04/07/2011 20:06

Clarence consider yourself formerly introduced to your first ever "other Eloise" Wink

smartyparts · 04/07/2011 20:10

I know of 2 smallish ones (8 and 10) but no adults. I do however, know several adult Louises.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 04/07/2011 20:21

I know two babies but no others.

hugeleyoutnumbered · 04/07/2011 20:21

i know three

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 04/07/2011 20:23

There are several at ds's school and I know three babies, I also know two dogs called Eloise, I guess it is gaining in popularity.

tammy234 · 04/07/2011 21:33

Why don't you look at the ONS statistics from last year (or 2009) to gauge how popular it is? Sorry, haven't got the link to hand.

Mowlem · 04/07/2011 22:31

My DD is Eloise. From 1998, the name has never reached higher than 75th in the ONS stats. That was for one year only and then quickly dropped down to the 90/ 100s again. This is the early / mid 2000s, when my daughter was young.

However, a quick check on the ONS shows that it does not even feature as a top 100 name for 1997, 1998, 2007, 2008 and 2009. (or at least I could not see it there), so that would be less than 500 babies per year. In contrast, the most popular names have about 5,000 babies born per year.

But there are always variations. My DD is the only Eloise at her school (200+ children), was the only Eloise at her last school (300 children), yet at her gymnastics club (of about 600+) children, there are at least 6 of them (I think). However, this spans children from 2 - 18.

In 15 years of teaching, I have taught 3 girls called Eloise. They would all be in their twenties now.

So I'd say rareish!

CointreauVersial · 04/07/2011 22:33

I know three, of which one is my niece (age 10).

TittyBojangles · 04/07/2011 22:38

I know 2 babies and another with Eloise as a middle name... I think its on the come back!

proudfoot · 05/07/2011 05:07

I don't think it's rare. I was at primary school with 1 and secondary school with another. I knew quite a few at university (and 2 x Heloise, the French spelling) and my cousin recently had a baby Eloise!

Original poster
Clarence15 · 05/07/2011 07:04

Thanks everyone especially honeydragon so nice to see lots of Eloise's. Dd loves her name, she's 9 now and although we did call her Ellie for a while when she was a baby she's been Eloise ever since and a lot of people tell me they really like her name.

OP posts:
NorksAreMessy · 05/07/2011 07:13

I teach jewellery making to about 100 children a week (aged 5-13) and four of them are Elouise / Heloise /Eloise.
So from that completely non-representative sample 4%!

Do also have loads of Ellies / Elles / Ellas / Ellie-Maes

When we make jewellery with alphabet beads, I have to buy whole packs just of the letter E!

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