How many of you worry the name you pick is too popular?

[LDNmummy]

I let DH pick our LO's future name as long as I could use my grandmothers name for her middle name. He wasn't too keen on it but was happy to compromise and I wasn't too keen on his choice of first name but was also happy to compromise; so we are both happy.

But the main reason I wasn't immediately happy with his choice of first name, was simply because of how popular it is. I had a look at the popular names list and it is a constant toward the top of the list.

It doesn't bother me now as her entire name is very unusual and I felt happy for him to have the honour IYSWIM. But I was wondering how many others are put of by a names popularity?

[catsareevil]

I prefer slightly unusual names, as I think its a shame for children to be Emily B, Sophie R, etc. As has already been said it is really easy to order personalised things, so that isnt an issue.

It isnt as simple as names being at the top of the rankings purely because they are beautiful, there is fashion in naming, for example the rise of the name Sienna, and I expect that Harper will be a lot more popular this year than it was last year.

[Ragwort]

My son has one of the top 5 boys' names however we have rarely come across any others with the same name - so not sure where they all are - I wouldn't worry about it, if you like the name. My DH has an incredibly common name (for his age) - it is the same as my DB's but it really hasn't caused any problems.

I think you get far more problems calling a child an 'unusual' name - which will get sniggered at, however original you might think you are .

[exoticfruits]

I either like a name or I don't-it doesn't bother me.
I would far rather my DCs had a popular name that have to go through life with having to spell it, or having an outlandish name, just because I wanted to be original.

[catsareevil]

ragwort

Its possible to be well outside the top 100 names and still have an entirely conventional name.

[breatheslowly]

For me it was about juggling factors. I was one of two with the same name in my secondary form and that wasn't ideal but my mother has always struggled with an unspellable name and encouraged me to pick an easy to spell name. I also have different feelings about boys' names and girls' names as I think it is easier for a girl to have a slightly unusual name than a boy.

[takethatlady]

Like you OP I wanted to give my children uncommon names. My name is very unusual (it's a 'real' name, some medieval queens had it and it's in a Byron poem and a nineteenth-century novel but it's so far outside the top 100 it's not even on the list!). I really like my name and was in a class with four Claires, three Katies, two Catherines and two Laurens at school, so I didn't want that for my children.

I now have a five-week-old Isobel. Go figure :)

[HoneyPablo]

I never even considered whether the names I picked were popular or not. It didn't even enter my head. I picked them because I we liked them.

[CheerfulYank]

I do like unusual names...but DS is a Sam down to the ground and I'm glad that's what I chose. :)

[HoneyPablo]

CheerfulYank My DS is Sam too!

[EdithWeston]

We chose the names we wanted. We think they're gorgeous names.

It never occurred to me to consider what others might be choosing.

[BlobTheGreat]

Our ds is Joseph which has been a constant top 20 for decades. I love the name and he's 4 now and have never regretted it. He's the only Joseph in his year at school although there is one in the year above him. Jacob however is usually lower than Joseph on the list but there are 3 in his class so you can never tell how popular a name will be just by looking on a list. They are more popular in different areas etc. I wouldn't let it put me off. I am currently pg with dc2 and decided on name Thomas if it's a boy which is always in top 10, usually top 5 I think but it really doesn't bother me at all. There's a reason it's popular!

[Summatontoast]

Agree with the poster who says names outside the top 100 can still be conventional, just not that popular. We named 15 yr old DS Adam and we very very rarely come across another one - there has never been one in either primary or secondary and both are huge schools.

[diddl]

I wanted names not used that often-but still known iyswim.

As it was, it was a nightmare finding something that we both liked, never mind ftrying to fit it to any other criteria!

[Continuum]

ds has a very very unusual name, which he absolutely loves btw! We didn't pick it because it was unusual but because we loved it and if it hadn't suited him he would've had a more usual name.

For soon to arrive ds2 we thought maybe we should go for an uncommon name so he wouldn't feel too different to his brother, but the fact is we couldn't agree on an unusual one we loved as much and went with a very traditional name that is currently in the top 20 boys names.

Though ds1 has a very conventional name as a middle name in case he grew up hating his first name. And there were 6 children last year who had expected ds2's middle name as a first name, so not too common if he feels shortchanged!

So I'd say while we do have a liking for unusual names it's not the primary motivating factor as there are lots of lovely names out there in frequent use.

[Thumbwitch]

Not really, tbh. DS's name is pretty permanently in the top 20 of boys' names but it suits him and we both like it. Our surname is pretty unusual in the way it's spelled, so it's unlikely there will be another of him around.

Girls' names though - yes, I think it would bother me slightly more to have a very popular name. But it's not looking like I'm going to need to worry about that.

[msbuggywinkle]

I have a very very common name, so does DP. We hate our names, because every other bugger is also called them. Worse, they were at the heights of their popularity 10 years before we were born so people add 10 years on to our ages, which is crap.

Our 3DDs have traditional, but not common names. They are (well, DD3 will be when she is born!) Helena, Felicity and Miranda. None of them are anywhere near the top 100, but they aren't outlandish.

[TanyaBranning]

I wouldnt worry about the popularity of fairly classic, traditional names. They're popular because they are lovely and have history.

But I think it must be a shame when you think you have chosen an unusual name but have actually been caught up in some part of trend and end up with a top five name. A friend called her DD Ava a few years ago. I remember thinking 'how lovely and old fashioned'. There are three at my DD's nursery and I know two other little Avas.

[CheerfulYank]

I remember thinking the same thing about Ava, Tanya ! I know one who's maybe 9 or 10 now, and it was so different and beautiful when she was born. Now they're everywhere!

[jaggythistle]

I just wanted a 'normal' name, but not top 20 or something for my DS.

e.g. Jack is a nice name, but there are still loads around due to the popularity:)

never interested in callind a DC Moonbeam or Pineapple.

[jaggythistle]

crap, sorry for wine spelling

[jaggythistle]

there were about 20 babies with his name born the same year (in Scotland), but it is a well known name IYSWIM.

[EllenJaneisnotmyname]

Trouble is you choose a name that's not so popular, but still really nice, then every other bugger has the same thought! My 3 DS's names are now all in the top ten! They weren't when they were born, all over 10 years ago. But they are popular for a reason, all still lovely names. (And TBH, even though DS2 has another in his class, he's just known as XXX, the other boy is XXX T.)

[TillyIpswitch]

It's obviously possible to reach a happy medium - a name that's not a dime a dozen, but also not Princess Consuela Banana-Hammock.

Both DS and DD have old, conventional names which are outside the top 100 - DS's is very old-fashioned (and not in a grandpa chic sort of way) although he is known by a diminutive; no chance of it regaining popularity this generation. DD's name does get asked about from time to time on this board but I don't think will be in the top 100 any time soon.

If we were to have a second DD, DH loves the name Ava, and while I also think it is a pretty name I have to say that its popularity and therefore propensity to date massively to this era means I wouldn't use it.

And not being able to get a bag or a pencil case with your child's name on it is sooo not a reason to give them a popular name!

[EllenJaneisnotmyname]

No indeed. The best reason for choosing a popular name is because it's a really good one, that you love, that suits your family. I wouldn't rule out any name because 'other people' think it's too popular!? How strange.

[tammytoby]

People who choose to name their child a less overused/popular name do not do so because "other people think it's too popular", they do so because THEY themselves think it is too popular.