four in a class - really?

[mogandthecat]

I've noticed on here that many people seem to dread the possibility that their child may be one of 'four or five' in a class. Just thinking about this when my friend showed me the list for her dd's reception class intake the other day. Of thirty children there were only two names replicated, each with two children with the name (one of these being Ruby, which was the most popular name for the year anyway). When I was at primary school in the seventies when there were probably fewer names used overall there was only one duplicated name in a class of 20 girls (Claire). So, just out of interest, what names are there more than one of in your dc's classes and are there often '4 or 5' of one name or is this actually an extremely rare occurrence?!

" in the same year, with the same first and surname "

How do you tell them apart?

DD1 (yr4) has 2 x Emily, 3 x Finley and 2 x Sydney (1 girl, 1 boy) in her year of 60. DD2 (yr1) has 2 x Poppy, 2 x Tegan, 2 x Brandon, 2 x Katie (of which she is one) in her year of 60 children.
At secondary school, I was 1 of 4 Nicola/Nicholas in my year of approx 60 girls (my spelling is with an h, but that makes no odds for identifying you verbally!) - I was born in the early 70s

I once took part in a school music event. There were 14 of us from my school, and four of us (including me) had the same name.

Three Harrys in our beavers group - two share the same surname initial. This can get a little annoying/confusing. Yes, it would be great to see more name diversity - would make life easier and more interesting .

poppydaisy the school at least had the sense to put them in the year's two different classes, so I would think they have to refer to them by class or teacher!

In DD's class - of 12 girls there are two called Emily.
When she first started school she was in a class of 14 girls - two called Sophie.

In my current class of Y1s we have two boys called Suleman and two boys called Ayub. None of the girl's names are duplicated this year.

Last year I had two girls called Daisy.

I was at school in the 70s/80s. I was one of three girls called Clair in my middle school class.

I was teaching in a secondary school and one teaching group had four Amys (Amy, Amy, Ami and Amee) and in another there were four Hannahs and one Hanna. Usually at least two Emilys and two Sophies per class as well.

Although they were born in the 1990s, I would assume the top names will be the same when this 'generation' get to bigger schools.

My neice goes to a small rural school with 18 children in her class, year 2. Seven girls, six including my neice share the same name, the other is obscure and was not in the top 100 of that year, neice was the top name of that year. DD was ranked 400th most popular, will be going to same rural school. At baby group at least 1/2 the girls are the top name of last year, most are top 5.

But a popular name may be a fad, especially if you have liked the name when it was obscure or out of trend.

There were 10 boys in our Under 1's group and 6 of them were called jack. Luckily I had a girl as I loved the name Jack when I was pregnant

DS1,2+3 all have names in the top 20 and they are the only ones in their classes (so far) an have been every year. Doesn't bother me if they are one of x amount as I like their names, thats why I chose them.

Although, DS1s name was not in the top 20 when we named him, it does seem to have become more popular the past few years.

Ds is Ben, he is 7 and there are 5 in his year. Tiny school too....Dd has another popular name but she likes it now she's at High school. Am hoping I got It right with Ds2...

One year DD wrote Xmas cards to Bill, Will and Billy. Now I think it's just 2 Harrys.
Several Isabel/Isobels at school plus Isabelle/Isabella at ballet. Vast numbers of slightly different Eva, Evie, Ella, Ellen, Eleanor, Emilys and an Emma who I mix up and I've just realised we have 2 Harriets (not the same class).
Ann/Anne and two Helens in my class at school.
Loads of Susans, three Tracys (Sharon was older). Several Sarahs, but different years and various Garys, Evans and Gareths. The worst though was the two girls with exactly the same first and last names, who's first name wasn't even common (only ones out of 500 girls), but who's surname was very local both in the same year.

Oh and you can't win I knew DD1 wouldn't be unique, but there are actually far more DD2s

In DS1's year there is Niamh, Neave and Neve, Caitlynn and Catelin, 2 Bens, Thomas and Tomas, 2 Ellie's.

I was in primary school with 4 Katies and a Kattie and secondary school with 5 Gemma's and 4 Allans.

Purpletortoise - my Noah is one of 3 in his year... And we too thought we were choosing serving that would be relatively unusual. (altho my mum who was horrified when we first chose it soon changed her tuned when within a month she came across another 6 babies with the name - gs of friends, hairdresser, person down the road, lady at golf etc so we realised belatedly we had hit on something that was maybe less unusual than we thought!

Mind you I once worked with 2 guys who worked together doing the same job for the same boss - and both had not only the same name but the same middle initial too. Made for some interesting conversations -
can I speak to Joe?
Which joe?
Joe bloggs.

Which Joe bloggs?
Joe x blogs
Which Joe x bloggs?
The one that's a pm for mr big
They are both pm's for mr big
Errr the tall one?

Luckily one was a bit taller than the other and one grew a goatee (whether or not it was grown as a distinguishing feature I don't know!)

It was quite fun watching people struggle through

Sorry that was a bit off topic!

There will be 4 Olivers in DS's class in 2 years time, unless any of them move. (They are only 3 at mo).

There were many Helens in my class/year (born 1970) and 3 Zoes in my sister's class, out of 9 in the year (born 1974); there were also 2 Emma Louise Davises with the same birthday in her class. School didn't realise it was 2 people until they both turned up on same day.

2 x Olivers
2 x Ella's
2 x Holly's in ds' class

Three of my name just in my primary class, and I think six in my year at secondary.

I am a claire; out of 13 girls in my PE group 8 were called claire.

I think there were 2 sam's in ds1's year, and 4 Harry's in ds3's. No biggie.

No replication but in DS's nursery group there is an Evie, an Eva, an Ava, an Amelia and an Amelie. Lots of very similar names around at the mo.

There was 3 of me in my class, 5 in the year, there were 8 Claires, 5 of whom were in the same class, lots of Sarahs too. My friends ds is one of 8 in his class and 3 of the boys without that name share a different name (Jack and Josh, they are 9).
I used to work in an office where all but one of the men was called John or Paul.

2 Thomases and 2 Mathews

in my year at school there were LOADS and i mean more than 5 of each of Rebecca and Elizabeth!

they got called various versions of bek, bekka, becky, liz, lizzy, liza etc to distinguish between them.

i was almost a rebecca but my mum changed her mind when on the maternity ward there were 5 other baby girls, 3 of whom were called Rebecca! i have it as my middle name tho :)