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Baby names

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

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Original poster

If you called your child a very popular name...

80 replies

ShushBaby · 25/05/2012 14:44

... did you realise it was popular when you chose it? If so, did you care? And does it now bother you that it's popular?

Playgroups in our (middle class) area are filled with kids with the same or very similar names. I've even come across more than one set of siblings with the same combo of names. One mum introduced her child to me (Eva) and then said quickly 'but I didn't realise it was so popular when I chose it', so its popularity obviously plays on her mind.

We are trying to think of names for dc2 (currently gestating) and my instinct is to avoid very popular names. I almost want to ditch a name if someone else has mentioned it on here, for example. But then, is that just silly? After all, everyone is subject to the zeitgeist- a name that seems unique could turn out to be very popular. And if your child has a name, does it become uniquely 'theirs' to you, even if there are five others in the class?

FWIW my name was the most popular in the year I was born and I can't imagine my parents gave it a second thought- and it certainly didn't bother me. But then, thirty years ago I reckon most babies were named from a stock of about ten names! (Rebecca, Sarah, Elizabeth, Charlotte etc).

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nailak · 25/05/2012 16:51

There are about ten girls at dd2s nursery with variations on her name, Samia, somaiyya Sumaiya, sumayyah

I didn't know anyone except one girl that was a few years older then me in high school with that name before.

KateF · 25/05/2012 16:52

I named dd1 Isabella in 1999 when it was relatively unusual. It has since become incredibly popular although not particularly so in our area. Also Twilight came along so the name she is known by (Bella) is also trendy now! I don't regret using the name, still think it is lovely and it suits her. Am quite glad I didn't have any boys though, I was planning to use Jacob!

threeofthebest · 25/05/2012 17:00

I myself have a very unusual name. As a teenager I hated it, because inevitably if you meet someone new, the first question is 'what's your name?' for me that was usually followed by 'pardon' or 'what??'. So consequently I avoided situations where I had to introduce myself.
My children all have relatively common names for this reason!

ViolaCrayola · 25/05/2012 17:16

The thing is, there is no guarantee of avoiding popularity. My name was very unusual when I was a child, but I still shared it with a girl in my class and so had to use my surname initial. Now it has shot up the charts and I often whirl around in supermarkets as a Mum calls out her young daughter's name.

My son's name is the most popular of all that we considered for him (it's top 50). We occasionally come across one in a playground but don't know any others at playgroups etc. Anyway, it doesn't bother me at all either way actually. It's his name and I love it :)

I am preg with DC2 - a girl - and we are probably choosing a v unusual name - not because it is unusual, but just because we love it. I would slightly prefer a fairly unusual name TBH but that's not my main factor in making the decision.

CakeBump · 25/05/2012 18:42

4 of me in my class in secondary school. It never occurred to me to be bothered by it.

I think wanting an unusual name is at least partly snobbery tbh...

CakeBump · 25/05/2012 18:43

Sorry I should clarify - wanting an unusual name for the sake of it seems snobbish to me...

hackneyzoo · 25/05/2012 18:52

DD1 has a very popular name, I love her name, but there is no way I would have chosen it if I had known how popular it would be. We were living abroad at the time so I had no idea. My other DCs have less common names. I'm not sure why it bothers me so much TBH, it just does.

Chocaholics · 25/05/2012 19:00

I think you should pick a name you love and just not worry about it being popular or not. I have a very unusual name and have never met another person with that name or ever heard of anyone else with it. I have the same conversation over and over when I meet new people about it being unusual, where it comes from etc does get boring after 30 years!

For DD we just picked a name we both like, is not massively popular bit we love it and would have picked it anyway.

AdventuresWithVoles · 25/05/2012 19:11

Ooh, we were very keen on Summaiah if DS2 had been a girl!! maybe anglicised to "Somaya"

DC1 has a top 10 name, DC2 has the top girls name of her generation.

DC1 I didn't realise but didn't mind, right name for him.

DC2 I mostly realised & sometimes it bothered me, mostly it just amazes me all the common variations on how to spell it! She loves her name, so that's what matters most.

I had a top 10 name for my generation. At one point 2 of the most popular girls also had it, and I learnt to ignore my name when called, nobody ever wanted me!

Heifer · 25/05/2012 19:15

Picked a name we liked (Jessica). Wasn't a problem at all for the 1st 4 years, didn't come across 1 similar age, then we moved areas and started school. She is in a class of 20 (all girls) and she is 1 of 4 Jessicas... (2 in the other class), so 6 out of 40 girls are called Jessica... She is often referred to as JessicaSurname (sounds like 1 word)... Still like the name, so I guess don't regret. She doesnt seem bothered either.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 26/05/2012 07:57

Yes, purposely set out to choose that weren't overly popular as I'm a 70's Sarah and bloody sick of it. With DD1 her name has been consistently round the 85 mark and we've only met 1 other. However, with DD2 we had such a hard time choosing a name that when we eventually found a compromise name we grabbed it even though it was a lot higher up the list. We don't know any others yet.

startail · 26/05/2012 08:28

It took to the end of reception for DD1 to stop signing her name, Star X even though Star Y from nursery had gone to a different school.

Lexiesgirl · 26/05/2012 09:05

We thought for a long time to find a name for DD that was familiar but also not popular and I think we found it - the shortened version (what she is normally called) is the kind of name everyone knows, and isn't too dateable or too popular, the long version is a slight twist on a traditional name. We felt pretty good about the name... but I've got a sneaky feeling that it is going to become a little more popular, and I kind of liked the idea of her being one of just a few in the country

For any potential DS's, DP is a big fan of Charles/Charlie. I do like the name but the fact that its so popular is putting me off. I'm not worried that people will make judgements about it, but more that any future DS's might be one of 5 in their school year.

Pochemuchka · 26/05/2012 09:20

DDs name is very popular (according to here) although I have never met another one where we live and she is 3 1/2 and has attended 2 different nurseries

DS, on the other hand, has an unusual name no one can pronounce properly (even though it's obvious).

I suppose I could conduct my own social experiment based on this and see if either gets annoyed about it as they get older!

I have to say, just choose a name you love. Who cares what anyone else thinks or how many others there are with the same name? The important thing is to bring your children up to be strong and confident regardless of their name.

RichManPoorManBeggarmanThief · 26/05/2012 09:36

DS's name (Austin) not that common (think it's just outside the top 100). Tbh, we chose it as it was the only name we could agree on.

If DC2 is another boy, he will probably be Luke, which I imagine is rather higher (prob top 20 i would think), but again, it's more a case of what we can agree on.

I'm not that bothered- I have a standard 70's name (of same ilk as Sarah and Emma). There were 2 of us in my year at school, and at one time, 3 of us in a team of less than 20 at work, but it's never bothered me, and I dont think it's made me any more or less interesting/quirky/ creative etc than if my parents had called me Boudicea.

jellybeans · 26/05/2012 12:44

Most of mine have unusual names but 1's name is fairly common (top 50) and I don't regret it. Just choose what you like.

Fuchzia · 26/05/2012 13:31

DS1 has v popular 'king' name it's been in the top 10 for at least ten years and has been constently popular throughout history. We knew this but it was my Grandad's name which means a lot to me so no regrets. Ds2 has an uncommon spelling of an uncommon-ish name (I thought at the time it was the most common spelling but have since been proved wrong) he's only three months old but the fact no one can spell it is already driving me nuts.

Littleviolet · 26/05/2012 13:38

I think we were about ten years behind the trends with our dc's names - there are loads of people with their names (which are plain and classic), but mainly in people a bit older than them. I think I would avoid all the names that are HUGELY popular, so that dc isn't likely to be one of 6 in a class. But I would rather have a popular name than one that is outlandish and/or hard to spell.

I have rather a penchant for personalised gifts, stationery etc (yes i know, I need to get out more),so needed my dc to have standard names for this reason. Their names are so common that there is always a gap in the rack where their names have sold out! Oh well, the best laid plans ...

gnocci · 26/05/2012 13:43

I am definitely of the "dont want a popular name" mindset.

Interesting someone mentioned Edward further up the thread. DS is Edward although known as Ted/Teddy and have only ever met another little boy fleetingly in a soft play centre 150 miles away also called Teddy!

Currently weeks preg and if it had been another DS we loved Henry or Toby. Discounted Henry pretty quickly after hearing of yet another baby being called it so he wold have been a Tobias. Turns out it's a DD and we are going to go for Nancy (with a slightly quirkly middle name).

gnocci · 26/05/2012 13:43

24 week*

Iggly · 26/05/2012 13:43

Both names in the top ten. Didn't care - we picked names we loved. Didn't check with MN first or anyone else either

Sandalwood · 26/05/2012 13:53

The flip side I've found of going for names that aren't top of the pops is that when you announce the name you get quite a few "oh"s.
Popular names are popular because they're liked.

confusedpixie · 26/05/2012 14:07

I have a common name that has loads of spellings so it's mis-spelt constantly. It pisses me off because I have two sisters who's names are quite unique for their age group, and I get stuck with the common name. My older sister actually has two sisters with the same name since she got married last year!

bibbitybobbitybunny · 26/05/2012 14:17

My dd (born 2001) has the most common girls name in 2011. Ds (born 2003) has the second most common boys name in 2011! Of course I didn't realise they were going to be so popular but what can you do? Does it really matter?

suburbandream · 26/05/2012 14:24

Both my DCs have hugely popular names - we didn't look at any baby name books or "most popular" charts when choosing so had no idea! DS2's name is very classic and I don't regret it at all, but there were times when I really regretted DS1's name because there are so many of them about. Nothing I can do about it now, and it suits him. When he goes out into the big wide world I'm sure it will seem less common - when I was growing up there were hundreds of Sharons and Traceys but now I don't know any!!

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