What is wrong with 'Freya'?

[craigslittleangel]

I'm pregnant with DD 2 and although I had a name for my first, in the end she didn't suit it and her dad named her. I love the name and the reason for its choice (named after a character in mythology and a painting), but discovered after her registration that it was in the top 10 for that year. Not normally a problem, untill she started nursery and there were 3 others there. (Although all spelt differently).

So, with DD2 I am determined to get something not so much 'of its time'.

The other day I heard someone call 'Freya' and thought it was lovely. It's stayed with me and has beaten my other option Elanor. However, it seems its very popular at the moment..... People are even being derisive about it.

So, tell me whats wrong with it? Don't worry, I'm not stuck on it for life or anything like that, I would just like to understand why some people don't like it.

@retrocutie my daughter’s called Freya and I’m not at all middle class.

Op, it’s a stunning name. It stuck with me from the get go, and I didn’t budge from it. (:

@Thedogscollar
You know where I live?

I find it really drippy....doesn't conjure up strength to me...quite the opposite

@AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken

Obviously not.

But I take exception to you saying "They're definitely a certain type of parent."

That is a bollocks comment and unless you know every single parent with a daughter called Freya and they are ALL twats then your comment holds no water.

Before you ask I do not have a daughter called Freya.

i like it

oh zombie

i wonder if the op did call her dd Freya? @craigslittleangel

I love it but there are a lot of 18 - 25 year old Freyas out there .

I hope she did. It's a lovely name. Yes saw it was a zombie thread but still wanted to comment.

It’s popular here, I know three. It is a beautiful name. The mythical Freya drove a carriage pulled by cats. What’s not to like? Not all Scandis are blonde either (look at the moomins).

It's a nice name if pronounced Fray-ah, but not Fray-yah as I've heard around here

I really don’t like any girls names starting with an F. Freya, Flora, Fiona, Freda, Francesca, they all just seem ugly to me but I guess that’s just personal space. Incidentally I don’t mind boys names starting with F.

I do know several baby Freya’s so if you’re wanting a less common name I’m not sure it’s a good choice.

Gah. I'll try again.

I love the name Freya. Freya Start is a woman I've always respected and admired so your daughter would have a wonderful name role model.

My friend has just had a Freya, I think it's a gorgeous name x

I love the name Freya, prefer it to Eleanor.

Freya is the name of a Norse goddess. I have a friend back home in Stockholm however her name is spelled Freyja. It’s a name I’m considering if my baby is a girl.

What is causing derision about the name? I do not understand. Do people not like the name?

[quote Thedogscollar]@AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken

Obviously not.

But I take exception to you saying "They're definitely a certain type of parent."

That is a bollocks comment and unless you know every single parent with a daughter called Freya and they are ALL twats then your comment holds no water.

Before you ask I do not have a daughter called Freya.[/quote]
All the ones I know are. 😊

I love the name Freya, although I am biased as it is my name (spelt differently). I'm in my 30s so it was quite an unusual name for me growing up and it's quite strange hearing all the little girls running about with it now. My 2 dds each have 2 Freyas in their classes.

Oh I see some comments that it has become
Popular in the UK now? I’ve known classmates named Freya in Sweden so it is a normal sounding name to me. But I guess it is unusual in the UK?

What has made it become popular? Are there other Scandinavian names that are popular in the UK? I saw earlier people say the name Axel was not nice but this is also not uncommon in Scandinavia. So I guess it is a matter of what sounds nice to the ear. Personally I like these names, but these are names I’m used to hearing so they sound normal to the ear.

The only Freya I've met had a Scandinavian father. Her brother also had a Scandinavian name (I'm not going to be more specific than that!). So it can't be incredibly common in all areas?

If you like Scandi names, have you considered Karin (pronounced Car-in)? Seems more unusual in this country, and means Pure. I think it's a variant of Katherine.

@AlfonsoTheMango

Was that a typo - do you mean Freya Stark ? What a woman en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freya_Stark

My 18 year old has had 4 Freyas in her year at school. I know a couple of others a bit younger. I don't feel as though it's super popular in our area any longer (N London).
I do like it though - all the ones I've met have been lovely in every way.

Freya has a beautiful sound imo, but is very "modern" in the UK - statistically it would be fairly unusual to meet a Freya over 40. If you like Scandi influenced names, something like Astrid, Ingrid, Frida, Elin or Kirsten/Kristen feels more traditional I think.

On the opposite side, Eleanor/Elinor (I haven't seen the Elanor spelling before apart from Lord of the Rings?) is very classic - apparently it's been in and out of the top 50 since the 1500's! So despite it's current popularity, imo Eleanor has a timeless feel and is less likely to ever feel really dated.

I would have a 21 year old Freya if he’d been a girl! I still like it a lot, haven’t gone off it at all.