Do you discount names you love based on popularity?

[littlepeas]

I'm not that bothered - my dc have top 100 names - but I really love Sophia and find the popularity is putting me off. Should I just pretend that the top 100 doesn't exist?? The other contenders are Imogen, Hermione and Lucia - the only name that has no issues at all (matching sibling initial, insane popularity, alliteration with surname, possible confusion around pronounciation, slightly iffy meaning when considered alongside the meaning of my dd's name) is Imogen - does that mean it wins by default?!

Yes, very popular names do put me off.

My DD1 had a name that at the height of its popularity got to 80 odd, she is the only child with her name in her school (about 200 children).

DDs full name was within the top 75-100, but her nickname was not in the top 100 at all. There are two girls, with her name at the school - the other girl is called by her full name, and my DD is known by her nickname.

I didn't worry about anything 75+, but I certainly avoided anything in the top 50. Largely because I was a teacher, and I have seen some interesting names children have been known as when there are too many of them. At secondary school, they may not know each others surnames, and may even share the same initial. Once I taught a group of Bens in the same class and they were known by the other students as sporty Ben, ginger Ben, tall Ben and thick Ben. Another time, I taught a class with several girls called Amy, one was known as Amy microphone head due to her unfortunate haircut. A third example was two Charlottes, and I remember someone asking me whether it was pretty Charlotte or the other one! I could give lots more examples, but these are the most memorable.

For this reason, I avoided anything too popular.

I have to say that I disagree with LadyLech and personally wouldn't abandon a name I loved because of popularity as you may regret using another you like less. My DS has a very popular name (has been in the top 10 for well over a decade or so) and it has never caused a problem for him (in fact he doesn't know many others and there are no others in his class at school) and I still love his name as much as ever. My DD has a much less common name (outside the top 800 when we choose it) and I have surprisingly come across a number of others including another one in her year group at school! You just never can tell!

We obviously think similarly - I have an Imogen Sophia Rose. She is just 3 and we have met 2 others - one a sales assistant at John Lewis who was 20ish and another is an A Level student at a local school.
Everyone told me it was 'v common' (i'd have prefered them to say 'popular') but we haven't met any little Imogens despite being on the look-out for them

Countless Sophia/sophies, Eva/Evie/Avas, Graces and Mia/Mya/Mayas, but no Imogens.

Bizarrely, the names of my youth are the ones you dont see on littlies now - never met a baby Helen or Sarah or Cla(i)re.

I would be more bothered about a recurring top 10 name (jack, Harry, Emily Jessica Chloe) that have been popular for years than ones that seem to come for a year them go as a 'trend'
If you love a name you will love it regardless of whether your child isn't the only one with the name in the playgroup. I wouldn't choose a unique name that is not popular because its not nice just to be out-there

It would put me off tbh. I always loved Isobel. I just couldn't contemplate it, though, due to popularity. I have an unusual name and always liked being the only one.

Sophia/Sophie/Sofia etc, when added together, was the "true" number one name for 2011, and I expect it will be strong for a little while to come.

Evie (and variants) was in the "true" second place.

The ONS stats for 2012 aren't out for another couple of weeks. So when you are naming your baby, you won't know what the latest trend is (and depending which month you have your baby, the lists coukd be very badly out of date).

Personally, if the name is a classic one (like Sophia) then I'd go for it anyway. It's popular because it's lovely, and as it's been in use for centuries, a few years of popularity isn't going to make much difference on a life-long basis (unlike "newer" names which mark the generation in which they emerge, like say Tracey).

And although it may be annoying to have two or three with the same name at school (the only years when you are closely with an age cohort), would it be better of worse if sod's law meant there was a second child with your "rare" name than if there was another of a more ordinary name which you loved but never expected to be unique?

I get this meditrina- it stupidly annoyed me that next road to us has my dc2's name which is nowhere near top 100! Wouldn't be bothered about dd1 as its more popular I just like it

littlepeas, Sophia is my all time favourite girls name (I had boys) and I wouldn't have been able to resist it. G for it. It's stunning. Also depends where you live. Round here Ellas and Amelies are ten a penny but there are no Sophias at all.

Out of interest, I've just checked the stats for the year of my dd's birth, and rather interestingly, when she started school there were 3 duplicate names in her class (2 of each name). Duplicate name 1 was ranked around number 200 for that year, duplicate name 2 was ranked around number 250, and duplicate name three was outside the top 500! There were no other duplicates in the class. If you choose a name just to be different, you may be very disappointed to discover that your DC is not the only one about!

All my daughters have popular names, my 8 year old is Sofia

I've posted this before but when dd2 started school last year, there were a few repeat names in her year, one of them was a variant on a girls name that is very unusual.

My dd3 has a name that is usually quite well liked on MN, I'm tripping over them here, so it's very regionally loaded as well.

Yes, because a name has a purpose (to identify someone). If thousands of children share the same name, the purpose is defeated.
We have 4 Harrys and 3 Charlies in our beavers group - can be a little confusing at times (esp as 2 share the same surname)!

I may feel differently if/when I get to the stage of having children but popular names don't do anything for me. I've a slightly unusual name and liked the feeling of knowing I was the only one with my name in my year at Primary school and even at secondary I only knew of a couple. Twenty years on I still rarely meet anyone with it. It's a slightly classic name (and some would say wet) but it's never been popular and I'd like this for possible future DC's. I can't even think of any slebs who've named their kids with it.

So, none of your Lilah's or Jack's for me, thanks! I love the name Jude for a boy but it's too popular now.

No, I was the only one with my name in my school and being a shy child I hated the fact that I stood out. I was pleased that the names I chose for my daughters are quite popular. DD2 is actually a Sophia and I love it. I've met a few others since she was born but none of the same age. Choose a name that you like