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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Is Sophie too popular, and do you think it will date?

101 replies

NatureAbhorsAHoover · 22/10/2013 21:55

I know it's been in the top 5 for years but I don't know any little Sophies at all... and our surname is v uncommon and always being spelt wrong, so I would love something easy to spell for her sake.

Other thoughts...
Anna
Sylvie
Tess

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misdee · 22/10/2013 22:36

dd4 is my little Sophie.

yes, there is another Sophie in her class, but that's not an issue.

what is an issue is that there is a child further up the school called Sophie, who happens to have the same surname as us! That family have similar name choices to us, as one of their other children has the same name as DD1. it hasn't caused any problems so far, but may do in years to come with name mix ups etc. but hoping not.

DanglingChillis · 22/10/2013 22:39

I don't think it's a Michelle or Sharon type name, but maybe a Sarah. A lovely name that is having a surge in popularity at the moment but is fairly classic.

I like Anna best of the others you suggest, it's another classic name and simple to go with an unusual surname, Sylvie I think might be getting more and more popular, I'd never heard of it a few years ago and now I know a few, I find it a bit flowery TBH. Sylvia would be less likely to date IMHO and I prefer it, seems more like a grown-up name.

RhondaJean · 22/10/2013 22:40

I don't know any Sophia's of any age.

I'm sorry about the random apostrophes by the way I know they shouldn't be there but they keep aurocorrecting and I am so lazy Id rather type this whole sentence out than correct them.

clr2014 · 22/10/2013 22:41

I adore Sophie - but the popularity means I will never choose it. It had the no 1 spot for years. Having said that, I've been a primary teacher for about 10years and have never taught one

Original poster

NatureAbhorsAHoover · 22/10/2013 22:43

misdee I can guarantee that having the same surname will never happen to us! Our surname almost unique, and is ALWAYS spelt wrong to boot because people just think "oh, it must be some more common variant so I'll just bloody write that" . I think having an easy-to-spell first name is really important for our child... DH's always has to spell out his first and last names and it is v v tiresome!

OP posts:

misdee · 22/10/2013 22:45

phew!!

when I found out that was another child with the exact sae name as Sophie, I laughed. when I found out the older sibling had the same name as dd1, I wondered what was going on lol.

scissy · 22/10/2013 22:46

We always seem to have at least 1 Sophie in the Brownie pack, so it never seems to age, but always seems popular.

Original poster

NatureAbhorsAHoover · 22/10/2013 22:47

Nothing wrong with Sophia but I just like Sophie. Soph. Sophy-pants. Sophykins...

yes am a bit keen on this one

Rhonda that's interesting, do you know a Tess who is short for Teresa? I've never met one but I have heard of it. Do you think people would often assume that the same as you? Also thinking of Tessa - would that suggest Teresa as well?

OP posts:

Happypiglet · 22/10/2013 22:53

Dd is a Sophie, there are four in her year! Doesn't worry us tho just shows we have taste!
She is shortened to Soph (which all her friends call her) and to Woo (from Sophie-wophie as a baby- don't ask!). It's a great name. As it has transpired she is a massive Tom boy and Soph really works for her.. It's not too 'twee'
I do not think it will date. All my DC have 'classic' names...

Lubiloo · 22/10/2013 22:59

It has become quite trendy over the past 10 years and will probably start to sound a little dated as it falls out of favour again.

Sylvie, on the other hand, is beautiful and a refreshing alternative!

RhondaJean · 22/10/2013 22:59

No I don't think i would necessarily think it was short for Theresa. But I think it's derived from there rather than from Elizabeth. I think lots of people are actually called th shortened names now.

One of my DDs is called Jude and people always think she's actually Judith, but Judith felt too solemn to name her.

NadiaWadia · 22/10/2013 23:45

sparkle but you can't really say an 'ee' sound at the end of a name automatically makes it 'not classic'. What about Mary? Can't get much more classic than that.

NadiaWadia · 22/10/2013 23:50

Or Lucy.
Sophia is nice, but Sophie is nicer.

CoolStoryBro · 22/10/2013 23:57

Every Sophie I know are in their 30s and 40s and I adore them all, so it's a resounding yes from me!

hellymelly · 22/10/2013 23:59

The only Sophie I know is in her 40s. I think it is really pretty. (I know some little Sylvies ).

JadziaBats · 23/10/2013 00:02

It's a classic name, the youngest Sophie that I know is my 9 month old DD . It's one of those names that suits any age and is unlikely to date. My own name definitely dates me as a child of the 70s!

Her nn is Squeak, nothing to do with her actual name, it's just the little squeaky noises she makes when she's excited

TheNumberfaker · 23/10/2013 00:04

Unless you're forrin Sophia sounds a bit pretentious.

Sophie is the best name ever... ever

Namechange3girls · 23/10/2013 00:11

Have name changed for this as I may out myself!
Sophie is a beautiful name - dd2 is Sophie, and i have never regretted her name choice. She is the only one in her primary school year (2 classes) and there are only a couple of others in the whole school. On the other hand, in her school there are absolutely loads of Isabellas, Jessicas and Daisys. So don't worry too much about the numbers in class, as you can never predict how that's going to turn out.
I'm also confident this is not a name that will date. I was nearly named Sophie myself, and had a friend with this name, so Sophie doesn't belong to one era. On the other hand, my older daughter's name (dd1) will date! That name has had a surge of popularity since we named her and it will definitely link dd1 to the decade of her birth.
However I just had to comment on this thread, as dd3 is Tessa (on birth cert), sometimes called Tess. What great taste you have in names!
If you're concerned about popularity / lots in the class, then I can thoroughly recommend the name Tessa. Since she was born (and in the entire 8 years since I had my first child), I have never met another child with that name, or heard it called out by a parent etc.
Like you, we have a long, difficult-to-spell surname, and Tessa is unusual whilst still being simple to say and spell.
Good luck in choosing!

Butwilliseeyouagain · 23/10/2013 00:17

I find it a little ubiquitous and much prefer Sophia.

Wuldric · 23/10/2013 00:18

Sophie is lovely and won't date.

Anna is lovely and won't date.

Sylvie is kind of trying too hard and it's a French name really - so would be fine if you are French but otherwise seems a bit nonsensical.

Tess is short for something. It's not a proper name, I googled and found out that Tess is the pet form of the feminine name Teresa which is of Greek origin. I don't mind Teresa. But Tess is silly!

NadiaWadia · 23/10/2013 00:21

In fact Sophia seems more popular at the moment, so maybe that will date more?

Rosencrantz · 23/10/2013 00:39

I know Sophies every age from 40 down... hasn't dated yet!

GrandstandingBlueTit · 23/10/2013 08:24

Sophie has traditionally been quite a timeless, classic name, but it seems to be going through a significant popularity surge at the moment - which means that in another 5-10 years it will start to sound overly-familiar and perhaps a bit tired to some people's ears.

People will move away from it for the next style of name, and so yes, in that sense, it will sound a bit dated. But probably only for a while.

There are plenty of 'classic', 'timeless' names that are actually only 'classic' and 'timeless' while they're back in vogue. When they're out of favour, they definitely do come across as dated.

I have one such name. You can't move for them at the moment, but when I was given it in the 70s, it was deeply old-lady. And not in a good way.

29chapel · 23/10/2013 08:30

Lots around here. I love Sylvie

telsa · 23/10/2013 08:51

Sophie will never date. It is a classic name and very lovely.

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