Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Baby names

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

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Isaac - is it very popular?

34 replies

grizzabellia · 06/12/2013 05:35

My dh has fixated on this name for our baby if it is a boy. I do like it, and it was on our list last time, I just worry that it seems to be climbing the charts and was at number 30 last year (this happened with our daughter's name which suddenly went astronomical and while most we meet are younger than her and there are no others in her school I do find it irritating!) I am a bit worried that Isaac is on the up and may make top ten. Dh thinks this is irrelevant ('I don't care what other people call their babies'.) He has vetoed my other suggestions of Amos (too Jewish - we are not) and Nathaniel (he likes vowel names!)

Just wondering if people know lots of Isaacs (I don't actually know any but do hear it occasionally), if it is likely to date and become this generation's Stephen or Michael!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

PlainBrownEnvelope · 06/12/2013 05:46

I know a lot . That, Noah and Jacob must comprise 30% of all 2-4 yr old boys I know. It was like everyone went on an old testament naming binge :-) That said, I think the popularity of Isaac is waning. I dont meet many baby Isaacs now

Also, if your husband doesnt want a Jewish name, you don't get much more Jewish than Isaac.

NancyBlacket · 06/12/2013 05:50

I like it and called my DS Isaac. At the time it wasn't high on the popularity lists, but with him only a month old we were in mothercare and met three others! I got over having an unusual name and love DS because he is my Isaac!
Use it if you love it and don't worry what others call their children.

Original poster

grizzabellia · 06/12/2013 05:52

Thanks Plainbrownenvelope - I don't mind if the popularity is going down, more worried about it shooting up!

I would understand the point about a Jewish name if our son did not have one of the most Jewish names possible! I think what he means is 'not an obscure Jewish name!'

OP posts:

akachan · 06/12/2013 10:57

I think it's nice - I know one baby Issac.

HoneyandRum · 06/12/2013 11:23

I knew a baby Issac way back in the '90s and at that time it was very unusual. Of course a nickname for Issac is Zach so you have some options. I remember my mum having the same issue when she named my bro Jonathan in 1970. She said she knew absolutely no one with the name until she took him to nursery and there were two others! So unfortunately as original as we all love to think we are, we often are just at the vanguard of the current Zeitgeist.

If you love it use it or go for one of the lesser used biblical names. Benjamin and David were considered very Jewish names in Victorian times so it's all swings and roundabouts anyway.

SS3J · 06/12/2013 12:43

My brother is called Isaac, but that was in 1990 and it was almost unheard of then, outside of Jewish families. My parents were always getting comments about it being 'a Jewish name' but turned out they were trendsetters! It is very popular now, but I can't really see it getting as high as the top ten. I don't think it will push out the classics.

caz05 · 06/12/2013 14:52

I have an Isaac who is now 8 and he is the only one I know. I do very occasionally here it when we are out so I think the name is still fairly uncommon. I get lots of lovely comments about his name

Haylebop12 · 06/12/2013 14:58

I've got a ten week old Isaac, he's the only one I know and although may be on the up I doubt it'll make the top 10. I think it's common enough that people don't think you've made it up but uncommon enough that he's likely to be the only one in his class.

Oh and my Isaac is truly lovely

Haylebop12 · 06/12/2013 14:59

Ps the only thing that annoys me is people spelling it wrong. Usually Issac!

MrsT2007 · 06/12/2013 16:10

I have a five year old one, we know lots of them aged about 2 but mine is the oldest do maybe we were trendsetters.

And my Isaac is fab, it means 'he shall laugh' and he's such a happy, funny, sweet boy it really suits him.

HoneyandRum · 06/12/2013 17:09

Haylebop12

akachan · 06/12/2013 17:28

Issac is the more common spelling to be fair!

498 Issacs in 2012 vs 30 Isaacs.

Is it just a common misspelling?

akachan · 06/12/2013 17:29

Ignore me! I reversed those numbers because I am an idiot. My friend's baby is an Issac though. I wonder if she's just got it wrong

Original poster

grizzabellia · 06/12/2013 18:02

Akachan - there were over 2000 Isaacs in 2012. I think Issac is just wrong though I am willing to be corrected!

OP posts:

Haylebop12 · 06/12/2013 19:44

Don't worry honey even my nan and my mil spell it wrong!

MrsT2007 · 07/12/2013 14:54

Issac is misspelling. Loads of people do it & it gets on my wick!!

meditrina · 07/12/2013 15:11

I don't know any.

And I doubt it'll reach the top of the lists as it is unworkable (and sometimes downright rude) with quite a lot of surnames.

Trapper · 07/12/2013 15:22

Dickinson for example?

HeadlessHeadmistress · 07/12/2013 15:27

It's not popular round here at all. I know one, he is 7.

MoFoe1 · 07/12/2013 16:35

I only know one Issac and he's 5...the only one I've met ever...

MoFoe1 · 07/12/2013 16:36

*isaac

MERLYPUSS · 08/12/2013 08:34

My Isaac is nearly 6. He's the only one in his school. There are lots of options for nn, not only Zac. BIL calls him Izzy and sis, Ike.
When I took him to the doctors he said the name was very Jewish. Like I care...

BTW ISSac drives me nuts. But we've also had Izak, Izack and Isach....

Original poster

grizzabellia · 08/12/2013 09:02

Thanks for the replies - looks like on the whole although it is quite popular it is not approaching Harry/Oliver status (though you never can tell). I think we will end up going for this anyway as dh dead set on it (obviously I would not defer to his opinion if I didn't like it as well - the difference is that I will mull over lots of names whereas when he finds 'the name' he sees it as a completed task, which I think is a v male approach!) I like that it means 'laughter' as well.

OP posts:

DuchessFanny · 08/12/2013 09:11

I have a teen Isaac ( often spelled Issac, Isack or even Issack by family and friends ) no nn yet, but then he's the only one in his school. It really suits him and I'm so glad we chose it over the very popular 'Jack' all those years ago.
We are not Jewish but our other sons also have Hebrew names, the youngest of which has a VERY popular name. I'm over that though, as my DH has a popular name ( which wasn't so common as he was growing up )

Theonlyoneiknow · 09/12/2013 20:54

I don't know any at all.

One thing I have learned from these threads is that where in the UK you are has a big part to play in how a name is perceived. In some parts of the UK it seems like there are loads from the posts above, but he would stand out as being unique with that name where I am.

It's a great name.

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread