Please put me out my misery!

[mammamiaaaaa]

My baby is over a week old now and still no name. I have been mulling over the same names for weeks now. Sorry if you have seen this list before and are as sick of it as I am but please give me your opinions as I just have to make my mind up:

Sophia - I know its popular but is it ridiculously popular? Or should I disregard that factor?
Imogen
Marissa
Ariana

I just have no way of deciding. Help!

imogen.

Imogen and Sophia are on a par for popularity round here. Both lovely names but losing their sparkle for me due to ubiquity. I like them both but there is a real likelihood of being one of many at school.

I'm not massively keen on your others but Marissa is ahead of Ariana for me.

Any family names, local names, names you look at her and think of?

I would definitely go for the name you like best. I have said on many previous threads that the duplicated names in my dd's year are all quite unusual (in my daughter's case, her name was outside the top 500 yet there is another in her class), so you really cannot tell! Additionally, there are 3 girls with the same unusual name (different to my dd's) in a sports club she attends - all born in the same school year as each other. I would also add that the top names are very definitely less used than they were in the 70s and 80s and even the most popular names represent less than 1% of all babies born - as a consequence, you are statiscally unlikely to discover another in the same class of 30 children.

Everyone will tell you different things about how many children they know with a certain name, but how would you feel if you choose a name you like less due to its popularity, only to discover another when she starts school anyway?? Only you can answer that.

Fwiw, both Imogen and Sophia have been in the Top 100 names for the last 20 years or so, so neither could be described as particularly faddy IMO - both solid classics which won't date. The others are certainly names that could suddenly leap from obscurity (for example, Imogen Thomas - z list celeb - has just names her dd Ariana, a name which ranked outside the top 1000 20 years ago - definitely one to watch IMO). All this is only an issue if you are bothered by a name being considered "faddy". I believe that if you love a name, it's popularity shouldn't matter. Go with your heart and try to ignore the opinions of others if you can.

Imogen Sophia

lovely as 1st and middle.

But really, if you love Sophia, have Sophia - it doesn't matter if it's popular!

Congratulations!!

Imogen Sophia

Sophia.

Then Marissa.

I don't know a single Sophia, only 2 Imogens, and no Marissas either. It certainly isn't over used here.
I do know an Arianne from nursery, and several people apparently thought she was called Harry Anne as her given name!

Sophia and Imogen are both fairly common in my neck of the woods

There is an actress on a few of the preteen American shows called Ariana so the name may be on the up but I think it's lovely

I don't dislike any of them. But are there any other names you like?

Imogen

Imogen Sophia.

Don't like Marissa, but the others are fine. Imogen is probably my favourite out of them

All are nice names. Have you tried calling her one for a day, then change the next day etc, see if any stand out or you go off them?

Holler them across the park, again you might find one that fits better!

If there is more than one way to say a name, are you ok with the variation? Because someone will use it, even if you constantly correct them. Likewise with spelling. Sofia is quite Disney at the moment. Sophia, pronounced with a y sound, I prefer. But I'm not sure it's the way people would say it on first seeing it.

Imogen is lovely, I know 1. Gets called immi, if that bothers you.

Marissa, not so sure. I like it with 1 S more, pronounced mar-eee-sa. Like Marisa tomei, fab actress.

Ariana is a bit cruise ship for me too. But probably not something that I would connect to if I was introduced to a lovely baby with that name!

They are all very pretty, of all of them I think Imogen is the nicest and least likely to get messed with. Also it would suit a girly girl or a tomboy, and everything in between. The others are maybe a bit girly, but that's just my taste.

Congratulations on your baby, take your time, the right name will come to you!

Sophia gets my vote.