Is Florence becoming overused?

[southwestlondon]

My husband and I like the name Florence for our baby girl, but I am concerned that there seem to be lots of other Florences in our area and I am worried that she will end up having tons of other Florences in her class. What are other people's experiences of this name please? Am I just being paranoid here?!

I only know one and she is a teenager now. Her little sister is Valerie :)

I only know one. She's about 8.

It was ranked 34 in 2012 that is approx 1534 babies born in tat year with the name!

I've never met any Florences.

I work in a nursery and we have 3 Florence's - certainly becoming very popular! Still a lovely name though.

Lots! (I'm a midwife)

Keep in mind that those 1534 babies born last year are combined between England AND Wales. I would look at regional statistics for your area. Bounty.com and Britishbabynames.com both show them.

Country wise though;

England has Florence at 33rd
Wales has Florence at 55th
Scotland has Florence at 203rd (22 births)
Northern Ireland has Florence at 229th (8 births)

I know too - one is 5 and one is 1. Both live in London!

*two!!!

I know 2 under the age of two - it's certainly becomming more popular around my way, but a lot of the old-fashioned names are popular here (Home Counties)

I don't know any. Pretty name. My dd has one of the most popular names, and I only vaguely know one other. No others in her class.

I'm in London and know 2 under 2. (And I don't know that many children).

Yes. I know several.

I only know 1 so don't think so but maybe depends where u live

I don't know a single one nor even heard of one in my general area.

It is worth bearing in mind that "popular" in 2014 doesn't mean quite the same thing as it did in the 1970's. Or indeed the many centuries preceding. People are much more adventurous than they once were.

I know 3 under 6 (5,4 and 2 months) and 1 in her teens, lovely name (I'm in the NW).

I know one under 2 (South east)

You could use Turin, or Venice if you want to name her after a city in Italy!

Or Firenze if you want to go native.

Would you consider Roma?

And a little sister could be Siena? Or Ravenna?
Or Assisi for a boy. (Shortened to Sissy?) :)

Personally, I think of the large cathedral dome and of the cow in the magic roundabout when thinking of Florence. I also think of the shortened term for period - Aunt Flo. just check out the trying to conceive boards!

There are lots of Florences where we are. It's all a bit Villa in Tuscany isn't it? Driving over lemons. Bit yawny.

I'd go for something else: grab a map if you're determined on a major European city: Madrid, Prague or Valletta. ;) or you could look further afield - Rio, Sydney, Yalta.

Not many Devons around here, but then, that's too local!

I know a baby Florence. Never been too keen on the name myself.

I only know of one Florence, who is about 8.

I think it's an ok name, not awful and not great.

The thing about looking at name stats regionally is that people tend to move and travel when they grow up so the overall popularity should be taken into account more than the popularity in each region.

My own daughter has quite a popular name here on MN but I love it and that's the only thing that matters for now. Hopefully she will like it herself too.

I know about 4 (under 5) I think the last available name charts will be outdated too, I think it peaked in the last two years due to Florence and the Machine. So yes, pretty popular.

I know 3,

My 87 year old grandmother
A family friend who is 9 years
And a friends newborn

Yes, becoming very fashionable around here!
Prefer the suggestions of Sienna and Roma.

I know 3 Florences under 3.

One of them has a sister named Sienna.