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Baby names

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

Original poster

Popular baby names you're bored off...

315 replies

flowerygirl · 28/09/2014 14:44

I swear every child under 5 I've met in the past year have been called Jack or Isla. Failing that, Josh or Isabelle.

Lovely names but so bored of them. Anyone else bored of any other names?

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SpaceStation · 30/09/2014 10:28

Oooh Miranda, I know an Odin, wonder if its' the same one?

Needless to say I loved it and thought it was a great baby name, but then you should hear what my kids are called.

HoltBegins · 30/09/2014 10:28

I think Lola got really popular after the Eastenders character came in. There's also that cartoon Charlie & Lola.

Eastenders might also be to blame for the huge amounts of Tommys there are. I know of 5 born in the last year just within my group of friends. They all think it's unusual.

It seems with the granny names people realise it's popular/unoriginal/current trend but then feel the need to say it was their grandmothers name. That comes up a lot when either Rose or May/Mae/Mai is the middle name. It's like they have to justify it for, why can't they just say 'I liked it and don't care that's it's super popular'

Some first and middle names together get repeated a lot. I've lost count of all the Amelia Roses and Lily Mays I've heard of.

Thurlow · 30/09/2014 10:40

Odin is quite awesome Grin

DD's name has finally appeared on the list! Hurrah. I've not had her name appear before Grin Though it was an earlier poster saying they'd heard it too many times on boys recently. Wonder if that will make a difference? nudges Space to pass an opinion

sonniboo · 30/09/2014 10:42

What on earth is wrong with Odin? It's a lovely name and the name of a great Norse god!

Mirandanuit · 30/09/2014 10:53

Yes, it is the name of the Norse god. Perhaps it's not as unusual as I thought then. Easy to fall into that trap
Like I said, it impacts negatively on his confidence and he's very embarrassed to tell people his name.

GColdtimer · 30/09/2014 10:56

Kerala no you don't say anythingShock

None of your bloody business.

Mirandanuit · 30/09/2014 11:00

No, I wouldn't say anything either. They might not care about popularity

Thurlow · 30/09/2014 11:05

Out of curiosity I went to look what the Australian popular names were.

The girls names are almost exactly the same: Charlotte, Olivia, Ava, Emily, Mia, Amelia, Ruby, Sophia, Chloe, Sophie.

The boys names are slightly different - Oliver, William, Jack, Noah, Jackson, James, Thomas, Ethan, Lucas and Cooper.

It's interesting that the Australian boys names seem to be less of a type than the girls names, which seems to me the opposite of what's happening in the UK at the moment?

(And Kerala, no, you don't say anything to anyone about their baby's name!)

Mirandanuit · 30/09/2014 11:11

Reminds me. When I went to visit my friend in maternity hospital just a few years ago there were three baby girls named Lexie.

RiverTam · 30/09/2014 11:24

Aussies also go in for entertaining spellings - so Jackson is also often spelt Jaxon, and I know of a Summah, which just sounds very gormless when I say it.

I do think very out-there names can be quite a thing to carry off. I once worked with an Aslan who was a nice enough, but pretty unremarkable, bloke. And I do wonder how great the DC think these names are - I actually quite like Aslan as a name, but children can view these things very differently and I can imagine he may have had a whole lot more negative comment at school (though probably more positive comment when older) than the Marks and Toms and Andys who would have been his peers.

I think a flamboyant person can carry off any name, but a quiet mouse can't.

looki · 30/09/2014 11:24

In a previous post somebody mentioned how some people who have named their children 'older' names feel the need to say the child was named after a grandparent etc

I think this is definitely true. I named one of my children after a dear relative but hands on heart if that relative had been named Gertrude or a name I disliked, it undoubtedly would have ended up being my child's middle name rather than first name.

Therefore, I don't think that there is anything wrong with mentioning the name is after someone. It gives the name meaning. If I came across anybody who had the same name as one of my dear dead relatives and we were discussing names, I don't see anything wrong with saying that was the name of my GM etc. It's something I would do whether my own child was called that name or not, so I struggle to see why its something that shouldn't be said?

SpaceStation · 30/09/2014 11:28

Thurlow I deem all my over-popular boy's names to be OK on a girl!

Bet you're glad I approve :o

Thurlow · 30/09/2014 11:40

I am, Space, I am indeed, I was waiting for that one, I feel relieved I can continue to call her it and not have to use the full name Grin

I think a flamboyant person can carry off any name, but a quiet mouse can't

Good point. DP has a boys name he really wants to use which I really don't want to use (kind of like Raymond, say) because I can't help but worry that only a popular, sporty sort of boy (for example) could carry that particular name off.

KERALA1 · 30/09/2014 11:54

Twofalls you obviously have it in for me! Is your daughter named Eve?!

I obviously don't say anything and politely say oh what a wonderful name.

But actually I nearly named my DD Olivia without realising it was the most popular name of that year. Luckily I did realise a week before she was born and named her something else at the last minute and so glad I did. I would have appreciated someone telling me it was so popular as its something I wasn't aware of it being my first baby and not knowing many others with babies at that stage, and it would have bothered me having a super popular name myself.

Mirandanuit · 30/09/2014 11:57

I wasn't digging at you Kerala. Obviously you didn't say anything.

And I admit I was almost tempted to mention something when somebody told me they had just named their baby Isabella and how unusual a name it was.

RiverTam · 30/09/2014 12:11

but it's all relative, isn't it? For what it's worth, I don't know of a single Olivia, Isabella or Eve.

People seem more bothered about this with girls' names, the most popular boys' names account for a far higher percentage of boys' names in total, whereas whilst Amelia might be the most popular girls' name, a smaller percentage of girls will have that name than boys being called Harry (the most popular boys' name). So, for example, I know 3 Harrys, but no Amelias.

So, do the parents of girls feel it's more important for their DDs to have unusual names that mean they will stand out in the crowd, but parents of boys aren't so fussed? Why is that? Is it because girls need all the help they can get to make their mark in the world - I hope not!

HoltBegins · 30/09/2014 12:13

Looki There's nothing wrong with mentioning the child was named after a relative if that's the case, and you're talking about names and why you choose your childs name, that's nice.
It's the way it's said sometimes, like a defense argument or they feel the need to justify it, I see quite a few posts like that on here and I find it sad.

Mammanat222 · 30/09/2014 12:25

The problem with avoiding popular names is that you end up with silly, and / or made up names like Trey, Milan, Mila, Isaiah, Elijah, Raiya

(sorry couldn't resist, I found that post quite offensive as I live in London and I have no real interest in what my friends call their kids and certainly don't judge them if they pick a popular name!!)

sonniboo · 30/09/2014 12:26

"For what it's worth, I don't know of a single Olivia, Isabella or Eve."
Honestly? Are you a hermit or avoiding kids? Grin

As to whether to mention a name's popularity to friends or on mumsnet,
I think a lot of parents would appreciate knowing this information. First time parents or those who aren't around kids much might not know how widely used their considered names already are. They may not even know that the ONS baby names lists exist. By being given access to this, they can then make an informed decision. It is an important one imo.

sonniboo · 30/09/2014 12:31

"it impacts negatively on his confidence and he's very embarrassed to tell people his name"

I find that very sad. I can't imagine this coming from the other kids - to them Odin is no different than Oscar, Owen or Orlando! I wonder whether some adults are being unkind? The only name that sometimes gets made fun of at our primary school (and we have lots of names from all sorts of cultures) is Will/William - with Willie! I honestly can't see what is teaseworthy about Odin. In fact, I'd much rather be an Odin than another Alfie or Jack.

hellokitty123 · 30/09/2014 12:44

"The problem with avoiding popular names is that you end up with silly, and / or made up names like Trey, Milan, Mila, Isaiah, Elijah, Raiya"

If you have a look at last year's ons lists of all baby names given, there are literally thousands of normal classic names - perhaps not trendy/fashionable at the moment but good solid normal names.

"I found that post quite offensive as I live in London and I have no real interest in what my friends call their kids and certainly don't judge them if they pick a popular name!"

Nobody is judging the parents (or the children). We are judging the super popular names and are finding them boring, dull and overused.

hellokitty123 · 30/09/2014 12:48

Actually, Elijah is probably an older name than lots of the trendy ones mentioned on this thread.

Tillybee · 30/09/2014 12:48

Elijah is very popular round here. The new Joshua I think

MERLYPUSSEDOFF · 30/09/2014 13:21

I live in London and I have a Thomas. Woo! Perhaps I should've named him Dolphin or something?

Cannotbelieveit · 30/09/2014 13:29

Made up - Elijah and Isaiah?? Never heard of a book called the Bible then? Wink