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

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

Baby names

The Popularity of a Name

39 replies

Liz09 · 08/07/2016 10:57

How important is the popularity of a name, really? If a name is popular (top 10), is it something to avoid, or should we just look past it because we love it?

FWIW, my name was number 27 in the year I was born and I never knew another person named Elizabeth until my last two years of school. By comparison, Madeleine was number 36 and there were 2 Madeleines in my class in primary school and 3 in my high school (out of about 30 girls in the grade). So I assume popularity differs depending on where you live, specifically.

My husband and I (he in particular) love a name that is in the top 10 and has been for a long time now; we are both put off by the popularity, despite not knowing any babies with the name. Should we just look past it and assume that its popularity will die down eventually?

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Liz09 · 08/07/2016 21:53

The name we're considering is Chloe. I don't know if it's faddish... I know a couple of people in their 20s and 30s with the name, all the way down to younger kids (no one under 5 though). There were 454 Chloes born in my state in 2015, and 90,833 babies born. So it doesn't seem too common.

We actually like Mary, but the religious connotations are just too strong for us.

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CodewordRochambeau · 08/07/2016 23:32

Are you in the US or Canada? That makes a difference. The U.K. has a much denser distribution of its population in comparison.

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Liz09 · 08/07/2016 23:49

I'm in Australia, Codeword

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MrsJoeyMaynard · 09/07/2016 02:40

So about 1 baby in every 200 was called Chloe in your state in 2015. It'll probably be more popular in some parts of your state than others, but you're still unlikely to be falling over Chloe's among your child's peers.

I'm in the UK, so not up to speed with Australian name trends, but I don't think Chloe would be considered faddish in the UK. It's pretty well established over here.

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Unthoughtknown · 09/07/2016 08:08

I don't think it matters really...I have a very well known but never top 10 name (like Victoria). There was only one of me in my year but in my work (150 people) there's 6 of us all of different ages.

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Ham69 · 09/07/2016 09:11

My DCs have very popular names especially from what I have read on this board! Top 30 and been popular a while (not when they were born but we all say that!) They're coming up to yr5 and yr3 now and still the only ones in the school and nursery with those names. What I'm trying to say is, you just never know how things will turn out so go with the name you love. That's what I did.

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Liz09 · 09/07/2016 10:13

Thank you everyone! Definitely set my mind at ease a bit.

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DerelictMyBalls · 09/07/2016 10:25

I would advise trying to find a name you love that's not in the top 20. Not necessarily a faddy or made-up name, just something that you don't hear every day.

There are so many lovely names in the world that it seems a shame to me to just choose one from a pre-approved list.

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MrsJoeyMaynard · 09/07/2016 10:34

It also seems a shame to me for someone to reject a name they truly love in favour of one they like less, just because lots of other people like the first name too.

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KERALA1 · 09/07/2016 11:47

I don't think Chloe is over popular or faddish.

Having dealt with a 9 year old dd whose 3 good friends all have the same name (as do 2 other girls in the class!) I am a fan of non top 10 names..

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NapQueen · 09/07/2016 11:50

What about Maryanne/ Marianne if you like Mary?

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BoboBunnyH0p · 09/07/2016 23:30

My daughters name was just within the top 50 however it must have been popular locally because there are 3 in her year. I had never met anyone with her name before she was born, so was surprised when she started school.

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FuzzyOwl · 09/07/2016 23:38

I've just had a look at the top five UK baby names for boys and girls last year. My DD was born just over a year ago and I have spent about five days per week for most of that time going to various baby groups and have only met one girl and one boy whose names are in the top five.

I suspect that certain names that are popular where I live wouldn't be at all in different parts of the country and vice versa but even so, thousands of babies are born each year and it is still a very small percentage that are given the top names.

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notamummy10 · 09/07/2016 23:47

My first name was very popular in the 80s and 90s, I think it's making a comeback too...

When I was at primary school, there was 4 others that had the same first name and we were in the same class from nursery to year 6. Secondary school, there was about 15 of my name in my year- thankfully they weren't in my class!!

If you like the name, then use it!