Names whose popularity mystify you

[Movablefeast]

I feel I must be showing my age because I don't understand the popularity of Fern/e. I don't hate it, I am just amazed at it's immense popularity. Why do you think it has caught the zeitgeist at the present time?

Reenie is from Irene, surely? Sometimes pronounced I-ree-nee, sometimes I-reen, but both pronunciations lend themselves to Reenie as a NN.

Kai, Kayden, Jayden.

Keely, Kylie, Kayleigh, Kaitlin

Teddy Sheringham and Freddy Flintoff?
Amelie was from the film, Amelia and Emily were popular before then I think.
Clara I don't 'get' at all, and expect that I'm in the minority when I say I prefer Claire (nice but was very popular in the 1970s). Clara pronounced as Claira seems a bit optimistic. Clarissa is nice but Clarry just make me think of a downtrodden Pam Ayres soundalike from a soap opera.

I don't get the popularity of Jayden and other variant spellings - I certainly don't think it's the most horrible name ever, but I just don't understand where it came from. It sounds surnamey but I've never actually heard of anybody with that surname.

For what it's worth, I live next door to a sibling pair of Oliver and Emily.

Jaden is from the bible but I think it’s popularity has come from the US.

Kaitlyn/it's various spellings.

I like the name Kate, but there's something about Kaitlyn that I find slightly mimsy.

I don't like any of the 'belle' or 'bella' names: Isabelle, Isabella, Arabella etc.

Caitlin is ok but Katelyn is yuk.
I like Isabella and Arabella.

Jeffrey (all spellings!) Kai, Jennifer,
All rubbish old fashioned names too

Bella sounds like belly which I hate because of 'gut' and my mum called a vagina a belly when I was a kid

People LOVE the belle/Bella names, Mike there are three Isobel's (various spellings) in DD's nursery class (out of 9 children). I've met loads of lovely little girls with those names, but I just don't like the name.

I do quite like Christobel - but you don't get many of those. It somehow feels less sing-song, a bit stronger.

I know many Izzys, Isabels and Isabelles, which puts me off and I don't like Izzy, I do know Isabels who are more middle aged and it seems a nice name. I think I would just think Oh god another one, but it's just an accident I suppose.
Olivia is a pretty name but there are just so many that it becomes a bit boring.
Jack, Harry and Oliver are nice enough names but they reached the Oh god not another one stage years ago.

Belle just makes me think Belly or End (sorry)
Bella makes me think of Bella Emberg or a dancing elephant in a tutu (???)

Some friends had a baby about 10 years ago and called him Andrew and some other friends have a Mark of about the same age.
I thought both names really boring at the time, but they are just ordinary sensible names really, quite nice and not overused for their age group.
I'm of the age group when Mark and Andrew were very popular names.

Me too, I am surrounded by Marks and Andrews (and married to one). I have one of the most popular girl's names, top five for yonks. Every second child in the supermarket seems to be called it (it wasn't popular in 1978).

Both my sisters' names are also in the top ten. My mother was very 'fashion forward' it turns out.

Whoa, I just checked, I'm now only in the top ten. This is progress.

There were

I wonder if Sharon Tracey Wayne and Dwayne will ever make a comeback 🤔

Dwayne Dibley forever!

My family only ever seemed to have babies around Christmas so went with festive names we have Carol, Noel (they are now in their 20s) Eve, Ivy, Holly, Robin, Joseph and Maria. I was hoping niece would stick with the theme and choose Rudolph however she went for Alfred Noel after her great grandad.

Lots of people hate "old people names" but I come from a big family of old people names as most of us are named after elderly relatives.

I keep seeing 'Ottilie' pop up on name boards. I just think it is so ugly...don't like the sound of it. Had never heard of it before I became a member of MN

Be glad you weren't called Tinsel

Be glad you weren't called Tinsel

We don't have a Santa in the family yet!

It's quite nice as a name for Mrs Montefiore.

Ottilie is horrible. It makes me think of an otter.
Ottoline is even worse.

Clementine might suit a Christmas baby.

My DD (due in April) is a Matilda...obv not everyone's choice according to this board, but I LOVE it. We are not planning to ever call her Tilly, though. Matty, maybe Tilda.

I don't dislike Matilda, it's nice but v popular. Check that Tilly/Matty and Tilda sound ok with your surname.
I think Tilda Rice could be a viable name but not sure about Matty Toast.

Surname is 3 syllables and ends with -y, fine with all the versions. I know it's popular, but it's not boring, like Emily/Isabelle/Ella etc. Plus I'm a history teacher so love the historical connection. Have also only ever taught lovely Matildas, which helps

It's lovely then. Agree with you about Emily etc. Good luck.