Names whose popularity mystify you

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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?

Caoifhionn Gallagher: I wondered if it's pronounced "Kevin"

You're missing an L out of it, its Caoilfhionn and its pronounced Qwee-lin /Keelin (approximately and depending on region).

Thanks Liv and Cheerios

I copied and pasted, so there must have been a misprint in the list.

I don't like names that have unfortunate associations that I'm sure most people are aware of (Jude, Cain, Poppy, any mythological or widely known literary character who did terrible things or met a horrible end) or inappropriate meanings (name meaning a colouring the child doesn't have, or meaning last born or eighth born when they aren't etc) or virtue especially for the non religious (Faith especially). Giving your child a name with an unfortunate meaning or association, especially if it's not been widely enough used throughout history to not be linked to one meaning/ namesake, always seems thoughtless to me, but the names people are saying are boring are almost all lovely classic names with positive meanings and no horrible associations!

I've never liked the name Rebecca. I find it very harsh sounding. I dislike Connor too - mainly because I've taught a lot of very badly behaved Connors.

Never understood the popularity of names like Ellie/Ella.

I've never met a single one that isn't overweight

Oliver is nice but my eldest who is mid teens has 10 Oliver’s in his year group along with 13 Joshua’s.

My worst name of all time, more than my dislike of Edith is Jaxon which is just beyond terrible. I don’t much care for Jackson but Jaxon, just dreadful

My last name is Oliver so that's a no go for me! Also, Olivia is another I can't use. Not that they're bad names, but I could never use them.

Blue what the actual has that got to do with anything?!

Emily. It is, to me, so dull and bland and insipid.

Amelia - it doesn't sound pleasant to me, plus it's also the medical term for the birth defect of when a baby is born without one or more of their limbs, and I can't shake that from my mind.

Emily, Emilia, Amelia, Amelie - the

They are all quite similar!

All surnames and (to a lesser extent) place names used as first names

All nicknames instead of real names

Names that are or sound made up: Jayden, Kai, Lacey etc.

Names which are not intrinsically terrible but have become chavvy, like Liam

'Sensible' yet super-ugly girl names: Fleur (sounds like bleurgh) Charlotte (sounds like a cross between churlish and harlot, and it's the plastic hat they wear in factories handling food) Florence (such an ungainly sounding word) Harriet (sounds like a Victorian spinster, though my ex neighbour Harri looked like a model) Evelyn (sounds like 'Evil Lynn' who was either a cartoon villain or should have been)

Names which sound like they mean something stupid in another language or sound like a trade name: Conor (I try), Timeo (I'm scared), Harper (sounds like Harpic the toilet cleaner, but also harpy, much worse)

Designer brand names like Kenzo (I know it's a real Japanese name, in Japan!) or Porsche (I'm not buying it as a variant of Portia)

Twee names like Poppy or Holly

Unisex names like Robyn or Rowan

Names I hate for no particularly obvious reason, like Louis, Lois, Amelie

Names which are not necessarily bad but belong to horrible people I used to know: Ronnie, Emma, Fiona, you are all a disgrace to your otherwise inoffensive names.

Right, I think I've managed to offend most people who have named a baby in the last couple of years...

Madeline
Amelia (know it's v. V popular)
Matilda
Millicent

Tobias
Arlo (sounds like an Essex town!)
Milo (Tweenies anyone?)

@ AlmostChristmas Milo reminds me of the famous statue of Venus. It's perfectly 'armless.

Millicent sounds like a some really big number, mille cent.

Lexi is my no.1 most detested name. It's just awful. Also Jenson, Jaxon (and anything spelt in a younique way for that matter), Jayden, Mason, Logan, Dylan, Maisie (and all those sickly, overly cutsey girly names like it)...

Why could you not use Olivia or Oliver, Smoliver?
I though Neville Neville was a cool name and I know a Steve Stevens, Jane Jones, and a Bob Roberts.

Hayden, Kayden, Jayden, Haiden, Jaiden, Kaiden etc etc

I don't understand the popularity of Naeve ('neev'). I have an Irish friend called this and it kind of suits her, because she is Irish. And lives in Ireland. It just doesn't sound the same taken out of context of the country. It sounds ugly in English.

My Oliver has a double barrelled surname so it's ok. Plus he's the only one in his school of 1000+ pupilsThere are many Oliver's in primary schools I would imagine but less so in secondary.

I’m very suprised he’s the only Oliver out of 1000 pupils! DH liked considered Oliver for DS and DS said recently he’s glad we didn’t choose it as there are 6 in his year alone (Y11). I think I have had at least one Oliver in my KS1 class every year since I have been teaching (20 years).

I'm not keen on Emily, Amelia, Emilia or Amelie either. Too popular for a start.

A class I go to has an Alyssa, Alicia, Alessa, and Alexa and an Alexia in it (and a male Alex). Tis very confusing - about 1/4 of the class have almost the same name. There are also 2 Bens. All adults though. I don't hate the names btw. Just another cluster of very similar ones!

I don't get Wren. Fine written down and the image is the lovely bird, but you say - Ren. As in Ren and Stimpy! It's just ugly.

I love the name Wren. I also think Sparrow is lovely and so fitting for a gorgeous newborn baby. There is a Wren at ds’s school and she is very much not a Wren. More of a turkey.

I would never say this to her face or anyone else in real life obviously! I’m just being a bitch on the internet. But I think it is something to consider. Similar with all the humping great lumps of Grace’s that are stomping all over the place. I’m an awful person.

Yes he is definitely the only one! Possibly may be some in new Y7 but he's not sure.
My ds is in year 10. He has 3 close friends all called Lewis...
Maybe it's a regional thing I don't know? We're in the NW and I hadn't heard of another Oliver until mine was in year 3 I think and 1 joined reception. Whilst he was at primary there were 3 Oliver's including him.
I've heard of loads in the last couple of years being born, friends of friends etc...

Mine does tend to get Ollie which a lot of people hate!