Edith and Arthur

[Bojangles33]

These are our current front runners. I'm a bit worried they're very popular these days though and would like something where there aren't going to be another 4 of them in the same class! Are these names as common as I think they are these days?

If you're in the UK you can check on the Office of National Statistics website or "Dark Greener" (although that's England and Wales only iirc).

I know several of both through my toddler groups. Arthur seems particularly popular in my area in south Yorkshire, but it may depend where you live.

Where abouts do you live? I have an 8 year old Edith and so far have never came across another child Edith (have two other daughters and none in their classes/clubs either). I haven't heard of any Arthur's either so I don't think they're as popular as you think!

I think with classic, traditional names we have the misconception that they're popular just because they aren't far fetched/out there but there's definitely an in between they're both lovely names imo, congratulations

We're in the North West.

I did have a look on Dark Greener but it's not quite up to date and I thought they might have increased in recent years as the more traditional names are a bit hipster now! I also really like Elsie but feels a bit too girly and Meredith but hate the NN Merry!

In the most recent official stats Edith was ranked #101 and Arthur #30

Edith is lovely.

I love Edith.

Arthur is really lovely but does seem popular (although not excessively so).

Both really lovely, I don't know any, so good choices.

Edith is nice, Arthur I'm not so keen on. But that's just my taste, it's still a lovely name

I have an Arthur! We named him that 4 years ago as neither my husband nor I had never met or taught an Arthur - which was a tall order as we taught in a boys' school - and it was only just inside the top 100. Now, as you say, you hear the name more often, although there are no others in his pre-reception group. We have a lovely book called 'Shouty Arthur' (a present from a relative!!) And the children in that are Arthur and Edith so they go well together in my head if you ended up with two :)

They are both lovely names IMO! Edith is quite rare too.

They’re both lovely

Arthur is a potential contender for the new royal baby which would mean its already slight popularity would increase even more but if you aren’t worried about that, then go for it!

I know 2 baby Ediths ( both NN Eddie)

Very 1918! I'm afraid I'm not an Edith fan. It conjures up Miss Havisham, antimacassars, cat hair, chamber pots and motheaten velvet to me. Also Mabel and others of that type.

Really like Edith, it was the front runner for my daughter until the last minute we went for Elspeth.

I don’t think Edith is popular, Arthur on the other hand, I know about 5 under 5.

names.darkgreener is as up to date as it can possibly be - only the 2016 data has been published by the ONS. The 2017 data won't be out until August / September this year. The Scottish 2017 data is here if that's of interest.

I agree with PP - Edith isn't especially popular but Arthur's rise has been meteoric. I think it's the new Noah.

Arthur is our frontrunner and we're thinking about Meredith with the NN Edie if you don't like Merry - you'd probably have to call her something other than Merry/Meredith from the start though to avoid someone else calling her it, since Edie etc is much less intuitive than Merry

I am in the South East and my daughter has 3 Arthurs in her mixed Year R/Year 1 class of 30 children. If you like a name though, I don't think it matters, she is called Isabella herself, we knew how popular it was and went with it anyway, strangely there are no others in her year group. I think it's just pot luck, to be honest.

One thing to keep in mind for Edith -learned through experience- is that Edie is very easily mispronounced as Evie. And there are stacks of Eves, Evelyns, Evas and Evies running about these days.

Other girls names we considered were Camilla, Celeste and Astrid.

We loved Arthur too, but decided against it at the last minute. Also loved Ezekiel, Miles and Antony.

I like Edith. Hate Arthur, it's a very wet fish name (sorry).

I've never met a little Edith where I live but I've met plenty of Arthurs.

We have an Edith, so naturally I think it's an excellent name.

I know of two other little Ediths locally.

I lurrve these two names

I taught secondary until last year and never came across either name. However they may be more popular further down the line...I do know of a couple of Arthur's, one 3 and one newborn. No ediths tho!

I meant to say I don't know any of either apart from two teenagers I know pretty well ;)

I love Edith and don't think it's very common. I'm less keen on Arthur and I think that is quite a lot more common.

Thanks for all the replies! Hmmm, maybe back to the drawing board on boys names, although I am convinced it's a girl anyway

Funny everyone picking Edwardian names. Our grandkids will be Carol, Pam and Derek