What are the most overused baby names you know at the moment?

[caffeinejunkie24]

Trying to decide on a name for DC2 at the moment and would like something that won't seem "dated" in so many years to come.

There's a few names I keep hearing pop up at baby groups etc that feel a bit "faddy" and "of the moment" and would like to avoid that if possible. Hoping to avoid a name that becomes the Tracey, Sharon, David or Gary etc of this generation.

I've noticed a lot of names hyphenated with Rose, (which is an absolutely beautiful name) but kind of has the shine taken off it when its so overused in various combinations.

What names make you think "oh, not another one!?"

I looked up the regional link for home town and nearest towns and it varies so much.

Leo (3 in my daughter's nursery)
Oliver
Mia

I'm in the South East for reference

Evie/Evelyn
Ava
Alfie
Archie
Olivia
Oscar
Isla

Lily sounds like Lully in Glasgow!

... and in NZ!

Most names are cyclical, but some are much more so than others. I know what the OP means about David - people of my generation know at least three Daves, whereas no one is calling their baby David now.

Same with Michael, Mark, Simon, Peter, Charles - all classic, solid names that are out of favour now - instead George, James, William, Daniel - and the ubiquitous diminutives are much more in favour - Harry, Charlie, Alfie, Archie, Freddie, etc.

Girls names that you can't move for are all listed above.

It's funny, because there are so many names out there - lovely, classic, elegant, perennial names that are under-used and won't date, but people go for the same old Ellies, Millies, Evies, Evas, Amelias, Chloes, Graces, Sophias, Olivias, Ellas, Islas, etc...

Thedowagercuntess - what names are those?

Often people suggest ‘classic’ names of people I went to school with in the 90s - Hannah, Charlotte, Elizabeth, Sara, Emma,

You can date them to my generation!

Names I like that aren't popular, Paige, Kristen, Layla, Thomas, Matthew and Max.

Erin is very popular in my work (a nursery).

It goes in spurts. I worked in a nursery with 6 Jacks, 5 Sam's and 7 Ben's.

Hannah - from the Bible
Charlotte - from France, dates back to the 14th century
Elizabeth - from the Bible. Popular since E1R. Lots of elderly Lizs and Bettys etc.
Sara - Sarah has been popular since the 1950s
Emma - popular since the Norman conquest.

Not names originating in 1990s. All classics.

Ava
Eva
Lily
Rosie
Ella/Evie-May/Mae etc
Lola

Loads of boys' names are v popular. Too many to mention.

tillytoodles1
I'd say Layla is a pretty common one. Or maybe it's because it sounds so similar to Lola that I think that.

Rose is ubiquitous but I met a Rosa yesterday which is more unusual

Arlo

Mike - I think the point is that even classic names can have their 'moment' - they're popular, and then fade, and so you can date their owner to a particular generation.

Names that I don't think you can easily tell how old the owner might be are Celeste, Tabitha, Briony, Cecile/Cecily/Celia, Fleur, Lenore, Marianne, Cordelia, Portia, Blythe, Antonia, Bianca, Greta, Cressida, Rosalind, Elinor, Ramona, Silvia, just off the top of my head.

They won't all be to everyone's taste, but there are so many names out there to choose from - it's interesting that people seem to go for the same ones.

And the argument that 'they're popular for a reason - because they're lovely' doesn't really stack up.

Jennifer, Karen, Nicola, Angela, Joanne - were all popular once, but people naming their babies now don't seem to be finding them as lovely.

It's so regional and local. Round here (London) it's

Leo
Ted
Freddie

Isabella
Isla
Freya
Florence

I have an Eleanor and in 4 years of going to groups have never come across any others. It is an offbeat area though and we know lots of kids with unusual names (Duke, Forest, Hunter, Red, Gala, River, Tiger etc)

Elizabeth has been popular most of the 20th century. Different forms of it have spiked. Elsie, Betty, or Lisa, for example.
Emma has been popular since the 1950s, I think.
So I would say that they are both classic, but the other forms aren't.

A name that dates badly is often associated with a celebrity.

Freya
Evie
Amelia
Freddie
Alfie
Harriet
Jack
Riley
Ameli

Esme

Eva/Ava/evie
Mya/mia

Alfie
Jacob

Interestingly in my dd’s Nursery class there are no multiples of names (except Jacob). Shows how much more diverse names are nowadays.

I think
Harper
Maya/Mya
Freya
Amelie
Mason (and other surnames)

Will sound dated in years to come as they are ‘new’ names and currently mega popular.

Anna. Three in my post natal exercise class and another three in DD nursery.

Both my DC are on here! But I only know of one other child with each name, there’s one other boy at nursery with DS’ name and a friend of a friend had a DD with the same name as my DD. There was 3 Olivias at a toddler group we used to go to, and I know several Amelias under 5.

It’s interesting how they change, at my secondary school in the late 90s most of the girls were Becky, Vicky, Katie, Laura, Sarah or Emma. Boys’ names were Robert, Matthew, Sam, Tom or James. The boys’ names have remained popular though!

Isla
Freya

Theo

My DCs names have been mentioned, but only once each. I don't mind!

Sophia
Olivia
Dorothy
Dotty
Isla
Lola
Lexi
Iyla
Elsie
Harriet

Parker
Carter
Logan
Albie
Harry
Mylo

Im in the north west

Oh, and Felix!

Alexander and Daniel for boys also both v.v.v. popular!

Keith
Derek
Nigel
Clive
Doreen
Betty
Sheila
Gillian
Sandra

I’m joking, of course.

It’s the same inevitable procession of Jacks, Alfies, Archies, Harrys, Amelias & Ellas as everywhere else. Despite this, everyone politely pretends the parents have chosen ‘unusual’ names and not just followed fashion and the herd.

And as for Jack being ‘timeless’, I respectfully disagree. I was at secondary school in the 80s. Out of 75 or so boys in my year, the total number of Jacks was 0. There were none in the year above or the year below, either. There were, however 5 Sharons in my year alone...