Does it bother you....

[Poptart4]

.... If your childs name is in the top 20 names in the country?

Im due September, dont know what im having yet but the only girls name i really like is in the top 20 :(

Of course whatever name i pick there will be other children with it but is top 20 too many?

I think if you don't want something too popular avoid the following
Isabella/e
Ava
Sophia
Olivia
Anything-May/Rose/Grace
Freya
Ruby
Isla.
Lily
Obviously until we know the name we can't advise on something along the same vein but less common.
eg The name you're considering might be Ava. However Amy would be a nice alternative

I think this will vary hugely. DH and I named DS a name we both love and is popular (think it was 22 the year he was born). We don't mind - we love it anyway and accept we are likely to encounter quite a few little boys with the same name when he starts school. Meanwhile, one of my friends was very keen to avoid a popular name and kept her choice closely under wraps during pregnancy. Once her baby was born and named, she discovered the name was experiencing a spike in popularity and not only has she met several babies of the same name, but one in her local area with the same first and surname! So go with a name you love as otherwise you could be set up for disappointment.

If its a problem for you, the office of national statistics has lists of every name used per year (most recent is 2016 currently) and how many times it was used. My DD's name was used only 500 times in the year. You might find something else you like. Otherwise, if you really love the name go with it.

DD1 wasn't in the top 20 (was only just in top 50) when we named her 6 years ago but now is. Doesn't bother me at all, she's the only one in her class (at the moment, could obviously change) so I'm just glad she's not one of many!

If it's any comfort, my name was in the top 20 growing up and it didn’t bother me one bit - there was only one other in my year. I'd avoid top 10, personally, as I know all the Sarahs in my school year DID mind, but top 20 isn’t so bad. Does the name have diminutives that could be different from others? Like there were several Rebeccas in the 80s but to us they were Becky, Becca and Bex

My girls name is (was) in the top 10. It bugged me when I found out but I had already named her so it was tough! I love her name and haven't regretted it for a second and I still don't know another Amelia yet!

My name was really popular for ages, although less so now. I’m used to adding an initial/getting the wrong emails at work/answering when someone else is being spoken to etc. I don’t really like my name but more because I think it’s boring (sorry “classical”) than common! Oh and although I gave DD an unpopular name of course there was another kid with the same name at nursery.

You’ll be repeating her name a zillion times, yelling it upstairs, across playgrounds etc so pick something you like!

It would bother me and I would choose another name but it obviously doesnt bother everyone, if you still love it then use it.

Dds is number 17 or 18. Doesn't bother me, I would pick number one if I really liked it.

It would bother me having my child being called 'Isaac J' or 'Emily J' at school.
When DS was at school, he had 3 boys named Thomas in his class and when he went to high school, he knew of at least 10 Callums and 7 Matthews.
I also wouldn't like to choose a name highly associated with a generation...think your Garys and Staceys and Susans. In the future, the popular names at the moment will be tied to the current generation and will become the Garys/Tracys of the future.

I just feel that unusual names make people more interesting as you want to know where their parents got the idea from! It's a character thing in a sense.

Saying that though, you may as well pick a name you like! I like plenty of popular names but wouldn't use Isla, Eva, Oliver/ia etc for the reasons I've mentioned. Nothing wrong with either.

Dd's name wasn't anywhere near the top 20 when j named her and I didn't know any, so thought I was v clever, but it is now 10 years later. There are many names I hear on here that are v popular in certain areas, but I know none. Similarly, there are some names never mentioned on here that are v popular in my area. (I'm a teacher). If you've picked a name that is rarely known TO YOU that's all you can go on! Still never met another child with my dc's name despite it being v popular now.

I know at least 4 Oliver's born this year alone from people I associate with! It actually shocks me now when people don't call their baby boys Oliver 😂😂

Dd has a top 10 name, one ds is around the 80 ish mark and one is right near the bottom.

It doesn’t matter either way - I still love all names equally and would call them the same names again if I had the choice.

I only know of 1 other with dds name who is about 2 or 3 (dd is 15) as it’s only been top 10 for a few years.

Incidentally, I’m a lucy and although it’s always been a popular name I don’t know any others (except for one girl who got called up for karaoke on a night out and I crapped my pants cos I thought they meant me 😂)

Dd name is in top 10, it doesn’t bother me at all. It’s a beautiful name and I love it. No one in her class has the same name although there are a few in different years.

The only popular names I would avoid are names that have lots very similar names e.g Isabel/Isobel/Isabelle/Isabella or Evie/Eva/Ava

Not a problem at all. My own name was v popular in its time and that never bothered me. Popular names are popular... as in, lots of people like them. They tend to be nice names.

What is the name? If it's top 20 then telling us won't be identifying.

I purposely avoided Top 100! The name we chose in the end was something in the 7000s and had only 22 uses with our spelling. If other spelling taken into account about 70. It's a proper name though, not made up. Just under used.

Maybe not top 20 but I would steer well clear of the top 10. I’m a nanny and have been to groups where there’s several kids with the same name as the kids I have. It would put me off. We went for an “old man” name for our baby and I’m really hoping it doesn’t suddenly become popular!

It really doesn't bother me. My daughter's name is in the top 20 but we live in central London. It's so multicultural where we live it means English names are in the minority anyway. So it's not like she'll be one of several with her name once she
Gets to school. if you really love a name then just use it I say.

Yes it would bother me.

We sometimes forget that we name people so that they can be identified and being called just Harry or Ellie won't do that.

Wouldn't bother me. I have a very popular name for my generation - think top 5 for my year of birth - and although there were no others in my class, there were several in my year at school. But it's a name that's popular for a reason and it's grown on me - as a kid, I would have preferred something more unusual though.

DS has a top 20/30 name (can't remember exactly). Funnily enough, although I know another one, we have only met one in the past three years! So it's instantly recognisable and mainstream but we haven't run into any.

If you love the name, use it!

My sons name wasn’t in the top 100 in the year of his birth (I didn’t check at the time cos I don’t care, I loved the name regardless of popularity!) but he is now 12 and there’s 3 with the same name in his class and 6 in his year! So just cos a name is unusual doesn’t mean there won’t be others... and just cos a name is top 20 in UK doesn’t mean you’ll be surrounded by them!

The name is Chloe.. It was no. 10 girls name of 2017 in Ireland where i live.

I have looked for other names and will continue to look but ive kind of fallen in love with it.

My name was number one the year I was h Rn. Every year at school there was at least three of us in my class alone. At work there are two of us. I have just got used to using my full name now. I hated it but now it’s just the norm.
I chose my ds name because I loved it and there weren’t many around. It’s now in the top 20 which is a bit annoying but that doesn’t mean there will be others in his class. I’ve not met one yet anyway.

It would bother me, but then I used a name that is now gaining in popularity so even if you chose one less common, theres always the chance it could become more common!

If you love it, use it :)

I chose an 'original' name 20yrs ago... it hit the most popular top 5 a few years later 🙄 I don't regret the choice. I still love the name regardless, and better that than some weird outlandish name to be 'unique' - your child would hate it.