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Should we change our son's top 10 name to something that's in the top 500? (6 weeks old)

49 replies

AquaDragonfly · 26/10/2018 05:50

Hi, our son is only 6 weeks old. I've loved a name for so long and luckily DP liked it too (I don't think he really cared about his name). Anyway, we only knew 1 boy with the name when we were naming him and thought that was fine. I actually never looked up the popularity of the name or anything tbh (I'm now shocked at where it is placed).

We like another name too, but I didn't think his name was even that popular, so didn't think to go with the least popular one.

Since he's been meeting friends and family, I've had a few comments. Friends who are nursery workers/work with children have responded with "oh gosh! Another one!" But then laughed and said they're just kidding... 2 more baby boys are due around me and BOTH have said they are thinking of the name too...... I know they may never use it and because I have, maybe they won't? I'm not sure.

Anyway, his name is Noah. The name we would change it to is Samson. Thanks.

OP posts:
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TheGrassIsGreener3 · 26/10/2018 12:51

Samson will inevitably become Sam. And Sam is awful IMO and very 90s. I would 100% stick with Noah. Noah might be popular but it is classic and traditional.

marshallzumarubble · 26/10/2018 13:12

Which do you prefer, regardless of popularity?

Once you know that, think how much the popularity changes your view of it. It might not be much at all or it may be a bigger deal to you. Think about the future, if you change it to Samson, will you look back and feel sad that you never got to use Noah?

Looking at the stats, there were 4273 boy Noahs born last year and
69 girl Noahs/Noas. There were 69 Samsons born. But, crucially, there were 2083 Samuels, 263 boy Sams, 150 boy Samis and 103 Samanthas, plus a handful of Sammys, Samaras and Samiras, all of which may get shortened to Sam. If you combine all of them you get at least 2749 potential Sams, therefore placing well within the top 20 so not too much of a difference.

Go with your gut, changing it is fine, keeping it is fine, your son, your choice. And congratulations!

daisypond · 26/10/2018 13:25

Noah is loads nicer than Samson.

hapagirl · 26/10/2018 13:32

Keep the name you love. My DD’s name is top 5 in Scotland. We didn’t live here when she was born so I didn’t know. But I still love the name and figure it’s popular because it’s so nice. My DD doesn’t mind.

3in4years · 26/10/2018 21:04

Both biblical.

PetraRabbit · 26/10/2018 21:31

I beg to differ!! Noah is very nice but very faddish. Apart from being popular, it is likely to date. Although there are quite a lot of Samuels around, most (the ones I know at least) are definitely Samuel not Sam and none are Samson. And Sam is a timeless name. Noah came out of nowhere so they are not the same kind of "popular" at all. I think being introduced to a Noah every week for the rest of his childhood will drive you mad (from what you've said) so change it.

Belindabauer · 27/10/2018 09:43

I don't know any Noahs or Samsons.
Go with the one you prefer.

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 27/10/2018 09:52

I’m not sure I’d say Noah ‘came out of nowhere’... it’s as old as the Ark!

OP I have a very common name that I share with my two best friends. It’s not an issue.

Ontopofthesunset · 27/10/2018 10:55

"Popular names are popular beause they are lovely."

Do you think Wayne, Gary, Brian and Malcolm are lovely? They were all very popular at one time.

I'm not a huge fan of Noah or Samson, but I think the Biblical associations of Samson are even more difficult to live up to than Noah, and as Noah has become more popular, fewer people associate it with a terrible flood and an old guy on a boat. Samson is still for me very much the strong man weakened by Delilah cutting his hair.

Ontopofthesunset · 27/10/2018 10:57

Noah is as 'old as the ark' as a traditional, quite orthodox Jewish name, not as a mainstream popular name. If you are over the age of 25, how many of your siblings or friends from school were called Noah? I literally never knew a Noah growing up, and knew loads of Jewish kids. The first Noah I actually met was born in about 1998 or 1999.

RoseMartha · 27/10/2018 19:37

Keep it you like it you chose it. I only know two Noah's one is 11 and the other is 4.

CheekyRedhead · 27/10/2018 19:40

I prefer Noah but I know 4 under 4 so it is common. I have an unusual name and liked it rather than being one of 5 Louises in my year at school

AJPTaylor · 27/10/2018 22:51

Popular names like Noah, William,Emily and so on are popular because they are nice names and go well with most surnames.

SleepingStandingUp · 27/10/2018 22:55

We nearly had Noah 3 years ago but didn't because of popularity. In reality I know two others and I suspect one of those wouldn't tod we had. It has been top 10 for ages so theoretically there's a ton of them about HOWEVER all the grown up David's have coped. It won't harm him to know other kids with his name. I'd stick with it, it's the name you want and the name you love

SleepingStandingUp · 27/10/2018 23:00

Noah is very nice but very faddish
It's older than the Ark!!!

Armchairanarchist · 27/10/2018 23:05

When we chose DS1's name it was outside the top 100, his name is Oliver! Stick with the name you love.

IHaveBrilloHair · 27/10/2018 23:11

I think both are lovely.
Samson is more unusual as a full name, but wont be when it's shortened to Sam which is inevitable.

pallisers · 27/10/2018 23:41

Noah is a lovely name.

Jacob/Jake was top 10 where I am about 15-20 years ago and apparently there are quite a few Jakes in every first year college year etc. This year’s University of Washington football team has four quarterbacks named Jake or Jacob, in addition to Jake the linebacker and a tight end named Jacob. Disambiguation is a challenge. The starting senior quarterback gets to be called “Jake,” while the others are known by nicknames, or contractions of their last names.

Stafford’s Pier, a seafood restaurant in Harbor Springs, Mich., has five Jakes on staff, and, like the Huskies, they use work-arounds to tell one from another. The Jake with red hair became “Red;” another was known by his initials, “J.C.,”

But so what? Their family and friends know them by their name (and if it is a lovely name like Jacob or Noah even better). Their girlfriends don't need a substitute name.

The guys I worked with who are now retired were nearly all called Bill, Bob, Tom, Jim, Richard, John or Pat. The women Sue, Mary, Ann, Catherine (and Marlene, Darlene and Charlene if born in a certain few years if american) No one cared or thought they lacked individuality. I can remember each of them individually as wonderful people. I remember the many Bill, Bob, John and Susan, Ann, Mary and Catherine every bit as fondly and individually as the single Hunter, Ginger, Darwins etc

I know a Samson - have known him for the past 17 years and tbh I still find it a name that doesn't seem quite really a name. (mind you he goes by Samson - in the UK, your son will be Sam which will as popular as Noah)

PippilottaLongstocking · 27/10/2018 23:49

I have an Oliver, I think it’s usually #1 I’m the top 100, yet he’s so far always been the only one in his class at school and at clubs outside of school, it suits him and the popularity never bothered us

grumpy4squash · 28/10/2018 00:02

Noah is very, very popular where I live. Sam also. Probably the only names that are more popular are Oliver and Jack.
Just go with what you like....

Armchairanarchist · 28/10/2018 13:17

@PippilottaLongstocking our Oliver is in his 20s. I still love his name.

brodiee · 28/10/2018 15:22

I only know one Noah!

thegreylady · 29/10/2018 06:52

Samson reminds me of Emmerdale! I love Noah and only know of one.

Helmetbymidnight · 29/10/2018 06:57

Noah is a lovely name, that's why it's popular

Noah is a lovely name but that’s not why it’s popular. There are fashions and trends. Noah is fashionable right now- a million other lovely names aren’t.

Lots of people worry about the names at your stage- it usually fades.

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