Is it best to avoid a very popular baby name? (Oliver)

[ReadAllTheThings]

We were going to name our future son Oliver, but then I just found out it has been the most popular baby name in the UK for the last six years running. Now I'm doubting our choice.

I'm worried about our future son getting a bunch of weird nicknames and/or having to use his surname all the time. I've heard of Sarahs that were numbered because there were four of them in the same dormitory. In my class, we had two Simons. One Simon was the cleverest kid in the class by far so we called him "Smart Simon." So unfortunately the other poor Simon became "Stupid Simon" when we had to clarify who we were talking about (he really wasn't that dumb).

Still, I haven't come across another name that I like better. And I've looked at hundreds. Oliver flows so well with our surnames. It has the nickname Ollie, which I think would be cute for a baby. Crucially, it works in all three countries we have connections to. It even has a funny story to go with why we named him Oliver. My husband likes the name but isn't as attached to it as I am.

Should I stick with my choice? How problematic is it to have a very common name?

Not problematic at all. It's a lovely name. It doesnt matter how many others there are out there, he will be 'your' Oliver

When I was at school it was full of Emmas, Katies and Charlottes. Some of them had nicknames, some didnt, but they all grew into what suited them iyswim? Some kept their full names.

The only real nickname for Oliver is Ollie which is totally inoffensive so I wouldn't worry about that. As for stupid Simon () any name can be turned into something unflattering so I wouldn't worry about that either.

Lovely name choice

I think if you love it, use it! You may find he ends up in a class with other Olivers or he may go his whole school life without that happening. Trying to find a more unusual name can backfire anyway - my friend has a nearly 3 yo she called Arthur thinking it was such a rare name and of course it's become hugely popular. We now know tons of toddlers and babies called Arthur; even her neighbour has an Arthur and the same surname! Equally, I'm a teacher and have taught two girls called Ursula - I bet their parents couldn't believe it since it's such an unusual name. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is, don't worry too much about popularity.

As has been said many times, there are so many names that even using a popular name won’t necessarily mean your son will be one of many Olivers in his class.
I don’t know any small Olivers if that helps.

I love the name Oliver... I have an Oliver and he wouldnt be called anything else, it's a beautiful boys name and if you like it go for it... your the one that's going to be shouting it every 5 mins when he's trying to climb in cupboards like mine does 😊😂
I have a Charlie too... also very popular but I loved it so that's what he's called 😍

Oliver is a great name. If you like it, I'd stay with it.

I have expericence of this. My sister and I both have the most popular solid, slightly uninventive, names from the 80s. She had 4 of the same name in her class and yes, she didn't enjoy that at all. Equally, she likes her name but finds it a bit dull and i have to agree, it doesn't really suit her bubbly personality.

I like my name a lot, despite it being insanely popular.If you look at the list at work there are about 20 women with my name, out of a company of 400 people! Luckily, I was about 5 years ahead of the curve with being named, so I didn't know anyone growing up with the same name which I'm glad about.

In other words, we both totally survived having popular names!

My friend has an Oliver and there are 7 of them in his nursery class. That would bother me, but if it doesn't bother you then go for it!

They obviously should have used Simple Simon not Stupid Simon misses point of whole thread

Anyway, if you like it I don’t think popularity should put you off! Despite it charting number one for years I haven’t met one at a baby or toddler group. But I have met to boys called Magnus. So you can’t always predict these things.

I've just read back over my post and realized my answer should be the opposite!
My sister didn't like having the same solid name as everyone else and wishes my parents had named her something else.
I was happy with my name, but only because it wasn't popular until a few years after I was born.
In other words, it is a bit rubbish having a super popular name. Oliver is still a great name, but yeah...

If you love the name then use it.

My nephew is an Oliver. It's a lovely name.

My own is has a top 5 name (Joshua). He's never been in the same year group, let alone class as another one. All the other 13 year old Joshua's must live somewhere else

I have an oliver nn Ollie and I've never regretted it! None in his year, he did have another oliver in preschool they were best friends but was fine as he was oliver and our oliver likes to only be called Ollie! None in my current preschool class atm either and haven't heard or any baby Oliver's!

I love the name Oliver so much. Such a classic. None in my child’s whole nursery but 2 babies called Fox.
Oliver may still be the no 1 name but it’s actually much less popular than it was a few years ago if you look at the statistics the actual numbers have dramatically dropped

Plus worth noting that it’s not comparable to 80s top names, back then a huge percentage of parents chose a top 10 name, now that percentage is much smaller. I can’t remember the exact numbers but if you google it you’ll see that something like 60% of baby names in the 80s were a top 20 name, compared to about 15% or something now

Doesn’t matter at all - if you love the name just go ahead and use it.

I like the name a lot.

@PlantPotting - that's a reassuring statistic. There you go, OP, it seems that Oliver is a great name, but not only that, there doesn't seem to be the glut that there was for my name!

It's a lovely name but I'd avoid it.
He'll probably always be known as Oliver X, not just Oliver. I'm still Meglet X at work, there were four of me at school. It's always been a pain in the backside.
Names are to differentiate people. Really popular names make it harder.

Its so everywhere to me- guys my own age- late 30s and now this boom in younger Oliver's to me it is just such an average/ meh/don't even think twice or consider it as an individual/nice name in its own right kind of name, just so overdone its boring now, sorry. Dare to be different!

I have an Oliver but when he was born I had no idea it was considered a popular name as I had never met a child with that name and he is the only Oliver in his class, one of three in his school.

I wouldn't use such a popular name.

It's popular for a reason. People like it. It's a classic name but has been very popular for a while now.

You could pick what you think is the most obscure name and find that there is another one in his reception class.

Maybe use it for a middle name? I have a name where I'm never the only one and I find it annoying and my name was #18 the year I was born. Not even top 5! So I guess you never know what names end up being common in your exact area.

Oliver is really nice. I can see why it's so popular! I know what you are going through though - there are a couple names I love that have gotten quite popular and it makes it hard. Maybe just see what else you come up with but if hou really love it, then just accept a lot of other people do too!

Hi, I'm OP but I lost access to my account.

Thanks all so much for your feedback! I didn't go with Oliver in the end (he just didn't look like an Oliver), but still went with a top 100 name. Of course there's a boy with the same name in his nursery, but he goes by a nickname.