Name popularity putting me off?

[mazcroz]

Hi ladies,

I'm due in June and am having a girl, I have always been set on the name Marnie which my husband also really likes. However I've been noticing its use has been increasing massively, and I know this should not matter in the slightest as long as we love the name, but I just don't want her to be one of five Marnie's in a classroom when she's older, if you know what I mean? I will probably end up using it anyway as I still love it, but just wanted some other thoughts and opinions or if any of you chose a name for your baby which then ended up becoming popular?

Other names on our list include Pearl, Lyra, Coral, Violet and Harmony so far. Thank you!

However I've been noticing its use has been increasing massively, and I know this should not matter in the slightest as long as we love the name, but I just don't want her to be one of five Marnie's in a classroom when she's older, if you know what I mean?

I don't know where you have the idea that this 'should not matter' -- IMO, it matters hugely. A large part of the point of a name is that it differentiates one person from another. I would not have given DS a popular name, even if I'd adored it.

I was one of those children who never learned to answer to their name in a school setting because there were six of us in my class throughout primary school, and one with the same surname too, and it was fairly depressing feeling like a subset of some generic job lot.

DS's name is so little-used it wasn't listed by number of occurrences for the year of his birth.

Your child is going to have to deal with the name your give her on a daily basis, so having the same name as several kids is at least going to be annoying. I definitely agree with you on this OP.

Fortunately you have backups you also really like. I'd like to put in a vote for Lyra or Coral. I think they are nice.

I think it's highly unlikely it will be anywhere near popular enough for them to have another in their class. I have never encountered anyone with that name, it might be rising on popularity but I certainly wouldn't call it common.

It's a lovely name, too!

I have DS a name that wasn't massively popular, definitely not in our area at that point and I only knew 2 other people with the same name - in their late teens/20's.

By the time he started school there were 4 in his class despite us never having met another at groups/nursery beforehand.

He's 14 now and says it's never bothered him - funnily enough people seem to know who he is (because it's his name) so I can't say he's never answered to his name or been randomly confused for someone else as a result 🤔

I'm in my 30's and never knew anyone with my name until 5 years ago when I started my job and there are 3 of us in a small team. Again, my colleagues seem to be able to tell us apart fine.

I don't think any of the names you've listed are super popular, OP. My favourite is Lyra.

I picked my DD’s name aged 9. By the time we had her it was one of the most popular girls names.

However in 9 years at prep school and so far 2 years at secondary we’ve come across 2 others, neither in her age group.

Conversely a friend went for a very unusual name and ended up with another child all the way through first school and then secondary together.

It’s just luck!

When we named my son, his name wasn't that popular, but became so about 5 years later. So glad we just missed the tidal wave! I like Violet from your list.

I don't know anyone called marnie. I think it's unlikely to become so popular that there are many multiples in one class. Where was it last year In the popularity list? I think it can also be good to have a name that people are familiar with as it's easy to forget a name that you have no frame of reference for.

Where was it last year In the popularity list?

It wasn't even in the top 100.

What about imani?
Slightly more "grown up" than Marnie.
I love lyra. We know a 6 year old lyra, she is a great kid.

I really like Marnie and don't know of any children called Marnie in my locale.
Violet, Pearl and Lyra are a different matter...they are definitely on the rise.
But Marnie isn't in that bracket I don't think and it's definitely the best nane

Going by this is might actually be starting to tail off without even hurting the top 300

names.darkgreener.com/#marnie

Ask your MW how many she's heard of.

*hitting not hurting!

Only Marnie I know is the girl off Geordie shore that recently called her child Rox Star

Thanks so much everyone, especially with the positive responses and preferences to some of the names. It's made me feel much better :) It's so hard choosing a name! Especially when I'm so aware that I want it to be uncommon enough, but not a name that is so out there she's embarrassed of it.

Marnie is one of my very favourite names but I’ve never met a single person with this name despite years at baby groups.
You say it’s increasing massively in popularity but if you check the statistics it actually is NOT. There were less babies called Marnie in 2018 (the most recent year we have statistics for) than there were in 2017. The name is now on a downward trajectory @mazcroz. The chance of there being even 2 Marnies in a classroom (whilst technically possible) is so slim that it’s more likely you’d win the lottery

Names like Violet and Lyra are also gorgeous but they are on continual upward trajectories, unlike Marnie. Seen as you prefer Marnie anyway, it’s a no brainer.
Do not pick Lyra for example simply because it’s lower down in the charts. By the time your baby is here, given the statistics, it’s likely Lyra will have overtaken Marnie.

Marnie is so so gorgeous - I really feel you’d regret not using it once you see how rare it is in everyday life

I've not come across any Marnies (lovely name.) I also love Lyra but would have thought that is more common. As is Pearl. (Also lovely.)
You have great taste in names.

You can't predict how many of a name will be in a class. But remember, even the most popular names are given to less than 1% of babies. One of my DDs has a name very similar to a name which has been in the top 10 for a good few years now. She was the only one with that name/popular name in the whole school fro preschool until Yr3. After a recent house move, there is one other in the school (over 400 children).

On the other end of the scale, in DDs Preschool/Reception class, which had 18 boys between the two years.. there were 5 boys with the same name, which wasn't even in the top 100. Born in various places around the UK as well!

I only like Violet from your list.

@Whatsyourflava That's so good to know! I think I was just basing its popularity on how much more I'm seeing it on peoples lists, rather than if anyone was actually naming their child that. Thank you for the lovely comment :)

@Aroundtheworldin80moves This is also so true and I didn't think about it like that! Throughout all my schools and work places I've always been the only one with my name, but now where I work there are 3 of us! So very good point.

@ellanwood Thank you so much!

I do prefer unusual names too. Was very glad not to be one of the many Claires and Katies in my year (although both are perfectly nice names). However one of my children's names is outside the top 500 and there has always been at least one other pupil with that name at our small primary. Not in the same year, an older one left and a younger one joined). Another of my DCs has a top 100 name and was the only one for several years (another joined last year). So there is an element of luck, and possibly demographics involved. Choose a name you absolutely love. That's the most important thing.

At our little primary I can think of four girls named Anoushka. I've just checked and it's outside the top 1000! I bet none of their parents thought there would be so many around.