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!

You’ve got some great names there!

We are calling or baby girl Violet but I do love Marnie.

If Marnie is your preference over the rest of your list I think you should definitely use it. It’s no way as popular as most of the others on your list.

Good luck deciding!

Marnie isn’t very popular at all.

I've never come across a Marnie.

You probably see the name on lists quite a lot on here as many of here are name enthusiasts and go for slightly more unusual names than some. For example if someone on here asks for girl name suggestions, I wouldn’t bother suggesting top 10 or even top 50 names as most will have thought of those already. What’s the point in suggesting “Olivia” for example. A great name buy one people will already have thought of. You’ll see names like
Marnie, Silas, Brian, Rufus, Vivienne etc suggested on Mumsnet a disproportionate amount (in real life they are actually very rare for babies but they aren’t rare on Mumsnet).. does that make sense?

• but not buy

One of my sons has a top 20 name (when he was born, it's going down now) and I know of one other his age who is not even at his school. My other son has a name in the top 200 and never met another one his age and only one ever out and about who was 3 years older. My daughter is a top 50 name and not met another one her age or at my sons' school - and with the NN she has given herself being unusual (only 7 born in 2018) I think it's even less likely she'll meet another girl with her name who shortens it how she does. My point is really the chances of her being more than one in a class is very low (although possible) so I'd go with a name you love. Good luck :)

My niece is called Marnie but I've never met another one in my entire life. Are you sure it's really that popular?

Anyway it's a great name but Coral is my favourite out of the alternatives. I also love Cora.

@mistermagpie no it’s not common at all. I think OP has not elaborated in a later post that she thought it was becoming popular because the name gets mentioned a fair bit on Mumsnet.
In the real world there’s actually decreasing numbers of Marnies (the name is now on a downward trajectory) and it is, and always has been, outside the top 200 names

I've heard of two baby Marnies recently if it helps, but I still wouldn't call it popular or well known.

I honestly don’t think you can predict it. When we named our eldest (16) his name was so unusual that people either joked about it or stood in silence because they genuinely didn’t know what to say. It gradually became more popular and is now relatively common among under 10s. We recently moved house though and suddenly he’s in a year group with 2 others. 3 out of 100 boys in his year group is not huge but it’s not totally unique either.

Go for the name you love.

(But having said that - out of the names you have listed Lyra (pronounced lee-ra not lie-ra) is definitely my favourite and like a PP I also love Cora

I've never met a Marnie and I have a five year old and a one year old. Go for it!

There are loads of Violets so don't go for that

I don’t know of anyone called Marnie. I would steer well clear of Lyra which is almost certainly going to have a popularity boost since the Dark Materials tv series.

At a baby class I used to attend there were two children called "Sia". Never heard it again anywhere, but out of a group of 15 babies, two shared the same highly unusual name. It's all just luck really whether there will be one in her class, and you could choose a highly unusual name and have the same issue! Having said that, I have met 3 Marnies under 2, so I wouldn't say it's as uncommon as you think. Otherunderused names....

Indina,
Bronte,
Juno,
Lotta,
Lettie,
Sasha,
Tess/Tessa,
Penny

I love Marnie and Harmony.But its the luck of the draw.

Just use the name you love,otherwise you be kicking yourself for not doing so.

My favourite boys name is Oliver and for me, like you, the popularity is becoming an obstacle.

That said, Marnie isn’t THAT popular so hopefully wouldn’t be too much of an issue and if you love it then hopefully it won’t matter. You could always give her an unusual middle or nick name so that should she be one of 5 marnies in class then she always has the option to go by something less popular?

I think Lily Allen has a DD called Marnie. It reminds me of the Studio Ghibli film When Marnie Was Here which is lovely. Never met one in real life.

Violet has been popular for a few years.

As above, Lily Allen has kind of put me off Marnie.
I really like Coral. My favourite of your options by far. But I love Coralie xxx

How funny I’m quite a big Lily Allen fan, have all her albums and been to 2 concerts. I didn’t know her daughter was called Marnie. She largely keeps her children totally out of the press so most people will not have heard of them. it’s not like Harper and Brooklyn Beckham or whatever

I couldn't get past Mardy Marnie. Sorry. I think it's cute for a little girl but not so much when she's 45.
I much prefer Coral off your list. Absolutely gorgeous, uncommon but not weird. And I met the most amazing woman called coral a few years ago. She was stunning. I love it.