Name popularity a deal breaker?

[Heh1991]

I adore the name Oliver but it’s SO popular.

If you loved the name would it put you off caking your child it? If so any alternatives?

I have to admit, yes. I discounted several names just because they seemed to be very "everywhere" or were sounding tired/overused.

That's just me personally though. There is nothing objectively "wrong" with choosing a popular name!

At least you can be sure your kids will not get teased on account of their names.

And they will be less Googleable in years to come (unless you have a really outlandish surname) which is better for privacy.

My kids have name-and-surname combos that are probably unique in the entire world, as they have an unusual non-British surname as well, which is nice in a way but will make them easier to search for online---perhaps that's not such a good thing.

Tell a lie, I just googled and found someone with the same name as one of my kids in Florida of all places!

I know a couple under 10 Oliver's (my 7.5 year old included) it seems as though Ollie/Olly/Oli is getting more popular as a standalone name around here.

I would never chose a very popular name but I like ‘proper’ names not made up ones. My child’s name was well out of the top 100 which pleased me but now it’s moving up although it’s taken over twenty years to do it. I teach and have never had a child with the same name in my school until this year when there’s one in nursery.

My sister asked me whether her choice of name was popular. I told her there was usually one in school. The following year I had four in my reception class but it’s actually still not that common. You just never know what’s ahead.

We need to remember why we name someone. To identify them! So yes as very common name would put me off. I know so many Olivers and Ollies! More than I know adult Steves!

It’s always dependent on your area anyway. Oliver may be the number one in the UK but you may find your Oliver is the only one in his class.

I should also add that my nine year old DD’s name wasn’t even in the top 100 when she was born but is now in the top 20 which is utterly gutting for me. Name trends change constantly so you could very well use a rare name only for it to suddenly become popular.

No it would not stop me using it.
The most popular names are not that popular.

It would 100% put me off a name if it was in the top 50, and there's no way I would use a name in the top 20, even if I loved it. My favourite girls name has actually just skyrocketed in popularity and I've removed it from my list 😔 I like names that are 'real' (not made up) and heard of but not commonly used. I work across 3 primary schools and I'm not sure I can think of a year group that doesn't have an Oliver/Ollie in it 😕