Popular boys names to avoid

[Deedodem]

Due a little boy in September. I was wondering if anyone who works with small children could give me some popular names in your area to avoid..

Struggling to find the perfect name for our boy.

Thank you

Everyone in this thread will come from different areas of the country and it's just not a very good way to find out what's popular

I appreciate 2018 is slightly out of date but it's the most accurate your going to get

What name are you thinking of or what names are on your list?

Are you wanting a name where Ideally he'll be only one in class? Only one in school? Only one you'll ever meet? Either way if popularity is a real concern for you avoid the top 150 names for sure

With both my DC we asked the midwife while I was in labour how many of our name they had come across in recent months!

If you don’t want to leave it that late on, ask your midwife/health visitor at your next appointment

Arthur

George, Jackson, Hayden, Toby.

If you pick a name you bases on it being unusual then will you go off it if you turn up a baby group and find out there's two others there with the same name? If so, then just go for something you love regardless of popularity!

Naming a child is the hardest thing! If having a name that is unusual is important to you then you also need to factor in similar sounding names. For example my child is starting school this year and in her class there will be Lara, Zara, Cara, Clara and Cleo. So even if a name in itself isn't popular, there can be many similar sounding names. Another example is Eva, ava, Ada, Evie, ivy, emmie, Ella, Ellie etc. Not sure if this helps at all! Xxx

Just realised you said you were having a boy! I don't think there are as many similar sounding boys names as girls names as per my examples!

Mohammed and variations of usually rank in the top 100, yet I know none (a few adults, no children though).

It really depends on where you live . I'd go off the ONS data rather than Mumsnet users, it will be much more reliable (saying that I do love a good baby name thread).

If it helps boys names that I come across often are: theo, Jacob, Arthur, Freddie, Joshua, henry, Archie, Alfie, Joseph, Harry, teddy, Thomas, Ethan, William, Stanley but these are more school age now.

Some Suggestions for Names not as common but still traditional are Patrick, Elliot, Frazer, Hugh, Daniel, Nicholas, Nathaniel, Jonathan (Jonny), Francis (frank), Vincent (vinnie) xx

Seriously, it doesn't matter.

Of course popularity matters to many parents (and children!). You really can't tell others what criteria should or shouldn't matter when naming their children.

Avoid R names for boys and E names for girls if popularity is a focus for you

@Whatsyourflava

Avoid R names for boys and E names for girls if popularity is a focus for you

I see your logic with E names for girls (and would add A) but what is your thinking with R names for boys? The highest boys' name beginning with R is Reuben (#42). J names are the most prevalent in the top 100.

My 3 all have top 10 names, all are the only one in their class / friendship group.

I have a 70s top 10 name and I hated it. It's not only at school that you need to add your surname but throughout life eg at work you're known as your known plus some adjective, to identify you!

Fashionable names also tend to sound dated as they fall out of fashion again.

This thread is so weird. Why are so many posters repeatedly telling the OP that her one specified criterion isn't important? Would it be the same if she had asked for boys' names beginning with 'J'?

The initial letter doesn't matter, you know.
MY children all have names beginning with M and it hasn't done them any harm.

OP, can you give us an idea of some names that you like? Do you like classic, modern, Biblical etc?

I'm south west, and I see a lot of Arthur, Teddy, Noah, Harley, Harry, Oliver, and Finley.

Where in the country are you? I wanted an unusual name too.

My 3 all have top 10 names, all are the only one in their class / friendship group.

That's great. But the op would prefer her children to have less popular names.

James (but although it's popular, It's also not faddy and it is undatable)
William (See James)
Alfie.
Harry.
Charlie
Arthur
Reuben.
Gabriel
Leo
Teddy
Strangely though I'm not hearing mAny Olivers or Theos. The name Jack also seems to be dying of death. This is of course only in my own experience of names hearing while out and about.
Popularity is always a chance you take if it does bother you. You could pick the most obscure name ever and There is still no guarantee that there won't be another one in the class.
However what you must remember is. Some of these are obviously older children and toddlers, even babies born now won't be in the same year group as your little one.

The ONS usually publishes the new baby name stats in September each year, so you might be able to check the 2019 stats if they come out before you give birth/before you commit to a name.

They don't tend to vary hugely from the previous year, so 2018 stats will still be very helpful.

Roman/Rowan/Rohan/Ronan names seem to be on an upward trajectory.

If you want an underused classic type name look at names like Patrick, Alistair, Edmund, Robert, Nicholas, Peter and Christopher.

My sons called Arthur, unfortunately since having him I've met quite a few! I also know a lot of...
Grayson
Freddie
Frankie
Noah
George
Alfie
Teddy/Theo/Theodore
Ralphie
Joshua
Archie
Arlo
Sonny
Ronnie
Rudy/Rudi
Hendrix
I think now to find a name that you're not going to meet many of you need to either find really old or really out there!

James (but although it's popular, It's also not faddy and it is undatable)

Fun fact - James is the single most consistently popular name of the 20th and early 21st centuries, remaining in the top 20 from 1904 right the way through to 2018, when it dropped to #21.

I'd avoid names that weren't around 10, 20, 30... years ago, or that weren't as popular.
I'd avoid the Arlo, Ezra,Otto, Jude, Finn type names, The Alfie/Archie type names, the Reuben/Roman type names, because they are a trend, and will probably be dated one day.

If you think a name is a bit 'out there' or underused, it may well turn out to be very popular, and be quite meh by the time he goes to school.

I'd avoid a name that you have only heard of recently, especially if it's a celebrity or fictional character. Google the name and the firstname surname - if your surname is West you might want to avoid Freddie or Kanye, or George Oliver.

I don't generally like long names - Sebastian, Theodore, Dominic, Nathaniel etc. They get shortened. Short names tend to get lengthened - I know more than one Ian who gets called E!

Unless you have a connection with a language, religion or culture, I wouldn't pick one of their names.
So no Dylan, Liam, Luca, Matteo, Thor, Noah, Bodhi, Raj or Jeremiah etc.

If your surname is very ordinary, you might want a less ordinary first name. Middle names hardly ever get used but will be if he is one of several Jack Smiths. Make sure the firstname/surname combination is good. Check that the initials aren't embarrassing or sound funny - No George Oliver Down, for example.

I hated having a popular/fashionable name and would have preferred a more unusual and more memorable name! So I think it's great that some parents do care about popularity!

Common boys names around here include
Harry, Oliver, Jack, Tom, Charlie, Archie, Alfie, Theo, Finn, Noah, George etc

If your surname is very ordinary, you might want a less ordinary first name. Middle names hardly ever get used but will be if he is one of several Jack Smiths

I know 3 adult Steve Smiths! And 2 young boys called Harry Jones!

We seem to forget why we have names?! To be easily and uniquely identified!

Too unusual can be a PITA. Makes you too memorable and easy to find.