Which would you regret more?

[Onceuponatime123]

Which would you regret more?

Choosing a popular name and child being 1 of 3/4/5 in class.

NOT choosing a popular name that you LOVE because it is popular.

The name I am referring to is Evelyn but the question is relevant to any popular name.

I would go for the name you love, and not worry about it’s popularity. My daughter is an Eva and in a school of 420 she’s the only one, although I know of one about to join in sept so that will be two.

I find it strange these comments about there being 5 children with the same name in a class. I’m a teacher and occasionally have 2 children with the same name but that’ll be it. Maybe it’s just area dependent?

One of my children has a popular name and I do regret it but I didn’t ‘love’ it. I would have chosen a much more uncommon name but husband didn’t like any of them and we didn’t make a decision before the birth. So I do find it hard when people tell me that they know another child with the same name. I didn’t realise the contempt some people have for popular names before I have a child! But i think if I had truly loved the name, I wouldn’t care. I would say keep looking at names outside the most popular in case there’s another that you prefer but if you love it and it feels right, go for it x

I agree with FizzyGreenWater about exposure although I usually roll my eyes at names because they are so overused that they seem unbelievably dull.

You hear a name for the first time and you think it's unusual then they crop up everywhere.

Thing about why you love the name and think of any other names that might fit the bill.

I find it strange these comments about there being 5 children with the same name in a class. I’m a teacher and occasionally have 2 children with the same name but that’ll be it. Maybe it’s just area dependent?

Well, I'm in my mid-40s, and there was a considerably smaller pool of names used in the 70s -- there were five girls with the same name in my (all-female) primary school class of about 30/32. Having said that, my son is 8 and in his class of 27 there are three Harrisons and three Alices, two Louis and two Sophies.

It can happen.You get pockets in some parts of the country where a name becomes very popular but the name isn't particularly popular elsewhere.

An example might be Jürgen being very popular in for boys born in the Merseyside area this year.

I recall someone telling me about two kids in a class that looked like twins. Different mothers.

I would never say but when I hear of yet another Amelia / Grace / Olivia / Eve I internally 🙄 poor kid new baby and such a generic dull name! But it’s subjective

the others I'm not brave enough for - like Barnaby and Raphael

Interesting that you feel the need to be 'brave' to choose either of these lovely normal names

This may help to explain the reluctance of some parents to deviate from the fashionable top10 names?

Personally I love those boys names. I also love many beautiful underused girls names.

I fine Evelyn/Eve/Evie/Eva a little dull from overuse.

Names like Evelyn/Evie, Amelia, Olivia etc were once beautiful names. But by becoming SO common and widely used, they've become dull. They will fall out of fashion and sound dated.

Go with what you love. Popular names doesn’t mean you’ll meet hundreds of them walking down the street.
Unique names don’t mean you’ll be the only one.
One of my children has a popular name, another with a less common name. And I’ve come across more of the less common name recently!
Don’t be that person that never wants to meet another child with ‘their’ name.
I know two people with a Gene. Both were incredibly annoyed to meet the other one.

Flattering to be copied though 😁 If another parent uses your older child’s name you know they are not absolutely hideous as awful kids put you off names I find

There were six Catherine's of various spellings and abbreviations in my school year. Never bothered me particularly and at university I was the only one in my year. I gave dd1 a name I loved which became top ten popular about ten years later so although we don't know any her age there are a few little ones about. Dds 2 and 3 have less popular names and dd3 moans about it!

I work in a large nursery and there are only two Evelyn's, one known as Evie. If you love it use it!

My daughter is Evelyn on her BC but never used-never met another one.
We call her Effie, statistically well out of the top 100 and have met three, one of which is in her dance class. Sometimes you can’t predict these things. Use the name you love.

Everybody was called Vicki/Vicky, Becky/Becky or Sarah when I was at school.

Pretty much all my friends called Vicki Sarah or Katie 😁

In 30 years all my dds friends will be either Eve Amelia Olivia and Isabel.

Op, I would continue looking for another name you love that isn't as popular. There's thousands of names to choose from!

Names are meant to identity us.

I would never say but when I hear of yet another Amelia / Grace / Olivia / Eve I internally 🙄 poor kid new baby and such a generic dull name!

I agree. There are so so many lovely and more memorable names out there!

Go with the name you love.

She will be your Evelyn. That will make all the difference.

I would regret not using the popular name that I love.