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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

Ava too popular?

25 replies

NelsonMandela1 · 21/02/2021 11:50

Hi everyone, i'm new here

We are expecting a baby girl and we were considering the name Ava. I read here: kidnames.org/ava-meaning-of-the-name/ that the name has become very popular..

Do you think Ava is too popular now or is it still fine to name a baby girl Ava?

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Adrastia · 21/02/2021 11:57

It is is popular but if you love it you can use it.

The reception class in our school has 3 Avas, 2 Adas, 1 Eva and 2 Aoifes. So in effect one third of the class have similar sounding names.

KirstenBlest · 21/02/2021 13:38

i don't like it at all but agree that it is popular and names that sound like it are very popular.

PurpleFlower1983 · 21/02/2021 13:50

It’s a lovely name but very popular.

SummaLuvin · 21/02/2021 15:27

It is popular, but I think it's coming down, it was the height of fashion 3-5 years ago. If you love it I would check the stats the government release each year on baby names to see if the trend is going down.

ShowOfHands · 21/02/2021 15:31

It had a proper peak 3-5yrs ago. There are 2 in our village reception class and also, an Eve, Eva and an Evie. It will date to this time as much as Claire and Louise do to my childhood.

ItsTheDramaMickILoveIt · 21/02/2021 15:35

Yeah I agree with this - I know of 2 or 3 that will be 6/7 now.

noname55 · 21/02/2021 16:07

I think it used to be really popular but not so much recently. I like it.

Hahaha88 · 21/02/2021 16:15

I think it's quite popular and it would put me off for that reason

amallierory · 21/02/2021 16:46

@Adrastia

It is is popular but if you love it you can use it.

The reception class in our school has 3 Avas, 2 Adas, 1 Eva and 2 Aoifes. So in effect one third of the class have similar sounding names.

Yet at my school, there aren't any Avas, Evas, Eves, Evies or Aoifes in the entirety of key stage 1. The popularity of a name can be vastly different depending on which part of the country you're in.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 21/02/2021 16:47

It has peaked here, there were squillions in 2010/11

AnnaSW1 · 21/02/2021 16:48

I haven't come across a single one in the past 3 years of baby groups and nursery. It's a fantastic classic name. I love it

FeloniusGru · 21/02/2021 17:20

I love the name but there are a lot around here. If DS had been a girl he was going to be Ava (he’s now 2.5). Pregnant with number 2 and have had to rule out Ava as he knows a few from nursery, one being a close friend’s daughter.
It is beautiful and I am sad that I won’t get to use it!!

mathanxiety · 21/02/2021 17:24

If you love it, go for it.

On the other hand, if you love it but want to avoid a name that's very popular, how about Maeve or Avery?

Bedforme · 21/02/2021 17:25

OP what are your concerns about using a popular name? What does it mean to be too popular?

Lollypop4 · 21/02/2021 17:55

V.popular.
I know atleat 4 Ava's..
But Eva,Efa,Aiofe, also...
There are 2 in my DS year ( Age 5)

BallsToYouSue · 21/02/2021 18:32

I actually don't know any Avas tbf. But yes, when you take into account all the girls called Eva, Evie, Aoife and Ada, which is becoming more popular, it does feel a bit like another-one-of-those-names.

If you love it though, don't let popularity put you off too much. If it's your absolute favourite name.

MimiDaisy11 · 21/02/2021 18:57

In England and Wales (if that's where you are) for 2019, it was ranked number 4. So if popularity bothers you, it's still popular. However, that's spread over the two countries. As others have said, it will be more popular in some areas than in others.

There's no harm in choosing a popular name. There are some benefits like people being able to spell it, having merchandise with the name.

I think one issue to consider is that there are quite a few similar sounding names like Eva. So there's the popularity issue and also that it's part of trend. Vowel heavy names are quite popular now. That doesn't have to be a bad thing if it doesn't bother you.

Everythingmagnolia · 21/02/2021 18:59

It is a beautiful name, my Ava is 14

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 21/02/2021 19:32

Ava has become popular here only in the last 20 years or so (after it first became a "celeb baby name" in the US, likely naming after Ava Gardner). So it depends on whether you care about a name dating, or (assuming you are in the UK), that she likely won't be the only Ava in her sports/hobby groups or possibly even school class.

Basically Ava isn't timeless and it is very popular - but it is also pretty, elegant and easy to say and spell, so has it's plus points. If you'd like to consider something similar - Anna and (even the more popular) Eva have a more classic/timeless feel, since they are well used in most countries and haven't had quite such an extreme surge in popularity like Ava has.

Edenember · 21/02/2021 22:14

If you love it use it. If popularity is something that really bothers you, keep an ear to the ground in your local area. National popularity statistics may not necessarily reflect popularity in your local demographic.

Starsandglitter · 22/02/2021 21:40

I find it very interesting that people always talk about there being 3 children of the same name on a class (often regarding any name in the top 20) Even the top girls name in 2019 Olivia works out as just over 1 in 100 girls. Ava is number 4 and just under 1 in 100 girls named this. In a class, there is generally about 15 girls so it’s not that likely there will be two children of the same name although of course if you choose a popular name, it’s much more likely than an unusual one and as that child grows up and develops a wider social circle, they will encounter more. As others have mentioned, another issue with Ava is that there are many popular names of a similar feel- Ada, Eva, Eve, Evie, Ivy etc. I can see why it feels like it’s everywhere. However I just don’t think that the popular names are in anywhere near as common use as they were 30 years ago.

Starsandglitter · 22/02/2021 21:41

But for what it’s worth, I think Ava is a lovely pretty name.

zigaziga · 22/02/2021 21:50

It’s a pretty name.

I think the issue with this name, number 4 in the charts, is that it sounds so much like Eva and Evie which are also popular (and add all those registered as Evelyn and Evangeline to the Evies) so combined it seems more everywhere than say, Olivia, the most popular girls name.

As it happens, I do like all of those Ev- names though.

MatildaStoker · 22/02/2021 21:52

It’s popular, yes, but if it’s a name you really love then I wouldn’t let that put you off it.

Starsandglitter is right to say that the odds of there being more than one of a name in a class is low.
There are 3 Ava’s in one of my DC’s classes, but I really think that’s a bit of a freak chance. They’re the only girls in the class with a name that was in the top 10 for that year.

names.darkgreener.com/#ava

Firebird83 · 22/02/2021 23:24

Overused and has lost its spark.

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