How popular is Phoebe?

[Sall23]

I really love the name Phoebe. DH had previously vetoed it but now says that he likes it. My worry is that it's currently no.22 in the name lists, which seems very popular to me. My other DD has a name ranked in the 300s. How many Phoebes you know? Do you like the name?

I have one who is now 11, and she has never had anyone at nursery or school with that name :-)

And I love it, as does she!

I have only ever met one. She is 6.

I know a couple born this year!

I have a nearly 9 year old Phoebe! There is 1 other Phoebe in her year at school and other than that 2 who are around 14 that I know of in our small town. It’s a lovely name!

18 year old.

Mine is 8. I only know of one other

I only know one and she’s 6.
22 isn’t that high up the list. One of my DC has a slightly more popular name than Phoebe and I’m always amazed that we never meet anyone with that name. My other DC has a name that doesn’t reach the top 1000 but we know 2 others!! Some names cluster in a particular area or social demographic. Move away from that and you’ll never hear the name.

I only know one
My niece and she is 2

I love it.

My tip is to check whether the name is going up or down in the lists... my eldest has a name that was in the mid-40s / longer version in the 80s when we named them but now those names are top 10/30s (we still love the name though and wouldn't have changed it if we'd known). Pretty much everywhere we go there's a kid with the same name getting told off

Youngest has a name that is always just outside top 10 and while there are a couple of others at his smallish school there aren't loads.

Excellent tip @halesie

I really agree, the most important factor isn't the current number, it's whether the name is booming up the charts or falling etc

Looking at the numbers Phoebe has now peaked and is falling, check out the graphs of the official statistics below
You could easily pick another name you like less, that's slightly lower in the charts but if that name is on an upswing it could well overtake Phoebe in next couple of years or so.

names.darkgreener.com/#phoebe

I only know one who is 15.

It’s a lovely name. I only know Phoebes in their early 20s, though.

Love the name Phoebe by the way

I only know one through work and she's late 20's / early 30's sort of age. I can't even think of a friend of a friend or that I've heard any of the kids refer to friends called Phoebe.
I really like it.

I know one. It's quite popular but by no means up there with Lily/Ella/Mia, and it's a lot nicer.

Does it help if you think of it as a percentage? Only 0.3% of babies are called Phoebe - that's only one in a year group of 300.

You can also check the number in your region on the ONS website.

I'm definitely in the "choose the name you love anyway" camp.

I know one whose 19

I have one! She’s 8 and is the only one in her class and peer group. Be warned, though, you are up against a lifetime of people spelling it “Pheobe”

I wouldn't, because of the spelling irritation as stated by a pp. Why not go for Hebe? Much nicer I think!

I only know one, aged 3. Lovely name.

I only know two and one of them is an adult! The other one is 4 I think.

I know 0 phoebes

Teacher of over 13 years and never encountered a phoebe in all that time not just my classes but within the whole school. Lovely name.

@StillRunningUpThatHill

I have one! She’s 8 and is the only one in her class and peer group. Be warned, though, you are up against a lifetime of people spelling it “Pheobe”

I know someone who deliberately chose to spell her daughter's name Pheobe!!