Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Regretted a popular name?

98 replies

stellarfox · 22/06/2021 19:43

Has anyone given their child a top 10 name and regretted it as there are so many around? We’re finding it hard to agree on names but both quite like one that’s in the top 10. My worry is there will just be so many around, although I don’t personally yet know anyone of this name! I had a fairly uncommon name so I had the opposite growing up. My partner had a fairly common name but says it didn’t bother him and there weren’t that many others around

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Almondcroissant25 · 23/06/2021 12:22

I think it’s a lot to do with your surname too. I like classical names (Florence, Eleanor, Henry, Thomas, etc) - but luckily have quite a rare surname. I think if I had a common surname I’d go for a more quirky first name.

Violetlavenders · 23/06/2021 13:34

Yes with a popular surname I'd definitely avoid a top 100 name.

I know several Steve Smiths, Edward Smiths, Harry Jones etc... very confusing Grin

Icantthinkofanythingrightnow · 23/06/2021 13:45

Is the name increasing or decreasing in popularity@stellarfox

Go on the dark greener website

If it's decreasing I'd say it's much less of a problem. The stats are a couple of years behind. By the time the 2021 names are released it could be outside the top 20 if that's the trajectory it's on

Number109 · 24/06/2021 13:08

I think go with what you love. You can never predict what the class names are going to be. My eldest has 3 Finley’s in her class and the youngest has 3 Skylar’s!

DoTheMaccaroni · 26/06/2021 08:04

OP that’s crazy your son and another have the same name if they’re 2 of 5 that year! Is it a twist on a more common name? I’m dying to know what it is haha. My daughter is one of 5 born the year she was born and it’s a very unusual name, I’d be flabbergasted if there was ever another in her class!

DoTheMaccaroni · 26/06/2021 08:05

Sorry I meant @ChilliChaos, not OP Hmm

ChilliChaos · 26/06/2021 08:20

@DoTheMaccaroni I’ve pm’ed you

PurpleyBlue · 26/06/2021 08:28

If it's a double barrelled surname they can just be called Margaret X-Y

ravelston · 26/06/2021 08:34

@ChilliChaos

My 2 dd’s have names that are now in the top 20. Ds1’s name is in the 1000’s and ds2’s name there were only 5 born that same year - and one of them is in his nursery class 🤦🏼‍♀️

I love all my dc names and wouldn’t have changed my mind about them if they were #1 in the charts.

Similar situation here, my DD's name there were only 7 named that name that year, 1 of them was in her class. It didn't cause any problems op
Washlinewaster · 26/06/2021 08:40

I really don't understand this whole dislike of 'popular' names. The fashion for names comes and goes and your child will still have the same name regardless. Your kids won't spend their entire lives with the kids they go to nursery or school with and will mix with other people with different names.

My siblings and I are in our 40s. My DB had a very popular/common name as a child. We know absolutely no one else called that name now. My DS had at the time a very unusual name which became fashionable about 20 years ago and now there are loads of people with that name.

MrsBobDylan · 26/06/2021 08:54

Yup, too 10 name (although it was too 20 when we had him) and weirdly never had another one in his class and he went to a big primary and massive secondary school.

He also has a double barrel surname and chooses to use the second half at school. I'm more conflicted by his surname name if I'm honest for reason I won't bore you with!

Chilldonaldchill · 26/06/2021 09:47

DH and I chose a name for our oldest that we perceived as classic and uncommon. We didn't think of looking at the stats! It was just outside the top 10 the year she was born. Everywhere we went we got "oh another one" but actually we've never met another and she's 18 now. In primary and secondary school there was one other in a different year group but always known by the nickname (eg Isabella and Bella) so it didn't feel the same name.
We talked about it the other day because she's off to uni and we were wondering if she was suddenly going to meet hundreds and if that would bother her - she said that it might a bit but she really couldn't imagine being another name.
In my son's class in reception there were two boys (out of 14) with the same name that was outside the top 300. Their parents were not happy!

Topseyt · 26/06/2021 10:08

I really don't get this angst about "popular" names. If you like the name then use it.

Why does it matter what anyone else might think? Your child is still unique as a person and always will be.

All of my three DDs have names that could be considered "popular" and in DD2's case she was one of three in her class. She is 22 now and I have never had a moment's regret. Her name really suits her and I have always loved it.

Similar with DD3, though there were only a couple in her school year.

Both DDs like their names. No regrets at all.

DoTheMaccaroni · 26/06/2021 10:21

@Topseyt

I really don't get this angst about "popular" names. If you like the name then use it.

Why does it matter what anyone else might think? Your child is still unique as a person and always will be.

All of my three DDs have names that could be considered "popular" and in DD2's case she was one of three in her class. She is 22 now and I have never had a moment's regret. Her name really suits her and I have always loved it.

Similar with DD3, though there were only a couple in her school year.

Both DDs like their names. No regrets at all.

Personally my angst comes from having a popular name myself. I hated it and felt so unoriginal and blah. I then noticed that people with more unusual names drew my attention more so that’s why I chose an unusual name for my daughter.
ArsenicNLace · 26/06/2021 10:32

Mine had a popular name but has never been in a class with someone with the same name although there was another in his year. Whilst it was in the top ten at the time it's now totally dropped out probably because of its perceived popularity.

He was however in a class with 3 James' and 3 Jonathan's which in a class of 15 is quite strange!!

ArsenicNLace · 26/06/2021 10:36

@Violetlavenders

I suppose it doesn't matter if you don't mind them being called by their last name as well. DD had 4 or 5 Oliver's in her class at Primary, all known by their first dnd last name.

This.

In our scouts group we have 4 Harrys and two have a very similar surname.

And a very popular name isn't as memorable as a more unusual name. I know soo many adult Steves and Clares for example....

But having an unusual name can be a complete burden. I had a work colleague with an unusual name and he hated it because people never forgot it. He was always being asked about his involvement in certain cases when the only thing he'd done was answer the phone and pass it on to the case owner.
HairyToity · 26/06/2021 22:04

Never regretted it for DD. We both loved the name and it was the only name we could agree on. Went around in circles trying to pick a more unusual name before giving up. DD is 8 now and she loves her name.

We managed to pick a more unusual name for DS.

MaleficentsCrow · 26/06/2021 22:07

I have one of the world's most common first names for a woman.

I like it. Everyone knows how to spell it, pronounce it and on CV's and documents it's just a standard easy name 😂

Happy days!

Nohomemadecandles · 26/06/2021 22:10

You spend so much longer as an adult than you do in a school class. I've been working in recruitment for 20+ years. I see thousands of CVs. I can honestly say I have NEVER thought "oh god not another Josh / Claire/ Michelle / Steve."

It just doesn't matter! Really. It doesn't.

grafittiartist · 26/06/2021 22:11

Son has a v popular name. I love it and wouldn't have used anything else.

FTEngineerM · 26/06/2021 22:11

I don’t really think it matters.. does it? School is at most a decade and a half out of their lives which will hopefully be much longer.

There are two millies at my work, you know which one someone is talking about by the job role/work they’re referring to. It doesn’t actually change anything at all..

You are the one who has to say it for your whole life. Go for it. (I did)

TakeYourFinalPosition · 26/06/2021 22:20

I’ve been debating this too… DH & I both love a boys name that is really popular. We always thought we’d use it. Now it’s time to pick, it feels really mean to give such a common name…

I was one of six girls with my name in primary school, one of three in my form in my secondary school. I hated it, and used my middle name for a period in my 20s to have a less usual name…

But our alternative is quite unusual and DH doesn’t love it as much. I do, but I think we should both love his name… I’m well and truly on the fence.

Enko · 26/06/2021 22:23

DD1s name is now in the top 25 It had just entred the top 100 the year she was born (having not been in it the year before)

I do mind. I did not want very popular names and her siblings have not got names that are anywhere near the top 100 (250th ish for one and the other 2 are in the 1500)

however. She suits her name and I still like the name and I still think the name is pretty.

I would have just prefered there was not another of them all the freaking time

BikeRunSki · 26/06/2021 22:23

I grew up with a known-but-unusual name. I hated it. I deliberately gave my DC much more popular names.

steppemum · 26/06/2021 22:31

thing is that names are actually really local, and can be in pockets.

I went ot quite a posh girls school and there were 12 Carolines in my boarding house.
I bet that wasn't a particularly popular name at the time, but is was popular amongst a particular set.

When ds started at grammar school, in a very middle class area, of the 30 in his class, there were about 6 Olivers and 6 Thomas.

ds was the only one of his name.

You just can't tell.