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Baby names

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

Original poster

Why do people pick popular names?

167 replies

postitnote8 · 11/09/2023 21:30

I get that there are trends, and that when most of us were babies (myself included) our parents probably thought they were picking unique names for us, only to find at least one other classmate with the same name when we got to school. But now that we've got the internet publishing all the data/polls/lists, why do expectant parents STILL pick the most popular names? I'm not hating- just genuinely curious?

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KScope · 11/09/2023 21:31

Some people do not want to have unique names.

Riverlee · 11/09/2023 21:32

Because they like them.

Thatsmorethanhalf · 11/09/2023 21:35

Some families like to repeat names within the family, parent's or grandparent's names

Friarclose · 11/09/2023 21:36

I actually wish I'd picked a more popular name for my DS. I have 3 DSC who all have top 10 names and they always find their name on anything personalised in stores, my DS never does! It actually makes me feel quite bad

cherryassam · 11/09/2023 21:37

I think most popular names are popular for a reason - they’re nice sounding, have a nice meaning, are names that have been popular for a long time so may be in honour of a much loved relative.

As someone which a very popular name for the year I was born, I can’t say I ever really minded being one of three in my class at school. I had a very unusual surname so it was quite nice to not have to also spell out and explain my first name.

MidnightOnceMore · 11/09/2023 21:38

Because they're popular!

Many people don't read the lists, they want their kids to have a nice name that they feel will fit in, and so a popular name is a good choice.

KittyWithStripes · 11/09/2023 21:39

We have a really unusual and difficult to spell last name, and I wanted DC to have first names that nobody would need help with!

Been very lucky so far and nobody else in their year has had the same name. And yet you can have 3 Maya’s and 2 Arlo’s 🤷‍♀️

TTOformykidsonly · 11/09/2023 21:40

The names are popular because they are nice names and lots of people like them. My daughter has a beautiful name that’s very popular but I wasn’t aware of how popular it was until she started nursery - I didn’t check polls, I liked the name so chose it as did many other parents.

Clarabe1 · 11/09/2023 21:40

i was one of 4 girls in my class with the same name. I can’t say it as ever bothered me having a popular name. I am just glad I wasn’t called something hideous or embarrassing

Permanentlyexhausted · 11/09/2023 21:42

As someone with an entirely unique name (at least googling my name only produces results about and suggests I'm the only one in the world), there is absolutely no hiding in the modern world. If you google my name, you will know where I work, you will see a trustee role that I have held and that will give away the village I live in.

I chose not to give my children the same privacy issues.

Original poster
postitnote8 · 11/09/2023 21:42

I know you're all right- certain names are popular for good reason, and we want our child to 'fit in'. But there's such a huge gulf between top 10 names and the downright wacky, plenty of beautiful names, don't people want to...dare I say it...try a bit harder? 😬

OP posts:
peonies23 · 11/09/2023 21:42

If people didn't pick them they wouldn't be popular ?

grafittiartist · 11/09/2023 21:43

I have a really unusual name, so was keen for my kids to have more "regular " names.
Also wanted to use family names.

SleepWalkingIntoSpace · 11/09/2023 21:44

My children both have reasonably common names, ones that are described as ‘timeless’ I suppose. Mostly we chose them because we like them. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I did like some names that were popular at the time they were born but we didn’t choose them because we knew the names would ‘date’ and they have come and gone.

I use the more often their time’ names for my animals so I do get to use them. 😂

BranchGold · 11/09/2023 21:44

Because they are popular.

on trying a bit harder…perhaps more people should try a little less.

PerfectMatch · 11/09/2023 21:44

My DD has a popular name. DH and I had always talked about using it if we ever had a daughter (it's my grandmother's name). Then it became popular, but we decided to use it anyway. It suits DD and she likes her name and doesn't mind it being popular (she's 15).

SellFridges · 11/09/2023 21:44

I am most baffled by people who choose names which have recently been super popular, but as they are fading down the list. So I guess like someone calling their baby Jack or Isabel now.

jumphopskip · 11/09/2023 21:47

Isn't there a wider range of names in circulation these days? So even if you call your child Amelia or Oliver, it's much less likely that there will be three of each in the class than there would have been in the 90s if your child was Sarah or Christopher.

imnotwhoyouthinkiam · 11/09/2023 21:49

DS2 has a top consistently 5 name. When I was pregnant with him I vetoed the name. I didnt want a popular name. But as soon as I saw his face I knew that was his name.

So that's why.

DS1 OTOH was 84th most popular the year he was born. I love his name. He loves his name. But he hated never being able to find things with his name on when he was small. We've managed to find about 5 things in 19 years.

So I guess there's that, if someone cared about that kind of thing.

DinnaeFashYersel · 11/09/2023 21:50

Most of these names are popular because they are lovely, classic names that have stood the test of time.

Much better than silly, made up, oddly spelled attempts at uniqueness

IMO

One of mine has a top 5 name and the other whilst less popular is a classic.

teaandtoast44 · 11/09/2023 21:50

The popularity of a name wouldn't influence my choice. If I like it I like it. It's not about trying harder, it's about having your own mind and going with the you actually want, not being so desperate to be 'different' that you compromise or worse still come up with some bizarre unique name.

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 11/09/2023 21:52

Those of us who frequent this board are the outliers. Most people really do not give that much thought to their children’s names. They pick a name they like and they use it. Unless they have a lot of babies in their families or work with young children they have very little idea what is popular and therefore are mildly surprised (but not especially bothered) to find that their child is one of four Islas / Avas / Arthurs in their class.

Original poster
postitnote8 · 11/09/2023 21:53

@teaandtoast44 well, there's not just the most popular, or the bizarre to choose from, is there!

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jlpth · 11/09/2023 21:53

It's going to be very valuable to be ungooglable in the future, I reckon.

To be called something like Sophie Jones or Alex Taylor or something like that will give anonymity online.

And popular names are popular because a lot of people like them. The more people that like them, the higher up the rankings they are.

Original poster
postitnote8 · 11/09/2023 21:56

Some good and thoughtful answers here. Some not so much (I must have hit a nerve with a few people!)
I'm pregnant with my second and really stuck, so I'm Googling name lists and they're all telling me to go for the top 10...I'll either do that or go out of my way to find something totally batshit as it seems I can only go one way or the other 😂

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