Is there a good reason why these names are not more popular?

[PitterPatter3]

I’m looking for something not too popular and am considering both of these for DD due in the autumn. I just wanted to check there’s not a good reason why they’re so unusual which I’ve missed?

Miranda - There were only 7 born in 2021. Did the Hart connection put people off? Or was it Sex & the City? Or something else?

Serena - Do people just think of Serena Williams? Or is the Gossip Girl connection problematic?

NC for this. I have a Miranda in her mid twenties. I absolutely love it still. She was born in Bermuda, where the shipwreck at the beginning of The Tempest was allegedly set, otherwise she would have been Cordelia. Her maths teacher used to say it was a hard name - I think it's strong but elegant. She was Mandy at school which I wasn't keen on.

I know four Serenas of different ages. Less keen on that.

I’ve taught girls called both - the serena is 10 and the Miranda would be about 17 or 18 by now. I have to say it doesn’t sound like a little girl name to me!

They aren't trendy, @PitterPatter3 . The same names (Sophia, Lily, Ella, Maeve, Freya etc) come up again and again. Some names are popular on here but not IRL (e.g. Claudia, Pippa, Juliet).

I prefer the more underused classics than the overused trendy names.

I like both

Personally I don't think any name from Shakespeare can really be outdated, they all feel like classics to me

I think Serena is beautiful. I often suggest it on here. I don’t know if the character in ‘The Handmaids tale’ has had a positive or negative effect on its popularity for newborn babes.

Miranda is fine, but just doesn’t do it for me. I’m neutral about it, although it is refreshingly uncommon.

They're lovely, just not fashionable at the moment.

Miranda is a mermaid name to me now.

Serena is the cruel wife character from the Handmaid's tale. It is hard not to associate it as a hard name for me for the time being.

I like both. Classy and elegant without being stuffy, and unusual without being weird.

Not so keen on Serena but I absolutely love the name Miranda. The only thing is it will be shortened to Mandy which is a bit ordinary.

Not in a rude way, I think they're great names but in my opinion probably verging on rather fussy or frilly for a lot of people's tastes with no obvious diminutives. It's not always only length that causes that.

Serena might be edged out by Selena as people seem to like astral names at the minute (not checking any data, just a thought).

No bad references I can think of at all. Serena Williams a definite positive. Miranda as in Prospero's daughter not a bad ref, gentle and I suppose quite naive but very young. Miranda SATC and Hart neutral.

I think Miranda is lovely particularly

I really like Serena, I’m not sure why it’s used so infrequently!

Miranda sounds a bit hard and dated to me, so I wouldn’t use it personally.

They're nice names but I suppose quite 80s sloane ranger-Y names so perhaps why? Also a lot of popular girls names are quite 'cute' with the 'ee' endings (Lily, Daisy, Evie etc) so they are just not in vogue.

The name Serena Joy springs to mind from Handmaids Tale for me..

I absolutely love Miranda and it was on my list. I think of The Tempest and fairies and don't think it's hard sounding at all (although I'm probably not the best judge as I loathe a lot of the vowel heavy soft currently fashionable names).

Serena is also fine.

I know one Miranda and it's never shortened.

They're just not particularly modern. It's like Hannah, or Sarah etc. just associated with an older generation, but not the older generation when they become fashionable again type thing!

I don’t think either have actually been popular at any point, have they?

I know an 8 year old Miranda. It does seem an odd name for a child these days.

Seren is quite popular at the moment (I've met a number of them who are not Welsh). I wonder if some who might otherwise pick Serena are opting for it as a more "modern" feel.

Miranda is nice but amongst a generation of names that hasn't quite come back yet. The Mirandas I know are the same generation as Pamela, Jean and Sue; current names tend to lean back to the 30s/40s a little more - Ada, Iris, Mavis, etc. Having said that, Miranda is reasonably timeless given its Shakespeare connection.

I know a baby Serena.

Not met a Miranda in years, but I really like it. Much nicer than another short, ends in ie or y name that seems to be everywhere

No reason they aren’t more popular. Just as many people with think of Shakespeare or even actress Miranda Richardson as they will Miranda Hart. Sone people will think of Serena from Gossip Girl or the word Serene before they think of the tennis player. They aren’t one current major association names like Madonna or Adele or even Boris (at the moment).

It’s just a lot of classical origin names seem underused currently because of all the two syllable and ending in ie/y or a/ah names or “Granny chic” names are so ubiquitous.

Lovely, elegant sounding choices btw - I’d put Julia/Juliet, Celia/Cecilia, Antonia, Marina, Diana, Claudia, Helena etc in the same sort of underused category.

I know both a Miranda and a Serena btw - one in their 40’s and one 50’s. I don’t know any young ones personally but I do think of them as timeless names- I could just as easily imagine them on a little girl. I love both but slightly prefer Miranda - mainly because of the Shakespeare link but also as it has more nn choices if she wants (Mira, Miri and Andie).

Miranda is gorgeous.
I think of the eerie film - Picnic at Hanging Rock, Miranda Kerr and The Tempest.

Serena is stylish and strong.
I think of high fashion, Serena Williams and peaceful contentment.

I really like Miranda! Classic, timeless, Shakespearean....

Serena is lovely too.

I also like
Melissa
Marisa
Sabrina
Selena

Miranda was the full name of a child I knew who went by Randy. Which is okay in the US evidently.