The baby name Noah

[RedLampshade]

Crap, Noah is our favourite and just found out it’s no.1 in the U.K. Didn’t have a clue and always didn’t want a top ten name. Are there millions of Noah’s? What else would I like?

If you don't have children yet, you won't necessarily be aware of what baby names have been popular recently.
If you don't go to places where there are young children you won't hear the names in use, and some names are more popular in some areas.
I live in a multicultural area so names like Noah, Sofia and Raphael seem very popular, and long vowelly names are popular for girls.

It's quite common for new parents to call their child a name they think is unusual, only to find that Arlo or Margot is one of 4 at the nursery.

Popular names are not what they used to be in terms of percentage of children actually called those names especially compared to the 80s and earlier.
If you go by the census data around 1.44% of boys born were called the no1 name Noah. Which isnt a massive amount, there is just so many names nowadays.

Even so, you get an awareness for these things by hearing names squawked across the supermarkets, pub restaurants, public transport etc. We're also acutely more aware of hearing names we like, especially if we're secretly hoping they don't get too popular. So I'd take the fact you haven't been aware of it's current popularity at all as a positive sign that it might not actually be that popular around you.

You say you never wanted a top 10 name, yet you don't seem to have been keeping a track of the official stats until you're actually pregnant (Noah has been top 10 for years now). My point is, I don't think this "I've always said I wouldn't pick a name in the top 10" is as important to you as you originally thought it would be. If you were truly anti-popular names, you would have shown an interest in what is actually popular over the years (giving yourself plenty of time to think of alternatives before you got pregnant, if it was truly that important to you). In the grand scheme of things, I don't think it matters to you as much as you thought it would. I fail to believe you wouldn't have been aware of Noah's growing national popularity over the last decade or so if it did.

It's ok to use the number one name, thousands do! Despite what some on Mumsnet would have you believe, they don't all automatically end up in the same class! They are spread dar and wide across the whole country. No matters how many others there may be across the country, your Noah will be the only one who matters to you.

Kai - a bit 'rooney'. (Cai is fine if you are Welsh)
Caleb - love it
River - too wet, and too rivery
Zeke - I know three - a diminutive of Ezekiel. Nice in a quirky way.
Zachary - popular. I like it
Jude - I know several Judes, short for Judith/Judy.

@BoleynMemories13 , the ones who end up in the same class are the two Ptolemys.

😂😂😂

In my experience, you're not far wrong! There are so many people striving to be different these days, that the odd Noah sneaks through hardly unnoticed!

Maybe if I worked in a leafy, predominantly white British, village the same names would crop up again and again. Where I am though there's such a wide variety of cultures and naming styles, names are hardly ever repeated.

I’ve got a 2 year old and I’ve only come across 1 Noah.
However other names on your list I know several Caleb’s, Zak’s and Jude’s.

We wanted Noah 9 years ago and didn't cos it was so popular. I know none. I know OF one as a baby of a friend's friend. I do like the name we picked instead but I regret that we let so called popularity dictate.

I wanted Malachai shortened to Cai for eldest who was nearly a Noah.

I like Zachary dm Zach but prefer Zachariah. DS3 should have been Zachariah but is Ezekiel dm Zeke. All those get my vote.
Nephew called Jude, I love it but he does get called Judey as a baby.
River like Jude I like as a good unisex name.

Caleb is cute but I can't get the tv show from when I was younger out of my head and the only real one I know is... Hard work.

Unfortunately 10 years of infertility meant no, I didn’t torture myself keeping a running commentary of what was the current baby name trend. No I didn’t want to spend 10years thinking of a baby name until they are nearly here and even now it doesn’t seem real.

Also shopping is online/delivered and WFH no public transport around here, HTH that I haven’t learnt what is currently being shouted in the supermarket or on the bus. Restaurants have tended to be grown up/during school time/not a kid friendly one to take advantage of not having kids/maybe to protect ourselves.

So apart from friends kids (none Noah), no I was genuinely not aware of Noah’s growing national popularity hence my surprise. Also my DH’s surprise also when k told him it was No. 1 when we discussed every name on the planet seemingly.

So no I am not as you say truly anti popular names. It was a fun throw away comment on a forum whilst I battled with the name in my head for this seemingly still fictional baby.

Thanks @SleepingStandingUp I liked Malachai also, but DH prefers Kai as a stand alone name. I really like Zeke but DH doesn’t and Zachary we think doesn’t work with our surname unfortunately.
I think the universe keeps telling me he is called Noah by certain signs!

I don't like Noah as a name and have never seen its appeal. However it's very, very popular atm.

Very popular at the moment.

What about Keith, Simon, Graham?

Popualr names aren’t as popular as they used to be. Noah was the most popular boys name in 2022, given to 4,586 boys, and 0.76% of babies born. In 1996 Jack was the most popular name, given to 10,779 boys, and 1.66% of babies born. We are picking from a much bigger pool of names these days. so the most popular names aren't as popular as they were 20 years ago. Noah would have been the 16th most popular boys name in 1996. National figures don’t tell the whole story though because name popularity is highly localised. Just because it’s popular nationally it doesn’t mean that you’ll come across any your local area, but equally just because it’s not as popular as Jack was in its day, doesn’t mean there won’t be loads around you. He will almost certainly meet other Noahs at schools and clubs, and go onto have Noahs in his workplace and extended friendship group as an adult.

I am truly sorry for any offence, which was truly truly unintentional. I was trying to use the fact you were oblivious to Noah's popularity as a positive towards the fact it doesn't matter (as I truly don't believe it does and was trying to encourage you to use it). I could only respond to the facts as I wrongly assumed you had presented them, as if you were currently looking for a name for an imminent arrival. I'm so sorry that I badly misunderstood.

I was honestly trying to be positive about the fact you didn't know it was popular. Clearly that has backfired spectacularly and made me unintentionally come across as an insensitive bitch. I truly apologise for any offence cause. That was never my intention.

For what it's worth, Noah is a beautiful name, regardless of popularity, and will be perfect for your future child who I sincerely hope you are blessed with soon. Context is everything and, now I now, I realise how insensitive my comments appeared as I made assumptions which I shouldn't have done. Please know the intentions behind my comments were good in trying to encourage you to use the name, if unfortunately clumsy in the now known circumstances.

Please accept my apologies.

I like Noah, I didn’t know it was that popular but then my youngest is 16! It was all Lewis and Jack when they were young.

i wouldn’t let yourself be put off at worst there would only be likely to be a couple of people in his class with the same name.

Kai - please no
Caleb - ok
River - love it
Zeke - no
Zachary - love it
Jude - like Jude. But if you don't then it's off the list!

How about:

Elijah
Sylvan
Keanu
Rufus
Lazarus
Felix
Levi
Caspian
Jasper
Fintan

I would go for Noah if you love it, as mentioned up thread popular names aren’t as popular as they once were. A name with 4,500 uses wouldn’t even have made the top ten 20/30/40 years ago. So it really isn’t the same as having a top ten name when we were growing up.
There are no Noah’s in my dcs class, none in year above or below either. And just one that we know at nursery.

I love a good solid biblical name. Gideon was on my list but DH vetoed. Also Thaddeus but i think that was hormones.

The only duplicate in DS class is Nancy. No one would have guessed that. There's also a girl and boy Cass in littlest class (different longer forms) and a Zachariah, which would have made two of I'd got my way.

Also loved Lucien and a friend's who's son is a year above mine chose it.

It's impossible to predict what will come out in that one school in that one year so go for it.

I know of a little boy called Koa which is similar.

but from reading all your posts, I think you should stick with Noah

1Yes but Noah has been popular for a long time now so there will be lots of them about, and when he is older he will always be one of many. There will be far more Jacks and Harrys as the names have been popular for decades.

There were few Marks and Susans at school with me, yet everywhere I have worked has had several. Apart from where I currently work - only one Mark and no Sues.

I moved from one region to another, and the names I heard when out and about (shops, parks, acquaintances etc) were quite different.

Some names were very popular but only for a short time. That seems the worst of both worlds. I know a few Shannons and they're all close in age. Babies called Shannon in England & Wales since 1996
I keep reading that 'names are popular for a reason' but why did it go from 4649 registered in 1996 to 46 in 2016?

My son is not called Noah, but there are only 2 Noah’s in his whole school of boot 375 children if that helps.

I know more Jude’s than Noah’s.

I like Caleb best from you list.
Noah is very handsome and I also like River.

I know a nutter adult called Kai.

Caleb Charles
Noah Christopher

Neil
Asher
Digby
Joseph
Christopher

Noah is very popular round here,along with Luca.
Probably not to your taste but names I like include
Malachi
Simeon
Joseph
Simon
Guy
Matthew
Jude
Benedict
Laurence
Patrick