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

Emily Rose? Is it too common?

81 replies

hcarter8 · 17/05/2025 19:26

I love Emily but because it’s such a common name I felt like I should choose a slightly more unique middle name but I can’t help but love Emily Rose, even though I know it’s a popular pairing it’s so pretty.

Thoughts?

OP posts:
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BoleynMemories13 · 18/05/2025 07:37

Redflamingos · 17/05/2025 21:19

Let’s hope your surname is really rare!!

Otherwise an Emily Rose will very likely be easily misidentified. That can have all sorts of consequences (mistaken identity)

Stop dramatising. That really isn't likely to happen. If it did, it won't be because of their name. Identity fraud can happen to anyone. Thieves take opportunities to clone documents and hack accounts wherever they can. Someone having a common name combination would have nothing to do with it. Anything crime related would go off DNA, rather than names. It's really not a problem.

People can change their surnames anyway, so the surname she's given at birth may not necessarily be her surname for life. Giving her an unusual middle name (for example) isn't suddenly going to make her stand out from the crowd, especially as middle names are rarely used. Day to day, she'll just be Emily Surname or, more likely, just Emily. Many people don't want to stand out because of their name anyway. There's a lot to be said for fitting in.

OP should just pick a name they love, as that's far more important than trying to create a name combination that nobody else has (pretty impossible).

One huge plus for 'common' (as in popular) name combinations - anonymity online. You'd have to know an awful lot of personal details about Emily Rose Smith (surname for example) to find the right one online, whereas someone with a 'unique' combination becomes very easy to trace on name alone.

I never understand why people use such silly reasons to try and convince people they need to pick a more unusual name, as there are positives and negatives for every scenario.

Rowgtfc72 · 18/05/2025 07:59

OP, choose whichever name you love. Our dd instead of being Emily Rose ended up being Lucy May. I think practically every girl in her class had some variation of May in their name. We chose it because it was both our grandmother's middle name. Have we ever called her by it? No.
Emily Rose is lovely ( and it was an excellent film)
If it helps I'm named after an Aussie soapstar baddie from the 70s.

Mauvehoodie · 18/05/2025 08:12

It's lovely and classic and if you love it then do it. If you're unsure I think Emily would also be lovely offset with a less frilly name (not meant as an insult to the name Emily as it's beautiful but couldn't think of a better word to explain!) like

Emily Kate
Emily Raye
Emily Fern
Emily maeve
Emily Niamh

Or some random thoughts...
Emily violet
Emily Georgia
Emily Meredith
Emily Madeline
Emily Serena

RosesAndHellebores · 18/05/2025 08:42

Rowgtfc72 · 18/05/2025 07:59

OP, choose whichever name you love. Our dd instead of being Emily Rose ended up being Lucy May. I think practically every girl in her class had some variation of May in their name. We chose it because it was both our grandmother's middle name. Have we ever called her by it? No.
Emily Rose is lovely ( and it was an excellent film)
If it helps I'm named after an Aussie soapstar baddie from the 70s.

I thought it inconceivable that my very dated middle name would make a comeback- until it did!

We use all three of our dd's names quite often, when she's being exasperating or has dumped stuff and run (she's 27!). Anna Victoria Maud (not that but similar genres for each name)

The full name goes into engagement announcements so becomes quite public, and is on things like degree certificates.

Redflamingos · 18/05/2025 08:43

BoleynMemories13 · 18/05/2025 07:37

Stop dramatising. That really isn't likely to happen. If it did, it won't be because of their name. Identity fraud can happen to anyone. Thieves take opportunities to clone documents and hack accounts wherever they can. Someone having a common name combination would have nothing to do with it. Anything crime related would go off DNA, rather than names. It's really not a problem.

People can change their surnames anyway, so the surname she's given at birth may not necessarily be her surname for life. Giving her an unusual middle name (for example) isn't suddenly going to make her stand out from the crowd, especially as middle names are rarely used. Day to day, she'll just be Emily Surname or, more likely, just Emily. Many people don't want to stand out because of their name anyway. There's a lot to be said for fitting in.

OP should just pick a name they love, as that's far more important than trying to create a name combination that nobody else has (pretty impossible).

One huge plus for 'common' (as in popular) name combinations - anonymity online. You'd have to know an awful lot of personal details about Emily Rose Smith (surname for example) to find the right one online, whereas someone with a 'unique' combination becomes very easy to trace on name alone.

I never understand why people use such silly reasons to try and convince people they need to pick a more unusual name, as there are positives and negatives for every scenario.

Do you know how identify theft happens?
Thieves prefer the easiest methods to commit crimes, and common names such as "John Smith" or "Eric Johnson" are attractive because there are so many John Smiths and Eric Johnsons out there. For example, consider that credit reporting agencies have a difficult time keeping one John Smith's credit information and history separate from all the others. It's common for people with good credit to have their credit ratings sullied by people with the same name who don't manage their credit well.
When looking at a list of names in a phone book, online or anywhere else, he or she will definitely choose common names precisely because they're so hard to distinguish from each other. This makes it easier for the thief to commit fraud — and for longer periods of time. It also makes it devilishly difficult for victims and investigators to sort it all out. In addition, people with common names tend to have similar e-mail addresses. The more sophisticated identity thieves use software to generate common e-mail addresses for phishing scams. Thus, people with common names can have crimes committed in their names for a long time and never even know about them until they receive court papers or police arrest them.

RosesAndHellebores · 18/05/2025 08:53

@Redflamingos thank you for your post. I've spent a lifetime wishing I were called Jane Smith and not the very uncommon (yet classic) first name I have. It's combined with similarly uncommon maiden and married names. Every time I have to tell someone my name I have to repeat it and spelling takes a looong time. If I Google me, there is only one result

You have just made me feel a bit better about my name - and paradoxically all of the components are far from unique iyswim.

MrsPlantagenet · 18/05/2025 09:01

It’s fine.

Do you even know your friend’s middle names? Just choose whatever you like, middle names are not worth stressing over.

user1492757084 · 18/05/2025 09:24

It's lovely.
Also ..
Emma Rose
Emma Rosemary
Emily Rosa
Rose Emily

NancySpain1 · 18/05/2025 09:26

It's very bland imo, but I actually don't know any Emily Roses AFAIK

HouseCaptain · 18/05/2025 09:27

Rose is rare as a first name. I absolutely love it.
how about Rose Emily or Rose Emilia?

Calliopespa · 18/05/2025 09:49

Redflamingos · 17/05/2025 21:19

Let’s hope your surname is really rare!!

Otherwise an Emily Rose will very likely be easily misidentified. That can have all sorts of consequences (mistaken identity)

I must live under a rock because I am simply not tripping over, or confusing the identity of, these multitudes of Emily Roses.

My Dc are primary aged. Is this something happening in nurseries?

I have an Emily friend my age and im thinking she might be Emily Rose; but I’m also not sure because, despite having known her since prep school, I have never actually heard her middle name used that I can think of.

HugoYorway · 18/05/2025 11:18

If the first name, middle name and surname are all popular, she'll be one of many Emily Rose Smith.

I don't think Emily Rose sounds that good.

@Calliopespa , duplicated full names do occur in schools. There were a few at the school I went to.
Duplicated full names also happens in workplaces.

BoleynMemories13 · 18/05/2025 11:38

Redflamingos · 18/05/2025 08:43

Do you know how identify theft happens?
Thieves prefer the easiest methods to commit crimes, and common names such as "John Smith" or "Eric Johnson" are attractive because there are so many John Smiths and Eric Johnsons out there. For example, consider that credit reporting agencies have a difficult time keeping one John Smith's credit information and history separate from all the others. It's common for people with good credit to have their credit ratings sullied by people with the same name who don't manage their credit well.
When looking at a list of names in a phone book, online or anywhere else, he or she will definitely choose common names precisely because they're so hard to distinguish from each other. This makes it easier for the thief to commit fraud — and for longer periods of time. It also makes it devilishly difficult for victims and investigators to sort it all out. In addition, people with common names tend to have similar e-mail addresses. The more sophisticated identity thieves use software to generate common e-mail addresses for phishing scams. Thus, people with common names can have crimes committed in their names for a long time and never even know about them until they receive court papers or police arrest them.

🙄

I am not saying it would NEVER happen, but to advise someone not to use a popular name because of risk of identity theft is ridiculous scaremongering, because the chances are still incredibly slim (do you realise how many thousands of popular combinations there are?) and it really can happen to anyone, including those with much less popular names.

As I pointed out, there are risks with unusual combinations too but we don't seem to warn people off those because it makes them easily traceable. MumsNet just seems to have this ridiculous obsession with advising people against popular names for one reason or another and it's really quiet tedious. You are not automatically condemning your child to future identity theft by using a popular name!

Calliopespa · 18/05/2025 11:47

BoleynMemories13 · 18/05/2025 11:38

🙄

I am not saying it would NEVER happen, but to advise someone not to use a popular name because of risk of identity theft is ridiculous scaremongering, because the chances are still incredibly slim (do you realise how many thousands of popular combinations there are?) and it really can happen to anyone, including those with much less popular names.

As I pointed out, there are risks with unusual combinations too but we don't seem to warn people off those because it makes them easily traceable. MumsNet just seems to have this ridiculous obsession with advising people against popular names for one reason or another and it's really quiet tedious. You are not automatically condemning your child to future identity theft by using a popular name!

There are a few duplicated in my Dc classes but actually several of them aren’t particularly common names.

I have to admit there are a number of Olivers ( and a complicated system of Olly, Olli, Oliver then an Oliver T).

But I really don’t know many Emily’s - and I don’t think the middle name being common is a problem.

HugoYorway · 18/05/2025 12:02

Emily was massively popular in the 1990s/2000s.

I've known instances where there were several Lauras, Sarahs and Emmas, and they all had the middle name Jane.

Whiteflowerscreed · 18/05/2025 12:03

I love rose as a first name. Sadly so boring as a middle name - everyone does it!

Calliopespa · 18/05/2025 12:16

Calliopespa · 18/05/2025 11:47

There are a few duplicated in my Dc classes but actually several of them aren’t particularly common names.

I have to admit there are a number of Olivers ( and a complicated system of Olly, Olli, Oliver then an Oliver T).

But I really don’t know many Emily’s - and I don’t think the middle name being common is a problem.

Sorry … no apostrophe on Emilys! A pet peeve of mine but my phone feels otherwise.

Calliopespa · 18/05/2025 12:18

HugoYorway · 18/05/2025 12:02

Emily was massively popular in the 1990s/2000s.

I've known instances where there were several Lauras, Sarahs and Emmas, and they all had the middle name Jane.

To me Jane works like Rose as a middle name.

It adds a “ complexion” without detracting or fighting for attention. Many, many names sound better followed by Jane or Rose. It’s just how it is in my view 🤷🏻‍♀️

HugoYorway · 18/05/2025 12:36

I think a single syllable middle name like Rose, Grace, May, Anne, Jane, ...
are a bit naff and pointless.

Whiteflowerscreed · 18/05/2025 12:42

HugoYorway · 18/05/2025 12:36

I think a single syllable middle name like Rose, Grace, May, Anne, Jane, ...
are a bit naff and pointless.

Completely agree

Redflamingos · 18/05/2025 12:44

Calliopespa · 18/05/2025 12:18

To me Jane works like Rose as a middle name.

It adds a “ complexion” without detracting or fighting for attention. Many, many names sound better followed by Jane or Rose. It’s just how it is in my view 🤷🏻‍♀️

I agree. Emily Rose is the Sarah Louise of the 2000s. So overdone and unimaginative imo.

WhenWhere · 18/05/2025 12:46

It's lovely, go for the name you love.

I don't know the film mentioned either so wouldn't make that association.

Calliopespa · 18/05/2025 12:46

HugoYorway · 18/05/2025 12:36

I think a single syllable middle name like Rose, Grace, May, Anne, Jane, ...
are a bit naff and pointless.

But isn’t the point to just make the name sound the way you’d like it to?

I think they are great names for softening a harsher first name, like Mara Rose, or calming down a fancier more elaborate name and letting it take centre stage, like Esmeralda Jane. As opposed to, say Mara Maddox or Esmeralda Persephone.

Im not sure it needs more of a point than that does it?

I have to say I’m not a fan of Grace but that’s just a personal thing. It’s still classic and works in a similar way, hence the popularity. To me I prefer a soft “ g” as in Genevieve not hard as in Grace or Gretchen.

RosesAndHellebores · 18/05/2025 13:31

I think Emily Rose is just lovely. Classic and pretty. I'd have loved it.

Senzaunadonna · 18/05/2025 13:35

I’d swap it and go with Rose Emily!