The old "popular names" debate... Again.

[crabby]

Just pondering name for DD to be. Is Lily just too popular at the mo? I have an unusual name that I was teased about, don't want to do this to the lo.

But is Lily just too far the other way?

Lily is popular but still lots of teasing possibilities. You can tease about any name if that's your intention, I would concentrate on what you like.

Lily is very popular, if you really like it despite popularity then use it. If you're just going to the other extreme just because of your own experiences then perhaps look for something in-between.
Are we allowed to know your unusual name?

what about a longer version that can be shortened to Lily, keeping options open? Like Lilibet, or Elizabeth (sort of). I always wanted a name that I could shorten and that would end in i, cos all the cool girls at primary school had them!

Lily/lila/Lola all very pretty but agree if you're worried about it being too popular then use something to shorten it down to that

what about lydia ?

I've chosen a popular name for the baby I'm carrying. I don't give a shite th ough, I like it so I'm using it. Also - I only know one other

mY DAUGHTER IS SARAH, IS A COMMON NAME, NO ONE IN MY FAMILY LIKES IT BUT I CHOSE IT AND STILL LOVE IT.GO WITH YOUR HEART.

Yeah, it is very popular. I know loads. Like a pp said, I would go with a longer name and shorten it to Lily. I personally think Lily is cute on a kid and a granny, but a bit naff when they get older - so I'd have something more grown up that they can revert to. Elizabeth is very nice. Just my opinon though!

What about Lilian? More grown-up than Lily.

Lily reminds me rather of 'lilywhite' and 'lily-livered'.

It could also be used to say 'silly-lily'.

How about Lilith? That will be my hypothetical DD2's middle name. Great associations/history IMO

Lily is very popular but if you like it I wouldn't let it put you off.

Hard to not think about Frasier when I think about Lilith... my problem, I appreciate! Can't decide if Lillian is ugly, or retro old lady cool.

Any thoughts?

I like Lily. I only know one Lily.

All 3 of my girls have names from the Top Twenty lists (apparently) but there are no girls at school or nursery with my DDs names and we don't know any socially with their names!

I think name popularity can depend on the area you live in as well. There are a million Kiera/Keiras round here for example.

Lillian is lovely. My dd2 has a good friend called that - she is little and dainty and lovely. I would never have thought about it until then, but now I think it is lovely and would consider it (totally in my imagination as I am done with babies) if I needed to!

I think Lily is lovely - I know 3 - two in their 60s who are in Dublin and one in DS's year at school here - she is Hungarian.

I also like Lila or Lia/Leah.

Other similar sorts of names from DS's class here - Eliana and Liana. One American/Hungarian and one Australian/Greek!

DS has supposedly the top name for boys in the year he was born.

He has never (yet) been in a class with another child with the same name - and yet there are 2 Tobys in his current class and there were 3 James in his nursery group.

DD has an unusual name and there is another little girl with the same name in the same group at her tiny nursery

I have a v. popular name (of the era) and there were 4 girls with the same name in my class at secondary school - I don't think it left me with any deep psychological scars

If you like the name go for it.

I have a fab baby name book that has this feature:

If you like lily, you might love...

Camilla
Delilah
Ella
Finlay
Ivy
Leila
Libby
Lila
Lilac
Liliana
Millie
Poppy
T alullah
Willa

:D I personally LOVE Delilah but would never be allowed to use it. Ivy is gorgeous, and I also like Millie but wouldn't use it for the popularity factor...

This is all lovely to hear. Still vascilating (sp? ) about the Lilian thing but it is really good to hear other people's opinions on the very difficult subject!

Nice to know people with popular names aren't scared for life!

I don't think Lily will be teased. It's just too normal. I can't think what the tease factor is??

I prefer something a bit less predictable though. Just me.

Jilly for example, fits in perfectly with the Milly, Tilly, Lily vibe, but it is going to be a little different.

You may not like Jilly, but you get what I mean?

Libby is stronger than Lily, and far less populr. I know one or two. I don't hear it all the time though.

Henrys7thwife can you tell us what is the name of your baby book? Sounds like it could be very helpful. All the names I like, I already know someone in the family or close friends who has already used it, so it is good to work on a theme. I like Lily - it is beautiful. I hadn't heard it being used at all until three years ago and now I know four Lilys with various spellings. It depends on who you know, so get in early!

doozie it sounds like the one I have - The brilliant book of baby names by Pamela Redmond Satran and Linda Rosenkrantz

can be a little american in places but generally very very good

Thanks Dizzy.

Oh I had that book. fun book, but their idea of cool is a little difference from GB cool.

For eg, they said Stanley was cute for a girl, but just don't try it on a boy. I had to read that sentence twice to see if I'd understood right but that's what it said!!!

I really can't see why people think their children will suffer in any way if they are not the only one in their class/year/school! And anyway, there are tons of names that are completely "normal" but not particularly common. I think Lily is lovely - and I only know 2 and my children go to schools that have a total of 1800 children in them - 1600 of the girls!

Lily is lovely!! If baby #2 is a girl, her name will be Lily Gabrielle. We picked that name years ago. I love Lily...it's not too common but not too unique either. If that makes any sense.