Would you avoid the most popular baby names?

[BJSG]

I’m pregnant with our first child, and we don’t know the gender yet. I’ve realised that I tend to like names that are quite popular currently (Noah, Charlotte, Matilda, Jack, Lucy). Unfortunately, I’m having some doubts about the names that I like. I’ve seen that many adults (mostly women) complain about having a ‘basic’ name (of their generation) and noticed that common names of older generations tend to be sarcastically mocked online. I know that unusual names are typically disliked on MN, but it feels as though no one truly likes having a name that is heard so often. I do wonder if this is a sign that we should choose something less common. Thoughts?

Choose a name you like, regardless of whether it’s popular or not. You don’t want name regret.

I actually don’t know any babies named from your list above, although I know a family who have two of the names, but the ‘children’ are now in their twenties.

Noah and Charlotte are hugely popular and I know several DC with those names, although the DC I know are older (teens). Charlotte has been popular for years though. In my company (around 100 people), we have five Charlottes (all in their 20s). Jack was really popular in the early 2000s, but I only know a couple of late teen Jacks now. Lucy was very popular in the 70s and 80s, but is it popular now? I don't know any Matildas.

I totally get this, but I would discount popularity and just go for the names you like. If you actually break down the data of the most popular names, you see that there aren't actually that many kids being given them.
Using 2023 as an example, there were approx 656,000 babies born that year. 4,382 of them were called Noah. 1,784 of the were called Charlotte. Less that 1%
On that basis, I wouldn't be put off using the more popular ones if those are the ones you love!

FWIW, DH and I have names that would probably be considered "basic" but we don't hate them at all. And we know at least 2 adults who've been given wacky names and they have changed their names as a result.

My name was a popular one in the 1950s and anyone I meet with the same name is in their 70s (like me). One GC was given a name that was only used (but very rarely) in Victorian times and they were the only one of that name registered that year - we've never met another one. Which would I prefer to have been given? I'm not bothered, my name is me! Try not to overthink it.

Last week my BIL was doing some work in a registrar’s office and three babies were registered the day he was there and he chatted to all of the parents in the waiting room area while he was working and all three babies were called Noah. When you look at the statistics like @GrumpySparklersays, it seems like a small number of babies but I suppose that in some areas there are no babies called Noah at all and then in other places there are many Noahs.

I still think that people should choose the names that they like though.

I do think that an unusual name makes a person more memorable, but I’m not entirely sure whether that’s an asset or a hindrance. For example, when someone says Beyoncé or JonBenét, people who have heard of them know exactly who is being talked about without the surname needing to be included.

Go for the name that really moves you. Never mind if it moves lots of other people too. Inevitably if you think you’re going for a more unusual name, it’s in the air and there’ll be three of them in your child’s class. It really doesn’t matter. Tbh I did manage a name that is well known and not crazily frequent, and ds has been sad that he can never find anything with his name on in gift shops…

Those are all classic names though, they are fine. Personally the ones I would avoid are the ones that are suddenly a brief trend like Aria/Arya or Neveah but if you like those, why not?

The main thing is that you and the father love it and wouldn’t feel silly introducing your baby or yelling it in the playground.

I have 4 sons and all of them have a top 10 name! Only one of them went by first name and surname through primary school but was the only one in secondary.

Choose the name you love regardless of where it falls in the charts

Your names are fine. I was always conscious of the dating thing. So all the women my age can be dated by being named Michelle or Claire. Same will be true for all the Amelies and Islas when they’re middle aged.
The only way to avoid that is to pick true undated classics. E.g James or Catherine.
We will soon have lots of Susan, Jane, Paul, type names as it swings around again

Pick the name you love. It doesn't matter what other people think.

When DD was in Reception, 5 boys had the same name.

The name wasnt in the top 100 for that year.

Meanwhule, otherDD has a top 10 name. Never been in a class with one over 5 primary schools and 2 nurseries, and is tge only one in her Secondary School year.

Anything in or close to the top 100 within the last 10 years is not a possibility for us. Trends change so quickly that having a popular name ties someone to a very specific time period. We wanted something more timeless. Choosing a bizarre name is really not necessary. There are plenty of names that have fallen out of fashion but are still normal.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/datasets/babynamesenglandandwalesbabynamesstatisticsboys

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/datasets/babynamesenglandandwalesbabynamesstatisticsgirls

I can see what you mean by dated names. I personally feel a bit sad that my name is firmly in the 90s category, and while I like my name, I do wish it wasn't overused and time-stamped to my particular generation. I would prefer to pick more timeless names for my own children - but trends are impossible to predict. Mary and Anne would have been considered timeless names in previous generations, but they fell out of fashion in a big way.

I think there's a happy medium between choosing a top 5 name and choosing something that's wacky or bizarre. There are plenty of names that most people have heard of and will know how to spell and pronounce but (for whatever reason) are not popular.

Ask yourself if you liked the names before they became popular.

We gave our DC names we liked and knew we'd always like. They were very popular names in their age group. Neither have expressed that they would have preferred more unusual names, and I'd be happy to use the names on a baby born now.

Noah, Charlotte, Matilda, Jack, Lucy -
I've always liked Lucy.
A cousin's Charlotte was born in the 1980s and it seemed nice then and still does. I don't like Charlie for a girl.
A colleague has a Jack born in the late 1980s and it seemed quite 'new' then but I know so many now that I don't think I could choose it.
Matilda seems a bit like it was nice when it was unusual but it seems to have lost that distinction and Tilly or Tilda seem inevitable.
Noah - too popular and too close to 'No'.

None of names seem faddy or trend, If you'd said 'Luca, Theo, Arlo, Ava and Freya...' they would have, imo, because the names are very popular when they weren't 20 years ago.

The most popular names at the moment are what people think are "unique". We named our 6 children actual unusual names that aren't in the top 100, and we haven't met any other people with their names!

There are hundreds of Matilda, Noah, Arlo, Arthur, Henry etc at the moment. Either accept that your child will have a common name (which isn't a bad thing!) or go fully out there unique.

My children have common names!

My name was not popular at all - I've only ever met one other person with my name...and I could never find my name on a keyring and always having to repeat my name as people misheard it.

I purposefully gave my children regular names. I have a Scarlett - not as popular but easily recognised. She is one of 3 in her junior school.

I also have a Jack. He is one of 2 in the infant school.

So whilst they may be popular names it doesn't mean there will be 5 in a class.

Pick the name you love.

I have such name regret with my youngest, although I don’t hate it I don’t love it like my son’s name, I think if you really love the name go for it, don’t pass up on a name you really like just because a lot of other people like it.

My eldest has not an unusual name, but he’s never met another weirdly, but I absolutely love it still nearly 17 years later.

I just wanted to be called the same name as a few other people my age. I was shy and would have blushed ridiculously, had I been given an unusual name. As a (now) very confident adult, I'm still glad I didn't have an unusual name. You can't really pre-empt which names will become chavvy, as each generation has their own. My generation it was Sharon and Tracey. After that there were Karens. Kylie, Jason, Darren, Keegan or Cole either. Taylor or Miley will probably date badly, so avoid those and pop stars in general. The general rule of thumb is probably that traditional is best.

The names you have stated are not that popular now. They were 20 years ago.

I chose a name outside the top 100 30 years ago. It’s top ten now.

I have one of the most popular names of my age group and it’s shit. I’ve purposefully stayed away from anything in the current top 20 because of it.

I don’t have any problem with classic names that are always popular and won’t age the holder. Charlotte and Lucy for instance - I know young Charlottes and Lucys but also middle aged women with these names. I don’t see how you could meet a Charlotte and think “how 2020s”.

Noah I would avoid as I think it will be “2020s”. I first heard someone use this name in the late 90s and I was so taken aback I didn’t believe someone had really used it. Other reactions tended to be either complete shock or laughter. Now it’s everywhere and I’m guessing at some point that will stop and it’ll be a name like Gary or Nigel which will age the holder very accurately.

I have a real old lady name, DH’s is not common and not really popular now but is less odd. Having grown up being the oddity I didn’t want that for my DDs so we chose timeless classic names that have been around for centuries. They were probably Top10 names when they were born so they know a few girls with the same names.
I love their names though, they work for soap operas and royalty!
Go for what you love, throw in an out there middle name for more flexibility but check for initials and abbreviations.

I've got a Noah (8) and Olivia (4) and despite them being pretty much at the top of the list there's no one in school years with the same names, tbh most kids names are really out there!

Use the name you love. Some people love their popular names, some people hate them. Some people love their unusual names, some people hate them. There are no guarantees which your child will prefer, so you can only please yourself and hope they approve of your taste.

I have a name which is very popular for my age group. It's never been a problem and personally I love how traditional my name is. I've never been one to want to stand out, so I would have hated having an unusual name.

The names at the top of the charts are nowhere near as frequently used these days anyway, with people choosing from a much larger pool of names. It seems to be in vogue to go for something as outlandish as possible. As a result, it's very possible Noah, Oliver, Amelia and Ava could be the only one in their year group, possibly even their school, these days. As a teacher, I speak from experience. Name duplication is so much rarer in classes these days.