Why has Felicity become trendy?

[Livingintheunknown]

I love the name Felicity but have noticed that it's become trendy. It used to be an unusual name but experienced a (seemingly random) sudden rise in popularity. It's quite literally everywhere now. Why is this? Did some celebrity or 'influencer' name their child Felicity? Has there been a character called Felicity? I've had to take it off the list. I just can't do trendy names as they always date terribly. By trendy, I'm referring to names that experience a sudden rise in usage, usually due to a cultural phenomenon, when they were once uncommon.

I don't know a single Felicity (apart from Kendall)

Who says it's trendy?

It’s not in the top 100 UK baby names, it’s not even in the top 400 in the USA. It’s not trendy in any sense of the word.

To be fair, I often see people considering Felicity and asking about it on MN. That might be an indication that it already is or is becoming.

Well, according to BabyCentre UK, it's 141 in the list of names currently. I wouldn't regard that as trendy

I don't know any

My best friend is called Felicity. We are 47. She was named after FK.

Quite literally everywhere? The stats say otherwise.

Such a twee, pony club name.

I don't know about trendy. Just makes top 150 names.

I really like it.

The only time I can’t think I’ve heard it used lately is in Malory towers.

Maybe those people who are having babies now were the right age to watch it when the series was released?!

I have a Felicity, she's a teenager and the only one l've met - I'm also a midwife, so meet lots and lots of babies but I've not come across it!

I wanted to call my second Felicity but family talked me out of it. It would actually have been quite apt, she is a happy character. She was born 34 years ago. I still have not come across another irl. I worked with children and met lots.

It’s a nice name but not at all popular. I know two and they are both in their late 60s.

It’s on a downward trajectory. It slipped inside the top 100 in 2016 but it’s been going on a downward line since.

Possibly girls being named after grandmas with the name?

My 2nd dd is Felicity. It really suits her, she's lovely and sunny and good natured.
But she gets called Fels, Flick, and Fliss!
She's 40, btw.

I guess it depends on what your definition of trendy is. To me, a name doesn't have to be in the top 100 for it to be trendy. I can think of many names that haven't reached the top 100 that I would still regard as trendy and faddy.

I feel the same confusion about the name Isla. I’m not saying I don’t like it as a name, it’s just about 15 years go it suddenly seemed everywhere and still seems popular and there didn’t seem to be anything in particular that sparked it. I remember receiving an email announcing the birth of someone’s daughter, name Isla, then 2 seconds later a follow up to say the name was too popular and they’d changed their mind, child to be named something else.

I know 2, one who is 18 and one who is 5. I meet lots of children and babies at work and it doesn't jump out as a name that is trendy.

@PollysKenwood Isla is in the top 5 girls name, it is very popular.

I like Felicity. It’s very chalet school.

I know. I’m in Scotland, I know loads of Islas from mid-teens downwards but as “famous” Islas, I can only think of Larry Grayson’s assistant Isla St Clair and the author Isla Dewar. I didn’t go to school with any Islas, I’ve always just wondered if something in particular sparked it off but not sure what.

I have a Felicity 😊. It really suits her as she’s a very happy, sunny character. She’s never been to pony club.
She’s 13 and we don’t know any others.

I didn't know this!

I have a Felicity too, mine is 13 and it really suits her, she gets called Fliss or Flissy. We are not members of a pony club but she does love horses.

I agree. Maybe faddy is a better word to describe what I'm talking about.

I know of felicity’s in mid thirties but no children/babies. I think it’s one of those not commonly used but also well known names that exists within every generation.

iIf you like it use

What are you basing that off though? Have you seen a sudden influx of babies being named Felicity?