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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Are really popular names really that bad?

95 replies

GYoIsReallyHavingABaby · 25/02/2009 12:07

Hello
Due in 3 wks and the only boys name we both like is super popular where I live. Think we are ok with a girls names.

Since we have have common surname (not smith or brown but similar) so were originally looking at something a bit different but we cant agree on anything a bit different. I've always been adamant to not choose something popular but cant really work out why I've thought this, IYSWIM.

Who has DCs with really popular names and does it really matter? Suppose the worst issue is lots of kids with same name in class at school.

Thank you!

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popsycal · 25/02/2009 20:01

ages ago franny posted a link to a web page where you could gert a graph of a name over time..anyone know what I am on about>

nigglewiggle · 25/02/2009 20:02

The only thing you mentioned that would make me suggest you choose something less popular is that you said you have quite a "common" surname.

When I married I took on a common surname and although my first name is pretty popular (not common ) having never heard of anyone with the same first name and surname as me, I now know two!

I have been confused with someone else at the Dr's and the hairdressers.

We deliberately chose less-popular names for our DD's because we wanted to avoid this confusion.

You have to find one you agree on though!

melpomene · 25/02/2009 20:49

Do you mean Baby Name Wizard, popsycal?

I don't think it matters too much how popular a name is, especially if it is popular 'long term' rather than just being a trend. Many popular boys' names would fall into the former category. It doesn't look quite so good if the popularity is a sudden trend, such as the Olivia example. I must admit I was a bit annoyed when my dd1's name surged in popularity a couple of years after she was born, thanks to a certain movie star (We chose the name for personal reasons unrelated to the star.) However, even then if you really have a heart set on a name I think you should use it regardless of popularity.

Things such as the number of children in a class with a particular name are hard to predict anyway. The only name which is duplicated in my dd1's class (same pronounciation but different spellings) is a very unusual name which I had never previously heard of.

bigbang · 25/02/2009 21:05

I think if you love the name, it doesn't make any difference. There were a couple of names we like but ruled out for ds because they were too popular. However, the name we fell in love with ended up being in the top 10 and the popularity did not bother me at all because I loved the name so much... If that makes sense! Now it is just him, he is an individual and will be remembered for his wonderful personality. I do agree though that 'classic' popular names are better than 'trend' popular. But hey thats just my opinion.

I had a bad experience of having an unusual name at school. I hated it, I felt stupid having my name called out and wished I could be a Joanna or a Lucy. I expect that is down to personality rather than name though, a more confident child may have loved it. Now I am older I am unfussed, don't love it don't hate it! DP has an incredibly popular name, has always been known as Mrbigbang X, and it hasn't held him back in the slightest, he has excelled throughout his life and is doing very well for himself. You just can't tell 'who' your child is going to be and giving them a certain name isn't going to send them on a particular path iykwim.

Ignore what everyone else is doing, popular or not go for the name you love. Your child will be unique whatever their name, and you will be happy and have no regrets

BirdyArms · 25/02/2009 21:06

Popular names are good. Nobody wants to be the kid in the class with the weird name.

nigglewiggle · 25/02/2009 21:09

Less-popular names are not necessarily weird though.

piscesmoon · 25/02/2009 21:12

I would go for a name because you like it-ignore completely whether it is popular or not.

Poppyscock · 25/02/2009 21:21

I do agree with BarbaraWoodlouse. I was known as name + surname intial growing up.

My husband has a popular name and is known as name+surname to his best friend and thier family as they know so many people with his name.

One thing to consider

bigbang · 25/02/2009 21:23

Of course not nigglewiggle, each name is as lovely as the child it belongs to Personal taste is a wonderful thing.

Unless your going to cause your child to have some sort of neurosis by calling them Ugly Numpty or similar. If thats the case then, er, don't.

Sidge · 25/02/2009 22:09

2 of my 3 girls have names supposedly in the Top 10 of girls names.

DD2 is the only one in her class of 25, and one of 2 in the whole primary school.

DD3 is the only one in her nursery (?40 children).

In our area there are very few girls with their names (and I'm a school nurse so I see a lot of names!) so when I see a list of the most popular names I take it with a pinch of salt.

lolianja · 25/02/2009 23:31

KERALA1 - it's not following the crowd I don't think. Quite the opposite in a sense. It so happens that my name preferences in general happen to be common but I'd still go for the name if it were unusual. Unless the name was absurd and likely to cause teasing I honestly wouldn't care how unusual it was. Equally the preoccupation with how common a name is and the daft notion that a child will become lost within a crowd purely because they're not the only "insert name here" in their class is just bizarre to me. Surely it's about whether or not you like it? I'd never be so self-conscious as to abandon a much-loved baby name purely because other people like it too. It just strikes me as pretentious and whiffs of self esteem issues - I know that's a hugely sweeping generalisation and like as not inaccurate in many cases but to me it's the "vibe" it gives off. Sorry!

Prosecco · 25/02/2009 23:40

I have a Jack, THE most popular name for howver many years. It was number 1 when we chose it and I did think about the consequences but I liked it.
It's still number one, it's difficult to call for him in a busy park without several heads turning, I'm sure several people may have thought we were lacking in imagination, but none of this matters. It's a name both you and he are going to use many, many times. If you like it, I think thats as good a reason as any.

p.s there is only one other in his class

2HotCrossBunsAnd1InTheOven · 26/02/2009 12:06

I also agree that if you like a name then you should go for it. Personally I wouldn't choose a "popular" name but that's just me. FWIW there are so many more names these days that the actual numbers of Jacks, for example, is far less than the number of Johns there were 50 years ago (my dad's name and he knows a million other Johns of his age). So just because a particular name is in the top 10 it does not necessarily follow that there will be other children of that name in your child's class - although the chances are higher of course .

Popilol · 26/02/2009 12:53

I have an Olivia - chosen because it is a beautiful name which we love. Also a classic, Shakespearean name. It was only after she was born that the popularity was brought to my attention but so what - in my opinion it's popular because it's lovely.

I agree that there are so many different names out there the concentration of popular names is by default a lot less.

I grew up with a plethora of Sarahs and at one stage shared a flat with 3 Sarahs. It really wasn't a problem. Now there are at least 3 other ladies in my village who have the same name as me, again not a problem in the least.

Would recommend the Baby Name Wizard if only for being a cracking read!

HeyMa · 26/02/2009 15:53

when i was at school my best friend and i had the same name and we loved it so don't worry too much about how many there might be at the school or class go with what you like best...

TheOldestCat · 26/02/2009 16:06

Popilol - am chuckling at a 'plethora of sarahs' (great name for a band). That was my experience in having the most popular name of the 1970s - I was Sarah H at school and am again at work now there's a rival sarah in my team.

But I didn't mind one bit - there are plenty of ways to be original, your name doesn't have to be the most individual thing about you.

I give training at work and to break the ice I get my training victims to say something about their names (why they're called that, what their name means). Always makes me chuckle when I see people worrying on here about the meaning of names as many people don't have a clue.

TheOldestCat · 26/02/2009 16:07

And talking of unusual names, some of the people I've trained have very interesting ones...this week there was a Severn and a Sambrook! No danger of popularity with either of those I think.

BonsoirAnna · 26/02/2009 16:07

Yes they are.

My parents are currently having their bathrooms redone. The workmen are called:

Darren
Gary
Kevin

Do you want your child to be a standing joke in later life?

jollyjoanne · 26/02/2009 16:11

If you like a name then go for it, however popular.

Although I do have some warnings:
firstly - my sister had a very popular name and at school so she had to permanently be both first and surname (ie Tracy Jones, Tracey Smith etc) so make sure the two go together well.
secondly - my best friend had the same name as her which meant that I never used my sisters real name and always used her nickname (and as I was the oldest and not a particularly nice sister this was 'Stinky') so to me my little sis has always been known as Stinky and even now this is how my family refer to her, so as to avoid confusion with the myriad of other people we know with the same name.

Docbunches · 26/02/2009 16:35

I would say definitely go for it if you both love the name.

My DCs both have top twenty names and I still love their names and have never regretted it and honestly wouldn't want them to be called anything else. My DS, 13, has three other boys in his class with the same name and hangs around with with all of them which I know amuses/confuses the teachers! Doesn't bother me at all tbh.

newgirl · 26/02/2009 18:35

i think try and go a little more original - there are so many names out there - my dd is the only one with her name in her class but there are 3-4 others in the school. Not that many but people keep saying 'oh which is she etc'

though i loved the post about how personality is the thing really - so true

Podrick · 26/02/2009 18:38

The child will be MAx A or Max C or Max S at school rather than Max. i wouldn't like that.

Also if you have a Jack Smith there will be a lot of confusion for life with other Jack Smiths - which is quite handy if you are a criminal but quite annoying otherwise I would imagine.

Antdamm · 26/02/2009 19:02

I personally dont mind popular names, but thats just me. When we were pg with DS, we decided on his name, named after DP's dad - popular back in the day name, plain and boring nowadays.

When he goes to nursery, he is the only one out of about 50boys that go to that nursery to have his name. We still haven't came into contact with a kid with his name. I think its a shame that traditional/plain/boring names are cast aside to make way for 'unique' names like Bronx Mowgli etc etc

justneedsomesleep · 26/02/2009 19:16

Of course it doesn't matter!!
If you like the name, go for it - 'tis hard enough deciding on one in the first place!

For what it's worth dd's name just escapes the top 100 and ds's name is no.1 boys name!
I don't care! I like the names!

Fillyjonk · 26/02/2009 19:27

My thoughts are as follows:

Names that are popular are so because a lot of people think they are nice. To give your child a generally-seen-as-nice name is not a bad thing.

Don't worry about names becoming "dated". People don't tend to guess and age based on a name, more on number of wrinkles and grey hairs and reactionary opinions.

Children do generally seem to like having popular names.

Outside the top 10, odds are they won't know many others with that name. dd1 has a name in the 20s, I have NEVER met another child with her name.

They can always change it.

thank you for listening

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