James - too popular?

[naturelover]

DH and I love the name James.

What has put me off so far is the idea that it's in the top 10 so I'm concerned that he would be one of several boys named James in his class/school - which I'm keen to avoid.

That said, I haven't met a single James for years... so how popular is it really? Have you come across many baby James recently?

PS our second choice is Christian which is much further down the list for popularity.

[honeydew]

Can't stand the name Joshua- far too many of them and all known as 'Josh'. Hope no-one gets offended,so apologies but I think it's just awful. Far worse than Jack ( the most popular boy's name) if there are more 'Jacks'.

[RubyBlueberry]

My DS is a James, we had thought we'd nickname him JJ but we call him James. Sometimes I call him Jamesie which is cute but sounds a lot like his big sister's name oops. Loved the name for years, always thought I'd have a Jack but pleased we chose James!! Go for it!

It can be shortened / nicknamed so many things, he can call himself what he likes when he's a teenager (unlike MY name which is fecking horrendous, cheers Mum & Dad!)

[MrsKitty]

James is a beautiful strong name for a baby, boy or man. There's only 1 other in DS's nursery as far as I'm aware, and I've not met any others at playgroups etc.

If you both love it, then go for it. As others have said, it is popular, but it seems to be spread out across the whole country, as opposed to being saturated in lots of areas IYSWIM?

[MrsKitty]

RubyBlue We often call our James "Jamesy" too!

[RubyBlueberry]

It's quite lovely! We are in good company Mrs K!

[cherrylips]

My son's year at school has 65 children in it. He is the only James. There is one Joshua and 4 Jacks. I love the name too.

[sybilfaulty]

Oh I'd have loved a James, but our surname would not suit it alas. I have a godson called James and he is a lovely young fellow (nearly 12 now). We called him Jameski when he was little but stick to James now. He's never been a Jamie.

Classic name which would see him through any walk of life. I'd go for it. (PS ended up with a Matthew instead which is also gorgeous. He'll go through school being called Matthew J as there are lots of them round here, but I don't care)

[cookielove]

i think james in popular in different areas, we have had constant james and jamies in the 6 years i have worked at nursery, we seem to constantly have a big jamie, a little jamie and a baby jamie, which we do at the moment, and 1 james, which makes it alot easier as one of the jamies is with james and they come to their different names, saying that we have an alex and an alexander and a jayden and aidan, all in the same room, basically all the children come at once

[cookielove]

oh and the Jamie is nicknamed Jam, by the nursery.

[ByTheSea]

I love it. If DD2 had been a boy, she would have been James. I spent the whole night in labour with the song 'Sweet Baby James' going through my head.

[cookielove]

actually if my sister had been a boy she would have been james, but oddly enough my brother who was born next wasn't

[crokky]

James is a really nice name, I'd use it. Names are popular for a reason - because they are nice!

[BexJ78]

my husband is called james, as is his dad and half of his family. is a good traditional name (so he would say!!) that is probably not going to look outdated in a few years.