The next big thing...?

[MamaLazarou]

I'd be interested to hear your predictions for popular baby names of 2010.

When I named my dd in Feb 2004, I had to spell her name as people were so unfamiliar with it. I used to get "oh, that's SO unusual!" all the time. Her name is Ava! It's amazing how quickly a trend takes hold and runs away. She is named after Eva Peron (not because we are great admirers of hers but because we were trawling through musicals looking for nice names!) and I am guessing that perhaps lots of other people did that too!

It annoys me a bit when Ava is put together with Evie. I like the name Evie, but it has a very different vibe to me - less grown up than Ava.

DS name is very, very unusual, although it is in that Freakonomics list for top US baby names in 2015. I am not sure whether he'll thank me for it or not, especially as it can be used (with a different spelling) as a girl's name...

mine are Angus and Stanley - everyone always says "what lovely names".

Angus would have been Maisie and Stanley Violet - prob too old lady too be cool but I like both.

I predict a comeback for Lennie, Raymond, Victor, Donald and Douglas. And Richard. Richard is a great name.

Also, what about Steven? Or Simon - for boys.

For girls - Margaret, Emma, Jane, Jenny (lovely name), Helen, Anne (lovely name).

How about Jennifer? Has it sunk without a trace?

My DD (Evie,6) was born in ROI and I still have to spell it for people.
Hate the fact its got so common in UK.

Must be about time for Elizabeth and all her variants to make a comeback, no?

My middle child (nearly 15) was SO going to be Stanley or Angus, but everyone laughed like a drain or pulled a horrid face for nine months solid, and I lost my nerve. I plumped for Cameron which went on (about 5 years later) to be sooo over-used, and I really regret it. That's the thing - you can just never know!

You lot are so lucky now with the internet, it's as close to a crystal ball as you could ask for, with access to statistics and all these polls and opinions. It amazes me that with all these facilities you still get clusters of the same four or five completely over-used names doing the rounds in 5 year cycles. I guess most people just don't mind sharing!

My eldest son's name is so far a winner - well known but still fairly unusual, ageless and timeless. And my youngest son's name has managed to stay pretty unique as in ten years we've never met or heard of another, and people always say 'Ooh, what a great name!' - which he loves! I suspect it will surface in the next few years judging by the general direction and feel of the Freakonomics boys list for 2015, and I just have to hope it doesn't become ubiquitous. At least he'll be 12 years or so older than the rest!

My predictions for the next 5 years are:

John
Mary
Anne
Philip
Wendy
Stephen
Paul
David
Simon
Matthew

Robert or Edward after the 'Twilight ' star, and yes I am old enough to be his mum(just)!

TiggyR- I don't think Cameron is over used (unless you are in Scotland perhaps). Do your other sons have Scottish names? I am trying to persuade a Scottish friend of mine to call her shortly to arrive Hamish if it is a boy! I think it's fab but she says it is too old fashioned there

I know of two Emses (one with accent and one without) in the past week so maybe it's on the rise?

looby - we are not scottish but all their names have a Scots/Irish slant, but then didn't all nineties babies?!! You don't realise you are part of a zeitgiest (sp?)until after it's over! If I were doing it all again now (with the benefit of hindsight obviously) I'd go for very classical (but not boring) names, like Georgiana, Cecelia, Sebastian, Julian, as they rarely date or get too faddy.

I completely agree with you about using Classical names that don't date. However, it can still be difficult in practice. We are v multicultural (although children ethnically 3/4 Asian). We decided to choose a v classical Indian name for our oldest DD, Maya (although we spelt it Maia as loved the classical Greek and Roman links too). I was amazed when there were suddenly lots of little Caucasian Mayas popping up everywhere! So, even if you choose some traditional and personal to you, it can still become popular (some might even describe it as trendy)! For our son, we choose Lucas, as a classical Roman form of Luke and a name that we again thought was v multicultural. I had never met nor heard of anyone called Lucas then but it has now rocketed in popularity! Our DD2 has a classical but English name. Will have to hope that doesn't leap up in popularity too