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Original poster

Too Popular?

60 replies

NotGrownUpEnough · 10/01/2010 18:01

I really want to call my DC Isabella if it's a girl when it's born in June. Is it just too popular? Has anyone out there had a really popular name and felt that they were worse off because if it? i love it so much and nothing else comes close for me.
All comments much appreciated :-)

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teaandcakeplease · 10/01/2010 18:06

I called my daughter Isabella and at the time I didn't know anyone whose child was called that. When I moved to Surrey for a year, I kept bumping into Isobel's, Isabelle's and Isabella's! LOL

However I wouldn't change it for the world. It's a lovely name. But I don't shorten it to "Izzie" like most do

I think you shouldn't not use it, just because you know a few, if you like it, I say go with it. You've still got time to change your mind if something else comes to mind in the months ahead

paulaplumpbottom · 10/01/2010 18:12

I stayed away from anything that was in the top ten the year before no matter how much I loved it

MamaLazarou · 10/01/2010 18:21

OP, how much does the popularity of a name bother you? Only you can answer that. Would it bother you that your DD is unlikely to be the only Isabella in her class? I've always hated having a popular name, but some people don't care.

KERALA1 · 10/01/2010 18:30

If popularity bothers you dont use it. There are plenty of other lovely names that are abit more off the beaten track. I have a popular name and think its rather dull being one of the crowd. My girls names are both outside the top 100 though when I was first pregnant my choices were Emily and Olivia which I quickly ditched as I realised they were everyone elses first choices too .

Isabella is a nice name but I know lots and lots of tiny Isabellas personally would avoid.

GhoulsAreLoud · 10/01/2010 18:35

It doesn't bother me in the slightest. DD's name was number 9 in the top 10 which I didn't realise until we were sitting in the register office registering her birth.

Didn't bother me at all.

But then, I can't understand why it would bother anyone.

beccagrace2 · 10/01/2010 18:35

hi, we are thinking or arabella, would you consider that maybe?

dizzydixies · 10/01/2010 18:41

NotGrownupEnough, our Isabella will be 7 in July and we don't know another one - it depends on where you live and I'm fed up of hearing on here its too common and overused.

I was the name of my belived great aunt although she was known as Isa; my mothers middle name; my cousins middle name and my lovely aunt is Isabel so we wanted to use it for all those reasons - she is known as Ella though

its a beautiful name and if you love it then please use it as anything else will feel like second choice in comparison.

who cares if its popular - there is a reason its popular - its pretty!

ironlikealion · 10/01/2010 18:45

It is a bit too popular in London, I think, depends where you are though.

Can I interest you in the name Amabel (nn Amy) which I personally love?

FlightAttendant · 10/01/2010 18:45

Oh golly, well I am really sorry to say this but I truly believe this is one of the most popular names of the last 6 or 7 years, and know about a hundred!!!!

I also thought the thread might be about this name before I opened it...sorry.

Fwiw it was on my favourites list when I was a girl - but it fell off after the first seven people i knew used it

sweetkitty · 10/01/2010 18:46

waves at dizzy

If our DB4 is a DD Isabella is top of our list, I don't know another one TBH well apart from Dizzy's.

Beautiful name

JaneiteIsAWimpyTeacher · 10/01/2010 18:49

I have an Isobel and had no idea, when we named her, how popular it was going to be (she is one of three in her class, althugh the only one spelled like that). Tbh I think it is a lovely name and it really doesn't matter.

dizzydixies · 10/01/2010 18:50

Amabel sounds like you couldn't decide between Amy/Annabel/Isabel etc

hi kitty

Janeite - we also had no idea it was so popular and tbh it isn't up here - I only know one other and she's 3 and known as Issy.

TattyCatty · 10/01/2010 18:55

It is a very popular, but equally very lovely name. I grew up with a very common name in the 70s (Catherine) - indeed there were 4 of us in my class through most of senior school, but I can honestly say that it hasn't ever bothered me in the slightest.

ironlikealion · 10/01/2010 19:07

spose but it is a real name though!

Original poster
NotGrownUpEnough · 10/01/2010 22:06

Hi Everyone, thanks for all your responses. I'm going to have a good think about it but as no one has come on and said their life has been ruined by a popular name it is still my favourite.
No doubt i'll be back on soon with my next earth shattering dilema

OP posts:
Pingpong · 10/01/2010 22:20

My name was very popular in the 70s and it has never ever bothered me. My brother used to wind me up and say it was 'common' (I prefer 'popular'.) His name was very unusal in the 70s and is now 10 a penny with the under 5s.
If you like the name then don't let popularity put you off. I also think there are real 'hotspots' of some names in some areas and in other places you hardly hear the top 10 names.

Heated · 10/01/2010 22:26

Once you take in all the spelling combos: Isabella, Isobella, Isobel, Isabel...etc it probably is the no.1 girl's name or near enough.

But does that matter? Beautiful names are popular for a reason.

itstwins · 10/01/2010 22:38

It's popular but totally lovely so why not use it?

Lily is one of our choices for a girl but I love it too much to care about popularity.

MummyTumble · 11/01/2010 12:17

DD's name is in the top 3, there are none in her class and i have only met one other. One of my best friends, however knows 5!

If you love it - go for it....she'll be your special Isabella It's popular for a reason, because it's a beautiful name. I think you'll regret picking something else just to be different.

ASAPWW · 11/01/2010 15:40

I think you should just choose the name you like and not worry about how popular it is. Otherwise you might always feel that you 'settled' for some other name.

skidoodle · 11/01/2010 15:49

To me it is very important to give a child a name of their own that they won't have to share with multiple children in their class. Having to differentiate yourself with a last initial or surname in everyday life is not something I would choose for someone else.

Obviously plenty of people don't mind but I avoided isobel and variations for this reason even though I think they are lovely.

piscesmoon · 11/01/2010 15:52

If you like it then I wouldn't worry about it being popular. People can think they are being original and still have another in the class.

MummyTumble · 11/01/2010 16:22

You'll find there are regional variations in popularity too.

On the ONS wensite they showed top 10 for different regions in the UK.

Your chosen name might be popular where you are now, but doesn't mean your DD will end up working or socialising with lots with the same name when she's older....

Hollyoaks · 11/01/2010 16:29

Dizzy - totally agree, it really depends on where you live. My dd is an Isabella and don't know of any others around here. However, that wouldn't matter as dh and I absolutely love it and nothing else came close. Makes it really hard to think of a name equally beautiful for dc2 due in May.

SK - now I know your name if your having a girl, obviously think its a gorgeous choice.

sweetkitty · 11/01/2010 17:14

hollyoaks it's just at the maybe stage sshh don't tell as I have a RL friend on our thread lol

DD1's name is very popular there were 4 at her toddler group at one point, now she has gone to school there are none in her class and I think only one other one in the school.

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