Underused Names

[HalcyonDaze]

What names would you expect to be more popular than they actually are? For example, I think Juliet is very pretty but was quite shocked when I saw it's rating in the official stats.

I am shocked that Gwendolen is not more popular, only a couple born in 08 and it such a lovely name. I also thought Iris would come back in a big way, but it hasn't as much as I thought it would - mine is nearly 9 and we have only met one other.
Also Coral, Margaret, Elspeth and Polly.
I don't like Esme, but I am surprised it is not higher as I cant move for them here!

I know 3 Esmes born recently so maybe it's on the rise!

I agree with Polly. Molly is well used, so why not Polly?

Annabel!

Beautiful name and we are falling over Isabelles so why not Annabel?

Juliet
Emma

Annabel is like something on the top of the Christmas tree, sorry. Annabel/Tinkerbell/Ring my bell.

Gwendolen is the whiney one from Mallory Towers.

Coral is a betting shop innit?

Julia/Anna/Clara/Lydia all nice.

I'm having a girl and love the name Annabel but my name is Arabella and they sound too alike. What does everyone else think?

Jezebel.

Lovely, but anyone dared use it?

Yes, I've wondered that. Why is Isabel so popular but Annabel fairly uncommon still? I also prefer Polly to Molly and it's not just because those names are less popular.

Juliet is lovely, but mgiht be on a slight upward climb imo. It keeps cropping up on MN lately.

In old lady names, I can't understand why Mabel isn't more popular than it is. May is popular. Bel names are popular.....

I like Sophie, but I wonder why a few more of those Sophies aren't Sadies, Susies and Sylvies.

Why aren't a few more of the Graces 'Joys'?

Why aren't a few more of the hannahs called Rachel!?

NOT that it matters!

Arabellanadbaby, I wouldn't tbh. Anneliese?? perhaps. I don't like that so much mind you. BUT Annabel Hesseltine called her baby Isabel. and I remember thinking, hmm, odd (when I read it in the DM, lol). My cousin is a Natasha and called her baby Sasha! We all kind of gently raised an eyebrow. Nothing tooo mocking though, honest!

Where is Juliet in the stats? That is a name I really wish I'd thought of!!

Annabel seems (to me) plainer than Isabel.

Hazel is beautiful. I thought that would be a lot more popular by now.

MaggieMaeve, thanks for your opinion. A few friends have also advised me to steer clear of Annabel as it could easily be shortened to Bel/Belle which friends and family already sometimes call me (though I'm more commonly known as Bella). I think the general consensus appears to be to leave it well alone. Good to get an impartial opion on here though. Never considered Anneliese before, it's quite rare, isn't it? Hazel is nice too.

I know, some people are afraid of an honest opinion! but I think it's invaluable. You can hear 'that's lovely dear' from your neighbour/friend/colleague....

A girl I know called her son William Byrne and I just gulped and said NOTHING about the fact that he will be nick named Willy Burn when he's about 13... it'd be naive to believe otherwise, but I was not going to be the ONE to make her face up to that!!!

Always suprised Sadie, Zoe and Maria aren't more popular -generational, I'm sure, but it's odd how Lucy and Sophie grew in popularity over the last 30 years when other pretty names sank.

Agree re Juliet, gorgeous and under-used (so long as the nn's not Julie, which does seem dated to me! Jules, I like, as an informal nn).

With a son potentially nicknamed Willy Burn, perhaps your friend may thank you if you warned her now rather than later when it's all set in stone on the birth certificate! Poor child!

My friend recently called her newborn boy Gabriel Alistair Stockton. His initials would make him a mockery if someone in the class breaks wind... and it needn't even be him. For the sake of making fun of someone, kids can be cruel!

I called my baby Polly and I'm always surprised the name doesn't get a more positive reaction when I introduce her .

Most frequently a 'hmmm' accompanied by a deliberately bland/trying to hide real feelings expression!

Arabella I would go for Annabel in a flash. You could call her Anna for short, people worry too much about this sort of thing IMO and it can be limiting. If you love it, I say go for it.

Juliet - for sure underused.
Susannah
Joanna
Julia
Louisa
Ruth
Anabela

Hmm, lots I can't think of at the moment.

Agree re Juliet. We considered it strongly. It's beautiful and classic.

Arabella, I mentioned it once when she was pregnant, the only time she even hinted that a bit of feedback might be not totally UNwelcome!! She said that she and her husband had thought about Willy Burn from William Byrne and "decided it wouldn't be a problem".. riiiiight, if you say not!

JoeyBettany, Polly is gorgeous... you're ahead of the fashion curve that's all!

I have a friend (female) called Sharlen - a name I never hear of from one year to the next but it's lovely and very unusual.

I have an Anabelle and think it's just about right in the popularity stakes. If you add all the variations of spelling I think it'd easily be top 50. We planned on calling ours Belle, but she's very much an Ana.

As for underused names, I'm voting Edgar. It's such a fabulous name. My boy gets loads of positive reactions for it! It's strong, manly and has soft nicknames. He goes by Ed, Eddie, Fred... endless.

Saying that, I don't really WANT it to rise in popularity.

Names associated with the 60s/70s are probably the most underused as people think they are more common than they are.
eg
Ann/e
Clarissa
Dawn
Deborah
Elaine
Jean
Karen
Margot
Patsy
Rhonda
Sally
Vivien
Wendy

Some names have been 'replaced' with more modern versions eg

Alison (Alicia)
Lorraine + Lorna (Lauren)
Yvonne + Yvette (Zoe/Zara)

Some names are too assciated with one person
eg
Diana,

Some have awkward connotations:
Dolores
Jemima
Marina

Boys names which are rarer than I thought:
Malcolm
Alan
Otis
Robin
Roy

Glad to hear people on this thread championing the name Juliet. I'm due PFB in 2 weeks time, if it's a girl then she will be called Juliet.

My mum almost died off when I told her that was the name me and DH had chosen and every time the child is mentioned she tells me that she doesn't like that name

It is a lovely name, glad you are all on my side

I agree on Maria, I know a 2 year old Maria and when I first met her I thought "what a refreshing name"

Best friends little one is Zoe and haven't seen that around much.

I quite like Esther myself.

JoeyBettany - Polly is geogeous! One of my absolute faves.

Christina isn't used much is it? Pretty name