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Original poster

Underused Names

64 replies

HalcyonDaze · 15/02/2010 12:54

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.

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Rollmopse · 16/02/2010 17:28

Titus.

SqueezyB · 16/02/2010 17:39

JoeyBettany, I have an almost-2 year old Polly, I've always loved the name and was surprised but secretly pleased that it isn't more popular. Maybe the Polly parrot connection puts people off?

I've always had a positive reaction - usually once I've corrected people for thinking I've said Poppy or Holly!

kiwichika · 16/02/2010 19:15

My DD is called Annabel known as Annie we also considerd Jullianna, Lara and Adelade. All uncomon but i think beautifull.

I think Polly is a realy pretty name.

For boys i love Sebastian, and Lenard(Lenny) Im surprised Sebastian is not more popular as i think its a lovely name and always get a positive reaction when introducing ds aged 3mths to people.

mummyjackson · 16/02/2010 19:50

See I would say that Annabel/Annabelle/Anabell is overused not underused! Know of loads of them. If you add all the spellings it will be top 50 - agree with PP!

kiwichika · 16/02/2010 23:05

Actualy Annabel does not even appear in the top 100, using any of the spelling variations.

seeker · 16/02/2010 23:13

And it's important to remember that even with the most popular names, there are so many babies born that you don't meet many of them unless you are really unlucky. For example, in my ds's school of 420 children, there are only 3 Emilys. It's a bit unfortunate that they are all in the same class, but hey ho!

My dd is Grace - very unusual 14 years ago, popular now, but we don't know any others - apart from the other one in her form. Hey ho again!

mummyjackson · 16/02/2010 23:13

But if you ADD them together it does..

janeite · 16/02/2010 23:16

I think Sebastian is likely to become more popular - it is a good name.

Juliet is indeed lovely.

I think Philip and Christopher are quite under-used as boys' names.

Ruth, Naomi are two under-used girls' names.

A name I love and you NEVER hear is Yolande.

mummyjackson · 16/02/2010 23:19

Annabel/lle/Anabell is at number 68.

onebadbaby · 16/02/2010 23:20

My dd is Lydia- thought it would get more popular, but last time I checked it wasn't even in the top 100 anymore- I am glad though (smile)

GoddessInTheKitchen · 16/02/2010 23:29

someone mentioned jezebel... i love the name but my mum would never forgive me i also really love lolita but it makes people think of unappropriate relationships with children... i would use both if i had the guts

MaggieMaeve · 17/02/2010 00:02

Jezebel was a prostitute in the bible, n'est pas???? could be wrong. But steer clear!

Juliet is gorgeous. Ignore your MUM. That is an order!! My mum talked me out of Phoebe and I still sometimes feel cross about it. My x and I both liked that name, and my Mum hated it. I was trying to please everybody.

Lydia is lovely too, and it hasn't moved much in the last ten years. That's a good sign imo. It's been in the lower half of the top 100 for ages. Names which leap up ten places every year are the ones that sound a bit exhausted in a decade.

seeker · 17/02/2010 00:02

It's not you that needs the guts - it's the child who has to live with the name of a biblical harlot and a paedophile's victim!

bibbitybobbityhat · 17/02/2010 00:19

I like

Suzannah
Rosanna
Louisa
Araminta

darcymum · 17/02/2010 09:54

My MIL made a good point about Jezebel. She said the child might grow up and be very shy and be mortified by such a name, or love it and try to live up to it.

I still like it, maybe I should change my name to it?

TakeLovingChances · 17/02/2010 11:10

MaggieMaeve thanks for the advice re ignoring what my mum said about the name Juliet! She talked me out of using the name Nathaniel for any potential DS, so she can't have everything her own way!

houseworkhater · 17/02/2010 12:18

I always thought Diana would be more popular.
David too.

101damnations · 17/02/2010 14:16

Estelle is a name you never hear anywhere.I think it is quite pretty.

DorotheaPlenticlew · 17/02/2010 14:22

Esther. Not sure I'd use it myself (no real reason, just not my fave) but it's a good name and I am surprised it seems to be so rare.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 17/02/2010 15:36

OneBadBaby - How old is your Lydia and what NNs have come about?

OtterInaSkoda · 17/02/2010 16:17

Janeite - Yolanda is in my top 5.

You don't seem to get many Mirandas, either. I know one, that's it.

MaggieMaeve · 17/02/2010 16:22

I can see Diana becoming more popular in the next ten years. Her death is still relatively recently and most women who are having children remember it, and her. In another ten years, the name will seem more usable, to people who were children when she died. I can see a lot of grandparents wincing at that name choice though. It's not dreadful though! I'm surprised more people haven't been brave enough. Perhaps it's not just Diana, but the fact that it starts with DIE

foxytocin · 17/02/2010 17:26

"Yolanda is in my top 5."

You called?

pranma · 17/02/2010 17:33

I love Dorothy and know one baby one with a sister Florence and a brother Toby

theminniebobble · 17/02/2010 17:41

I LOVE the name Sebastian. But DH really didn't like it so it was a no. Am still gutted.

My friend has just called her baby Annabel. It's a lovely name- I haven't heard one negative reaction to it yet.

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