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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

Right - this thing about names being "too popular"...

75 replies

seeker · 07/06/2010 12:12

If you call your child a name that's, for example, the most popular name in the United Kingdom for the year (usually Jack and Chloe, isn't it?) what does that mean in terms of how many babies are actually called that name? Someone explained it to me once but I've forgetten.

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Tidey · 07/06/2010 15:55

Names that are either completely made up or that have mad spellings really don't make a child unique, they just look a bit daft most of the time. And like it or not, people will look at those names and assume the child is either that of a celebrity or a very poor/common/chavvy person, nasty as that may sound. Look at the Jaydon/Cayden thread.

My DC have names that are in the top twenty for each of their birth years, but I don't know anyone else with those names. Names get popular because they are good names, surely? No reason to dislike them just because they are popular.

Takver · 07/06/2010 15:57

Can't remember exactly, but I know that in my 'gang' of 9 or 10 of us there were 3 x Sharon and 2 x Tracey, and they certainly weren't the only ones in the year.

I think it didn't help that it was a bit of a 'pisstake' name at the time, whereas I have an immensely common name that doesn't place you in the same way because it has always been popular. Maybe it was just a midlands thing though?

Takver · 07/06/2010 16:00

I also remember one of my friends called Sharon being deeply embarrassed about having a boyfriend called Kevin - which now seems a completely harmless combination. I suppose that just says that even the most popular/ celebrity linked names just blend after a while. (I'm the Kevin Keegan generation as you might imagine )

Original poster

seeker · 07/06/2010 16:02

You're right, i think about Sharon and Tracy, they are a bit of a special case and they've become 'piss take" names. My sils are Margaret and Sharon, and my MIL says that people always assume that Sharon is the office manager and Margaret is the Head Teacher, when in fact it's the other way round.

OP posts:

fluffles · 07/06/2010 16:06

pretty much everybody i went to school with was called lindsey and everybody i went to university with called fiona.

but those names are not the most popular in the UK for those years, they just happened to be HUGELY popular in my area and school/uni demographic so i don't think that these tables are all that useful.

Adair · 07/06/2010 16:06

I was one of a gazillion 70s-name-that-isn't-Claire. Spent my childhood mostly known as 'little Sxxxx' as there was usually a bigger one than me. But that's not why I gave my kids unusual names. I don't really care if other people think it's pretentious or try-hard, we just happen to like them. I am always on here trying to BOOSt their popularity!!

Though I agree with you on not worrying if the names are popular. As I have said on several of those threads, my dd has a Very unusual name but we met another one the same age in the local park. Statistics don't always tell the whole story

MrsvWoolf · 07/06/2010 16:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bessie123 · 07/06/2010 16:10

In my class of 30 at school there were 7 boys called Oliver. That's nearly a quarter of the class with the same name.

MagalyZz · 07/06/2010 20:00

my son's name is about 408 (that's a guess, it was in that region) and there are three that I know of in my town.

That doesn't matter,but it's interesting (Imo!) that even with an unusual name this happens.

(all three are roughly his age too). There might be others. I haven't done a census.

MagalyZz · 07/06/2010 20:02

MrsWolf, I also went to school with a Tracey who had a sister sharon. I think it must have been quite common.

Ineedsomesleep · 07/06/2010 20:30

My name is common, in every sense of the word. There were 5 of us in my class and there are 4 of us at work. I think it was the most popular name for my year.

The name we chose for DS is quite popular but there is only one other in his entire school

I entirely agree that the tables can be deceiving. For instance I know tonnes of Evies, which was No 10 in 2008, but hardly know any Jessicas, No 5 or Sophies, No 7.

This competitive baby naming started in London and its more to do with showing off, like having the latest pushchair, right car and the right address . Most people up North just choose a name they like.

Takver · 07/06/2010 20:40

Like Ineedsomesleep I don't think it matters at all - like I say, I have a ridiculously common name, but I like it & have never felt that I'd rather be called something else.

atrixo · 07/06/2010 20:40

Ineedsomesleep, you've totally hit the nail on the head when you say in London it's like 'showing off, like having the latest pushchair'. Couldn't agree more! Everyone calls their kids Rufus, Wilfred and Clementine here!

Adair · 08/06/2010 07:59

Yes, I named my children as a status symbol.

FGs, why do you care what my kids are called or if I have the latest pushchair (I don't)? My choices are not made to impress YOU - jeez, how arrogant .

I think most people choose names they like. People have different taste. Perhaps in London, because we have a history of multiculturalism, we are not so scared that children will be judged if they are not called . I have never seen bullying for names here (am a teacher), stabbing for mobile phones maybe .

Call your child what you like but don't pretend that people are considering any other reason than YOU are (ie a nice name with maybe a good meaning they like).

Imarriedafrog · 08/06/2010 08:02

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Message withdrawn

Bucharest · 08/06/2010 08:12

I think the "unique" names matter much more than the "common/popular" ones.

Some names might be very popular, but they can still be classy, timeless and elegant. (and then you meet one in a Burberry pushchair and that theory goes out of the window....)

I'm slightly too old to have been part of the wave of people-with-my-name that happened about 5 yrs later. People are usually quite surprised to hear how very old I am because my name tells them I'm about 8 yrs younger. (or maybe it's my glowing complexion, perfect figure and no grey hairs)

TheChangeSpiral · 08/06/2010 10:32

Wow I think that was incredibly arrogant thing to say ineedsomesleep. How on earth can you presume to know why people in London make the choices they do?

It seems to me that the Northerners I know who've come down South are far more concerned with things like designer labels than any of my Southern friends - not that I care one way or another what choices people make or why they make them.

Frankly I'm fed up of people from the North and the Midlands thinking it's ok to be so rude about people from the South. I've never heard it the other way round and don't see why it's acceptable to you.

LuluF · 08/06/2010 10:56

I agree TheChangeSpiral about people from the North being rude about people from the South - I have direct personal experience of it.

I'm from East Anglia, and lived in Cambridge for many years, then Brighton, before moving to Sheffield for a while - and when I was working, I had my accent continually mocked and was asked to say things like, 'plaster', 'bath' , 'up' etc.

Can you imagine that happen to a Northerner down South? I can't.

Sorry - I know that's a deviation from the thread.

lidofabiro · 08/06/2010 11:12

It does happen the other way around too. I have witnessed a fair bit of prejudice from some southerners towards northerners.

LuluF · 08/06/2010 11:53

I can only speak of my experiences, lidofabiro.

Ineedsomesleep · 08/06/2010 12:29

I didn't say that all people in London try to chose a name that is unique, or that it is just confinded to London. I

If you read the baby name threads regularly there is definitely a section of posters who seem more interested in having a name that is unique, rather than choosing one that has a family or cultural meaning to them.

TheChangeSpiral · 08/06/2010 12:29

It's unacceptable either way round. I just know that amongst the people I know from the South all of us would be horrified if someone made a prejudiced comment about a Northerner and we'd say so.

And yes sorry for hijacking the thread slightly ... as you were!

Ineedsomesleep · 08/06/2010 12:33

Think you are missing the point slightly, it wasn't a dig at Londoners or southerners, I said it is a trend that started in London. I didn't say that only Londoners do it or that all Londoners do it.

You must admit that some people seem to care more about what other people think than others, in every aspect of their lives, including naming their baby.

Imarriedafrog · 08/06/2010 12:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

mrsgordonfreeman · 08/06/2010 12:37

When we were thinking of names we had the popularity factor in mind, if only because we did not want dd to be one of 6 Emilys in her class. We also gave some consideration to the idea that an unusual name is a slight advantage at school, when applying for universities or jobs, because it will stand out a little.

I found that the name I'd chosen for dd is right at the bottom for the 2008 names, which is what we were going for: unusual, but not weird.

We named her after an astronaut.

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