3 children with the same name reception class - would you be annoyed?

[Twozealotmorethan1]

My son is due to start reception in September. It's a large school with a 3 class intake per year. We got class lists through this week and I was surprised to see that there girls with the same name have been put in the same class rather than spread between the three. They are the only three girls in the year with that name and the name is relatively common around here, but not overly so (for what difference that makes). For the purposes of this post, let's say they are called Sophie. Aside from not making it easy for the class teacher of that class, I think it's quite unfair on the girls, especially as in this school, unlike some others I've heard about, the classes stay unchanged throughout the primary school and so these children will be together until age 11 at least.
I can't help think that it's inevitable that the girls will become known as Sophie P / Sophie E etc according to their surnames and may even be more likely to attract unkind nicknames as they get older e.g. 'Big' Sophie, 'Fat' Sophie etc.
I realise it's not always possible to avoid having more than one child with the same first name in a class and I know various factors are taken into account when setting class groups but I can't help think that in a school with three class entry this could have easily been avoided? I would be a bit irritated if I was one of their parents. I have a younger child who will go to the school too in due course and am tempted to feed back to the school politely that I don't think this approach is helpful. What do you think?

If you are going to give your child a popular name then you know this is a likely outcome, so I doubt the parents will care.

This literally has nothing to do with you, if the girls' parents have a problem they'll take it up with the school.
Butt out, you'll make a complete arse of yourself otherwise.

My DD was one of 4 'Janes' in her class and one of six in her year.

I once had two Tom Jones in one class. That was tricky.

My experience is the children involved usually love it, and I'd say a good amount of the time end up best friends.

Who's to say there aren't another six Sophies spread between the other two classes?
Even if there aren't, this really is a non issue.

My 6yo is one of three in his class. Say Peregrine. So they're Peregrine B, Peregrine H and Peregrine S. They LOVE it. They call themselves the Peregrine Club and are rarely if ever confused.

Class lists are hugely complicated and separating children with the same name is a very low priority compared with other factors.

Ive have two children with popular names go thro school with others in the same class with the same name. It comes zero on the list of school concerns.

Dd2 had FIVE jacks, in her class at Primary.

They are now all 23 and seemed not to have suffered

So none of these Sophies is in fact your DD?

If you are going to give your child a popular name then you know this is a likely outcome

This!

I have never not been one of at least 2 and usually more in any setting all my life. Not an issue, and can create instant camaraderie.

Don't worry OP, once your child starts school you will have actual concerns to occupy yourself with -like how many shirts and jumpers to buy or what to put in their lunchbox-.

Annoyed? Perhaps at myself for chosing a top 10 name, so it was bound to happen... always been like it. Same when I was a child. Hands up the 70s kids who didn't go to school with at least two Lisas, Sarahs and Claires. (Make it Lauras, Emmas and Rebeccas for the 80s kids)

Ha ha I thought that Leanne, I think the mention of "son" was a red herring.

I have a very common name for my age, half the girls were called this or had it as their middle name. My best friend had the same name. I was adamant I didn't want this for my children so chose less popular names. However DC2 has another child in class with the same name and if doesn't bother me at all. There are 5 pairs with the same name out of 30. It's honestly a nonissue

Er no, doesn't bother me in the slightest. My DS is one of 3 with his name in his class and they all enjoy it. They all have their own nicknames for each other and play as a football team perfectly well using those!

I think we have four or five names duplicated through DS' reception year. It's not uncommon. Ds just calls them by their full names.

Thanks for the replies, especially the reasonable ones

Interesting to know what does get taken into account when setting classes and also to hear from those who have not been bothered or affected by a similar situation.

Poor teachers with the same names with different spellings! At least these are all spelled the same way.

Llangennith thanks... ( I've obviously hit a nerve with TheFaerieQueene especially. They must be new to Mumsnet and unfamiliar with the real banality and pettyness of some things people post about and also unfamiliar with the 'scroll past unimportant things that annoy you' approach that many in here take... Head on over to AIBU Faerie. You'll like it there!)

I'm a bit confused as to why a few people are saying this is none of my business. It's my son's school! Are parents and carers no longer allowed to give feedback on school policies? Or are only these three sets of parents allowed to have a view on this scenario? And if they did complain should they expect to be told that it's not an issue as it only affects three of them and all the other parents are happy / silent on it? I know for a fact that the mums of two of them are bothered (to varying degrees) by this, particularly as in this school it's not a case of it being just a single class per year.

Rest assured, I won't lose sleep over it. Just wanted to hear what others thought, as you do on these forum things.

I'm now pondering the poster who mentioned the class of nine with over half having the same name...
Be grateful for small mercies I guess!

The kids won't care. Honestly.

NC4 as my OP said, there are no other 'Sophies' in the year. We all get given the class lists for the full year.

2 class intake per year here. 5 girls with the name Sophia. 2 in one class, 3 in the other.

You are joking aren't you?

am tempted to feed back to the school politely that I don't think this approach is helpful.

As an HT I'd be tempted to reply that you don't have a clue what you're talking about. 🙄 Jesus, you're another one of THOSE parents aren't you? Do you really think HT's spend time splitting classes by forenames? FFS.

Oh one of them is Sofia.

I think you are the one who must be new.

I had no idea that HTs (head teachers?) did the class lists? Thought it would be below their pay grade. (There are two feeder nurseries that most attending the school come through btw).