My husband and I have been going over names for our baby girl for months and most conversations end with me frustrated and in tears. We currently have 4 boys ([name_m]Wyatt[/name_m], [name_u]Sterling[/name_u], [name_m]Briggs[/name_m], Townsend) and are having our first girl… she is long awaited and we are so excited.
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] has been our favorite name since before our first was born. I’m a huge fan of classic literature and we have both always loved it, but now it is so popular. As you can see by our boys’ names we like to avoid popular names. We have poured over so many options and I find myself drawn to unisex names stylistically (which I don’t love the idea of with 1 girl among 4 brothers) or classic names, which are also pretty popular. My current argument is if we are going to pick ANY top 100 name then it will be [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f].
My question is, could you use it? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you really know that many little girls named [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]? I personally know 4, none local, which is not too many. We are a military family and move frequently so we may live all over the country or world. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you actually know lots of Charlottes in real life? My only hope is [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] is not trendy like [name_u]Harper[/name_u] or [name_f]Zoe[/name_f]… it is still a classic name.
Sorry you’re going through this. I know 2 Charlottes. One is in her 50s and the other is 3. Like you said, it’s a classic. Not trendy at all. Royals don’t use trendy names, they choose timeless ones which is why the princess now has that name.
From what I understand, the statistics are a bit different than they were a few decades ago. You might run into other Charlottes, but it won’t be as bad as we remember it being when we we’re growing up with multiple names in the same classroom, etc.
To answer your question, I personally could not use a name from the top 10. That being said, if I had to choose one it would be [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]. I also do sympathize with what you’re going through. My favorite name is growing in popularity and is currently sitting at the bottom of the top 100. If I get pregnant this year, I will probably use it anyway and hope for the best.
In case you can’t bring yourself to use Charlotte, I’ve listed a few other options. [name_f]Hope[/name_f] this helps.
Literary/Classic names:
[name_f]Anna[/name_f]
[name_f]Alice[/name_f]
[name_f]Bianca[/name_f]
[name_f]Catherine[/name_f]
[name_f]Cordelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Cressida[/name_f]
[name_f]Matilda[/name_f]
[name_f]Jane[/name_f]
[name_f]Edith[/name_f]
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]
[name_u]Eloise[/name_u]
[name_f]Victoria[/name_f]
[name_f]Josephine[/name_f]
[name_f]Estelle[/name_f]/[name_f]Estella[/name_f] (I actually love this in comparison with [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]. They have the same vibe.)
[name_f]Lydia[/name_f]
[name_f]Louisa[/name_f]
[name_f]Juliet[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosalind[/name_f]/[name_f]Rosalyn[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f]
[name_f]Cecelia[/name_f]/[name_f]Cecily[/name_f]
unisex/more literary:
[name_u]Austen[/name_u] (play on [name_f]Jane[/name_f])
[name_u]Sawyer[/name_u]
[name_m]Elwyn[/name_m] (author of charlotte’s web)
[name_f]Zora[/name_f]
[name_u]Blake[/name_u]
[name_m]Tennyson[/name_m]
[name_f]Frances[/name_f]
[name_u]August[/name_u]/a
[name_u]Winslow[/name_u] (nn [name_f]Winnie[/name_f])
I do not find it trendy at all. But no I would not use a name that popular. I grew up with a very popular name and have always hated it. I know 3 little [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]'s, which really isn’t that many. But we are also a military family and I’d be worried about moving somewhere that it was really popular. Good luck!
Ok, I have a couple of things to say in response to your question.
Usually, I hate super popular names, but for me this is one of those names where popularity doesn’t bother me as much as association. The immediate connection made with this name (among many people I know) is ‘[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] the Harlot’. Shocking I know, but that would put me off way more than the popularity of the name. It may not have this connotation where you are, but it’s the first thing I think of when I hear the name now, so it will always be a no-go for me.
I really don’t think [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] fits in with your sons names. [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] is classic and regal, and to me it just doesn’t flow with your other choices, although I realise that is one of the things you are struggling with in regards to your love of the name.
Yes, I know LOADS of girls with this name. It seems every time a new baby girl is born, her name is [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] or some variant of Arlia ([name_f]Aliyah[/name_f]/[name_f]Aalia[/name_f]/Arleah etc). So to me, it sounds tired and unimaginative now, and since you mentioned you don’t particularly like popular names it might be worth considering. [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] was on the rise even before the birth of the royal baby, and now it has increased in popularity. Would your little girl go to school and be in a class with 4 other little Charlottes?
However, I wouldn’t use a name that is currently in the Top 10. Maybe Top 50… but not Top 10. On the other hand, I wouldn’t discourage you from using it. If you really love it… use it! None of the current Top 10 really speak to me, even though some of them are lovely.
I love the name [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] despite its “popularity”. Like the other person said, I don’t know any Charlottes either. However, I do not like it when someone uses the nickname “[name_f]Charlee[/name_f]/[name_u]Charlie[/name_u]” for a [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]! That drives me crazy!
Thank you all. Most of you are saying the exact same thoughts we are having. My husband said 2 nights ago “Let’s just name her [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] and be done with it”. But I am still hesitating. We would NEVER call her [name_u]Charlie[/name_u], as I hate that and it is the first question I get when we mention considering it.
We live in and are from the Southern US. I doubt most kids even know the word Harlot lol. But the popularity bothers me way more. I only know 1 [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] my older boys age (5&6) but worry that the most are yet to come. I am a [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]. I hate my name for the very reason that I was [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] S. my entire childhood and still encounter other Sarahs frequently.
I also agree it doesn’t fit my natural “style”. Our short list beyond [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] has been
[name_f]Bronwen[/name_f]
[name_f]Scarlett[/name_f], [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] (all of which are far more popular than [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] in our circles)
Carrington
Caraway
[name_m]Kensington[/name_m]
[name_u]Remington[/name_u]
and the list goes on
I have so many naming rules that make it hard too… I don’t really want to repeat an initial (though I would consider it if the sound was distinct), I won’t use any M’s because of our last name, I won’t use an ie/y ending names because of our last name. If I use a surname, which is my natural style, (of my friends babies’ names the ones I love the most are [name_u]Emerson[/name_u], [name_u]Collins[/name_u], [name_u]Camden[/name_u] [name_u]Reese[/name_u], [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u], [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] [name_m]Hayes[/name_m], etc) than it has to have a feminine flare through a middle name, etc.
I am just struggling. I want her to have a name so we can start to call her by that name. I don’t want her to be “just another [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]”.
Thank you! [name_f]Rosalyn[/name_f] has been my husband’s first pick for the last week but I don’t know if I love it. Like it? Yes, but maybe not enough for my only daughter. I like several other names from your list as well and we have mentioned all of them. I think [name_m]Tennyson[/name_m] is cute, we considered it for one of our boys. I can’t use another long T after Townsend our youngest. I have friends with [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u], [name_u]August[/name_u], [name_f]Josephine[/name_f], [name_f]Juliet[/name_f], [name_f]Alice[/name_f], [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] (my niece), [name_f]Catherine[/name_f]. Where we live in the preppy south unique names for girls are very hard (though much easier for boys).
And I am worried about the danger of choosing [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] because we “don’t actually know that many” compared to Emmas, Avas, Sophias, Isabellas, Harpers, etc.
I wonder if all those [name_u]Aiden[/name_u] moms “didn’t know one” when they chose that name?? And now it is often hated simply because of its overuse.
[name_m]Wyatt[/name_m] is already a sore spot for me. We chose it from a family surname having never met another in 2007. Now I hear it frequently enough… at the park, gym, 4-5 FB friends. I HATE that his name is popular. Our other names are barely or not at all in the top 1000 and we have once or twice “heard” of another but never actually met another. [name_u]Sterling[/name_u]'s middle name is [name_m]Asher[/name_m] and we do hear that occasionally.
I don’t know anyone named [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]. I’m sorry that you’re having a hard time with this. But in the end, I think you’ll be happiest if you choose a name you love regardless of its popularity.
Absolutely use [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] because you love it.
Popular names now are NOT as mega popular as the popular names were of 20yrs ago because there are More names being used today. So even the popular ones, you’re not going to find an extreme amount like years ago.
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] is Beautiful. Timeless. Elegant. Everything you want for your little girl in a sea of brothers.
As far as it going with the brothers names. It doesnt have to. Boys and girls in the same family can be completely different. Because boys and girls are different.
Congrats on your little girl!!
I think you can still use [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] even though it’s popular because it is a classic and not just what is on trend in the moment. It has always ranked relatively high.
Also, While I totally understand the desire to pick a name that isn’t extremely popular (that’s my preference as well), when I find myself liking a popular name I remind myself that my name was #4 the year I was born and though I’ve run into a few other people with the name as well it has never caused me any problems. If [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] is what you love than go for it.
You both are making great points and something we’ve considered. There will be significantly less Charlottes than there were Sarahs, Emilys, Jennifers, Amandas, etc of my generation.
I also like the fact that [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] doesn’t have an alternate spelling, making it even less popular than the [name_f]Sophia[/name_f]/[name_f]Sofia[/name_f], [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]/[name_f]Isabella[/name_f]/[name_f]Isobel[/name_f], etc names that may actually be even more popular than their ranking implies.
My husband also says I know way to many people and that skews my perception lol.
I have a similar issue! [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] was a name in my family for several generations, and several strong women wore the name. I had planned on using it for a future daughter from the time I was a teenager, and now that I’m nearing 30 and kids are realistically on the horizon, it’s ridiculously popular. I could do a #50 name, but it’s on its way to the top spot. I mourn the fact that I will never have a daughter called [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], but if I do have a girl, it will absolutely be her middle name. I don’t need an obscure name, but I don’t want to knowingly put my kid at risk of being [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] M. all through school.
From your others, I love [name_u]Sutton[/name_u]. [name_f]Greer[/name_f] is nice, but not my style. With your boys, I would assume [name_u]Austen[/name_u] was a boy, and I just know way too many boys with the name for me to recommend it to someone who is popularity-averse. I think [name_u]Sutton[/name_u] has the same sounds as [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] with the S___tt__ sounds. [name_u]Sloane[/name_u] to me is kind of a mix of [name_f]Greer[/name_f] and [name_u]Sutton[/name_u].
Here are a few others that I think make a nice alternative to [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]. I’ve focused on the -tt syllable since I’m sure you’ve looked over plenty of classic, literary, and unisex lists.
[name_f]Alouette[/name_f]
[name_u]Barrett[/name_u] (perhaps a bit masculine?)
[name_f]Cara[/name_f] - not an -tt name but I think it works
[name_f]Carlotta[/name_f] - a less popular version
[name_f]Colette[/name_f], [name_f]Cosette[/name_f] - ditto [name_u]Sutton[/name_u], and I love the nn [name_f]Coco[/name_f]
[name_f]Hattie[/name_f] or [name_f]Harriet[/name_f]
[name_f]Juliette[/name_f]
[name_f]Liselotte[/name_f] - there’s something very charming about this one
[name_f]Lisette[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucette[/name_f] - has a very similar sound but is virtually unused, and [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] makes a nice nn
[name_f]Marietta[/name_f]
[name_u]Merritt[/name_u] - I think this fits well with the unisex, surname vibe you have going on with some of your choices; [name_f]Meri[/name_f] is an adorable nn
[name_f]Odette[/name_f] - very popular among Berries!
[name_f]Rosette[/name_f] - old world spin on [name_f]Rosalyn[/name_f] et al
The only Charlottes I know are a woman in her late 50s or early 60s and [name_m]William[/name_m] and [name_f]Kate[/name_f]'s baby. I’d use [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] without thinking twice, I didn’t even realize how popular it was. Its on our middle name list
I also don’t know any Charlottes personally! I have met a couple in passing (surprisingly, most were adults! I did meet a nine-year-old that was a [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], though, in passing, at work, and she was pretty adorable!), but I don’t have a personal relationship with any. It’s a huge favorite of mine, and though, yes, I have been worried about the fact that it is now a top 10 name, I would still use it. I adore it, and the nn [name_f]Lottie[/name_f], and I think [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] is perfect with your boys! All girly and timeless and strong enough to stand up to all of those boys, but feminine enough to not blend in with them. I think it’s great. Maybe an unexpected nn, like [name_f]Lotte[/name_f]/[name_f]Lottie[/name_f] or [name_f]Lola[/name_f], might help make it seem more distinctive? If it were me, I would definitely go for it, but I also have [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] on my list, and many other fairly popular names. I love the ties to [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] [name_f]Bronte[/name_f] and [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_u]Austen[/name_u], and I also love that it’s the feminine variant of one of my mom’s favorite boys’ names ever–[name_m]Charles[/name_m]!
I don’t personally know any Charlottes, and I would not let popularity stop me from using my absolute favorite name. That being said, if you can’t get over the popularity, then why not use [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] as the middle name with one of the surname-y choices that seem more your style? I’m not sure if [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] really goes well with [name_f]Greer[/name_f] and [name_u]Austen[/name_u], but [name_u]Sutton[/name_u] [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] is kinda cute with the alliteration and repeating “t” sounds. Or maybe [name_u]Adair[/name_u] [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_u]Piper[/name_u] [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_u]Campbell[/name_u] [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_u]Cameron[/name_u] [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_u]Quinn[/name_u] [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_u]Reagan[/name_u] [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_u]Linden[/name_u] [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]? (I think a three-syllable first name sounds best with [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], but most of the names I can think of end with the -ee sound you’re trying to avoid.)
Well, I went to school with many people called [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]! So, that makes it pretty popular where I live. However, [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] has never really been my sort. It’s not a name I’m particularly fond of either. And [name_m]William[/name_m] and [name_f]Kate[/name_f] have just named their daughter [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f].
I love the name [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]. This has long been my favorite name, but I must admit that the popularity has really started to irk me. I was on another board and there was a topic called “List the names of the last five newborn baby girls you know” and of fifty-six answers almost every single person (within the five names they listed) had [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] as a baby they know. That, to me, makes the name feel way, way too popular.
I love [name_u]Sloane[/name_u] (and have for years) but hubby says no. I like [name_u]Linden[/name_u] and [name_u]Campbell[/name_u]. I agree [name_u]Austen[/name_u] is too masculine and why we wouldn’t use it. I know a little girl named [name_u]Austen[/name_u] [name_f]Grace[/name_f] (her mother is an English teacher) and I have always thought it was precious, but they only have 2 kids.
Maybe [name_u]Sutton[/name_u] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] would be a better fit for us. She would most likely go by both names. I think if we chose [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] I would need a surnamey middle. Our front runners are [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] [name_u]Gray[/name_u] or [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] [name_m]Barnes[/name_m] (my grandmothers maiden name).
I wish I could choose a popular name without it bothering me (as I know many do) and I wish my favorite name wasn’t so popular.
I have met a couple in passing (surprisingly, most were adults! I did meet a nine-year-old that was a [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], though, in passing, at work, and she was pretty adorable!), but I don’t have a personal relationship with any. It’s a huge favorite of mine, and though, yes, I have been worried about the fact that it is now a top 10 name, I would still use it. I adore it, and the nn [name_f]Lottie[/name_f], and I think [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] is perfect with your boys! All girly and timeless and strong enough to stand up to all of those boys, but feminine enough to not blend in with them. I think it’s great. Maybe an unexpected nn, like [name_f]Lotte[/name_f]/[name_f]Lottie[/name_f] or [name_f]Lola[/name_f], might help make it seem more distinctive? If it were me, I would