Do you prefer more traditional names or something unique?

I think it’s safe to say from my list I prefer names that out out there. I think it comes from being given such a name as [name_u]Navy[/name_u] myself I can’t see me naming my child something like [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] or [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f].

I will always choose something unique over something traditional. I love your name, Btw! I love the sound of [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], but would always choose something like [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] or [name_f]Liza[/name_f] instead. I consider my name so boring, and there was always another [name_f]Stephanie[/name_f], so I always gravitate toward names that are unique.

I think I fall somewhere in the middle. While I did feel at times that my name ([name_f]Rachel[/name_f]) was a bit boring and wished I could have a more individual name, I do appreciate it’s good points. I had a friend at school named [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] whose name was forever being misspelled, mispronounced or mixed up with other names and I’m glad I never had any of those issues with my own name.
Therefore I tend to go for names that are fairly traditional or familiar but are not really popular. Names like - [name_f]Clara[/name_f], [name_f]Serena[/name_f], [name_f]Helena[/name_f], [name_u]Theo[/name_u] and [name_m]Dominic[/name_m].

I feel that neither traditional or unique are ‘bad’ but I tend to look for a ‘sturdy’ sounding name, with a little something interesting. Nothing too unusual that it would make people question, really… but not something where they’ll have to go by their first name and last initial either. (as an [name_f]Amanda[/name_f] born in the 1980s there were at least 3 of us in my classes throughout school so we all went by nicknames or [name_f]Amanda[/name_f] S, etc.)

I like names that people have maybe heard of but not often. Things like [name_f]Leona[/name_f], [name_f]Flora[/name_f], [name_f]Mabel[/name_f], [name_u]Vivian[/name_u], or [name_f]Zelda[/name_f] for girls and [name_u]August[/name_u] or [name_m]Barnaby[/name_m] for boys. I guess I’d say unique because traditional names like [name_m]John[/name_m], [name_f]Mary[/name_f], [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], or [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] have absolutely zero appeal to me. I can appreciate their history and, well, tradition but I wouldn’t use them for my child - I was one of 5 “Katelyns” in my graduating class of 150 (not all spelled the same) and that’s not even a classic name.

I love unique/ rarely heard of names, but particularly for boys I also like little heard of, traditional names, like [name_m]Edmund[/name_m], [name_m]Isidore[/name_m] (instead of [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]), [name_m]Julian[/name_m] and [name_m]Cyril[/name_m]- I mostly prefer these for mns though. There are some more popular names like [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] nn [name_m]Xander[/name_m] and [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], that I like, but the popularity really puts me off; part of the reason I’m a bit dubious about [name_u]Phoenix[/name_u] now.

I like uncommon traditional names, I guess you could say. I think all the names on my list are familiar and may have been considered popular or classic in a different place or time, but are now used infrequently.

I like a good mix of out there, traditional but uncommon today, and classic – everything from [name_u]Hero[/name_u] to [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] to [name_f]Clara[/name_f]! I dislike trendy names for the most part and will probably veer away from top 100 names when I become a mother and top names from the 80s bore me because as an 80s child I’ve heard them so much growing up they aren’t appealing (can’t even count the number of Brittanys, Michaels, Ashleys, Sarahs, and Jessicas I know).

[name_m]Amen[/name_m] to that. I was kind of glad I wasn’t like a [name_f]Jessica[/name_f] S. or a [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] V. I never had to have my last name initial tacked on because I was the only one in my class with that name. BTW I love [name_m]Doctor[/name_m] Who and you just reminded me how much I love the name [name_m]Oswin[/name_m].

Really unique names and really popular names both have perks and drawbacks, but I find that my naming style is somewhere in the middle. For example, my favorites right now include [name_f]Anneliese[/name_f], [name_f]Jessamine[/name_f], [name_m]Matthias[/name_m] and [name_m]Thaddeus[/name_m]. If I ever have children, I probably wouldn’t give them a top 10 or 20 name, but I wouldn’t want them to have something outlandish.

For me, the most important thing in a name is not whether it’s unique or traditional (that’s very subjective - every person has their own definition of the term). What is of greater significance is whether the name has depth and a long history behind it. It just so happens that most traditional names fall into my criteria. At the same time, more uncommon names can be included too. I think people are so hung-up on the term “unique” that the child almost gets lost in the naming process. We must always remember that we’re naming a real person who has to live with the name we give him or her. I like to think that the individual is unique, not the name itself.

My taste tends to skew toward the very unique. I feel like there are lots of awesome obscure names out there that rarely get used, so I may as well use one and give it some exposure.

I had no idea your real name was [name_u]Navy[/name_u]! [name_m]How[/name_m] cool :slight_smile:

I don’t know… I like to think that my list is uncommon, or at least I know I definitely appreciate and love some very uncommon names but I think when it comes down to it my taste is quite trendy. Not popular, but the majority of my favourites list is within #500 on the UK charts. They just unintentionally follow trends (I think it’s sort of fascinating when single names make massive jumps in popularity in just a year… like loads of parents love an unusual name the same name at the same time, without confering, without pop-culture input, they all use it).

I’ve never understood the appeal for [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] except for it’s cute nicknames.

Depending on where you live, mine are ‘out there’. In the US, however, [name_f]Betsy[/name_f], [name_f]Edie[/name_f] and [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] aren’t common, but in the UK, all appear in the top 500. So, by [name_f]England[/name_f] and [name_m]Wales[/name_m] standards - my favourites are normal.

I prefer unique names as long as they don’t run the chance of becoming trendy. I would much rather go with an old fashioned name that has long fallen out of style ([name_f]Pearl[/name_f]) than a new name that may leap to the top 200 within a few years of making an appearance ([name_u]Addison[/name_u]). My naming style is more like [name_f]Poet[/name_f] & Minnow for girls / [name_m]Wolfgang[/name_m] & [name_m]Night[/name_m] for boys. These are probably safe from the top 1000.

I tend to like really normal names because I have a normal name ([name_f]Ebony[/name_f]) thats forever misspelt and mispronounced (I always get [name_f]Emily[/name_f]). That said some of my favourites have different spellings that are more common but I just like those spellings.

There are pros and cons to both sides but I think my opinion skews towards something more uncommon. I really like names like [name_f]Morwenna[/name_f] and [name_u]Kit[/name_u] and although names like [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] and [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] are lovely…They feel quite boring.

I agree with mischa. :slight_smile:

I like names from my culture (Bosnia), but not the modern, top 100 names. I like those old, “grandpa & grandma” names that aren’t heard over there anymore, even though they might be popular here. Like [name_f]Luna[/name_f]. It’s fairly popular in the US, but it hasn’t been used in Bosnia since the 1950’s.

So… I like unique traditional names? Does that count? Uncommon, but still totally normal and classic, with a little spunk :slight_smile: