Does popularity matter to you when choosing a name? There’s a name that I love but it’s in the top 100, so I’m reconsidering it. Part of me feels silly in doing so, but the other part of me knows what it’s like when everyone in the class has your name! No fun! What do you think?
Popularity of a name doesn’t bother me. Each child is different and makes a name in a special way.
Popularity bothers me if it’s more like top 10-20. In the top 100 wouldn’t bother me that much.
But realistically if you look at numbers, the top 5 names now vs the top 5 names in the 80s, the actual number of babies with the #1 name is a lot fewer now than in the 80s.
#1 Girls name 2011 - [name]Sophia[/name]: 21,695 babies
#1 Girls name 1984 (when I was born) - [name]Jennifer[/name]: 50,551 babies
In 1984 the #20 name was given to 14,696 babies
In 2011 the #20 name was given to 7,135 babies.
[name]Just[/name] something to think about!
Nope, popularity doesn’t matter to me. My child will make the name. I do understand people wanting to avoid an extremely popular name for the sake of their child not being 1 of 4 Jacobs in a class, but personally, it doesn’t bother me.
@lizbethm makes a great point. I think the world is more diverse than when the Jennifers& Jasons were in every classroom
I also think a lot of popularity is regional. I’m in [name]Brooklyn[/name] & have never met a [name]Cecilia[/name] so I was shocked it was popular.
I do consider popularity but I think I would base it in real life…if I had met a few kids with that name it would bother me more than the # itself.
It bothers me hugely, if only because hearing a name one thousand times makes it lose its lustre. I’d fear falling out of love with my kid’s name if there were several others. I previously adored [name]Jude[/name], for example, which always felt like such a distinctive name. I’ve met quite a few these past two years, and it’s only ranked at 150! Popularity can be deceiving, though, as it varies significantly by region, class, culture, etc. I still like the name [name]Jude[/name], but whenever I meet one, I’m like, “[name]Ah[/name], another [name]Jude[/name].”
Popularity is overblown [name]IMO[/name], but I still would probably shy away from using a top 10 name in my state. Not for fear of him/her sharing a name with classmates, but because I get bored of names that I hear very often. There are no guarantees either way…my nephew’s name was #2 in the year he was born; he is 11 years old now and has yet to share his name with a classmate. His younger brother’s name was much less popular (in the 400s), yet he had a boy in his kindly class with the same name. If two names I loved equally had different popularity ranks, I would choose the less popular. But I would never abandon a name I really loved over fears of popularity.
Yes it does to me only because I’ve really wanted to use [name]Ava[/name] and when I had my first daughter I thought the popularity would die down but it’s gotten worse. My son has 6 girls in his preschool class and 2 are [name]Ava[/name]'s and 1 is [name]Ava[/name] [name]Marie[/name].
Not a bit, especially if it’s only in the top 100. I had a name in the very bottom of the top 100 growing up and I didn’t meet another person with my name until I was in college.
Using a name in the top 10 used to bother me, but now that I’m actually expecting, I’m considering using a top 10 name anyway just because I love it and honestly think I’ll feel cheated if I don’t. Almost like I let all the other people using it win.
It does bother me a little, but if I really love the name then I would still use it. After all names become popular for a reason. And generally it’s because they are appealing.
I try to avoid names in the top 50 usually. My daughter’s name is [name]Serenity[/name] #66 on the top 1000, and my son’s name is [name]Luther[/name] which isn’t even in the top 1000. The only way I would pick a name that is in the top 20 is if it is uncommon in my area ([name]Elizabeth[/name] for example). I don’t mind names that are somewhat common, but I hate it when a name is so popular that it seems to be everywhere (Cough…[name]Bella[/name]…Cough).
Hardly.
It’ll only bother me how exposed the name is, meaning if anyday I’m going to go to a park and I’ll hear the name twice regularly, that’s a bit much.
But the number ranking doesn’t necessarily reflect that, and so that doesn’t hinder me.
That’s pretty much how I feel.
Normally, I’d say that popularity does matter, but if it’s a name I [name]LOVE[/name], and I can’t find another name that I like as much, then it doesn’t matter to me. If this name is the name, then popularity shouldn’t matter.
I think in the Top 100 is fine, for me it would be a problem if the name was in the top 15-20. Also, remember that different places have slighlty different popularity of names, so just because it’s in the Top 100 doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be extremely prevalent where you live.
I initially wanted a boys’ name out of the top 100 for my 3rd son since my first 2 boys’ names had been that way. But, in the end my liking of the name [name]James[/name] outweighed it’s top 20 status. However, the name [name]Grace[/name] has been hurt by the number of Graces I’ve met.
Not at all… Besides, despite what the number rankings are, each area is different. For example, ‘[name]Ava[/name]’ is one of the more popular girl names, but in my hometown, i only ever met one…however, there are a bunch of little [name]Jacob[/name]'s running around. You may live in a location where your child’s name is either really unique but then take a trip and realize that it was more popular than you thought. Point is, basing the usability of a name on whether or not alot of other kids have it, is just a headache to me personally. I think if you love the name, then use it. [name]Even[/name] if the name is not ‘unique’ or it is really ‘common’, it doesn’t mean that your child isn’t unique or is boring.
Nope. Not at all. I had a top-2 name the year I was born, and I still am very much in love with my name; I’ve rarely met other Ashleys and just because you have a popular name doesn’t mean it’s going to ruin your life. 
Names like [name]Isabelle[/name], [name]Olivia[/name], [name]Noah[/name], etc. which are either on the top 5 or have variants on the top five are quite high up on my list.
Now that I work in an elementary school, popularity kind of does bother me. I’ve met a bunch of kids with my kids’ names, and after awhile it seems almost ridiculous. I love my kids’ names very much, and I think they’ve grown into them, and that’s what matters. But if I had to do it again? I’d probably pick something a little more distinct. That’s what we’re trying to do with #3, but we can’t use something totally unpopular as it’d be a little weird at this point. But we’re aiming for >100, I guess.
I was one of four Catherines in my class of 20 and yes, it is tiresome and I’d much have preferred my mother’s second choice of [name]Cecilia[/name]. On the other hand if you genuinely love a name for years and have a good reason for using it eg family connection rather than a recent ‘liking’ I don’t think the top 100 is a problem, top 10 I would avoid. The other problem is that what is popular in the general population vs trendy enclaves can catch you out, I think I know alot more Storys, Hectors and Gabriels than the charts reflect.