I had previously nixed [name]Elias[/name] from my boys list after thinking for a while that it might be the one. I nixed it for a couple of reasons - the “s” runs into the beginning of our last name, [name]Eliza[/name] started to rise to the top of my girl’s list, and the popularity. Oh the popularity! I blame [name]Eli[/name] [name]Manning[/name].
Now I find myself coming back to it. The “s” at the end doesn’t really seem to be that big of deal breaker (it’s not horrible). I still love [name]Eliza[/name], but equally love some other names - I could name 50 girls easily and fall in love with every single name. But the popularity gives me pause. Between [name]Eli[/name] at #90, [name]Elijah[/name] at #21 and [name]Elias[/name] at #158, I feel like that’s a whole lot of [name]Eli[/name] running around? I peripherally know 2 baby Elijahs (one is nn [name]Eli[/name]). And I know maybe 10 babies total - I’m still working on ttc #1 and only a handful of my friends and family have kids at all. I don’t really run in the baby circle. Am I right in thinking this name is becoming quite common? The next [name]Jayden[/name] perhaps?
As much as a really love [name]Eli[/name], I worry the popularity may eventually make me regret it. I hated my name growing up. It was only somewhat popular, but it never felt special to me. I never felt my parents put much thought into what to name me. Has anyone ever regretted naming your kid something that became really popular?
[name]Eli[/name]/[name]Elias[/name]/[name]Elijah[/name] have been around since Biblical times so their popularity always ebbs and flows with the times. If a celebrity or sports figure appears on the scene (eg. [name]Eli[/name] [name]Manning[/name]), the name will increase in usuage. [name]Eli[/name] at #90 and [name]Elias[/name] at #158 would be quite fine to choose in my opinion. Personally, I prefer these versions over [name]Elijah[/name] anyway. If a name enters the top 100, it usually takes awhile for it to enter the top 50 if it does at all. I don’t believe that [name]Eli[/name] or [name]Elias[/name] will become the next [name]Jacob[/name] or [name]Ethan[/name]. But that’s a guess. The perplexing thing about names - who knows which one will catch on or which one will fall off the radar? For example, I’ve loved the name [name]Isaac[/name] for a long time but now it’s in the top 40. This fact wouldn’t discourage me from choosing it. [name]Isaac[/name] is strong, masculine and timeless. Maybe that’s the way you feel about [name]Elias[/name] since you keep coming back to it. There’s something about the name that appeals to you and that’s understandable. It’s a great name that any boy would be proud to wear. There are other Biblical alternatives such as [name]Eliab[/name], [name]Eliam[/name] or [name]Elihu[/name] but I think your heart is set on [name]Elias[/name]. I would encourage you to put aside your reservations and go for it! Good luck! Regards, [name]Mischa[/name].
Never forsake a name because of popularity. Besides less parents choose popular names so it would be less likley for [name]Elias[/name] to meet another [name]Elias[/name]/[name]Elijah[/name]/[name]Eli[/name]. If your really worried there is always [name]Elian[/name]
One thing I do is check to see how common the combo of first/last name is at howmanyofme.com. Classmates with the same name is less of a concern to me than possible identity problems as an adult. I know someone who, according to that site has approx 500 people with the same first/last name combo, and he occasionally gets problems with creditors, etc.
Thanks everyone for the replies. We have an uncommon last name (penguin, thanks for the link to check that - apparently only 800 people have our last name in the US).
I do keep coming back to it. And it has a lot of the qualities I’m looking for. I’m not really worried about popularity of [name]Elias[/name] or [name]Eli[/name], but it seems a lot of Elijahs are getting the [name]Eli[/name] nn, at least in my hometown. My worry is that parents will want an [name]Eli[/name], but Elijahs so popular that they maybe choose [name]Elias[/name] instead.
Not related to popularity, but still another thing I’m considering about all the names I like in general is the biblical name thing. It’s the first thing people point out to me about my grown brother’s name, and the other names I tend to like ([name]Abram[/name] and [name]Gideon[/name]). I don’t think of them as biblical names, even though clearly they are. Hmmm, more things to think about.
Thanks for the responses so far! Any other opinions are certainly welcome
If you are religious, then I definitely wouldn’t worry about using a biblical name. But I’m guessing you’re not, right? I don’t automatically connect those names as biblical names either, well, at least I didn’t until I started on nameberry. A lot of biblical names are so cool though and sound really modern despite their ancient roots. I wouldn’t let that stop me from using [name]Elias[/name] or [name]Gideon[/name] or [name]Abram[/name], and it’s probably just me, but even those three together don’t scream “Biblical!” to me. If you’re concerned about it though, just mix up your sibset with names that aren’t biblical.
Another you might like is [name]Eleazar[/name] nn [name]Eli[/name]. It’s a more uncommon way to get to [name]Eli[/name] and might go better with your last name. I knew a guy named [name]Eleazar[/name] nn [name]Eli[/name] in high school and I always thought he had one of the best names in our school. But you still have the [name]Eli[/name] popularity issue. It all depends on where you live, but if it helps, I haven’t met any kids named [name]Eli[/name], [name]Elijah[/name], [name]Elias[/name], etc.
