I’ve loved the names [name_f]Emily[/name_f] ,[name_f]Sophie[/name_f] and [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] since I was a little girl. I know they’re both high in the top ten, but was wondering in the real world how many little girls do you run into with these names? Are they my generations [name_u]Ashley[/name_u]/[name_f]Britney[/name_f]/Heathers? Would the popularity of a name stop you from using it if you really loved it?
It would, and has, stopped me from using a name. I don’t know any little [name_f]Brittany[/name_f]'s, [name_u]Ashley[/name_u]'s or [name_f]Heather[/name_f]'s but I know lots of teens and people in the 20s and 30s with these names. I do know tons of little girls with [name_f]Emily[/name_f]/[name_f]Emma[/name_f], [name_f]Sophie[/name_f]/[name_f]Sophia[/name_f] and [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]/[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]/[name_f]Isabella[/name_f] as their names. Those names are all beautiful but too popular for my taste. Once I personally know more than 2 kids with a name it becomes too popular for me to use.
Hello 
I am a teen-berry named [name_f]Emily[/name_f], and I am one of two Emilys in my year. There are also 2 Sophies and one [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]. Over here in the UK, [name_f]Emily[/name_f] is EXTREMELY popular. There are ALWAYS a couple in each year group, no exceptions. [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] is also popular but there are never more than one or two . We don’t have many Isabels however I do know a lot of Isabelles. I personally would go for something a bit less popular.
[name_f]Emily[/name_f] was a little more popular for my generation or 10 years older, I don’t hear a whole lot of them nowadays, but a few. [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]/[name_f]Isabella[/name_f] though (any name with the same sound) is extremely popular. [name_f]Sophie[/name_f]/[name_f]Sophia[/name_f] as well. I hear those a lot for little girls.
[name_f]Edit[/name_f]: Yes, to a certain extent. If a name I liked were super popular, I’d likely be put off using it and set it aside.
I never wanted to name a child a name that was popular, let alone ‘too popular’. That is, until I was pregnant and in the process of naming my daughter. When I came across the name [name_f]Emma[/name_f], it just fit. That was her name and that was that. So to me, there really is no such thing as too popular.
I think they’re all fairly classic names, particularly [name_f]Emily[/name_f]. [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] probably is the least so, because it follows the cutesy nickname trend in the UK.
Honestly I think everybody has their own scale of ‘too popular’, so just go with your gut feeling.
I know the problem… I [name_f]LOVE[/name_f] the name [name_f]Isabella[/name_f], but would never use it because it is so popular, she would just get drowned out with all the other Isabellas. For me, once something gets into the top 100 hundred and stays there for a really long time… I start looking at other names.
I love [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]/ [name_f]Isabella[/name_f]/ [name_f]Bella[/name_f], and their popularity wouldn’t stop me from naming my child that. If you love a name, use it. It’s that simple.
I think the popularity thing is overstated, for the most part. You have to name your child what you like. If 10 other girls have that name, so be it. Most people don’t consider that while it’s a pain to share your name with others in your class, it’s also a pain to have been the one and only person with that name in your entire school, ever. I think there’s a happy middle ground between the two, but if it’s a choice between the two ends of the spectrum, I’d choose the popular name any day over the obscure one.
I don’t think there’s such a thing as “too popular.” My name is [name_f]Emily[/name_f], and I grew up completely unaffected by the mega popularity of my name. [name_f]Every[/name_f] year the number of children given the #1 name decreases. For example, in 1982 the top girl’s name was [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] with 57,102 births. In 2012 the top girl’s name was [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] with 22,158 births. Having a top ten name isn’t what it used to be. [name_f]Emily[/name_f] does feel tired at this point because it’s been in the top ten for so long, but [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] and [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] still feel current. They’re all perfectly lovely names that will serve your daughter well. I know a few Sophies and Sophias, several Emilys (all older), but no Isabels.
I have [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] on my list because: 1. I already love it since I was a little girl. 2. I am still a student and definitely far away from having kids. I’ll keep praying so it’ll no longer popular latter when I actually ready for babies. Lol.
I prefer to stay away from popular names. I’m with elo here, if I know more than two, especially in close ages, then I won’t use it. I also prefer at least 5-6 years gap after a name is labeled popular, until I am willing to use it again.