I’m asking this because I know everyone is going to have a different answer, and I’m curious to see what the general thoughts are.
Hmm, I’d like to say anything in the top 20.
That being said, [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] is currently number 3 in Australia, but I love it too much to let it go. I also don’t mind more popular names for boys for some reason.
I really don’t know if there is a clear cut answer for this as each different person has their own thoughts on what is two popular some may think the anything in the top 100 within their is to popular while others may just not care and use the name regardless of popularity. For me it’s anything in within the top 100 NZ (that’s where I live). But saying that two of my favourite boy names are within the top 100 NZ [name_m]Lachlan[/name_m] and [name_m]Archer[/name_m] and one girl names [name_f]Imogen[/name_f] is as well.
For me, I’d prefer if a name stayed out of the top 20 or so. But if there was a name I really really loved, I’d use it regardless of popularity
If it’s a name I really loved, I wouldn’t let popularity sway me from it. I try to stay out of the top 100, but that being said [name_f]Ella[/name_f] has always been a fav and it’d be hard not to use it if we had another girl!
Realistically, there is no such thing as “too popular” for me. However, if it came down to me not being able to choose between a top 100 name and a name not in the top 1000, I would likely end up choosing the name not in the top 1000.
I think it depends. If one of my favourite names (e.g. [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] or [name_f]Pandora[/name_f]), suddenly ended up in the top 100, I’d probably still use it. Names way out of the top 1000 are perfect, but I’m usually okay (for firsts), if the name has been given to 1000 or fewer babies. And there are also some names that aren’t popular now, (e.g. [name_m]John[/name_m], [name_f]Mary[/name_f], [name_m]Andrew[/name_m] etc.) but that I’ve heard too much on adults/teens to consider. I’m not really too bothered about popularity with middles.
I don’t care much for the popularity ranking but more about how many people I know (of) with the name.
Here in Germany [name_m]Paul[/name_m] and [name_m]Leon[/name_m] are both popular. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if I liked both, I wouldn’t use [name_m]Paul[/name_m] since I know about 7 while I only ever met one [name_m]Leon[/name_m]. So while both of them are in the top 10, I would still consider [name_m]Leon[/name_m].
An [name_f]Ella[/name_f], [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] and [name_f]Nora[/name_f] lover here. I don’t know but I feel like [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] has lost its charm ever since it became THAT popular while [name_f]Ella[/name_f] is just good old [name_f]Ella[/name_f] and I would still consider it. Whereas [name_f]Nora[/name_f], I’m torn. It used to be THE name for me now I think that the fact that I’m doubting has more to do with me liking it less than with the name being so popular. So for me it depends on the name and what associations you have with that name.
I try to stay out of the top 20 at least, but if I really love it I would use it in a heart beat
I don’t pay attention to the popularity of a name. If I like it, I’ll use it. However, my naming tastes appear to be ‘out of step’ with most naming trends.
Same. I think it’s maybe because I don’t feel boys pay as much attention to that stuff as girls do.
For some reason popularity really bothers me. I guess I just enjoyed having an unusual name and I want that for any future children too - having several people in the same class/office/friendship group with the same name is just confusing! So, for me, I prefer for my favourite names to be outside the [name_f]England[/name_f] and [name_m]Wales[/name_m] top 1000 but below the top few hundred is ok too. Also, how many people I know with the name is an important factor too. Having said that, if I love a name enough popularity can’t always put me off a name. With [name_f]Ava[/name_f] (#6 in E&W 2012) I think it is too popular to ever use even though I really love the name.
[name_f]My[/name_f] rule is if you know any living person with the name or someone you know knows more than one person or its on tv somewhere that you know about… Then its too popular… And then check the top 50 or so names in your country and make sure its no where near the top so all of your child’s friends parents aren’t thinking oh its not common and everyone is named [name_u]Aidan[/name_u]… This happens… [name_f]My[/name_f] brother has what we thought was an uncommon name and in primary school there were two boys in his class with the same name… I’ve still never met another… Come across them
But honestly its an odd phenomenon how things cluster. - those names are too common too.
@myosotis [name_u]Phoenix[/name_u] is actually top 100 in Australia
I don’t think theres such thing as too popular [name_m]Jack[/name_m] is actually number one in my home state but I have always loved it and it’s a name everyone knows and the only complaint many people have of [name_m]Jack[/name_m] is it’s too popular. [name_m]Oliver[/name_m]'s 2, [name_m]Cooper[/name_m]'s at 15, [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]'s number 2 in my State and 1 in the Country, [name_u]Ruby[/name_u]'s at 5 and was at 1 in 2010 and [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]'s number 16. I think if you love the name it’s all that really matters to me.
I think the Top 500 is too popular, but I’d prefer to stay away from popularity in general. Something about using popular names unnerves me…
I don’t have a set cut off in terms of popularity rankings. But I really couldn’t use a top 20 for the most part. I don’t mind a true classic like [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] or [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] or [name_f]Sarah[/name_f]. Otherwise I prefer names that are much less common. I couldn’t use a popular name no matter how much I loved it ([name_f]Ella[/name_f], [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], [name_f]Ava[/name_f] are pretty but too trendy despite being classics). The most popular name I considered using for my LO was [name_f]Violet[/name_f], at 70ish in canada. And I was so torn about that name being too popular, even though I have loved the name since I was little.
on the other hand I would never use a name outside the top 1000 again, because it goes beyond unpopular and right into obscure, and I feel judged sometimes. There is definitely a sweet spot for name popularity!
I would love to stay out of the top 100 but I truly love [name_f]Sadie[/name_f] and don’t think I’ll ever drop it. In the U.S., where I live, [name_f]Sadie[/name_f] is #50 and is supposedly getting more popular which I hate. I wouldn’t use a name in the top 20, no matter what. One exception would be [name_f]Lila[/name_f]. It has so much meaning to me and I love it too much to let popularity take it away. For some reason, I don’t mind popularity with boys’ names. [name_f]My[/name_f] favorite name, [name_u]Carter[/name_u], was #32 last year and that doesn’t bother me nearly as much as [name_f]Sadie[/name_f] does. I don’t know what it is.
Either way, I have a popular name and really hate how annoying it is to be associated with all the other people who share my name in this world, so I would steer clear of popular names when I could for my future children’s names.
State popularity matters more to me than national popularity so I stay out of my states top 20.
[name_f]My[/name_f] husband and I try to stay out of the top 200. But I agree with most posters that it all depends on how popular a name is in your area/how many kids you know with that name. Though I have to admit…the rising popularity has made me fall “out of love” with some names.