I’m just curious what people’s different opinions on this are.
If popularity of a name is something you take into consideration, what do you consider TOO popular to use it on your own child? Obviously there are other factors. If you absolutely love the name, it is an honor name, or you love the meaning, then you might let a high popularity slide.
But in general, at what point in the rankings do you usually draw the line and think? “Oh, I didn’t realize that was so popular?”.
Usually for me it’s top 100! From there, it’s all personal view on the names.
For example, a name like [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] is just outside the top 200, but I wouldn’t feel like it’s too popular for me to use because I love it!!
However, a name like [name_f]Mira[/name_f] (which is pretty unpopular, not sure of the exact rank) I would never use because I know like 5 of them and it feels very popular to me!!
Outside of the top 100, I feel like it’s all about personal preference. I honestly think that sometimes a name being in the Top 100 prevents me from falling in love with it, because the popularity is such a deterrent for me (coming from someone whose first name was a top 5 name the year I was born!!)
I’m not going to have a baby any time soon so I’m not too concerned about popularity right now since it changes allot but…
I’d say over the top 30 is too popular for me! Since there are more names now, it’s less likely that a little [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] (number 15 in the US) will share a name with many other kids in her class than many years ago.
For me its usually about 500, for a first name for girls, and probably 100 for boys. Middle names popularity doesnt matter. And if I really love it popularity doesnt matter so I have a few exceptions that I would consider using despite popularity.
[name_m]Just[/name_m] the top 30, maybe. The fact that a name is popular doesn’t mean much these days. Apparently, [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] is no 1 for the 7th year running here in the UK, but I still have yet to meet one. [name_f]My[/name_f] son was named [name_m]Philip[/name_m] in 1986. It was about number 45 then. He’s never met another his age. So, a name doesn’t have to be that rare or unknown for your child to be the only one in their class.
This is pretty subjective but for me it’s probably top 500. This typically ensures that it won’t be difficult to pronounce by the general populace, makes it neat when and if they do run into another “so-and-so” but also gives them their own unique moniker that don’t have 5 to a class (like [name_f]Brittany[/name_f] and [name_f]Jessica[/name_f] did my classes growing up).
All of the names on our list fit this except for a couple middles which I don’t typically count.
As mentioned above, I think the circles you move in matter too. If I know 5 people with a certain name, it doesn’t matter that it’s #888 in popularity.
I don’t have a specific number cutoff. If I hear it often in my hometown, or amongst social media friends, then the name kind of loses its luster for me. If I truly love the name, popularity doesn’t matter but if it is just a name I’m considering, I may write it off.
Ideally, I’d like a name to rank below 100 but above 500 (and rather use one below 500 than above 100).
But in practice, agreeing on names is so hard. Our shared list has maybe 3-5 names, and one of them ranks in the top 30. It’s a minus, but it wouldn’t stop me from using it.
Personally for me popularity isn’t something that would stop me using a name I truly love and I think it’s a shame when it factors in for others and prevents them from using that name. In my eyes if you’ve loved Matilda since you were 5 but now have scratched the name of your list because it’s in the top 10 that seems so sad. There’s a reason why you’ve got a long love for that name so go for it. Naming a child is such privilege so I would definitely go with your favourite name even if it’s incredibly popular. Also there’s a reason behind popularity most names are popular because they are lovely. I think for me it’s how I feel about a name rather than popularity stats.
I’m not overly keen on ‘trendy’ names I would determine trendiness as a name that was obscure before now being within the top 10. For me that’s Isla she’s incredibly trendy and feels a little ‘fast fashion’ which isn’t my vibe. But that’s not because of her being popular that’s just because of the general feel I get from a name like Isla.
For me, no name is too popular. Maybe if I were living in a time/place where top names accounted for >10% of babies born I would feel differently, but I feel like if I love a name, popularity doesn’t matter at all!
I prefer names outside the Top 100, and I would think a lot about it if I was choosing one that’s more popular than that. I wouldn’t use a Top 20 name unless I really loved it, and if my husband and I couldn’t agree on another one. The unfortunate thing is that my favorite names are usually more popular in my state than they are nationally (like my daughter’s name was just outside the top 100 nationally, but #46 in the state we moved to ).
For most things, I’ve always been the kind of person that likes to like the less popular thing, and wants to dislike the popular thing. Maybe I feel like I can express myself if I’m not like everyone else? Idk. Anyway, my name was uncommon for my age group, which was so nice because I rarely met others by the same name, and it was never confusing. That, combined with my natural desire to avoid popular things, I tend to not prefer popular names. Although, for Nameberry, I seem to be more tolerable toward popular names because it seems like most people on here only want much more rare names.
If I hear too many of them myself, that’s when I consider it too popular. However, if the particular name is especially meaningful to me for some reason, I’d use it regardless (probably with a more uncommon middle, or attach a more uncommon name to it and double barrel it.)
Officially for me it’s top 1000 (where I live), but I have exceptions. Mostly for names that have risen in popularity since I added them (e.g. [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] and Artemis).
I’d generally want something outside the top 100, but I could probably go up to the top 50 mark if I really liked a name. I’m honestly not sure how I’d feel if one of my absolute favorites was more popular than that, since it hasn’t happened, so I can’t say for certain what I’d do in that situation.
But overall, I’d say general “trendiness” is a LOT bigger of a factor for me that technical popularity. I would try to avoid any names where you would immediately be able to tell how old they were upon hearing them. So I’d be wary of anything that jumped multiple popularity spots for the last few years in a row, even if it’s not one of the most popular names. I could stand something that has a slightly modern feel if I really liked it (as a few of my favorite names do), but feeling extremely attached to a generation would generally be a deal-breaker for me. This is mostly because I have a pretty “trendy” name myself and it’s always bothered me.
I can feel the trauma of 80s kids with 5 in a class. But honestly having 2 kids sharing a name in a class today even with the top 5 names is already not common, more than that is pretty much a miracle (or you have to consider local popularity). To me saying “I won’t go with anything in top 100/200/500 because I don’t want 5 in the same class” isn’t taking into account the reality of popularity today.
As for me, my own criteria is “not so popular that I already have several in my own social circle” so that can include names that aren’t in the top names nationally but happen to be popular amongst my friends.
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