Is Abigail too popular?

[name]Hi[/name] everyone, this is my first post. We don’t know what we’re having yet, but have a boy name picked out and no girl name.

We both really, really like [name]Abigail[/name], but it was #8 in 2009. I had no idea it was so popular. I would prefer a name that’s less popular, at least not in the top 10.

However, based on absolute numbers, it’s equivalent to a name around #20 of my generation - [name]Erin[/name]/[name]Lisa[/name]/[name]Christina[/name]/[name]Amber[/name]/[name]Kelly[/name] as opposed to [name]Stephanie[/name]/[name]Elizabeth[/name]/[name]Nicole[/name]/[name]Amy[/name]/[name]Heather[/name] which were around #8 in my generation. It’s definitely not as popular as [name]Jennifer[/name]/[name]Jessica[/name]/[name]Sarah[/name]/[name]Melissa[/name]/[name]Amanda[/name]/[name]Ashley[/name] which seemed to be the name of every other girl when I was growing up and in school. But there’s still a high probability that a little [name]Abigail[/name] would have to go by “[name]Abby[/name] S.” (for example) which could get annoying.

What do you think? Have you encountered lots of baby Abigails and little Abigails running around? I don’t have much exposure to the nursery school set, so I don’t know how common the name actually seems.

The real question is, do you both love it so much that popularity doesn’t matter anymore? If you are sure its the ‘right’ name for you, then you should use it. If you are unsure, keep [name]Abigail[/name] on your list, but look at other names and see if you can find something you like more.

I’ve only met one [name]Abigail[/name], and she was my age. However, I’m not exposed to many children either.

I love the name [name]Abigail[/name]! Of course, I may be a little biased as it’s my daughter’s name. She’s only two, but I’ve never met another [name]Abby[/name], and there aren’t any in my son’s pre-K class. I think, as with any name, there is a possibility that there may be another girl with the name in the class, but I don’t think it’s anywhere near as popular as [name]Emily[/name]. If you love the name, go for it!

Honestly, it’s pretty popular today. I live in New [name]York[/name] City and my daughter had an [name]Abigail[/name] in both her kindergarten and first grade class (two different girls) and I have two friends who both have daughters named [name]Abigail[/name]. All of these girls are called [name]Abby[/name], I’m pretty sure. However, I wouldn’t consider this a trendy name - not by a longshot. This is a beautiful, classic name (comparable to [name]Olivia[/name] and [name]Sophia[/name]) that has always been well-known, and even though it’s recently gotten a popularity boost, it will always be beautiful and classic, not trendy or dated. It’s one of my favorite girls’ names. :slight_smile:

I have never met a little [name]Abigail[/name]. I have, however, met a good number of Abbys. Could you dispense with the nickname, except as an occasional endearment? I think that would make the difference for me. You could even go retro and revive [name]Gail[/name], instead.

Yeah, its really popular. I love it too, but I wouldnt use it because you dont know how it feels to be an [name]Isabella[/name] R, instead of [name]Unique[/name] [name]Isabella[/name]. of course, my name is [name]Isabella[/name](Well, [name]Bella[/name]) and I got lucky because in school I’m known as [name]Bella[/name], not [name]Isabella[/name]. But in some cases either than school I am one of like seven Isabellas and I just hate it.

Based on the name, though, I just love it.

Thanks for the input all. Anyone else w/opinions, please keep them coming!

fabumaner - I”m curious what generation you”re in as I thought [name]Isabella[/name] became very popular only recently, in the last 5-10 years.

phoebesmom - I do like [name]Abby[/name] and would use it as a nickname, so that wouldn”t help with the popularity. Not a huge fan of [name]Gail[/name], it still sounds 50”s to me.

jayjoh - that”s a lot of Abigails around you. I agree that it”s a classic name, but I”m just afraid it will dated in the future, as in the equivalent of [name]Jennifer[/name] for girls born in the 70”s/80”s and in their 20”s/30”s today. When you hear of someone named [name]Jennifer[/name], it”s pretty certain that she”s probably in her late 20”s-30”s and if you hear of a [name]Susan[/name]/[name]Linda[/name]/[name]Nancy[/name]/[name]Sharon[/name]/[name]Diane[/name], she”s probably in her 40”s-50”s. In 20 years, it will be the same with [name]Isabella[/name]/[name]Olivia[/name]/[name]Sophia[/name]/[name]Emma[/name] and maybe [name]Abigail[/name] too.

lucy and ewaggenspack - I do love it - but popularity is definitely a consideration!

Yessssssssss. I know so many Abbys it’s ridiculous. [name]Abigail[/name] is definitely a name that made a slow climb to the top, unlike [name]Isabella[/name], so you’re going to find a lot of Abigails from older years when the name was popular, but not as popular as it is now. The bright side means that [name]Abigail[/name] won’t make people say, oh that’s SO 2010, but it does mean that they are probably more Abigails alive, not just babies, right now than other names in the current top 10.

However if you want her nickname to be [name]Gail[/name] it would be a little fresher. I know like 20 Abbys and only one [name]Gail[/name]. I like [name]Gail[/name]'s name much better anyway.

[name]Hi[/name]!

I’m 20, and I don’t know any little girls named [name]Abigail[/name]. Granted, I don’t really hang out with little kids that much, but I do know that nobody in my neighborhood has a little [name]Abigail[/name]. They’ve got [name]Lucy[/name]'s and [name]Hazel[/name]'s, but no [name]Abigail[/name]'s. The only [name]Abby[/name] in my neighborhood is about 25 now, I’d say. I went to grade school with one [name]Abigail[/name], who went by [name]Abbey[/name]. In college now, I’ve met two other [name]Abigail[/name]'s, one who goes by [name]Abbie[/name] and the other who goes by [name]Abi[/name]. Wow, you can really spell [name]Abby[/name] in different ways! Anyway, the point of this is that I think [name]Abigail[/name] was popular in my generation, just like [name]Sarah[/name] was, but both are still relatively common. Regardless, I don’t hear of little [name]Abigail[/name]'s and [name]Sarah[/name]'s everywhere I go, because it seems more people are heading toward different names. I was at the zoo the other day - swarming with little children - and I heard classic names for little girls ([name]Grace[/name] and [name]Lucy[/name]) and more surname-y type names for little boys ([name]Grady[/name] and [name]Carson[/name]). Strangely, I heard one mom calling her daughters “Britty” and “[name]Steffie[/name],” so I’m assuming she’s trying to bring back 80s favorites [name]Brittany[/name] and [name]Stephanie[/name]!

So, I think it is a nice choice for you, and loving it is very important. I’m not saying there won’t be more [name]Abby[/name]'s in her class - likely, there will be - but it can’t be that bad. I’m a [name]Lauren[/name], and I’ve always been surrounded by many other [name]Lauren[/name]‘s. I don’t hate my name, though! And, to address your point of [name]Abigail[/name] sounding dated in twenty years, as [name]Jennifer[/name] or [name]Stephanie[/name] might sound, now, I don’t see that happening. [name]Abigail[/name] is a timeless classic name for a girl, much like [name]Sarah[/name] or [name]Mary[/name], even. It doesn’t immediately make me think of a generation at all. Honestly, popular names today are classic girls’ names - [name]Emma[/name], [name]Isabella[/name], [name]Olivia[/name], and [name]Sophia[/name] are all fairly classic, and I know all different aged girls with such names. So, it isn’t trendy - it’s timeless. A real winner.

[name]Lemon[/name] :slight_smile:

[name]Hi[/name] [name]Kitty[/name]…I share your concerns, as I had the same concerns when we named our daughter [name]Emily[/name], almost 9 years ago! However, [name]Emily[/name] is the ONLY one in her grade, and she attends an elementary school with 100 third graders!
As for [name]Abigail[/name], I have only met one in the last few years, and I work with school children ages 3 to 10. [name]Abigail[/name] is a lovely name, and I would choose it if both of you love it!

hi [name]Kitty[/name] you were wondering what generation im in and im thirteen but my name didnt use to be that popualr but now it is as you know

Eek! good point. It’s true that [name]Abigail[/name] has made a steady climb. It was up to #6 a couple years ago, so hopefully it’s on the way back down…but probably not. Unfortunately I associate [name]Gail[/name] with a middle-aged woman.

Thanks! I love the name [name]Emily[/name] too.

[name]Ah[/name]. I assumed this board was mainly moms and expectant moms, so I think it’s cute that you visit a name board. :slight_smile: That’s kind of surprising that there are so many Isabellas in your school (not just your class maybe?) because based on your age, [name]Isabella[/name] was only #84 or 100 when you were born - it didn’t break top 15 until 2002 (8 year olds today). I know there must be countless Isabellas age 0-10ish though.