[name_f]Do[/name_f] you guys think [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] is too trendy and/or popular?
It’s a name we’ve both really liked for quite a few years now but haven’t had it at the top of our list for awhile because of popularity, although I’m not sure if that’s just on Nameberry or [name_m]IRL[/name_m] - I’ve yet to meet one apart from social media.
We also struggled to find a nn other than [name_f]Atti[/name_f], but the potential of using [name_u]Kit[/name_u] has made me want to consider it again. DH always brings it up! And I do have a certain affection for ‘A’ boy names ([name_m]Arthur[/name_m], [name_m]Atlas[/name_m], etc.), but my worry is that it might be a bit hipster for the rest of my quirky classic style?
I think it depends on what you would consider “too” trendy. I don’t think it’s all that popular or likely to get very popular. But I do know a couple of people who have used it and the people could definitely be described as hipsters. Dont know if that’s bad or not.
I think the thing about it is that while it has an antique sound, it doesn’t really have much of a history of usage. I kind of put it in the same category as [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] - names that feel older than their actual history suggests. I think that combination appeals to parents seeking something they did not hear when they were growing up but also something that doesn’t sound insubstantial.
@dizzy Yes I think what I mean by too trendy is a lack of history or has the possibility to sound dated in the future. I don’t think it’s as hipster to me as some other names we have liked previously considered like [name_u]River[/name_u] or [name_f]Indy[/name_f], but I don’t want to come across as trying to be different or “coffee shop” for coolness sake if you know what I mean.
I think it’s the fresh A/t sound that I like and the strong sounding ‘us’ ending DH likes - similar to [name_m]Magnus[/name_m].
I love the name [name_m]Atticus[/name_m]. I haven’t met one little boy with that name personally so I wouldn’t classify it as trendy (at least in my area). The nickname [name_u]Kit[/name_u] is just adorable!
All in all, I wouldn’t say [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] strays too far from the style of the names in your signature.
Is it trendy? Yes. Is it popular? Not where I live. Is it “too trendy”? Nobody can answer that other than you.
My middle child has a trendy name. And it used to really bug me that it was a trendy name… but now it’s his name and fits him great and I think the reasons I was concerned about trendiness are kind of silly…
It bugged me because trendy wasn’t my style. Most my favorite names I’d describe as vintage… [name_u]Lennon[/name_u] didn’t fit! But obviously, though it wasn’t my style I loved it… and why should my son’s identity have to be the best representation of my taste in names? It’s not really about me…
I also didn’t know what to think about the name “dating” him. But really, most names, with the exception of common classics, will date a person. At least when people hear his name and assume an age, they’ll probably be right. I struggle to see why that’s so bad… wouldn’t it be more annoying for people to think you’re decades older or decades younger your whole life.
Sorry to ramble. Point I’m trying to make is: if you and your husband keep coming back to it, I think it’d be silly to ditch it solely on the grounds that it’s trendy. I’d keep it as an option. My [name_u]Lennon[/name_u]'s name fits him so well I wonder if there’s some cosmic reason it made its way onto our radar despite being so different from all our other contenders.
I love [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] nn [name_u]Kit[/name_u]! So sweet. It could come across a little hipster but not in a bad way imo. I could see [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] with siblings…
Those are my favorites with [name_m]Atticus[/name_m], but I think it works well with all except
[name_f]Birdie[/name_f] [name_f]Victoria[/name_f]
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m] [name_m]Jack[/name_m] (a bit similar)
[name_m]Wilfred[/name_m] [name_m]Fox[/name_m]
To be honest, though I like the sound of [name_m]Atticus[/name_m], it does have a trendy/hipster feel to me. It also feels very strongly tied to the book To Kill a Mockingbird, which is very common on middle school curriculums throughout the USA (so likely to be a strong association for many at least in the US). Also, I think this is excellent advice:
Hmm… I can definitely see the quirky-clunky appeal of [name_m]Atticus[/name_m], but I’ve personally never really managed to get on board with it. My kids have pretty “hipster” names so I’m not really one to talk, but to me [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] is pretty much the epitome of hipster baby naming: self-consciously clunky-cool and ancient, blatantly literary (but in a kind of “generic” way, if that makes sense — as a pp has said, everyone reads TKAM in school, so it doesn’t feel like a very personal homage), and much less “original” than many who choose it think (present company excepted!)
It also does feel to me like a completely different style from the soft, calm, old-school gentleman type boy names in your signature — although your girl names feel a little bit more trendy/peppy-vintage, so it works quite well with many of those.
That all sounds rather harsh… sorry. I don’t hate it — in fact, I think it’s a nice-sounding name and still a very “cool” choice right now, despite its growing popularity — but I’m just trying to address your specific concerns here. [name_f]Do[/name_f] bear in mind too that I’m in the UK, so my perception of the name may be different to yours.
I think a lot of people assume [name_u]Harper[/name_u] [name_u]Lee[/name_u] invented the name [name_m]Atticus[/name_m], but it’s actually a very old name. There were a number of prominent men named [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] in Ancient [name_m]Rome[/name_m]. If you’re interested, there’s an article about the name’s history here:
I love [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] and I taught one last year who went by ‘[name_f]Atti[/name_f]’. I really love ‘[name_u]Kit[/name_u]’ too. [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] just seems to roll off the tongue and is so fun to say I prefer not to shorten it. I love your naming style and it fits in with your signature name combinations.
My son is [name_m]Atticus[/name_m]. Trendiness was a concern for me as well. He is one of three kids named [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] at his school. This doesn’t bother me though. In a way, I’d prefer that his name be uncommon but not unheard of. I do wonder if it will “date” him when he’s older, but I think that’s somewhat unavoidable for many if not most names, due to naming trends in general. I say use it if you both love it.