Is Emma overdone?

We are expecting twins at the end of [name_u]August[/name_u], and with lockdown here in the UK but with both me and hubby working, we simply haven’t had time to really discuss names. We have two older children, [name_f]Natalia[/name_f] and [name_u]Aeron[/name_u]. We don’t know the genders of the babies, but we do know there are two placenta so they may or may not be identical.
A few days ago, hubby decides we should be discussing names and the flood gates opened! There are loads of names we like, we’ve kicked out a few old favs, but one name we both agree is great is [name_f]Emma[/name_f]. However it’s just so popular. With our other kids, espically our daughter, we were determined not to have a name where there would be 5 of them in the playground. We both agree we could use it as a middle name instead, but I have to say I’m torn because I do think its great. A couple of other girls names we’ve put on our hastily thrown together shortlist also include [name_f]Aimee[/name_f]/Amy and [name_u]Sasha[/name_u].
Finally, my last concern is that our other kids (who both have two middle names) thier full names are quite bold. Does it seem like we’ve given up by giving our new babies these sorts of names?
All thoughts appreciated!

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[name_f]Emma[/name_f] still remains my #1 girl name! I feel like I don’t hear it as much as I did about 5-10 years ago! It’s just so lovely, and I think it’s still a great choice today, despite its popularity! If you are looking for sibling names, I think [name_f]Rose[/name_f] and [name_u]June[/name_u] work really well with [name_f]Emma[/name_f]! For boys I love [name_m]Ethan[/name_m], [name_m]Isaac[/name_m] and [name_m]Wesley[/name_m].

It’s a very pretty name. [name_f]Emmanuelle[/name_f] or [name_f]Emmie[/name_f] could be other options.

I think [name_f]Emma[/name_f] is a nice name but it’s too popular for me and with siblings named [name_f]Natalia[/name_f] and [name_u]Aeron[/name_u], [name_f]Emma[/name_f] doesn’t really fit IMO. I think [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] would be a good alternative or maybe [name_f]Esme[/name_f] which I love with your kids names!

Honestly… yeah. I find it to be overdone. Sorry!

I don’t hang around many young children but I can think of at least a dozen girls named [name_f]Emma[/name_f] off the top of my head, ranging in ages from 5 to 25. I live in the US though, if that makes a difference to you.

It was so popular when I was growing up (b. 1999) that it feels overused. On top of that, [name_f]Emily[/name_f] is extremely popular for my age group as well, so that leads to lots of girls in my school with very similar names. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the name [name_f]Emma[/name_f] (or [name_f]Emily[/name_f]), and its popularity shows how likable it is, but to answer your question… yeah, it’s overdone and I’m tired of hearing it.

I certainly don’t see it as “giving up” if you use more well-known names like [name_f]Amy[/name_f] or [name_f]Emma[/name_f] for one/both of these babies. Most people in the “real world” (outside of the name-obsessed side of the internet) don’t notice sibsets or things like that haha.

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I think it’s always just been consistently popular. I went to school with loads of them (both Emmas and Amys) and wouldn’t pick it because I’m quite close to one who would see the baby as a namesake.

Having said that, you chose more unusual, less utilised names for your other two. If you really like the name, just go for it. I’m always so torn between picking something unique or more commonly used and familiar that just feels right. I also love the suggestion of [name_f]Esme[/name_f] from Babies123456, I’ve recently had a friend name a little [name_f]Esme[/name_f] and I’m quite enamoured with it. You could also go [name_f]Emilia[/name_f] which reminds me of [name_f]Emilia[/name_f]-Romagna in [name_f]Italy[/name_f] and could work.

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I don’t know any [name_f]Emma[/name_f]’s under 18 so I don’t think it’s too popular currently, not where I live anyway. [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] is close if you want a less popular name.

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Yes, I think so. It’s been in the US top 10 for almost 20 years, and it’s a popular name all over the world. I used to work in an elementary school and there was an [name_f]Emma[/name_f] in every class. (No repeats, though.) I hear it constantly.

Emma’s my top choice. To make it less ordinary, have you considered adding another name to it?

Emma-[name_f]Kate[/name_f] (with or without the hyphen) is my top choice, but another poster had [name_f]Emma[/name_f]-[name_f]Claire[/name_f] which could also work. I also like [name_f]Emma[/name_f]-[name_f]Rose[/name_f].

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I personally can’t come at [name_f]Emma[/name_f] - I know so many [name_f]Emma[/name_f]’s and it’s so popular. I would be worried that [name_f]Emma[/name_f] would feel a bit left out when her siblings have more uncommon name’s (she may not - but that just how my brain works). However, I’m a big candidate for “if you love it, use it” - if you really feel [name_f]Emma[/name_f] is the right name for you, then go for it.

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There’s no denying that it is popular, though I still think it’s a lovely name.

I think [name_f]Emilia[/name_f] and [name_f]Gemma[/name_f] are also beautiful choices with a similar sound.

Good luck

I hate to say it, but at least in the US, [name_f]Emma[/name_f] is pretty overdone. I wish it wasn’t, with all the fabulous literary references, and the fact that it’s just lovely! Having said that, it depends on what is important to you. If she were in the US, she would probably have 5 kids in her class with the name. But that might not matter to you, and like I said, [name_f]Emma[/name_f] has some pretty fabulous qualities. As for [name_f]Aimee[/name_f]/Amy, in the US, it is considered very much a “mom name.” Again, though, that might not bother you, and I can’t speak for the UK. Finally, I really like [name_u]Sasha[/name_u]. I think it fits best with [name_f]Natalia[/name_f] and [name_u]Aeron[/name_u]. [name_u]Sasha[/name_u] is a diminutive of [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] (in Russian) and I think [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] goes really well with your children, especially [name_f]Natalia[/name_f], which is also Russian. Congratulations and best of luck!!

Maybe:
[name_u]Emry[/name_u]/Emory
[name_f]Emilia[/name_f]
[name_u]Emerson[/name_u]
[name_f]Emmie[/name_f]

Maybe:
[name_f]Emmie[/name_f]
[name_u]Emerson[/name_u]
[name_u]Emry[/name_u]/Emory
[name_f]Emilia[/name_f]

[name_f]Welcome[/name_f] back, @hollytree, and big congrats on your twins!

I’m British, and an [name_f]Emma[/name_f], and a mother to preschooler children, so I feel qualified to answer this one :grin:

I’d be really surprised if a young [name_f]Emma[/name_f] born in the UK in 2020 shared her name with five other girls on the playground. It ranked just outside the Top 50 here in the last year on record (2018), so less popular than names like [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_f]Violet[/name_f], [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] – none of which I hear every day, and I have only met a handful of Emmas younger than me (mid-late 20s).

That said, I think it’s a true classic and doesn’t yet feel dated, despite having peaked around when I was born. It’s simple, solid and seems like the sort of name that could suit anyone. [name_f]Amy[/name_f] feels a little more dated to me, having peaked higher and dropped lower than [name_f]Emma[/name_f] over the past quarter-century. You can see their popularity trajectories compared here :point_down:

That said, I love [name_u]Sasha[/name_u] and I think it’s probably the best stylistic fit with your older kids’ names. It’s got the modern, energetic feel of [name_u]Aeron[/name_u], and the Eastern European flair of [name_f]Natalia[/name_f]. And while I don’t think calling your new babies [name_f]Emma[/name_f] or [name_f]Amy[/name_f] would seem remotely like you’re “giving up”, I do think that [name_u]Sasha[/name_u] best matches the punchiness and personality of your other children’s names.

[name_m]How[/name_m] about…

[name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Anya[/name_f]
Esmée
[name_f]Elodie[/name_f]
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f]
[name_f]Saskia[/name_f]
[name_f]Mirabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Ramona[/name_f]
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucille[/name_f]
[name_f]Cecile[/name_f]
[name_f]Miranda[/name_f]
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f]

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I think it’s still pretty and classic sounding. As long as you don’t mind the popularity, it’s a lovely choice! If you love the name, that makes it a great one for your child.

Unfortunately, I do think [name_f]Emma[/name_f] is overused. It would be cute as a middle name though! I think [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Emma[/name_f] is beautiful. For boys, I love [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] as a middle name. Some first names I like are [name_m]Baxley[/name_m], [name_m]Henry[/name_m], [name_m]William[/name_m], [name_m]Keyshawn[/name_m], [name_m]Randall[/name_m], [name_u]Cove[/name_u], [name_u]James[/name_u], and [name_m]Quaid[/name_m]. I also love [name_f]Aimee[/name_f] and [name_u]Sasha[/name_u]. A good middle name for [name_f]Aimee[/name_f] would be [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] and a good middle name for [name_u]Sasha[/name_u] would be [name_f]Katherine[/name_f]. If you want to use [name_f]Aimee[/name_f] and [name_u]Sasha[/name_u] as middle names, I would suggest: [name_f]Isabella[/name_f] [name_f]Aimee[/name_f] and [name_f]Kate[/name_f] [name_u]Sasha[/name_u]. Here are some more suggestions for girls names:
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f]
[name_f]Chloe[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_u]Harper[/name_u] [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Francesca[/name_f] [name_f]Katherine[/name_f]
[name_f]Zahirah[/name_f] [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]

My name is Emalee but I did not have any Emma’s or Emily’s in my class with me. I have met a few people with double names, one Emma, a Emlee, an Emmy, and one Emilee in a grade above me. So there are a lot of options where Emma can still be usable. I actually go by Ema or Em around my friends and that spelling is not as popular either. It’s never bothered me at all as a nickname or with my unique spelling.

I like [name_f]Emma[/name_f], I’d name my kid this, but since my name’s [name_f]Emily[/name_f] it’s way too close.

Emilia
[name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Isadora[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucille[/name_f]
[name_u]Willow[/name_u]
[name_f]Vienna[/name_f]
[name_f]Lunette[/name_f]
[name_f]Marceline[/name_f]
[name_f]Maeve[/name_f]
[name_f]Estella[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosette[/name_f]
[name_f]Primrose[/name_f]

Yes emma is overdone. [name_f]Aimee[/name_f] also is so dated and popular I don’t think it’s as nice as [name_f]Natalia[/name_f].

Emma was #35 in the UK in 2019 and lower in 2018 so I doubt she would have lots of other girls by the same name in her class. I don’t think it sounds like you’ve “given up”- especially if you chose less common/more “out there” names in the middle. [name_u]Sasha[/name_u] and [name_f]Emma[/name_f] would make great names for twins- [name_u]Sasha[/name_u] being either male or female.

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