I love [name]Greer[/name] but most people [name]IRL[/name] have never heard it used as a first name. [name]Even[/name] with [name]Brooke[/name] Shields naming her daughter [name]Grier[/name], it seems to be pretty unheard of. Most people I talk to have never heard of [name]Greer[/name] [name]Garson[/name] either. It’s talked about here a lot and I realize it’s one of those love/hate names. Over the past several years its been given to around 50 girls every year, the number seems very steady, not going up or down much. [name]Do[/name] you think it will break into the top 1000 any time soon? I like it because of [name]Greer[/name] [name]Garson[/name] and I think it has such a great solid, sophisticated, brisk, modern sound. BUT I am one who would actually like for my daughter’s name to not be too different. I don’t want a top 10 name but I would like for it to at least not get blank stares her entire life. So, after all that rambling, what do you think? [name]Will[/name] it get more popular or does it lack mass appeal too much?
I don’t know the answer to your question since it isn’t a very popular name, but I love the way you think about not wanting her to get blank stares her entire life. As for the name, I like it, whether it’s popular or not.
I also like the name [name]Greer[/name]! I don’t think you have to worry about popularity. When people I know think of old Hollywood actresses/movies (if they even watch old movies-most people I know won’t even try,it’s such a pity) they think of people like [name]Ava[/name] [name]Gardner[/name], [name]Audrey[/name] Hepburn, [name]Katharine[/name] Hepburn,[name]Ingrid[/name] Bergman, and [name]Marilyn[/name] [name]Monroe[/name]. They don’t have a clue who [name]Greer[/name] [name]Garson[/name] is, and have never heard of the name before. [name]Even[/name] with [name]Brooke[/name] Shields naming her daughter [name]Grier[/name], [name]Brooke[/name] Shields isn’t as popular as say, [name]Angelina[/name] [name]Jolie[/name], so [name]Greer[/name] will stay under the radar for a while.
I also like what you said about blank stares. I do think that people will either love it or hate it. It’d be refreshing to meet a [name]Greer[/name] in the midst of all of the Isabellas/Sophias/Emmas, and I think other people would definitely be surprised, but in a good way. But there also is the crowd that would be confused, especially because [name]Greer[/name] isn’t similar to many names, as opposed to say [name]Louisa[/name], which although it’s outside the top 1000,is still familiar because of the [name]Lu[/name] sound in [name]Lucy[/name]/[name]Lucia[/name]/[name]Louise[/name] and so on. Does that make sense?
I say go for it! Of course you could use it as a middle name, but it would be wonderful to see in the first name spot. :]
I saw a little [name]Greer[/name] at my son’s pediatrician appointment about a couple months ago. She was a cute little blonde haired girl. It was unexpected where I live, and I liked it. It is too short for me, but I think you should use it. It won’t become super popular, if it became popular at all.
Hmm, thanks for the responses. So I am actually hoping it does become more common. I guess you hit the nail on the head, susan.n, because it doesn’t sound like any other names it’s even more different. So my question for you expert namers, will this name always stand out as really different like it does now or is it poised for a little more popularity?
Of course I don’t know for sure, but I think [name]Greer[/name] will stay under the radar for a while.
I forgot to add-I think you should go for [name]Greer[/name], though! It’s a wonderful name.I said this earlier, but I’ll say it again. You could always use it as a middle name, so she has the option to go by [name]Greer[/name] if she desires. Or she could go by her first name, but you could call her [name]Greer[/name]. :]
I saw in another post that your daughter is named [name]Olive[/name]. ([name]Love[/name] [name]Olive[/name] by the way-I’ve always preferred [name]Olive[/name] to [name]Olivia[/name]!) [name]Olive[/name] and [name]Greer[/name] would be really cute together.
Aww, thanks susan.n! I love [name]Olive[/name]'s name. I really love [name]Greer[/name] but even [name]Olive[/name] gets some funny reactions and I think a little [name]Greer[/name] would get even more. It’s top two though! (Along with [name]Phoebe[/name].)
Aww, thanks susan.n! I love [name]Olive[/name]'s name but even it gets a lot of funny looks and it’s a well known name ([name]Olive[/name] Oyl, etc). [name]Greer[/name], having never been used much at all as a first name kind of scares me. But it’s certainly a possibility!
[name]Love[/name] [name]Greer[/name] for either gender and I doubt it will ever be popular or more common. I think the fact that it’s so short and abrupt, with no nn makes it an acquired taste.
Oh I’ve always loved the name [name]Greer[/name]! It doesn’t work with my last name, but if it works for yours then please go for it! There needs to be more little Greers in the world. It’s not going to become crazy popular and she might get blank stares depending on where you live (I live in Northern [name]California[/name] and my daughter, [name]Adelaide[/name], gets blank stares sometimes…). But if you already have an [name]Olive[/name] then you guys can pull off a [name]Greer[/name] too! Really a beautiful sibset combo!
Sadly I don’t think [name]Greer[/name] or [name]Grier[/name] is going to become incredibly popular anytime soon. But I wouldn’t let that bother me if I were you. I feel like it’s easy enough to sound out/spell, that while it’s unusual I feel people will warm to it fairly easily.
I know of only one [name]Grier[/name] and that’s an online friend. I think the name is so sweet and spunky and it’s high on my list. I really don’t think you’ll have to worry about it taking off. [name]Grier[/name], [name]Brooke[/name] Shields’ daughter, is about 5 now. I think if would’ve taken off already if it was an “It” Celebrity baby name.
I think it’s very unlikely. With most ‘under the radar’ names, you at least see a very slight upward trend. With [name]Greer[/name], the number of girls with this name has only fluctuated by about 25 per year for about 30 years. The last 5 years it’s showed almost no change. It has the combination of a few harsh sounds, that though they aren’t unpleasant, I don’t think they would appeal to a broad audience. My gut says it’s safe.
That’s what I was thinking clover. It just reminds me a lot of [name]Sloane[/name] which climbed fast in the last few years but I didn’t look at it’s activity before that. I wondered if maybe people thought it was on her heels. Thanks.
Obviously, anything could happen. The number of Sloanes stayed fairly static for about 20 years, but there was a still a slow increase in numbers. It’s only jumped in the last 6. In 2003 there were only 93. In 2011 there were 570. I think that’s what makes choosing a less popular name so maddening. You can never be absolutely sure. My husband and I both agreed on [name]Briar[/name], but then a friend who worked at an OBGYN casually said, “Oh yeah, I’ve heard of a few Briars.” There were only 70 in 2010 - and 110 last year. Guessing on whether or not it will go up or down is driving me crazy! I’m so afraid I’m going to choose the next [name]Paisley[/name]. A name that seems so unique and safe, only to find it in the top 200 a few years later.
I’m a [name]Greer[/name]! When I ask my mum why on [name]EARTH[/name] she called me [name]Greer[/name] (My older siblings are called [name]Billy[/name], [name]Jordan[/name] and [name]Anna[/name] - all normal names!) she tells me that since she was a little girl it was a name she loved and out of all the names she has chosen for her children, [name]Greer[/name] has always been her favourite. We’re Scottish, but even still [name]Greer[/name] is not popular at all and I grew up constantly spelling out and over-enunciating my name for people to repeat. Still…I gotta admit I love my name. Sadly I don’t think it’s going to get any more popular unless someone by that name becomes famous. It’s like a Marmite name - you either love it or hate it - but for me it’s great because I have the most unusual name and it’s helped me out so much!