See the results of this poll: You should…
Respondents: 88 (This poll is closed)
- Hold on to it - who cares?! : 77 (88%)
- Let it gooo, let it goooo: 11 (13%)
I would hold on to my favorite despite it’s popularity. I think what would probably make me let it go is if a family member or close friend were to use it. For me, if I love a name the popularity means next to nothing to me.
Go for it. I kinda have personal insight into being named [name_f]Emma[/name_f].
I think you should hold onto it despite popularity. When it comes to naming a child maybe you’ll use it in a middle spot, but I don’t think you should just nix it from your list due to popularity. Keep it.
I’m not planning to remove [name_f]Alice[/name_f] or [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] even though they are definitely on the rise.
[name_f]Emma[/name_f] is a gorgeous name. If you love it, go for it.
I would use [name_f]Emma[/name_f], but expand it in order to personalize it.
I’d prefer [name_m]Emmerson[/name_m] or [name_f]Emmalynn[/name_f] with [name_f]Emma[/name_f] as the nn.
I think you should definitely go for it! But since it is so popular, I think you should go for a middle name that is either unusual or isn’t typically used as a middle name. I think an [name_f]Emma[/name_f] [name_f]Verity[/name_f] or [name_f]Emma[/name_f] [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] would feel more special than, say, [name_f]Emma[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] or [name_f]Emma[/name_f] [name_f]Grace[/name_f], because she might actually share her first AND middle name with a peer in that case.
Hold on to it! Popular names are well-used for a reason!
[name_f]Emma[/name_f] is definitely a lovely name. I like it a lot. But there are SO MANY nice names. Maybe I’ve just been burned out by all the Emilys, Emmas, Emmalines, Emersons, Emmies, etc., that kids that have grown up with my own children. There have been 1 or more in every class/sport/art class I’ve been to for 20 years. Is it time to move on? In my own family, one of my daughters has a much loved family name as a middle name - one that is very popular among her generation. However, to her, it just feels generic, and not special. That’s the potential problem with [name_f]Emma[/name_f]. It feels special to you, but will it have the same feeling for your daughter? Or will it feel humdrum and maybe a little boring? I can’t guess, and every child is different. Yes, I know that popularity is different now, but the “[name_f]Em[/name_f]” names have been popular for a long time. If you love it more than anything else, that’s important. [name_m]Just[/name_m] be aware that what’s true for you may not be true for your daughter and her friends. Where I live, names beginning with “[name_f]Em[/name_f]” (and [name_f]El[/name_f]) are ubiquitous and maybe a little overused. That may or may not be true where you are.
Thank you all for your responses. I’ve considered them all. I have to say, I am still holding onto [name_f]Emma[/name_f]! 
@nathalia, I appreciate your response. I often think of that possibility. Also, @hylemea; DH & I love [name_f]Emma[/name_f] [name_f]Claire[/name_f]. I’m hoping that’s somewhat unique enough.
Hold on to it! [name_u]Love[/name_u] the suggestion to give her a more unique middle name. [name_f]Emma[/name_f] [name_f]Claire[/name_f] is gorgeous!!
(I named my DS [name_m]William[/name_m] and we haven’t had any problems yet! No regrets!)
Thank you! 
I love the name [name_m]William[/name_m]!
Nice! I think [name_f]Claire[/name_f] is a very pretty name.
Another bit for thought: where I live, my name, [name_f]Hayley[/name_f] [name_f]Marie[/name_f], is a very common one, both first and middle. As a kid, I didn’t really love being one of 3 [name_f]Hayley[/name_f]/[name_u]Haley[/name_u]/[name_f]Hailey[/name_f]'s in my class, but it wasn’t a big deal. The others and I kind of formed a bond over sharing a name despite some of us being in different cliques or friend groups. But both as a kid and as an adult, what really made me love my name was that I knew my mom had loved both of my names long before I was on the way and both had special significance to her and my dad. So, I am guessing your future daughter might feel the same way! (:
[name_f]Emma[/name_f] is, always has been, and always will be a beautiful, classic name.
I never believed that popularity is a good think. Rejecting a name because other people are using it makes no sense to me. Since you’re considering [name_f]Emma[/name_f] for a future daughter and it remains your favourite name, it means that you love it regardless of its popularity. Why should you not use it? I have already used the most popular name in my country and no problem arised. I would never compromise with something I like less becauses parents in my country like the name and use it
I know this is picking apart syntax, but hold on, I have a point. You ask if we would use a name “even if it became popular”. Well, [name_f]Emma[/name_f] has been in the top 10 since 2002, and in the top 100 since 1993. In other words, saying [name_f]Emma[/name_f] has “become” popular is a bit misleading, since it has been popular for decades. So unless you are are in your 50s, if [name_f]Emma[/name_f] has always been your favorite name, you have loved it for many years of rampant popularity already.
I say this because we have a natural tendency to pay more attention when we hear our favorite names or variations of them, so lets say you’ve loved [name_f]Emma[/name_f] for ten years, that means paying extra attention every time you hear of or meet an [name_f]Emma[/name_f], [name_f]Emily[/name_f], [name_f]Emmie[/name_f], etc. My whole point in all this is that if the frequency of meeting Emmas and [name_f]Emma[/name_f] variants has not bothered you up to this point, you probably won’t mind meeting some if your daughter also shared that name! In other words, stick with your favorite name!
@beort12 You perfectly articulated exactly what I was thinking! If [name_f]Emma[/name_f]'s popularity hasn’t put you off for the past 10-15 years, I don’t think it’s something that will suddenly bother you and make you dislike a name you’ve loved for this long.
I honestly don’t understand why people would let go of a name they loved just because it is popular. Go for it!
I have a name from the top ten the year I was born. It’s not as bad as you think it is, but my advice is to stay out of the top ten (especially if you have a common last name like I do, and my college payment is attributed to the wrong person!). I have so many names I like besides my number one favorite. So I’d let it go if it came into the top ten. Honestly, my future daughter probably wouldn’t live up to the hype I’ve given the name anyway 
I’ve actually started to like [name_f]Emma[/name_f]. Never thought I would. But it’s sweet and I’m sure you won’t meet another [name_f]Emma[/name_f] her age!