I’ve heard the comment a few times that using a more common name is ‘lazy’ and that the parent didn’t put time and research into finding a name. [name]Do[/name] any of you feel this way? If so, could you please elaborate a little bit more?
A name is a name - aslong as you like it - and can see yourself liking it for your whole life time, it shouldn’t matter what others think! 
Oh goodness, no! I think that’s a terribly hurtful thing to say! I couldn’t disagree more!
I don’t feel that way at all, so you probably don’t want to hear from me. But here are my thoughts on the matter:
I think there could be such a thing as a lazy name in that someone could be expecting and say, “Great, we need a name… let’s have a look at the most popular ones… number 1 is [name]Harry[/name]? We’ll just use that then.” But I highly doubt that’s the case with most names. I bet there are many parents who put a lot of time and effort into deciding on baby names, even if they come out with [name]Ava[/name] or [name]Aidan[/name] in the end.
I don’t believe picking a name from the top 10/100/1000 makes you any more lazy than someone who picked a unique name, as more often than not there’s a meaning or story behind it: “Yes we chose [name]Harry[/name] because ever since I was little I’ve always wanted a little boy called [name]Harry[/name], I love the meaning and it honours my grandad, [name]Henry[/name]”. [name]Even[/name] if the only reason you pick a name is because you really love it- that’s not lazy. It just so happens that a lot of other parents loved the same name.
Ergo, choosing a popular name should not make you lazy [name]IMO[/name]
I have come across a few threads on nameberry where the consensus seems to be that if you choose a popular name you are inferior to those who choose less popular or obscure names. I disagree. The name you give your child should be one that you love and just because it is popular does not make it any less special ( again seems to be the consensus on here with some people commenting that they are sick of hearing certain names etc etc). My daughter has a fairly common first name , not so much in UK (where I am from ) where it is around the 400 mark or NZ where I live , but certainly in US where it is 22 (I think).
However, this name holds significance to us for a number of reasons as does her less popular middle name. I think it is hurtful to suggest that a parent did not properly think about what they named their child . Some posters on this site can however come across as having a slight superiority complex and be quite harsh to others. Naming your child is not a competition , it is a very personal thing and no one should be judged for their choice being popular. Giving your child an unusable name is , [name]IMO[/name] a whole other story 
There are so many reasons for picking a name.
I only “judge” when the spelling is confusing or super-trendy.
Common names are common because they are lovely.
When I hear a common name for a new baby I think, “aww, bit too bad that it’s not very interesting, but at least it’s not horrible”
I don’t think lazy would be a way I’d describe it.
On these forums, if people make a post and say “What do you think of these name: Daria, Violet, Liberty, Beatrice, Sara”
Well, in that list Sara isn’t as interesting and unique as the others, and Violet and Beatrice are discussed constantly on this site so they can become a bit stale to busy members.
So I think you do have to consider your audience.
Everyone has excellent points.
I definitely don’t thinking choosing a popular name makes you lazy. I realize that not everyone in the world is a name nerd like I am. I have had notebooks and random papers throughout my house filled with scribbles of name combos since I could read and write. I could probably fill a whole drawer with the research and notes I’ve taken. Not everyone is like that. Some people do a little research or hear a name and know it’s the one. Nothing wrong with that.
Oh God no!
There is many reasons for picking a name and like others have said, a popular name like [name]William[/name] can have special meaning to the parents (family, history etc).
I get so angry when I see that!
There are plenty of people who have been through the top 1,000 and beyond, yet for whatever reason–family name or simple love of a name close to the top–decide with a serious amount of thought to use it. Choosing a top ten name doesn’t mean you didn’t fill notebooks and go through dozens of other options to get there.
This frustrates me. Choosing a popular name isn’t lazy! I have yet to meet a parent who doesn’t have a meaningful story behind the name they chose for their child- and I know an [name]Isabel[/name] and an [name]Isabella[/name]. Most of the popular names are timeless classics. You don’t have to use an obscure name to give your child a meaningful name.
I think Miss Dindle phrased it perfectly here.
I think, sadly, in some cases it will be true. I know someone who picked a popular name for her daughter just because it was popular.
However, like posters have previously said, most people who choose popular names will have stories behind their choices.
People are just too judgmental about names in general. If someone picks a popular name there will always be some who judge that as lazy, boring, unimaginative. If someone picks an unusual but real name, there will always be some who think the name is weird or nerdy or stuffy or whatever. If someone uses a creative name, there will always be some who think it is trashy or trying to hard or whatever.
The best thing any parent to be can do for their child is pick a name that they have thought through and considered and that they can explain in the future to the child why they chose the name they did. I think it also helps to pick a name that is somewhat versatile with the potential to be used in full or with a choice of nns.
I certainly do not think it’s lazy! I won’t lie that I get a little bored reading the birth announcements when I see the same names over and over, but that doesn’t mean the name doesn’t mean something to the parents. What IS lazy is not researching a name at all - popularity aside.
Nope! Popularity in a name does not mean lazy parents, but I will admit, when I see people not do any research about names and then get genuinely upset with their choice once they realize [name]Brayden[/name] is not the super-original choice they thought, I get irritated. It’s not necessarily laziness, but if originality is SO important, do your research. There is an incredible amount of naming resources and statistics available with the click of the button. I just think that if something is really important to you, you put in the effort to be happy with it… Saying, “Well there were no kids named [name]Brayden[/name] when I was in kindergarten” just doesn’t make sense to me.
There are tons of parents who choose really popular names because they love the name and popularity doesn’t matter, or they have special meanings, or they like popular names. It’s all valid.
Exactly! It’s not so much that the name is popular, but more of the parents getting upset if they didn’t do any research and then realize that the name they choose IS popular and then get mad about it. Well…you had 9 months(in theory), you couldn’t do a google search?
No. I don’t feel like that. There are lots of reasons that people choose popular names.
I would be more likely to assume they’re just not ‘into’ names like I am (and evidently most of Nameberry are). I’d just think they prioritised differently to me and to them, names are less important, which is fine. I know of situations where at the start of the pregnancy the parents will think ‘[name]Isabelle[/name], that’s a pretty name, we’ll use that’ and they do. It’s just about priorities.
I’m also sure there are people who put TONNES of thought into a name, and out of their list of [name]Paloma[/name], [name]Aviva[/name] and [name]Isabelle[/name], the perfect name happens to be the most popular. It happens.
I’m an [name]Olivia[/name], but my parents list also consisted of [name]Winter[/name], [name]Ophelia[/name] and [name]Octavia[/name] and I know for sure they spent a lot of time deliberating.
Honestly I can’t really imagine a situation of one parent saying to the other: ‘Eh, I suppose we have to name him. Find me the top 10 and I’ll choose something off that’. If people [name]DO[/name] limit themselves to the top 10/50/100 it’s more likely to be so the kid isn’t bullied or whatever (which frankly is ridiculous, but hey - again, it’s priorities).
No! Popular names are popular because they have an all-round appeal to a lot of people, and are the culmination of a wide range of tastes and cultural identities which they all suit. If you’re one of those people, it doesn’t make you lazy and it doesn’t make your name choice any less valid. I must admit, I tend to sway further towards slightly less popular names only because after you’ve met two or three people with the same name it gets a little bland, but that’s all.
Your child may not be the only one with their name in a class. Perhaps a little annoying, but no biggie. It also means your child will (probably) never have to spell their name out, never have it pronounced wrong, never have it questioned, and will likely not have an image attached to their name that they feel pressured to live up to. I don’t think it’s lazy to give your child those qualities in their name.
I may have felt that way many years ago, but I know better now. I’m a [name]Jennifer[/name] of the 70’s, which may be the reason I was always determined, to the point of obsession, that my children would have the most obscure names I could possibly find. Yet my son’s given name and nickname both sit securely in the top ten, and I’m fine with that. When I was 12, I read a historical fiction novel about an old Irish farmer named [name]Liam[/name]. I became very endeared to the character and fell in love with his name. I knew from then on that if I had a son, his name would be [name]Liam[/name]. Also, I’m Irish, and very proud of my heritage, so the fact that it’s an Irish name was lovely to me. Fast forward 12 years, I find myself married to an Irish man who always dreamed of naming a son [name]William[/name], after his grandfather. So, when we found ourselves expecting a son, it name was a no-brainer, his is given name would be [name]William[/name], and we would call him [name]Liam[/name]. The day he was born, one of the nurses told me there was another baby [name]Liam[/name] down the hall. My heart sank. This was ten years ago, we didn’t have internet, and I had never heard the name anywhere else. I soon started hearing it here and there, then everywhere! At first, I was devastated, but I eventually realized that there wasn’t another name for our son, no matter how obscure or unusual, that could ever mean as much to us. No matter how many Liams are running around, our little Irish boy with his auburn curls, fair skin, and freckles is our [name]Liam[/name], and he’s the one and only as far as I’m concerned. I realize now, that no matter how popular the name, the parents loved it and had beautiful intentions when giving it to their child.
No, I don’t think its lazy. A name is popular for a reason, because it appeals to a lot of people. I think a lot of people pick names based solely on what sounds nice to them and could care less how popular it is.
However, I do think some parents, aka my parents, do give very little thought to what they name their children because to them a name is just a name. It doesn’t matter what the kid looks like, whats popular, whats meaningful. They just hear one name they like and "oh, lets just name it that.“That sounds okay.” Then sixteen years later they finally acquire a taste and tell you how much they don’t like your name. (Can you tell I’m bitter?)