Would you choose an extremely popular name if you had had it picked out since childhood?
Here is my dilemma. We don’t know what we are having but have more or less settled on a couple acceptable boys names. Since I had this girl’s name I have loved forever and DH and I can never agree usually but he likes it too, I thought we were set on that front. However, the more time that goes by the more I am questioning my choice as I don’t really want my child to have to use a last initial constantly and I like things that are different (not that [name]Wyatt[/name], my DS is really a different name but I have never encountered another one his age yet, so it is not as unacceptably popular to me as a top 5 name or anything).
So…I have spent too much time looking for another girls name and I like a bunch, but don’t [name]LOVE[/name] them. And DH and I do not agree on anything else. I’m am trying not to worry about the groans from friends/family that it is too popular and just see how I feel about it, but I’m not sure. What would you do? Would you just not care and use it anyway?
I’d go with my favorite name, no matter how popular. I actually adore [name]Emma[/name] and have for years and it is on my list amidst names that aren’t in the top 1000. I would likely pair it with an uncommon middle though if we use it. My husband likes [name]Emma[/name] [name]Sonnet[/name] :). We also like [name]Emma[/name] [name]Branwen[/name] and a few other combos. I say go with what you love!
Thank you all! The name we both like is [name]Ava[/name] [name]Mae[/name]. I’ve been wracking my brain trying to come up with alternatives or longer versions and nothing is sticking in the same way.
I personally wouldn’t. I love [name]Alice[/name], for example, but it’s in the top 100 here and so I can’t see myself ever using it. But that’s not to say I think other people should do the same. If you personally feel that you love the name more than you dislike its popularity, then you should go for it! You don’t want to be kicking yourself for years afters for choosing the wrong name. And [name]Ava[/name] is a lovely name, despite its popularity.
I love it. Could you just call her “[name]Ava[/name] [name]Mae[/name]” as a double name to set her apart from other Avas a bit? I think it would be adorable.
I think if you really, really love it, don’t let it being popular stop you from using it. It’s a cute name, and there’s a reason it’s so popular. And like catreynolds said, could you call her [name]Ava[/name] [name]Mae[/name] as a double name? It sounds really good together, and it’s not too long because both names are so short.
I agree with calling her [name]Ava[/name] [name]Mae[/name]. Very cute!
I probably wouldn’t use [name]Ava[/name], honestly. I’m not saying that would be the right choice, mind you. In fact, if I’m being honest with myself, it’s probably a bit silly to not like a name just b/c it’s popular.
It’s a name snob thing, and it’s kind of dumb. It’s like, I think of [name]Ava[/name], and I think of all the unimaginative namers who have used it, and I like it less. Silly, eh?
I do not have the same feeling about classic names like [name]Kate[/name] and [name]Sarah[/name], or [name]David[/name] and [name]William[/name]. But [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Isabella[/name] and [name]Aiden[/name]… yeah. I couldn’t use them.
I think you should do whatever makes you happy. If the popularity bothers you, find a new name (or use [name]Ava[/name] [name]Mae[/name]!) and if it doesn’t, use [name]Ava[/name]. It’s a very pretty name.
As someone who survived the 90s with the name “[name]Ashley[/name]”, i would NEVER saddle my kid with an uber popular name. [name]Just[/name] being honest. I HATED (and still hate) having such a popular name.
I would try to come up with a name I could use [name]Ava[/name] as a nickname for first, like [name]Avalon[/name], Avelina, or Aveturine/Aventurine. If not, I would look for other names I loved up until the last moment, and use [name]Ava[/name] if I really couldn’t find anything else. Using both her first name and middle name together is a really good idea too.
As of now the only name I really truly [name]LOVE[/name] that is really popular is [name]Aiden[/name] and I fell in love with it about 10 years right before it came super popular. I was into names at a really young age and would come up with combos for all thirty of my Barbies. It’s still on my list because I love it so much and it was fresh when I discovered it. Although to be honest I hate the idea that some people would consider me an “unimaginative namer” because I happen to love a popular name. I know [name]Ava[/name] is popular, but I’ve never met an [name]Ava[/name] in my life nor do I know anyone who knows an [name]Ava[/name]. Yes, I don’t exactly spend a lot of time at day cares or in delivery rooms, but I don’t think it’s as popular as [name]Emma[/name] or [name]Isabella[/name], at least where I live. [name]Aiden[/name], however, is a different story. According to SSA there have been almost 1,000 [name]Aiden[/name]/Aidans born in the last ten years.
If you live in the states go here Popular Names by State and you can search by state how popular a name is.
I love the idea of [name]Ava[/name] [name]Mae[/name] as a double first name. It’s pretty and not ridiculous like most double first names and it would set your daughter apart a bit.
Thank you all! I admit it seems silly to care about being thought of as unimaginative, but it still bothers me, lol. And I am liking the idea of using [name]Ava[/name] [name]Mae[/name] together as a first name. Would you use it like that with a space? That is what I am thinking because I don’t really like hyphenated names at all. And what kind of middle name would I go with that would flow and not be too much? (We have a 3 syllable last name). I am thinking either use them both like that or as first and middle but call her that still…not sure.
I’ve been going over this in my head for months now because we’re in a similar situation with a popular girls name. My thinking at this point is that coming up with another name will feel like I compromised on it and nothing will measure up to that name you actually wanted. Popular or not, she’ll be the only [name]Ava[/name] in your home and it’s a lovely name.
I have two cousins with 3-syllable double first names, one with a hyphen and one with a space, and both have a 3 syllable middle and a 4 syllable (hyphenated) last name. It works fine for them So middle name wise I think you could probably go with anything you like.
[name]Ava[/name] [name]Mae[/name] looks fine, I think; Avamae, Avamay, Avamei, Avamai are some alternatives… You could also do AvaMae, with both capitalized but no space.
I’d use [name]Ava[/name] [name]Mae[/name] and have [name]Mae[/name] be the middle name. You can just call her by her first and middle names.
I don’t let popularity sway me. If I truly love the name and it feels like THE name, I say go for it. I know that it seems as if most people on Nameberry think there is, but there really isn’t any rule saying your child MUST have a unique name.
It’s still on my list because I love it so much and it was fresh when I discovered it. Although to be honest I hate the idea that some people would consider me an “unimaginative namer” because I happen to love a popular name. I know [name]Ava[/name] is popular, but I’ve never met an [name]Ava[/name] in my life nor do I know anyone who knows an [name]Ava[/name]. Yes, I don’t exactly spend a lot of time at day cares or in delivery rooms, but I don’t think it’s as popular as [name]Emma[/name] or [name]Isabella[/name], at least where I live. [name]Aiden[/name], however, is a different story. According to SSA there have been almost 1,000 [name]Aiden[/name]/Aidans born in the last ten years. 
So middle name wise I think you could probably go with anything you like.