Overrated names!

General Name Discussion
1

Which names do you feel are incredibly overrated ?

Mine are the following,

Girls

Margot- I just cannot unsee the Maggot in [name_f]Margot[/name_f] so for me it’s quite ugly on paper, which is a real shame as it’s not a bad name in itself.

Emma-
I know there are so many lovely [name_f]Emma[/name_f]’s on here! so I feel particularly bad for putting this on the list, but to me it’s really quite bland. I also grew up with a few [name_f]Emma[/name_f]’s and I feel like it’s sooo popular for no particular reason.

Claire- I put this into the same bracket as [name_f]Emma[/name_f]. I feel like, again, it’s a bit unimaginative, almost a filler name and I associate the name with a lot of women who are in their 40s. This isn’t a bad thing, it just has that vibe about it, so it feels a bit expected.

Beatrix- I really don’t understand the appeal at all. To me I want to say wheetabix and I think it’s really harsh sounding.

Boys

Oliver- This name has honestly been in the top boys name spot for way too long. It’s losing its appeal as a result and I think there should be a new king in town lol.

Rory- This name seems to be climbing up the charts, in particular in the UK. I really dislike the double R sound, it’s awkward and I think of the word raw, which makes me think of raw meat, so it’s not the most pleasant imagery in my mind.

Logan- I really cannot pinpoint why I dislike this name. I feel like it’s a name that is trying so hard to be very macho to the point where it feels a bit obnoxious. There are a lot of names out there with similar endings that I dislike, like [name_u]Mason[/name_u]/Jayden etc.

Ian-This is perhaps the most insipid male name ever.

These are all just a personal opinion so I don’t mean to cause any offence to anyone.

2 Likes
2

Iris

I don’t dislike it, it’s nice, just can’t see why it’s so much loved.

1 Like
3

Ok don’t mind it but I much prefer [name_f]Ivy[/name_f]

2 Likes
4

Sophia / [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] / [name_f]Sofia[/name_f] - I don’t strongly dislike the name [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] or any of the variations (and I get the appeal of its meaning) but it just sounds a bit …meh to me. I don’t understand why it’s so well loved.

5 Likes
5

Sophia - I used to like this name as a child, when it wasn’t nearly as popular as it is now. But it’s no longer my style, and it’s so common. What’s worse is that I know a really irritating child with the name, which doesn’t help at all.

Iris - One of the few vintage comebacks that I can’t get on board with. There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s just really not my personal style.

Jasper - I really don’t understand why this is so loved. I don’t like the sound, and it’s very posh to me. I’m not from one of the most well-to-do parts of [name_f]England[/name_f], so if anyone where I live was to use it, the poor child would be bullied incessantly.

Olivia/Amelia - I don’t like names of this style, they’re too frilly for my liking, yet these two are so popular. Again, nothing wrong with them, but really not my style.

2 Likes
6

Isla… as much as I try to like it, it’s just not appealing to me.

I agree with [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] and [name_u]Oliver[/name_u].

3 Likes
7

No offense to anyone with the names! [name_m]Just[/name_m] my opinion.
[name_f]Ava[/name_f]: I really don’t get it. It feels very insubstantial to me. It sounds like a cleaning product, it has no nicknames and I think [name_f]Eva[/name_f] is much cuter than it is.
[name_f]Isla[/name_f]: Same as [name_f]Ava[/name_f]. I prefer [name_f]Ella[/name_f] or [name_f]Lilah[/name_f] or [name_f]Iris[/name_f]. [name_f]Isla[/name_f] feels very forgettable and bland.
[name_u]Jayden[/name_u] (b) - I’m surprised this is still so popular considering how overused it became in the 2000s.
[name_m]Jaxon[/name_m] - [name_m]Just[/name_m]… :grimacing: I really dislike the harsh sound and don’t get the appeal over [name_u]Jackson[/name_u]
[name_m]Colton[/name_m] - I just think ‘‘cotton’’ and cult-on

3 Likes
8

Girls
[name_f]Clementine[/name_f] - I much prefer [name_m]Clement[/name_m]. This “feminisation” just sounds quite masculine to me. I don’t even know why. Plus, no nickname option appeals to me, because again, [name_u]Clem[/name_u] seems like a masculine nickname.

Winifred - I don’t hate it but don’t particularly love it either. The “fred” suffix just makes me kind of see it as clunky. I prefer other options to get to [name_f]Winnie[/name_f], like [name_f]Winika[/name_f], [name_f]Winona[/name_f], [name_f]Winslet[/name_f] or [name_u]Winslow[/name_u].

Thalia - Sounds kind of harsh to me. People on NB seem to swoon over how soft and feminie it is, I just do not see it.

Sylvia/Sylvie - Where I live, it’s a name for women in their late 40s and early 50s. [name_m]Can[/name_m]’t picture a young girl wearing it well.

Boy names:

Rory - It’s just a fun nickname for [name_f]Aurora[/name_f] to me. Cannot picture it as a good boy name

Ambrose - I much prefer [name_u]Penrose[/name_u] because it seems way more modern and wearable.

Ezra - It’s incredibly meh. I would put [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] in the same category.

2 Likes
9

Most common/popular names seem pretty bland and overused to me. It could be a generational thing. I wonder if [name_f]Gen[/name_f] X parents are more likely to use names like [name_m]Jack[/name_m] and [name_f]Sophie[/name_f], which have been popular for 20+ years. While Millennial parents might be more likely to use fresher/less common names.

2 Likes
10

in the UK i’m getting super fed up of [name_f]Evie[/name_f], I feel like I know so many and it’s just lost any charm. And also [name_u]Darcy[/name_u]/Darcey/Darcie for a girl (although I love it for a boy).

oh and also ellie - i know soooo many ellie’s

1 Like
11

Bartholomew. [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f]. :confused:

1 Like
12

Anna - i really want to like it :sob: but it just seems so ordinary to me, even [name_f]Anya[/name_f] or [name_f]Alma[/name_f] feels more substantial

Ezra - i used to love this but i feel like it has lost its original meaning in the Bible due to trendiness now

Harriet - something about this feels unpleasant, although i feel like i should like it

Atticus - it sounds and looks awkward to me, maybe if i met one it would change my mind haha

Wren - its nice but it feels like a filler middle name most of the time, like a new, more gender neutral [name_f]Rose[/name_f]

2 Likes
13

On nameberry:
[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f], [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f]/Beatrix, [name_f]Alice[/name_f], [name_f]Mabel[/name_f]
[name_u]Laurence[/name_u], [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m]

In general:
[name_f]Hazel[/name_f], [name_u]Scout[/name_u], [name_f]Ava[/name_f], [name_f]Amelia[/name_f], [name_u]Olivia[/name_u]
[name_u]Beckett[/name_u], [name_u]Fox[/name_u]

14

i agree with most of the names posted so far, cant stand the sophias sophies, emma emilys jayden kayden aidens , anything ending in SON like addison maddison mason.
i was surprised to see [name_u]Ezra[/name_u] on here, i love that name but more so for a girl. I love ezra elijah and the [name_u]Eli[/name_u]’s …eliah elias
my pet peves that are different are
[name_u]Rowen[/name_u] , [name_m]Ronan[/name_m]
[name_u]Laken[/name_u], [name_u]Layne[/name_u]
[name_u]Hunter[/name_u], [name_m]Rider[/name_m], i feel like every couple chooses these now for their first baby boy.
gabriella and isabella , tell me theres not one in every family
and Mels, melanie ,melody, melena

2 Likes
15

I agree with people that [name_f]Emma[/name_f] is overused. I’m not the biggest fan of the sound, but it has such a special meaning in my family that I just had to include it in my user card. It fits well with my other names so it’s growing on me. But I wouldn’t use it as a first, and it does feel like it’s lacking something on it’s own.

2 Likes
16

not a fan of really any names ending in -elia/ilia other than [name_f]Amelia[/name_f], and even that i’m not in love with. [name_f]Emily[/name_f] is one of my least favorite names; i feel that at least [name_f]Emma[/name_f] has a classic feel to it. [name_f]Emily[/name_f], on the other hand, just feels horribly dated to me. i also don’t really care for any names starting with Mad- or [name_m]Ad[/name_m]- or even Av-. they all eventually turn into Maddies and Addies and that’s just. sigh.

i also really don’t like any names ending in -son. especially [name_u]Emerson[/name_u] and [name_u]Carson[/name_u] on girls, though i will say i like them alright on boys. any spelling of [name_m]Jack[/name_m] or [name_u]Jackson[/name_u] is just so tired as well, in my opinion. same goes for [name_u]Noah[/name_u] and most biblical boys’ names (have to say i’m partial to [name_u]Ezra[/name_u] though :wink: i think it still feels fresh!).

1 Like
17

I love [name_u]Beckett[/name_u] and [name_u]Fox[/name_u] :rofl:

1 Like
18

I just wanted to say I find your [name_u]Logan[/name_u] comments really interesting! I think of [name_u]Logan[/name_u] as cutesy and unisex, probably because I know both girls and boys with the name. It isn’t my personal style but it doesn’t feel overly macho to me.

19

I agree with [name_f]Claire[/name_f], [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f], [name_u]Oliver[/name_u], [name_u]Olivia[/name_u], [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] (but not [name_f]Sofia[/name_f] or [name_f]Sophie[/name_f]), [name_f]Harriet[/name_f], [name_u]Fox[/name_u] (and [name_u]Wolf[/name_u]), [name_f]Hazel[/name_f] and [name_u]Rowan[/name_u].

[name_u]Winter[/name_u] has also lost its charm after so many years on NB.
[name_m]Fletcher[/name_m] and [name_u]Dexter[/name_u] have always sounded very aggressive to me.

Honestly, and perhaps a bit controversial, most NB-ish word middle names are also just as one-and-the-same to me as any classic names. Whether it’s the old NB favourites [name_u]Poet[/name_u], [name_u]Story[/name_u] and [name_u]Fable[/name_u] or even bolder ones such as Snowlily, Moonshine or Redwillow (have not seen any of those one here), they just read “different” to me without a personality of their own.

[name_f]Emma[/name_f] is also super popular here but not to the point that every other kid is named [name_f]Emma[/name_f]. I also feel it pairs well with many styles of sibling names and most importantly to me: travels well.

1 Like
20

Sophia - I have never liked the sound of this name. I think part of my dislike is that ‘fear’ is basically the ned of the name it sounds like ‘so fear’ I think [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] is sweet and gorgeous and having grown up with [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] being normal and [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] being unheard of when it first became popular my reaction was always why would you do that to gorgeous [name_f]Sophie[/name_f]?

Olivia/Oliver - For me Olives are not a good association and I have never been able to see why you would want to basically name your child ‘[name_f]Olive[/name_f]’ However [name_f]Livvy[/name_f] and [name_f]Livia[/name_f] are ok. Also like the [name_u]French[/name_u] [name_m]Olivier[/name_m] and [name_u]Harry[/name_u] [name_m]Potter[/name_m]’s Olivander maybe because they just sound fresher.

Atticus - I really dislike the sound and feel of this name, I couldn’t understand the popularity

Lilith - really not a fan of this one

Everly - I just think [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] is so much nicer, and [name_u]Everly[/name_u] sounds like a cheapened tacky version (sorry)

Jackson - just not appealing to me

Aidan, [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] and [name_u]James[/name_u] for a girl - for me these are some of my favourite boys names and I can’t understand why you would want them on a girl.

Isidore - again personally just not a fan.

I agree completely with [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]/Sylvie and for me [name_u]Julie[/name_u]/Julia is the same

Also completely agree with [name_f]Ellie[/name_f], it’s become such a meh common name, also [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] [name_f]Mae[/name_f] etc. [name_f]Millie[/name_f] has also become this way in the UK.

Yes to [name_u]Scout[/name_u]

I love [name_f]Emma[/name_f], [name_u]Rory[/name_u], [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] and [name_f]Claire[/name_f] though

1 Like