I get people don’t want to use popular names for their girl. But if they weren’t popular, we’d probably use them more often. So, if you could, which ones would you use?
Honestly, I would/very likely will use names high on the SSA Names list. Today’s popularity is not close to the popularity of names a decade or more ago. In 2013 there was close to 4 million births in the states and only 21,075 Sophias (top name). [name_m]Even[/name_m] if you add the number of Sofias, Sophies, and Sofies the number is not that high compared to the numbers of babies born. And spread these Sophias/Sofias/Sophies/Sofies out throughout the states.
Plus, obviously popular names ARE being used. They are just not always well received on baby name forums.
Stepping down from my soap box now. And this was not directed to you, jos7277 but on a thread that might start talk about popularity of names.
I try and stay out of the Top 100, but if I love the name enough, I can overlook the popularity; for example, [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] is my top boys name and is currently #43, but it’s a long time love and a family name so I would use it regardless. Other names in the UK Top 100 that I would use:
I am absolultely not a fan of popular names. Not many at all would I even consider if they were not popular.
I kind of like [name_u]Avery[/name_u]. [name_u]Harper[/name_u] is ok. [name_u]Allison[/name_u] is one of my favorite names ever but I also have a family member with said name. It’s just a pretty name. I hate that it’s remotely popular at all.
Scrolling through the top 100 that is all I would remotely think about but never would use.
Strangely enough, in the 1980s before any of these names were popular, I used to love the names [name_f]Emma[/name_f], [name_f]Ellie[/name_f], [name_f]Elena[/name_f] (my favorite growing up), [name_f]Paige[/name_f], [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], [name_f]Abigail[/name_f], and [name_f]Lucy[/name_f]. My friends always said the names were so old-lady (especially [name_f]Emma[/name_f] and [name_f]Abigail[/name_f]), but I loved them regardless and named my dolls by these names. [name_m]Even[/name_m] now that they’re so popular, it wouldn’t bother me. I’d use each and every one.
Since popularity is a huge turnoff for me because I can’t stand the popularity of my own name, I don’t love many popular names. It’s more like names I would consider placing on my list if they were not so popular.
I don’t really care about the popularity, if I love the name I would use it. But some of the more popular ones:
[name_f]Sophie[/name_f]/[name_f]Sophia[/name_f]
[name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f]
[name_f]Aria[/name_f]
[name_f]Ellie[/name_f]
[name_f]Audrey[/name_f]
[name_f]Scarlett[/name_f]
[name_f]Lillian[/name_f]
[name_f]Violet[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f]
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Ava[/name_f]
[name_u]Avery[/name_u]
[name_f]Amelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Hazel[/name_f]
[name_u]Ruby[/name_u]
Almost every name I love is popular or was at one point in time, and that doesn’t bother me one bit. The only names I know for sure I would use on children right now are [name_u]Noah[/name_u], [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], and [name_f]Rose[/name_f]. Obviously, [name_u]Noah[/name_u] is pretty popular right now haha. Others I love in the top 100:
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Violet[/name_f]
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f]
[name_f]Layla[/name_f]
[name_f]Grace[/name_f]
[name_f]Caroline[/name_f]
[name_f]Claire[/name_f]
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]
And not on my list, but I quite like:
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Victoria[/name_f]
[name_f]Isobel[/name_f] ([name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] spelling is high)
[name_f]Amelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Sienna[/name_f]
[name_f]Anne[/name_f]
I think I’ll always love [name_f]Emily[/name_f], [name_u]Avery[/name_u], [name_f]Amelia[/name_f], and [name_f]Grace[/name_f]- if we’re talking non-nameberry popularity- but real popularity.
I actually really like a lot of popular names, and would probably still use them regardless (although I would try to stay away from names in the top 15).
I like
[name_f]Emily[/name_f] (this is my only favorite that I have decided I most likely won’t use, because I know at least 10 Emilys, and my cousin [name_f]Emily[/name_f] is one of 4 in her class)
[name_f]Lily[/name_f]
[name_f]Grace[/name_f]
[name_f]Hannah[/name_f]
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f]
[name_f]Claire[/name_f]
[name_f]Maya[/name_f]
[name_f]Ava[/name_f]
[name_f]Eva[/name_f]
My favorite name is [name_f]Zoe[/name_f]. It is currently at rank 31. It is a family name and I would still use it even if it was rank 1. I try not to factor popularity into my choice anymore. I go more on how I feel about the name. Other popular names I love:
[name_f]Emma[/name_f]
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]
Outside the top 100:
[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] (rank 106)
[name_f]Alice[/name_f] (rank 107)
[name_f]Natalia[/name_f] (rank 120)
[name_f]Isabel[/name_f] (rank 136, [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] ranked 115)
A lot of the names I like are really popular (top 200):
[name_f]Mia[/name_f]
[name_f]Emily[/name_f]
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Zoey[/name_f]
[name_f]Samantha[/name_f]
[name_f]Savannah[/name_f]
[name_f]Hailey[/name_f]
[name_f]Claire[/name_f]
[name_f]Sadie[/name_f]
[name_u]Peyton[/name_u]
[name_u]Taylor[/name_u]
[name_u]Kennedy[/name_u]
[name_f]Madeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Julia[/name_f]
[name_f]Lauren[/name_f]
[name_u]Brooke[/name_u]
[name_f]Paige[/name_f]
[name_f]Elise[/name_f]
Hmm, in Australia, it seems the popularity list is quite different to that of the UK/US but here are the names I like, but am sooo sick of hearing (since it seems every second child has one of these names)
Names I actually don’t like, so would NEVER use them but they are soo incredibly popular and this baffles me (again every second child)
[name_f]Isobel[/name_f]/[name_f]Isobella[/name_f]
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]/[name_f]Eliza[/name_f]
[name_f]Abigail[/name_f]
[name_f]Claire[/name_f]/[name_f]Clara[/name_f]
[name_f]Mia[/name_f]
[name_f]Hazel[/name_f]
[name_f]Ellie[/name_f]
I seriously do not get the attraction of any of the above names, but to each his own.
Boys:
Fortunately, not many of the uber-popular boys names are my style. [name_f]Every[/name_f] second boy seems to be named one of the names I can’t stand like [name_u]Jayden[/name_u]/[name_m]Cayden[/name_m]/[name_u]Brayden[/name_u],[name_u]Aiden[/name_u], [name_m]Joshua[/name_m], [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m], [name_u]Tyler[/name_u], [name_u]Hunter[/name_u], [name_m]Lachlan[/name_m], [name_u]Carter[/name_u], etc etc. So, I don’t think I’ll face the popularity problem if I have boys.
[name_f]Catherine[/name_f], [name_u]Ruby[/name_u], [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], [name_u]Taylor[/name_u], [name_f]Hazel[/name_f], [name_f]Stella[/name_f], [name_f]Camilla[/name_f], [name_f]Violet[/name_f],
[name_f]Callie[/name_f] - Those are the popular names I can think of that I like atm.