Popular or trendy?

Girl Names
1

[name]Hi[/name] - do you consider popular and trendy to be different or one and the same? i consider popular and trendy to be different - popular just means well-used and a parent might not mind popularity whereas trendy has a bit of a negative connotation for me - maybe flash in the pan or something? For example I find certain names like [name]Sophia[/name] to be popular but not necessarily trendy, but a name like [name]Chloe[/name] to be trendy as well as popular, i worry it may not last as well - i do really like both these names so am not knocking them, just wondering. maybe a comparison would be [name]Jennifer[/name] and [name]Jessica[/name] that were popular in the 70s but still carry dignity to me whereas some other names from that generation for me were more “trendy” and while popular then do not seem as appealing when you meet someone with the name now.

Anyway, do you feel that popular and trendy are the same or different? and if different how would you describe popular v trendy and how would you categorize these names?

[name]Sophia[/name]
[name]Isabella[/name]
[name]Emma[/name]
[name]Emily[/name]
[name]Ava[/name]
[name]Chloe[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name]
[name]Amelia[/name]
[name]Lily[/name]
[name]Lila[/name]
[name]Madeline[/name]
[name]Madison[/name]
[name]Charlotte[/name]
[name]Ellie[/name]
[name]Ella[/name]

2

I am so glad you brought this up! While I love Berries, I feel like sometimes I have to defend my favorite popular names. :slight_smile: I agree with the philosophy that some names are popular, but not really trendy (I agree, trendy is bad!).

The only ones I find trendy, really, are maybe [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Chloe[/name], but definitely [name]Madison[/name], and yes, [name]Madeline[/name]. To me, [name]Madeleine[/name] is not trendy, but all the variant spellings–[name]Madelyn[/name], [name]Madeline[/name], [name]Madalynn[/name], Maddelynne, etc., are very trendy. On the one hand, I feel like [name]Ava[/name] should be in the classic-just-very-popular category, since [name]Eva[/name]/[name]Ava[/name] has been around for a while, and is well loved for [name]Ava[/name] [name]Gardner[/name], but I have also known a lot of people who want to spell [name]Evie[/name] names with an [name]Ava[/name]- beginning (Avangeline, for example), just to use the nn [name]Ava[/name], and that is just the height of trendiness, if you ask me. :frowning: If they like [name]Ava[/name], they should just use [name]Ava[/name]. [name]Ava[/name] alone, I find to not be in the trendy category, but by default, it can be associated with it for the reasoning above. And [name]Chloe[/name]–[name]Chloe[/name] dates back as far as the Bible times, it was found in the Bible, from what I hear, and I know Chloes my age and older, so I don’t think it’s trendy, per se, but it does feel trendier than [name]Isabella[/name] or [name]Sophia[/name] for some reason.

[name]Isabella[/name], by far, is my favorite of this group, though–she’s used in many [name]Jane[/name] [name]Austen[/name] novels, it’s a beautiful [name]Elizabeth[/name] variant, I love it. Lately, I’ve been thinking more and more about giving up [name]Isabelle[/name] for the lovely [name]Isabella[/name]. I know it’s popular, but it’s so gorgeous and has so much history. The name of queens, of literary gems, from what I remember, it and [name]Isabelle[/name] were both well-used from the 1880s to the 1940s. It dropped off the SSA list for a couple decades, but it is by no means on the same level as [name]Jaelyn[/name], [name]Nevaeh[/name], or Brayleigh. I quite love [name]Sophia[/name], [name]Lily[/name]/[name]Lila[/name], [name]Ella[/name], [name]Charlotte[/name], and [name]Olivia[/name], as well. As you can see, [name]Isabelle[/name], [name]Olivia[/name], [name]Charlotte[/name], and [name]Liliana[/name] are all on my list. :slight_smile:

3

I think popular is well used and many children are given the name.
Trendy seems like a passing fad or just a short time of popularity. I think popular can fall under the trendy category.
Popular-
[name]Sophia[/name]
[name]Emma[/name]
[name]Emily[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name]
[name]Madeline[/name]
[name]Madison[/name]
Trendy-
[name]Isabella[/name]
[name]Ava[/name]
[name]Chloe[/name]
[name]Amelia[/name]
[name]Lily[/name]
[name]Lila[/name]
[name]Ellie[/name]
[name]Ella[/name]

4

I think all those names are popular ( and nice enough but a tad blah when you meet 3 Isabelles at playgroup.)I think of trendy as unisex names like [name]Harper[/name] and [name]Piper[/name], and ee ending like [name]Kaylee[/name], [name]Baylee[/name], [name]Haylee[/name]. Or x names like [name]Jolie[/name]-[name]Pitt[/name] made popular; [name]Knox[/name], [name]Maddox[/name].

5

I think they’re one in the same, for the most part, once they get into that Top Twenty category. I don’t understand how a name that was previously unranked just twenty years ago can become one of the most popular names in the country (speaking of the States here, [name]Isabella[/name]) and not be considered trendy. Well-used is one thing, but well-used all of the sudden out of nowhere…is that not the definition of the word?

Right now, we’re in a very girly, hyper-feminine girl name trend, mixed with a bit of Irish/Scottish/Welsh revival, and vintage chic – and who knows where we’ll be in the next couple of decades! As far as funky spellings, the truth is, people have been doing that forever. I don’t know why we like to pretend that’s some new crazy thing only “trashy” people do. Back in the day, the same person would spell their own name several different ways, as seen on records.

The truth is, we all tend to like the same things at the same time, as that’s how trends/styles work. Skinny jeans, Isabellas, frozen yoghurt, it’s all the same to me.

[name]Evelyn[/name], [name]Isabella[/name], [name]Chloe[/name], [name]Amelia[/name], Olvia…I think they’re all absolutely stunning, gorgeous names, but that doesn’t make them any less trendy. It’s fun going through the Social Security website and seeing the rise and fall of various trends.

6

any other thoughts?

7

I think they’re one & the same. All of the names you listed are popular and fit in with a current trend.

However trendy seems to be used for popular but not so classic quite a bit on here. It makes sense not to call the more enduring [name]Isabella[/name] trendy but to call [name]Harper[/name] or [name]Madison[/name] trendy…but [name]Isabella[/name] is trendy X2 or X3…fitting with vintage, ott girly & Twilight names/YA lit names.

Trendy feels a bit like an insult, but being on-trend isn’t so awful. Especially since so many current trends are rather nice & classic. Being on trend wiyh your babies names just shows that you’re a product of the time you live in so the current trends appeal to you.

8

I’d say that a popular name is more of a common name, like [name]Sarah[/name] or [name]Emma[/name]. Trendy names are more current, like [name]Madison[/name] or [name]Hailee[/name]. A name can be both popular and trendy, like [name]Olivia[/name].

POPULAR:
[name]Sophia[/name]
[name]Isabella[/name]
[name]Emma[/name]
[name]Emily[/name]
[name]Madeline[/name]
[name]Charlotte[/name]
[name]Ella[/name]
[name]Lily[/name]

TRENDY:
[name]Ava[/name]
[name]Chloe[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name]
[name]Amelia[/name]
[name]Lila[/name]
[name]Ellie[/name]
[name]Madison[/name]

9

In some ways they’re one in the same, but let’s face it, everything is trendy when it comes to names. There is the most obvious trend, which is the top 10 SSA names, but there are also others. There is the younique names trends, reviving old lady names trend, unisex name trend, [name]Aiden[/name]/[name]Jayden[/name]/[name]Zayden[/name] trend, naming babies after English royalty trend, naming babies after cities trend, girls named after flowers trend, naming after star babies trend, names spelled backwards trend, invented names trend, etc. That’s one of the things I don’t like about names. Everything is traceable that way. It’s impossible to be avoid all trends. That’s why it’s best to pick a name you like and forget about all the categories.

10

I agree. To me names that are tied to one generation are trendy. A name can be popular over decades and that’s not trendy. But a name that came out of nowhere to a huge popularity is trendy to me. Of course [name]Madison[/name] still feels trendier than [name]Ava[/name]. And even not so popular names can be trendy if they follow a trend like creative spellings.

11

I think just looking at the popularity charts will tell you. I wouldn’t call [name]Emily[/name] and [name]Charlotte[/name] trendy at all, they’ve been used steadily since 1880 and their popularity hasn’t risen or fallen more than 300 places in over 130 years. [name]Amelia[/name], [name]Emma[/name], and [name]Olivia[/name] have also been used quite steadily since 1880, although they’ve gone up and down a little more than [name]Emily[/name] and [name]Charlotte[/name], I still wouldn’t call them trendy. [name]Isabella[/name], [name]Sophia[/name], [name]Chloe[/name], [name]Lily[/name], [name]Lila[/name], [name]Ellie[/name], [name]Ella[/name], [name]Ava[/name], and [name]Madeline[/name] could all be called trendy though, they’ve risen steeply in the last few decades and most have varied over 900 places in their popularity since 1880. They are all classic, beautiful names with a lot of history though, so while they may sound dated in twenty years, I think they will certainly carry dignity like [name]Jessica[/name] does today. [name]Madison[/name] on the other hand… I think it’s both trendy and unsubstantial, all the other names you listed are much nicer!

12

Popular = older names that have natural ebbs and flows over the years but are now having an upswing in popularity or traditional/classic names that never go out of style and are consistently in the top names

Trendy = names that come out of nowhere (eg. popular culture like films, books, TV etc), names that have certain sounds or spellings (names with “ay” in them, names ending in “n” or “leigh” etc…).

Popular:

[name]Sophia[/name] - An ancient Greek name. Other versions have been popular for ages ([name]Sofia[/name] in [name]Italy[/name] and Spain, [name]Sophie[/name] in [name]France[/name], [name]Sofie[/name] in Scandinavia etc…).

[name]Isabella[/name] - An old name that did get a boost from the Twilight character but versions of this name have been popular on and off for years ([name]Isabel[/name] in Spain and [name]Britain[/name], [name]Isobel[/name] in [name]Scotland[/name], [name]Isabella[/name] in [name]Italy[/name] and [name]Shakespeare[/name]). [name]Bella[/name] is trendy but [name]Isabella[/name] is not.

[name]Emma[/name] - This is an old name with literary associations.

[name]Emily[/name] - a “new” classic name that been around a long time.

[name]Chloe[/name] - This name has been around since Biblical times so I don’t find it trendy. However, change the spelling to the Kardashian [name]Khloe[/name] and it suddenly becomes trendy.

[name]Olivia[/name] - An ancient [name]Roman[/name] name ([name]Livia[/name]).

[name]Amelia[/name] - Comes from an ancient Latin name [name]Aemilia[/name].

[name]Madeline[/name] - A version of [name]Mary[/name] [name]Magdalen[/name]'s name from the Bible. [name]Madeleine[/name] has been popular in [name]Frances[/name] for years. However, spell it [name]Madelyn[/name] and it’s trendy.

[name]Charlotte[/name] - A female version of [name]Charles[/name] that has been around a long time.

Trendy:

[name]Ava[/name] - Yes, there was an actress named [name]Ava[/name] [name]Gardner[/name] but the name didn’t take off until multiple celebrities began choosing it ([name]Heather[/name] Locklear, [name]Reese[/name] Witherspoon etc…). It also fits the trend of short names ending in “a” (I’m looking at you [name]Mia[/name]).

[name]Madison[/name] - this name skyrocketed after the film “Splash” about a mermaid named after [name]Madison[/name] Avenue. Typical trendy name that comes out of nowhere. The trendy [name]Addison[/name] is trying to upset [name]Madison[/name] but [name]Madison[/name] is still holding on for dear life.

[name]Lily[/name]/[name]Lila[/name] - yes, flower names were popular in the Victorian age but the skyrocketing [name]Lily[/name] is mostly chosen because “l” names are hugely popular. I guess the vintage [name]Lila[/name] may be on this list too as would [name]Leila[/name]. Some trendy names may have a lot of history behind them.

[name]Ellie[/name] - nicknames are trendy choices, particularly in [name]Britain[/name].

[name]Ella[/name] - Yes, there was a jazz singer called [name]Ella[/name] [name]Fitzgerald[/name] but this name is trendy along with sister [name]Bella[/name] (short names ending in “a”).

13

Popular names are names which have a deep history and have frequently been used throughout the years such as [name]Sarah[/name], [name]Victoria[/name], and [name]Elizabeth[/name].

Trendy names are names which have a sudden, and often somewhat abrupt, spike in popularity. For example, names ending in a “[name]Lee[/name]” sound are very trendy for girls and names ending with an “a-den” sound are very popular for boys.

14

Sorry guy. [name]Just[/name] because you like old classic names, doesn’t mean that’s not trend.

I think moms on nameberries are after old vintage names. -> Trendy names are vintage style name.

For me, popular names are ones that are really popular. Top 20, and that’s it. Trendy names are names that follow certain style. Like old vintage style trend.

15

I must agree.

16

@ramona - I think you’re confusing “trends” with “name styles”. Yes, some classic names are popular but if they’ve been around for eons that means they’re timeless. Timeless names don’t follow trends because they never really go out of style.

17

Popular=common, well-loved. Trendy=common, but also with some kind of quirk that ties it to a certain time/population. The only name on your list that i think of as trendy rather than popular is [name]Madison[/name].

That’s why it grinds my gears when people dismiss names like [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Olivia[/name]. They’re classic, beautiful names that happen to be especially popular now, not an automatic sign that you jump on every bandwagon that passes by.

18

To me the distinction is that with a trendy name the person chooses the name to try to be hip or cool or special or pretentious. A trendy name doesn’t have to be common. Names like [name]Dakota[/name], [name]Alabama[/name] etc are trendy. Names like [name]Pearl[/name], [name]Seraphina[/name] also trendy because they are trying to be retro/precious cool. Names that try to be literary snobbish like [name]Atticus[/name] are trendy too. Names that are common can be trendy as well though, like [name]Jayden[/name] and its varieties, or [name]Madison[/name].

Popular names are just popular.

19

Yes but that wasn’t due to people trying to be “unique” or “creative”. That was due to people actually being illiterate. This was especially true for people that were lower class and poor as they usually dropped out of school at an early age to work (so while it might not have been “trashy”, it definitely was something that was much more common among the lower class). Also, records were a mess back then. It’s not like now where people have birth certificates and several other legal documents with their name on it that can be cross-checked. If someone was taking a census (or filling out a marriage license, etc.) and they got your name wrong, well, that was that. So while misspelled names might not be something new, people purposely misspelling a name is.

20

They’re very different to me, some names can be both though.

[name]Aidan[/name] is popular and trendy, [name]Zayden[/name] is not popular, but it is trendy. [name]Michael[/name] is popular, but not trendy.

Trendy names are ones that can be pin pointed to a specific time period, such as [name]Brittany[/name] or [name]Jennifer[/name]. Popular names are ones that are well used, but not tied to one time frame, such as [name]Ashley[/name] or [name]Emma[/name].
In my opinion at least.