Popularity aside, what names do you absolutely love?

General Name Discussion
1

Let’s just pretend for a moment that popularity is nonexistent. That the Top 1,000 List is gone, and names are just names; there are no counts of them. Let’s imagine for right now that there aren’t five Jacks and fifteen girls with the middle name [name_f]Marie[/name_f] in a classroom at a time.

Now.

What names do you love, but are a bit afraid to really admit you do because they are just so darn popular?

For me, I love [name_m]Austin[/name_m], [name_m]Aaron[/name_m], [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m], [name_u]Noah[/name_u], [name_m]Liam[/name_m], [name_m]Daniel[/name_m], [name_m]Matthew[/name_m], [name_m]Ethan[/name_m], [name_u]James[/name_u], [name_m]Elijah[/name_m], and [name_m]Vincent[/name_m].
[name_f]Emma[/name_f], [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_f]Sofia[/name_f], [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], [name_f]Chloe[/name_f], [name_f]Isabella[/name_f], [name_f]Kaitlyn[/name_f], [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], [name_f]Madeleine[/name_f], [name_f]Grace[/name_f], and [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f].

[name_f]My[/name_f] absolute favorites of these being [name_m]Austin[/name_m], [name_m]Aaron[/name_m], [name_m]Daniel[/name_m], [name_m]Matthew[/name_m], [name_m]Ethan[/name_m], and [name_f]Kaitlyn[/name_f], [name_f]Emma[/name_f], [name_f]Grace[/name_f], [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f], [name_f]Madeleine[/name_f].

2

Ooh, yay. This is fun. I love these:

[name_f]Isobel[/name_f] (not popular in itself, but [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]/[name_f]Isabella[/name_f] is), [name_f]Caroline[/name_f], [name_m]Isaac[/name_m], [name_u]Noah[/name_u], [name_m]William[/name_m], [name_u]James[/name_u], [name_m]George[/name_m], [name_f]Ava[/name_f], [name_m]Ethan[/name_m], [name_f]Sophia[/name_f], [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], [name_f]Abigail[/name_f], [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_f]Ella[/name_f], [name_f]Amelia[/name_f], [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m], [name_f]Zoe[/name_f], [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], [name_m]Dominic[/name_m], and [name_f]Julia[/name_f].

3

Doing this I realized I really like a lot of names!

Other names side from my signature:

Girls:
[name_u]Bay[/name_u]
[name_f]Claire[/name_f]
[name_f]Hazel[/name_f]
[name_f]Grace[/name_f] & [name_f]Gracelyn[/name_f]
[name_u]Dylan[/name_u]
[name_f]Vivienne[/name_f]
[name_f]Carys[/name_f]
[name_u]Everly[/name_u]
[name_f]Lola[/name_f]
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f]
[name_f]Ivy[/name_f]
[name_f]Scarlett[/name_f]
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f]
[name_u]Harper[/name_u]
[name_f]Matilda[/name_f]
[name_f]Emerald[/name_f] “[name_f]Emmy[/name_f]”
[name_f]Delphine[/name_f]
[name_f]Faye[/name_f]
[name_f]Daenerys[/name_f]

Boys:
[name_u]Emmett[/name_u]
[name_m]Roman[/name_m]
[name_m]Knox[/name_m]
[name_u]Everett[/name_u]
[name_u]Carson[/name_u]
[name_u]Cruz[/name_u]
[name_m]Theodore[/name_m]
[name_u]Jude[/name_u]
[name_m]Oliver[/name_m]
[name_u]Elliot[/name_u]
[name_m]Benjamin[/name_m]
[name_m]Jaxon[/name_m]
[name_m]Leo[/name_m]
[name_m]Wyatt[/name_m]
[name_m]Eli[/name_m]
[name_m]Alexander[/name_m]
[name_m]Nolan[/name_m]
[name_u]Hudson[/name_u]

4

Girls: [name_f]Matilda[/name_f], [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_f]Lillian[/name_f], [name_f]Lily[/name_f], [name_f]Autumn[/name_f], [name_f]Summer[/name_f], [name_f]Arabella[/name_f]
Boys: [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m], [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m], [name_m]Alexander[/name_m], [name_m]William[/name_m], [name_u]Finn[/name_u], [name_u]August[/name_u], [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], [name_m]Ethan[/name_m]

[name_m]Gabriel[/name_m], [name_u]August[/name_u], [name_f]Matilda[/name_f], and [name_f]Arabella[/name_f] I’ve allowed onto my list. The rest I’ve resigned to having as middles.

5

For girls, I love [name_f]Lily[/name_f], [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_f]Amelia[/name_f], [name_f]Willow[/name_f], and [name_u]Arya[/name_u]. ([name_u]Arya[/name_u] was particularly hard to take off my list…I love it so much! Darn HBO.)

For boys: [name_m]Asher[/name_m], [name_m]Simon[/name_m], [name_m]Silas[/name_m], [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], [name_m]Liam[/name_m], [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m], [name_m]Luka[/name_m], and [name_m]Holden[/name_m].

6

I really like [name_f]Ava[/name_f], [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], [name_m]Jack[/name_m], [name_u]Finn[/name_u], [name_f]Alice[/name_f], [name_f]Florence[/name_f], [name_f]Poppy[/name_f], [name_f]Daisy[/name_f], [name_m]Oscar[/name_m], [name_u]Max[/name_u], [name_m]Leo[/name_m] and [name_m]Isaac[/name_m], which are all quite popular in the UK. I suppose there’s a reason they are so popular and if I really liked one of them, I’d still use it.

7

Popular names I love!

Girls:
[name_f]Lily[/name_f]
[name_f]Chloe[/name_f]
[name_f]Summer[/name_f]
[name_f]Katherine[/name_f]

Boys:
[name_m]Elijah[/name_m]
[name_m]Oliver[/name_m]
[name_m]Wyatt[/name_m]
[name_m]Leo[/name_m]
[name_m]Matthew[/name_m]
[name_m]Alexander[/name_m]
[name_u]Jude[/name_u]
[name_u]Dylan[/name_u]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m]

8

From the top 100 u.s.
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Ava[/name_f]
[name_f]Grace[/name_f]
[name_f]Abigail[/name_f]
[name_f]Hannah[/name_f]
[name_f]Sophia[/name_f]
[name_f]Emma[/name_f]
[name_u]Avery[/name_u]
[name_f]Audrey[/name_f]
[name_f]Autumn[/name_f]
[name_f]Madelyn[/name_f]
[name_f]Katherine[/name_f]
[name_f]Alexandra[/name_f]
[name_u]Ruby[/name_u]

[name_m]Liam[/name_m]
[name_m]Jacob[/name_m]
[name_m]Elijah[/name_m]
[name_m]Lucas[/name_m]
[name_m]Caleb[/name_m]
[name_m]Sebastian[/name_m]
[name_u]Jace[/name_u]
[name_m]Grayson[/name_m]

Outside the Top 100
(the names in my signature)
[name_f]Adelaide[/name_f]
[name_f]Mazarine[/name_f]
[name_f]Luisa[/name_f]
[name_f]Graciela[/name_f]
…I have to rethink my strategy because I am starting to realize that I’m staying away from girls that I really like because of popularity.

9

I usually avoid the top 100 only, so if I didn’t, these names would definitely be serious contenders for my top lists:
[name_f]Sophia[/name_f]
[name_f]Chloe[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f]
[name_f]Zoe[/name_f]
[name_f]Audrey[/name_f]
[name_f]Anna[/name_f]
[name_f]Claire[/name_f]
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f]
[name_f]Bella[/name_f]
[name_f]Autumn[/name_f]
[name_f]Stella[/name_f]
[name_f]Nora[/name_f]
[name_u]Ruby[/name_u]
[name_f]Lydia[/name_f]
([name_f]Alice[/name_f] #107)

[name_u]Aiden[/name_u] ([name_u]Aidan[/name_u] really, but the popularity is what holds me back…)
[name_m]Lucas[/name_m]
[name_m]Samuel[/name_m]
[name_m]Isaac[/name_m]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m]
[name_m]Wyatt[/name_m]
[name_m]Eli[/name_m]
[name_m]Julian[/name_m]
[name_m]Levi[/name_m]
[name_m]Oliver[/name_m]
[name_m]Ian[/name_m]
[name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m]
[name_u]Tristan[/name_u]
([name_m]Vincent[/name_m] #101 + [name_m]Asher[/name_m] #104)

10

Names in the UK top 100 that I really love:

[name_m]Alfred[/name_m] (not actually in the top 100, but [name_u]Alfie[/name_u] is), [name_m]George[/name_m], [name_m]Leo[/name_m], [name_m]Henry[/name_m], [name_m]Samuel[/name_m], [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m], [name_m]Arthur[/name_m], [name_m]Lewis[/name_m], [name_m]Charles[/name_m], [name_u]Stanley[/name_u], [name_m]Hugo[/name_m], [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], [name_m]Frederick[/name_m], [name_u]Elliot[/name_u], [name_u]Rory[/name_u] and [name_m]Austin[/name_m]

[name_f]Grace[/name_f], [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_f]Isobel[/name_f], [name_f]Alice[/name_f], [name_f]Florence[/name_f], [name_f]Imogen[/name_f], [name_f]Matilda[/name_f], [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], [name_f]Harriet[/name_f], [name_f]Martha[/name_f], [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] and [name_f]Lydia[/name_f].

Vintage names are much more popular here than in the US, and that is the type of name that I am most drawn to. Therefore, most of these names are on my list despite their popularity because if I discounted them, I wouldn’t have any names to use lol!

11

Literally every name from my list :slight_smile:

12

[name_f]Sophie[/name_f]. God I love the name [name_f]Sophie[/name_f]. It has a great meaning, it has literary/historical cred, and no other name sounds quite like it. But it’s devastatingly popular.

[name_f]Stella[/name_f] was also really hard for me to take off my list. And I’ll say [name_f]Ava[/name_f], because even though it’s not my favorite variation on the name, I love the meaning and that it’s a palindrome.

For boys, [name_m]Henry[/name_m] is the one that really broke my heart. I also sorta like [name_m]Jacob[/name_m]/[name_m]Jake[/name_m], but my best friend’s son will be named [name_m]Jacob[/name_m] so it’s now off the table forever! And [name_m]Jack[/name_m].

I too only really stay away from the top 100 (USA) so there aren’t THAT many names that are off-limits to me. And if a name had personal significance to me or my SO, I would probably cave and use it anyway.

13

Ladies: [name_f]Eve[/name_f], [name_f]Josephine[/name_f], [name_f]Johanna[/name_f], [name_f]Agatha[/name_f], [name_f]Irene[/name_f], [name_f]Vera[/name_f]

Fellas: [name_m]Martin[/name_m], [name_m]Charles[/name_m], [name_u]Dean[/name_u], [name_m]Frederick[/name_m], [name_m]Adam[/name_m]

14

Boys: [name_m]Tanner[/name_m], [name_m]Levi[/name_m], [name_m]Luke[/name_m], [name_m]Henry[/name_m], [name_u]Hunter[/name_u], [name_m]Jackson[/name_m], [name_m]Ty[/name_m], [name_u]Max[/name_u], [name_m]Elijah[/name_m], [name_u]Micah[/name_u], [name_m]Weston[/name_m]

Girls: [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_f]Lily[/name_f], [name_f]Grace[/name_f], [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], [name_f]Ava[/name_f], [name_u]Quinn[/name_u], [name_u]Addison[/name_u]

15

Mine would have to be [name_f]Ella[/name_f], [name_f]Sophia[/name_f], [name_f]Lily[/name_f], [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_u]Mason[/name_u], [name_m]Jacob[/name_m] and [name_f]Emma[/name_f].

16

Well, I’m not afraid to admit I love any of these, but they’re not ones I’d pick as a first name for my child, mostly because they’re too popular (and I already know someone with the name). The only exception is [name_m]Damian[/name_m], which is my SO’s favorite boy name and always has been, as well as [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] which we used for our cat. I would consider some of these for a middle name, because I truly love them. Wish I wasn’t such a snob sometimes.

From the top 100 (which I avoid because reasons):

[name_f]Alice[/name_f]
[name_f]Aria[/name_f]
[name_f]Aurora[/name_f]- very popular where I live
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Claire[/name_f]
[name_f]Emily[/name_f]
[name_f]Maria[/name_f]
[name_f]Molly[/name_f]
[name_f]Nora[/name_f]
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f]
[name_u]Piper[/name_u]
[name_u]Ruby[/name_u]
[name_f]Sadie[/name_f]
[name_f]Samantha[/name_f]
[name_f]Savannah[/name_f]
[name_f]Scarlett[/name_f]
[name_f]Sophia[/name_f]/[name_f]Sophie[/name_f]/[name_f]Sofia[/name_f]
[name_f]Stella[/name_f]
[name_f]Victoria[/name_f]
[name_f]Violet[/name_f]
[name_u]Vivian[/name_u]

[name_m]Adam[/name_m]
[name_u]Aiden[/name_u]
[name_m]Andrew[/name_m]
[name_m]Christopher[/name_m]
[name_m]Colton[/name_m]
[name_m]Connor[/name_m]
[name_m]Damian[/name_m]
[name_u]Dylan[/name_u]
[name_m]Elijah[/name_m]
[name_m]Ethan[/name_m]
[name_m]Gavin[/name_m]
[name_m]Ian[/name_m]
[name_m]Isaiah[/name_m]
[name_m]Jack[/name_m]
[name_m]Jonathan[/name_m]
[name_m]Josiah[/name_m]
[name_m]Liam[/name_m]
[name_m]Lincoln[/name_m]
[name_m]Lucas[/name_m]
[name_m]Matthew[/name_m]
[name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m]
[name_m]Nicholas[/name_m]
[name_u]Noah[/name_u]
[name_m]Nolan[/name_m]
[name_m]Oliver[/name_m]
[name_u]Owen[/name_u]
[name_m]Samuel[/name_m]
[name_m]Sebastian[/name_m]
[name_u]Tristan[/name_u]
[name_m]Wyatt[/name_m]
[name_m]Xavier[/name_m]
[name_m]Zachary[/name_m]

17

I think my girls’ list would stay pretty much the same–maybe with the additions of [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], [name_f]Zoe[/name_f], [name_f]Sophia[/name_f], [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], and maaaayybe [name_f]Isabella[/name_f].

[name_f]My[/name_f] boys’ list would be very different. Off the top of my head: [name_u]Aden[/name_u], [name_m]William[/name_m], [name_m]Alexander[/name_m], [name_m]Wesley[/name_m], [name_m]Leo[/name_m], [name_u]Max[/name_u], [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m], [name_u]Owen[/name_u], [name_m]Oliver[/name_m]…and [name_u]Finn[/name_u] and [name_m]Julian[/name_m], which are already on my list, might be higher up.

18

[name_f]Sofia[/name_f]/[name_f]Sophia[/name_f]: I adore this name but just not gonna happen…
[name_f]Isabella[/name_f]
[name_u]Avery[/name_u]
[name_f]Ella[/name_f]
[name_u]Harper[/name_u]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f]
[name_f]Audrey[/name_f]
[name_f]Aria[/name_f]
[name_f]Scarlett[/name_f]: this one is so hard for me to overcome, but it is now a middle
[name_f]Lucy[/name_f]
[name_f]Stella[/name_f]
[name_f]Violet[/name_f]
[name_u]Ruby[/name_u]

[name_u]Noah[/name_u]: was my favorite name for at least 10 years but now its off
[name_u]Dylan[/name_u]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m]
[name_m]Jack[/name_m]
[name_m]Sebastian[/name_m]
[name_m]Oliver[/name_m]
[name_u]Easton[/name_u]
[name_m]Lincoln[/name_m]

These are all Top 100 (US)

19

[name_u]Aidan[/name_u], [name_u]Elliot[/name_u], [name_u]James[/name_u], [name_f]Anna[/name_f] and [name_f]Rose[/name_f].

20

I absolutely love…

Girls:

[name_f]Anne[/name_f]
[name_u]Ainsley[/name_u]
[name_u]Addison[/name_u]
[name_f]Brynna[/name_f]
[name_f]Calista[/name_f]
[name_f]Candice[/name_f]
[name_f]Chloe[/name_f]
[name_u]Eden[/name_u]
[name_f]Francine[/name_f]
[name_f]Giselle[/name_f]
[name_f]Hailey[/name_f]
[name_f]Isabella[/name_f]
[name_f]Julia[/name_f]
[name_f]Lorelei[/name_f]
[name_f]Mary[/name_f]
[name_f]Mia[/name_f]
[name_f]Opal[/name_f]
Orrianna
[name_f]Pearl[/name_f]
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f]
[name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosalie[/name_f]
[name_f]Stefania[/name_f]
[name_f]Tessa[/name_f]
[name_f]Ursule[/name_f]
[name_u]Waverly[/name_u]
[name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f]
[name_f]Yamina[/name_f]
[name_f]Zea[/name_f]

Boys:

[name_m]Briggs[/name_m]
[name_m]Colton[/name_m]
[name_m]David[/name_m]
[name_m]Elijah[/name_m]
[name_u]Francis[/name_u]
[name_m]Harry[/name_m]
[name_m]Isaac[/name_m]
[name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_m]Joshua[/name_m]
[name_u]Jesse[/name_u]
[name_u]Kai[/name_u]
[name_m]Liam[/name_m]
[name_m]Levi[/name_m]
[name_u]Micah[/name_u]
[name_u]Michael[/name_u]
[name_m]Nicholas[/name_m]
[name_m]Orlando[/name_m]
[name_f]Orian[/name_f]
[name_m]Peregrine[/name_m]
[name_m]Ramsey[/name_m]
[name_u]Sawyer[/name_u]
[name_m]Vance[/name_m]
[name_m]Xavier[/name_m]