Editing this because I misunderstood completely. Sorry @southern.maple!
It depends on the name for me. My name was ranked relatively low when I was born but is similar in sound to a name that was ranked #13, so I was constantly confused with all the Kaylas and Makaylas which really annoyed me. I was the only [name_f]Kaylee[/name_f], but still had to constantly correct people so it didn’t feel like I had a name to myself even though I technically did. So I definitely consider that when I think of names. Something like [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] is unusable in my opinion because while it is out of the top 100, it is so similar to [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] that she would have to deal with that confusion. Same thing with [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f], [name_f]Gemma[/name_f], [name_f]Eva[/name_f], [name_f]Liv[/name_f], etc.
Other than that, I typically stray away from the top 150 for girls with all combined spellings. I also examine my state trends very closely which is a better indicator of what will be popular in your area. There are 100 counties in my state and just over 600 girls named [name_f]Ava[/name_f] last year, which roughly equals 6 per county. My state has 244 school districts which means there will be roughly 2 named [name_f]Ava[/name_f] per district in the grade of kids born in 2016. While people move, some areas are more highly concentrated than others, and lots of different variables, the bottom line is that the most popular name today is nothing compared to the popularity of the #1 name even 30 years ago - which would have been about 8 Ashleys per school district in the grade of kids born in 1987.
Popularity is an issue but it’s becoming less of one.
I’m failing to see how she insulted anyone. There are plenty of people who become overdramatic about popularity, both on and offline.
I didn’t insult anyone, nor did I say I “don’t appreciate the diversity.”
As a name nerd, I find there are so many names I love equally, and they range from the top 20 to names that have never charted. At that point it’s useful to consider popularity. I love the simplicity of [name_f]Grace[/name_f], but maybe she will think her name is boring. I think [name_f]Wisteria[/name_f] has a beautiful sound, but maybe she will hate how weird it is.
It’s hard to know where to draw the line, and current popularity is not the only factor to consider, but I think of 200-500 as the approximate range for a name that will fit in with its peers without being shared by many of them in daily life. It’s only approximate, of course; I sort of doubt [name_f]Nova[/name_f] at #136 will think her name is too common, and [name_u]Neil[/name_u] at #629 is unlikely to seem too weird to anyone.
A rule of thumb can aid the decision process, but I wouldn’t set any hard limits just based on popularity.
I either like the name or I don’t. It doesn’t bother me how popular it is. 
People get so obsessed with children being the only one in their class/school, but school is only a few years of your life. And yes, because you’re being educated alongside your peers, who are your own age, popular names are bound to repeat. Yet in the grand scheme of things, popular names only represent a small % of the population, so when you get into the ‘big wide world’ I think it matters less!
Not only that, but you simply cannot guarantee that your child will be the only one in their class/school, unless you make up something completely original. You can’t predict whether someone else may have had the same idea as you. Furthermore, sometimes a child can be given a popular name, and avoid there being several others in their class/school.
When I was at high school, there were THREE girls named [name_f]Violet[/name_f] in my class (grade) - THREE of them - and the name was hardly popular then, like it is now. I bet none of their parents were expecting that.
By comparison, my twin sister ([name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]), a name that was ranked #9 the year we were born, was one of two Elizabeths in our class.
Like I said, you just never know.
You don’t ever know, just like you don’t ever know about a lot of things, but I don’t think it’s overly dramatic to say that popularity matters to you. I think that popularity should be something to be concerned about, even if I like names that are super popular. That doesn’t mean that I’m overly dramatic, just that I have an opinion. I have also studied language for a long time and certain sounds do affect people when they are heard and/or read. Therefore, it’s less about making a child unique, for me, and more about helping them not be judged immediately due to their name by all of the terrible clones out there. Plus, it’s always been a great conversation starter to have a cool story about your name when you meet someone. It breaks the ice.
Once again, I really appreciate all the feedback on this thread. It is fascinating to see so many perspectives on this issue. I appreciate the good advice of looking at popularity by state and percentage. At the end of the day, like most of you, I feel that popularity is really more of a guideline than a rule. However, for those of you who do have hard and fast rules regarding popularity, I understand and I hope it helps you find the perfect name for you!!! Like I said, I know people who wished they had been given more popular names, so I sympathize with those who wish to avoid this for their kids. But can also see that not everyone with a popular name feels this way, so at the end of the day we just have to do what works for us! Thanks again, Berries!! I’d love to keep hearing more perspectives!!
Yes you have an opinion, just like others have one, so to say it dismays you that some people are less fussed about popularity, did I think come across as a bit dramatic. That is just THEIR opinion, just as you have yours!
And have you ever considered, that for some children, they prefer not to stand out? One of my friends was given an unusual name. She hated it, hated standing out. She started to go by her middle name, a very popular name, since we were in our early teens, and has since legally changed it.
My taste and opinion on names changed a lot over the years. I used to steer clear of the more popular names. Not so much because I didn’t like them, but I detested repetition and common monikers. But it turns out I have a thing for classic names, with a touch of trendy/novelty.
In the end, it doesn’t really matter. It’s about the name’s meaning.
That are names I love, but would never use. There are names I am not particularly fond of but would consider for the sake of honoring relatives and in-laws. One of my children has a popular name because my husband liked it, and I saw no problem going along with it. The name eventually grew on me. It’s perfect for him.
Now I’m more open to picking from the popular list.
Interestingly enough, I found a study that made the argument for the use of popular and more common names. I guess it can affect a child’s inclusiveness or something like that.
I couldn’t agree with this more.
My name was #32 when I was born, I’ve only ever met one my age who spells it the same way, however, I went to school with 3 girls named [name_u]Ainsley[/name_u]/[name_f]Ainslee[/name_f] - a name that didn’t appear in the top 1000 until 6 years after I was born.
Also, I wanted to add to this;
I definitely think word choice was key in sounding rational vs. sounding a bit dramatic. Saying that you are dismayed by the lack of care some people have towards popularity (“especially on a name site”) and then asking that everyone considers the same things that you do when choosing a name is crossing that line with the word choice a bit.
A perfect example of why I don’t believe that a popular name/being one of multiple kids with the same name in one class is harmful in anyway is my fiance. His name was #20 when he was born. He goes by a very common nickname for his name, and always has done. He was never the only child in his class with his name, (one of the kids he shared a name with became his best friend while they were in the same class BECAUSE they shared a name!) and often, he was one of at least 2 with the same last initial. [name_m]Even[/name_m] at our workplace where we met, he was one of 3 guys with the same name and was given an identifier of “Glasses” because he was the only one who wore glasses. The other two went by their surnames.
We’ve discussed this before, and popularity in regards to choosing names for our future children - he’s said many, many, many times before, that if every little girl we knew was named, say, [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], and that was our #1 favourite name for a girl, without a doubt, he’d want to use it anyway, regardless, because being one of 6 boys with the same name in a classroom never bothered him.
I do have the impression that most children enjoy sharing a name; I guess it’s kind of like a secret club. I really like this article by appellationmountain on that topic, in case anyone’s interested 
I personally chose the name I did for my daughter, [name_f]Galilee[/name_f], as I have a rather unique name at the time I was born. And I’ve definitely felt more special because of that. In a time where you’re trying to find yourself, having a name different from every other person helped as like a young woman. I feel like I know so many Ashleys, so many Taylors, so many Heathers etc. I desired my daughter to have a name that was unique but not yoniqelee spelled, like [name_u]Ash[/name_u]'le, Tayeler, [name_f]Katelynn[/name_f], and not something that people were like ‘What?’.
I also think popular names are sometimes a cop out, like someone was too lazy to look harder. If a nameberry, really likes a top 100 name, top 10, top 1000. I think they GENUINELY like it because they’ve seen some names.
I suppose I also resent them a bit because people want names like [name_u]Taylor[/name_u], but then give it a weird spelling to make it seem unique and in reality. It’s annoying not different. If you want different, do a different name.
Having said all of that, I think anything in the 270ish and up range is popular.
I strongly agree with this statement:
My favourite names, especially for girls, however do tend towards the more unusual, especially in the middle spot, if you base popularity on the lists. However, a popularity list means very little to me. I know more than five girls called [name_f]Allegra[/name_f] born between 1997 and 2001, which, as there were only 65 girls given that name in the period, is kind of crazy. I’ve also never met anyone called [name_u]Courtney[/name_u] or [name_u]Shannon[/name_u], which were both top twenty names in this period.
If I loved a top ten name, its popularity wouldn’t stop me using it. Likewise, a name seeing virtually no use wouldn’t prevent me either.
It’s not a big deal for me at all. 99% of my names are top 1000, and my 3 favourites are all names I have loved for as long as I can remember. Over the years they have moved into the top 50, but I’m not going to give them up just because other children have them! My name is relatively popular, and my best friend shares my name - we both like it because it’s sort of like a connection. There are 4 girls in my year who all have the same name, and all go by the same nickname, 3 of whom are friends, and it’s never confusing. Also, if a child is shy they might not want a very unusual name. Honestly, I think people on nameberry worry too much about popularity: the few kids that don’t like sharing will make up their own nickname!
Wow, I didn’t realize this was such a heated topic! I’m still new here Since I am one of the posters that said popularity is an important factor for me in a name, I just wanted to comment further in case anyone was reading my post as overdramatic. (Maybe this will make me seem even more dramatic haha… oh well)
I see absolutely nothing wrong with giving a child a popular name. I happen to love the name [name_f]Emma[/name_f]. Yes, it does bother me that it is #1. This is just how I feel when it comes to choosing names that I may one day give to my kids. I don’t view the name as any less of a beautiful choice for someone else.
I think we all have different reasons for choosing the names we do. A lot of those reasons will be drawn from our own experiences. I am fully aware that the top names now are not nearly as popular as the top names from back in the day. My name was given to about 20,000 babies the year I was born so I feel like my experiences could be similar to today’s top names. I was an incredibly shy kid but I still grew up wishing I had a name not shared with so many people. I don’t think it’s wrong or dramatic to feel that way. I’m out of school now and still meet people that share my name all the time. My best friend is the only person she has ever met with her name and she absolutely loves it for that reason. Obviously there will be those with experiences opposite to both of us. People with common names that weren’t bothered and people with unusual names that hated it. We’ll never be able to anticipate how our children are going to feel about the names we give them, we can only hope to do our best to pick a name they will love.
At the end of the day, it’s just a simple preference I have. I’m not obsessive or dramatic about it. I want a name for my child that has that wow-factor. For others, the wow-factor might just be the sound to their ears or the meaning of the name. To me, it also includes being a name not usually heard of in everyday life. So the more common a name is, the less of a wow-factor it has for me. And that’s just how it is. Of course I can’t control if my child will share a name with a classmate or not but I can at least hope that if my child shares a name with someone, it would be a pleasant surprise rather than a typical occurrence.
I’m from the UK, so there are a lot less children born, so the importance of ranking on popularity tables are a lot less than in the US, I think.
For example, here in [name_f]Scotland[/name_f], names in the 500 wouldn’t rank at all on the US stats, as they are given to less than 5 children.
However, before I adopted [name_f]Ama[/name_f], I probably would have chosen to stay out of the top 100, as I would have viewed it as too popular. However, [name_f]Amelia[/name_f] is in the top 5 here, and I’ve yet to meet one. Perhaps its because in my area there are simply very few children, but I think it also has to do with the fact that even the most popular names here aren’t as popular as the top 10 names 20 years ago.
So, what im saying is, popularity used to bother me, but doesnt anymore. Because even the most popular names aren’t that popular anymore.
Popularity is a big factor for me when choosing names. I have a very popular name for my area and age group. I was always one of three in my class. It caused me many problems growing up, like my geography teacher telling my mom I was a bad student in sixth grade when he actually just mixed me up with another [name_f]Natalia[/name_f]. Clearing that up was fun. Or being called down to the coordinator’s office because of family drama when it wasn’t about my family at all. I also have a very common surname, which made it even worse (of my two best friends, I share my name with one and a surname with the other). There were two other girls with my exact name and surname in my class at University, which made it very easy for my professors, as you can imagine.
Last year, 49% of girls were given top 10 names where I live. Almost half of all little girls born in my state have the same 10 names (in various spellings). Over 95% of girls born in my state have the same 250 names (actually 122 names if you add all different spellings). These girls most certainly will share their name with others in their class and I don’t want my future daughter to complain about the same things I do.
I’m glad someone else brought this up. While I definitely care about popularity for a variety of the previously mentioned reasons (i.e. didn’t like sharing a name as a child, get bored with hearing the same names over and over again, etc.), the primary factor for me is my very common surname. I personally know three people with the exact same first and last name as DH. This doesn’t seem to bother him in the slightest, but as someone who grew up with a relatively uncommon first name and an unheard of last name, I don’t like the idea of my kid being one of three people with the exact same name in their grade.