I’ve read a lot of things that talk about how the #1 name today isn’t even as popular as you would think, given to 1% of babies born in the year (or something like that, if you know the real stats please let me know).
So, what I’m asking is, even if I were to pick a popular name, would it ever be regarded as ‘just one of those common names’? My examples are [name_m]Matt[/name_m] & [name_f]Jessica[/name_f], because when I was growing up, those were the names that I honestly just heard so much that they stopped identifying people at all, and everyone had to be known by their full names.
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you think, with the new obsession we have for finding an uncommon name (guilty) that that will ever really happen on the same sort of scale again?
My favourites that I’m concerned about popularity:
[name_f]Nora[/name_f]
[name_u]Ruby[/name_u]
[name_f]Hazel[/name_f]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m]
If you saw these names (let’s give it another 5-10 years of maybe rising on the popularity chart) would you have that same feeling of meeting another [name_m]Matt[/name_m]/[name_f]Jessica[/name_f] or [name_f]Sophia[/name_f]/[name_m]Jacob[/name_m]?
(I’m not launching attacks on these names or anything, they’re just the ones I think of when I think of mega-popular names, which is just something I’m looking to avoid.)
I honestly think its hard to predict which names will become popular. You could choose a name not in the top 1000, and then a Kardashian could pick the same name and it skyrockets to the top ten. So pick a name you love, regardless of popularity. Also, unpopular names could be more common in your child’s social circle than top ten names. My daughter knows three little Maeves (#529 in 2012) and only one little [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] (#1 in 2012).
I honestly don’t mind meeting little Sophias/Olivias/Jacobs…its more the trendy names names such as [name_u]Jayden[/name_u], [name_u]Madison[/name_u], [name_m]Jaxon[/name_m] that make me think “not another!”
@cmkmommy You make really good points. I see what you mean about if I met a baby [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] I might think it’s a little predictable, but I wouldn’t have a negative reaction or anything like I would when hearing about another Jaxx/[name_m]Jaxon[/name_m]. (They’re everywhere around here!) And the predictable/safe names aren’t really what I would call bad names by any means either.
Thanks, you’ve been very helpful! 
I only know one [name_f]Sophia[/name_f], 3 Jacobs, 4 [name_m]Matthews[/name_m], 8 Jessicas, 6 Ryans, 7 Michaels, 3 Sarahs, 4 Ashleys, 3 [name_m]Justins[/name_m], 3 Codys, 3 Jonathans, 2 Austins, 2 Britneys, 3 Michaelas, 2 Morgans, 3 Elizabeths, 2 Abigails, and many more popular names.
Some unique names around my school are:
Tayloranne
Coria
[name_f]Corley[/name_f]
[name_m]Hugh[/name_m]
[name_m]Ky[/name_m]'hanna/[name_f]Kianna[/name_f] (2)
AJ (2)
Kalieb
[name_u]Sheldon[/name_u]
[name_f]Lani[/name_f]
[name_f]Savannah[/name_f]
[name_f]Stormy[/name_f] (2)
[name_f]Windy[/name_f]
[name_f]Kylee[/name_f] (2)
[name_u]Riley[/name_u]
[name_m]Holden[/name_m]
[name_m]Clayton[/name_m] ([name_m]Clay[/name_m]) (2)
[name_m]Cooper[/name_m]
Chena
[name_f]Cristina[/name_f]
[name_u]Kim[/name_u]
[name_m]Joe[/name_m] (surprise, its a girl. Her real name is [name_f]Joeanna[/name_f]-[name_f]Margret[/name_f]. She really goes by [name_m]Joe[/name_m]. [name_f]One[/name_f] time she was in the newspaper and they thought she spelled her name wrong when she didn’t and they took the e off and gave her [name_u]Jo[/name_u] in the newspaper.)
[name_u]Spencer[/name_u]
[name_m]Trey[/name_m]
[name_m]Troy[/name_m]
[name_m]Malik[/name_m]
[name_m]Colton[/name_m]
[name_f]Keanna[/name_f]
[name_u]Taylor[/name_u] (2) [name_m]Both[/name_m] Boy and Girl
These are some of the names I like:
[name_m]Kellin[/name_m]
[name_m]Liam[/name_m]
[name_u]Niall[/name_u]
[name_m]Harry[/name_m]
[name_m]Louis[/name_m]
[name_m]Benjamin[/name_m]
[name_m]Colton[/name_m]
[name_u]Cody[/name_u]
[name_m]Justin[/name_m]
[name_m]Matthew[/name_m]
[name_m]Nathan[/name_m]
[name_f]Chloe[/name_f]
[name_f]Emma[/name_f]
[name_f]Madeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Samantha[/name_f]
[name_f]Violet[/name_f] & many more
I don’t think it matters whether or not the name is popular. What ever name you like go for it even if there might me 6 Michaels or 8 Jessicas I say still go for it.
I don’t think any of your choices are wildly popular. [name_m]Jackson[/name_m]/[name_m]Jaxon[/name_m]/[name_m]Jaxson[/name_m] are EVERYWHERE as well as [name_u]Aiden[/name_u]/[name_u]Kayden[/name_u]/[name_u]Jaden[/name_u]-type names (yuck yuck). Your choices are timeless ones to me and will grow well with your child. I still have a hard time thinking of the generation of grandma Makennas and Grandpa Jaxx.
I completely agree with cmkmommy. None of your choices seem like Top 10 material. They’re all very beautiful, but none look like they’ll skyrocket. [name_m]Henry[/name_m] looks more like the next [name_m]Justin[/name_m] than the next [name_m]Matthew[/name_m] or [name_m]Michael[/name_m]—a name with history that seems very popular, but never actually cracks the Top 10.
I also agree that names like [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] and [name_m]Jacob[/name_m] doesn’t have that “not ANOTHER one” factor as much as trendier names. Also, if you’re in the U.S., look at the SSA data for your state as well as the nationwide statistics. I hear [name_u]Brayden[/name_u] and [name_m]Cayden[/name_m] more than [name_u]Jayden[/name_u] at work because those two are bit more popular in my state and neighboring states than [name_u]Jayden[/name_u] is. I also hear [name_m]Tanner[/name_m] and [name_u]Hunter[/name_u] just as much as (if not more than) I hear [name_m]Jacob[/name_m].
What might matter most is people you’re surrounded by: people with similar backgrounds may consider and choose similar names.