[name]Harper[/name] is one of our top picks for our little girl coming this [name]September[/name]. We want her name to be a little more unusual and literary like her brother, [name]Beckett[/name]. However, I was surprised to learn that last year it even outranked one of our other top picks, [name]Violet[/name]. [name]Harper[/name] was #174 while [name]Violet[/name] was #184. I don’t want to choose a trendy name that’s rising quickly and feels dated in 20 years (like the [name]Amy[/name], [name]Michelle[/name], [name]Jennifer[/name], Jessicas of the 80’s or the [name]Linda[/name], [name]Debbie[/name], [name]Susan[/name], [name]Kathy[/name]'s of the 50’s). Is [name]Harper[/name] timeless or trendy? What do you think about our other picks? Timeless or Trendy?
[name]Harper[/name] - It seems a little trendy to me.
[name]Violet[/name] - Timeless!
[name]Arden[/name] - I’m not sure about this one, but it has a trendy sound.
[name]Bronte[/name] - This one doesn’t seem either timeless or trendy to me. The umlaat on the “e” might be a problem.
[name]Phoebe[/name] - Timeless!
[name]Quinn[/name] - [name]Quinn[/name] seems trendy to me.
[name]Sawyer[/name] - A lot like [name]Harper[/name] . . .
[name]Story[/name] - Since this has been used as a celebrity name, it seems trendy to me.
Good luck – [name]Christy[/name] ([name]Margaret[/name])
Trendy names are usually not legitimate names and appear almost out of nowhere, following a specific trend (surnames, misspellings, etc). It’s also easy to judge the age of the person. I would expect a [name]Harper[/name] or [name]Sawyer[/name] to be a baby or toddler-- I can’t say I’ve ever come across an old lady named [name]Sawyer[/name]. [name]Truly[/name] timeless names are classics like [name]Margaret[/name], [name]Louisa[/name], and [name]Catherine[/name] or some of the more obscure names that haven’t been used very much at any point.
[name]Harper[/name]: Very, very, very trendy.
[name]Violet[/name]: Pretty trendy, but not as bad as [name]Harper[/name], since it’s not really following a specific trend. I really love [name]Violet[/name], though.
[name]Arden[/name]: Trendy, but not as well known as some of the others, so not popular-trendy.
[name]Bronte[/name] (or just pretentious?): I would say both. It also reminds me of a brontosaurus.
[name]Phoebe[/name]: Not trendy at all! I can imagine a [name]Phoebe[/name] of any age. I really like this name, actually.
[name]Quinn[/name]: For a girl? Yes, trendy.
[name]Sawyer[/name]: Yes, trendy for both girls and boys.
[name]Story[/name]: Trendy and celebrity inspired.
I agree with everything execpt for irisrose’s opinion on [name]Quinn[/name]. It doesn’t feel trendy for some reason, just spunky and adorable. But I agree it doesn’t age like [name]Louisa[/name] or [name]Catherine[/name]. So [name]Quinn[/name] isn’t timeless for me but it isn’t trendy either. It’s just great— [name]Quinn[/name]-y!
Thank you for your responses! Please keep them coming. This is the honesty that I’ve been looking for that no one else will give me! It sounds like most everyone agrees that [name]Phoebe[/name] and [name]Violet[/name] are the classics…[name]Do[/name] they pair well with [name]Beckett[/name]? Is either one of them too popular? I read on another post that [name]Violet[/name] is the new [name]Emma[/name]. We’ve never met another [name]Beckett[/name] and are hoping for the same uniqueness with this name too.
I think both [name]Phoebe[/name] and [name]Violet[/name] would pair well with [name]Bennett[/name], but like you mentioned [name]Violet[/name] is really on the rise, while [name]Phoebe[/name] is familiar but not as common
[name]Harper[/name] - I picked this name for my daughter’s MN dispite the rising popularity because it is very significant to me. If you find THE name, does it really matter what someone thinks about why you chose it? I’ll admit that everytime I see another post with it mentioned I cringe a little and hope the OP picks one of their other choices (hehe) but if it becomes uber popular I still won’t regret my choices because my daughter will know my reasons and will hopefully appriciate them.
[name]Violet[/name] - sweet name
[name]Arden[/name] - pretty
[name]Bronte[/name] (or just pretentious?) - only a surname to my ears
[name]Quinn[/name] - love it as a NN for a boy and as a MN for a girl (my first time hearing this name was [name]Daria[/name]'s sister :D)
[name]Sawyer[/name] - makes me think of a little boy in overalls
[name]Story[/name] - not a name in my ears
I hate the funky spellings and the ens as much as the next berry but if my liking the names you mentioned makes me trendy, so be it. I hope you are able to find a name you are completely happy with!
-[name]Harper[/name] ” [name]Way[/name] too trendy, and to be honest I hate this on a girl. -[name]Violet[/name] ” Timeless and beautiful, not to mention lovely and botanical! -[name]Arden[/name] ” Hate this on a girl, doesn”t have a nice sound to it. Trendy. -[name]Bronte[/name] (or just pretentious?) ” I don”t really like this but I wouldn”t say it”s the worst on your list. -[name]Phoebe[/name] ” Beautiful and timeless. -[name]Quinn[/name] ” Too trendy and nicknamey. -[name]Sawyer[/name] ” [name]Way[/name] too trendy, unfeminine and to me, completely hideous. -[name]Story[/name] ” Too trendy, it”s a word name which I dislike and doesn”t have a nice ring to it.
I’d choose [name]Phoebe[/name] as I feel it’s more of a constant classic name that is always heard of but never gets uber popular.
I think [name]Violet[/name], which currently ranks at 149, while it may be a classic name, is definitely enjoying a second go in the spotlight and is most likely headed straight to the top of the charts. It’s been rising every year since it re-entered the top 1000 in 1998.
[name]Phoebe[/name], which is currently 325, on the other hand has stayed in the 300’s and 400s since 1999. It dropped slightly in 2008 and then rose slightly again in 2009 but seems to be more or less stagnant. It may have almost peaked, unless of course a prominent celebrity uses it soon which is a risk with any name!
This is all of course assuming you live in the US! I live in the UK and in 2008 here, [name]Violet[/name] ranked at 149 (exact same as the US!) but [name]Phoebe[/name] ranked at 26!! I wonder why that is?
[name]Harper[/name] - to me, this is VERY trendy… although it does flow really well with brother [name]Beckett[/name]. Not one of my favourites though.
[name]Violet[/name] - I love this name and it is classic, but it’s becoming ridiculously popular. Have you considered other botanical names - [name]Ivy[/name], [name]Poppy[/name], [name]Dahlia[/name] - that may be less trendy?
[name]Arden[/name] - I actually really like this. It’s not hugely feminine, so I’d pair it with a really girly middle name… but it’s definitely not popular. Trendy? Not really sure. It’s one step away from [name]Aiden[/name], but I didn’t link them in my mind. I think it’s unusual and lovely!
[name]Bronte[/name] (or just pretentious?) - I’ve heard it used on lots of girls, I don’t find it pretentious - but I’ve never liked a [name]Bronte[/name] that I’ve met! I much prefer [name]Briony[/name]/[name]Bryony[/name].
[name]Phoebe[/name] - beautiful and classic!
[name]Quinn[/name] - very trendy.
[name]Sawyer[/name] - For a girl? I’ve never heard it done and I can’t imagine a grandma [name]Sawyer[/name]. Yuck.
[name]Harper[/name]: I know this name is unisex and it is popular for girls. But honestly, if someone told me they have to meet their friend [name]Harper[/name] unless they specified it was a girl I’d assume it was a boy. With unisex names it is hard in that regard. [name]Just[/name] something to think about.
[name]Violet[/name]: Is becoming really popular but it is in my personal top 10 regardless. This name is cute for a little girl but also ages well; having said that, I don’t think it flows with [name]Beckett[/name]. If you really like this name you might want to consider [name]Viola[/name] which is very similar but flows better with [name]Beckett[/name]. Also some other flower names to consider [name]Poppy[/name], [name]Rose[/name], [name]Iris[/name], [name]Ivy[/name], [name]Daisy[/name], [name]Lily[/name], [name]Fern[/name], [name]Freya[/name] (which if I am not mistaken means flower), [name]Holly[/name], [name]Jessamine[/name], [name]Lilac[/name], [name]Laurel[/name], and [name]Willow[/name].
[name]Arden[/name]: Reminds me of the Canadian singer [name]Jan[/name] [name]Arden[/name].
[name]Bronte[/name] (or just pretentious?): It reminds me of something you’d name your pet.
[name]Phoebe[/name]: My favorite it flows the best with [name]Beckett[/name]
[name]Quinn[/name]: It’s cute I like it, I don’t know if it flows the best with [name]Beckett[/name] but it is nice!!
[name]Sawyer[/name]: I am personally not a fan of this name so I don’t think I’ll be able to judge it fairly.
[name]Cora[/name] - Created by [name]James[/name] Fenimore [name]Cooper[/name] for his novel ‘The Last of the Mohicans’ (1826). He may have based it on KOR” or [name]CORINNA[/name].
[name]Miranda[/name]: Derived from Latin mirandus meaning “admirable, wonderful”. The name was created by [name]Shakespeare[/name] for the heroine in his play ‘The [name]Tempest[/name]’ (1611).
[name]Undine[/name]: Derived from Latin unda meaning “wave”. The word undine was created by the medieval author Paracelsus, who used it for female water spirits.
[name]Amaryllis[/name]: Derived from Greek ??? (amarysso) “to sparkle”. This was the name of a heroine in [name]Virgil[/name]'s epic poem ‘Eclogues’. The amaryllis flower is named for her.
[name]Nydia[/name] - Used by British author [name]Edward[/name] Bulwer-[name]Lytton[/name] for a blind flower-seller in his novel ‘The Last Days of Pompeii’ (1834). He perhaps based it on Latin nidus “nest”.
It’s funny because to me [name]Harper[/name] doesn’t feel trendy at all. Maybe it’s because I associate it very closely with [name]Harper[/name] [name]Lee[/name], so I think more of the literary ties than anything else.
I guess it does follow the unisex girl name trend, so in that way it is trendy, but I personally find it to be a legitimate and beautiful name with a great history.
Here are my thoughts on your choices:
[name]Harper[/name] – [name]Love[/name] it.
[name]Violet[/name] – Beautiful, but feels overexposed to me.
[name]Arden[/name] – A boy’s name to me.
[name]Bronte[/name] (or just pretentious?) – I love it, personally. Different, spunky, and I love the [name]Bronte[/name] sisters!
[name]Phoebe[/name] – Classic, yes.
[name]Quinn[/name] – A boy’s name to me.
[name]Sawyer[/name] – A boy’s name and also very pop culture.
[name]Story[/name] – [name]Love[/name] it. It may be celebrity inspired but I think it’s beautiful. Not as much history or back story as your other names though.
[name]Remember[/name] that what matters most is how much you love the name, not the popularity or other people’s opinions.
Good luck to you!
Since I have a [name]Phoebe[/name] I am worried not about it being trendy but it being overused!! There are FOUR in my neighborhood alone! I feel like I hear it all over the pool - and I thought I was original! SSA lists it in the low 300s but NYC lists it around 100.
That said, here are my thoughts on your choices with some alternatives:
[name]Harper[/name] – Slightly trendy but the [name]Harper[/name] [name]Lee[/name] connection makes it less so. Other “place” names? [name]Ainsley[/name]? [name]Brinley[/name]? Southern-type names.
[name]Violet[/name] – Pretty and classic but slightly over talked to me.
[name]Arden[/name] – Nice but what about Aven? [name]Arden[/name] is a personal link with someone I did not like!!
[name]Bronte[/name] (or just pretentious?) – Not my fave. Like other last names more.
[name]Phoebe[/name] – Classic but I do hear it (and I am sensitive to it!!!)
[name]How[/name] about [name]Persis[/name]? [name]Daphne[/name]? [name]Phaedra[/name]? [name]Persephone[/name]? [name]Calliope[/name]? Another Greek name
[name]Quinn[/name] – Trendy and boys name
[name]Sawyer[/name] – Trendy and boys name
[name]Story[/name] – Actually really dislike.
Good luck!
[name]Harper[/name] - totally agree with others that this is trendy (despite its literary ties…) It’s part of the whole unisex name trend, which I think will feel very dated 20 years from now.
[name]Violet[/name] - this is a lovely name, but verging on trendy because of [name]Violet[/name] Affleck. I think it’s one of the more timeless of your picks. If you like flower/plant names, how about [name]Rosemary[/name] or [name]Ivy[/name]?
[name]Arden[/name] - Feels trendy to me, but not super popular. I have a friend with a son named [name]Beckett[/name] and a daughter named [name]Auden[/name] (like the poet), and I love that combination!
[name]Bronte[/name] (or just pretentious?) I’m a fan of the Brontes’ writing. Not a fan of [name]Bronte[/name] as a name.
[name]Phoebe[/name] - Timeless and pretty.
[name]Quinn[/name] - Trendy, feeding off of both the Celtic and unisex trends, but it is a nice-sounding name.
[name]Sawyer[/name] - [name]Way[/name] too trendy. One word: LOST.
[name]Story[/name] - Again, to me this name is really trendy, mostly because the only children I’ve heard of with this name are the kids of celebrities, and celeb baby names tend to set trends.
So, my votes go to [name]Auden[/name], [name]Ivy[/name], or [name]Phoebe[/name].
[name]Harper[/name]- I think this falls somewhere in between trendy and timeless. I know several people with [name]Harper[/name] as either a first or middle name. They’re of all ages, both male and female. I can’t bring myself to say it isn’t trendy though, because it certainly is for girls at the moment.
[name]Violet[/name]- Timeless! This is becoming very popular right now though.
[name]Arden[/name]- This goes along with the “masculine names on girls” trend. I don’t think there is anything feminine about this at all, sorry.
[name]Bronte[/name]- Neither! I can’t imagine this as a first name at all.
[name]Phoebe[/name]- Timeless! I know four Phoebes, ages 7, 15, 48 and 71. Not trendy at all.
[name]Quinn[/name]- This also goes along with the “masculine names for girls” trend.
[name]Sawyer[/name]- Ditto.
[name]Story[/name]- Since it’s being used by celebrities, you can almost guarantee this is about to become a very popular, trendy name.