So we found out we are having a girl (just as I expected) which is great because I had been doing much more research on girl names.
As soon as we found out it was easy enough to sit down at the computer with hubby and write down our favorite names that we came across. I always wanted to avoid “popular” names but look what we have done…
Our top two favorite names at the moment for baby girl are [name]Ariana[/name] (pronounced [name]Ari[/name]-ah-na) or [name]Riley[/name]… or put them together and what do you get? [name]Ariana[/name] [name]Riley[/name] – we love it! Think of the nicknames!
I had a long list of names that I loved before I was pregnant. But now that she is real and the due date is somewhere out there, my mindset has changed… and we love these “popular” names. Is that so wrong?
What do you guys think of the names? In my opinion, names in the top popularity are only bad if you’re choosing the first name you see and missing out on the process of looking at the options.
Also interested to see what you associate with someone named [name]Ariana[/name] vs [name]Riley[/name]. [name]Ariana[/name] sounds quite beautiful and [name]Riley[/name] more spunky. Curious because we might swap the names to go [name]Riley[/name] [name]Ariana[/name] if the mood strikes us on her birthday.
Anyways, I have had great feedback from the general public with this name but I wanted to see what the berries thought.
I much prefer [name]Ariana[/name] to [name]Riley[/name]. [name]Ariana[/name] is really pretty and is much more classic and feminine. [name]Riley[/name] is cute and spunky, but I don’t see it aging as well as [name]Ariana[/name]. I would definitely use [name]Ariana[/name] in the first name spot.
I love [name]Ariana[/name] [name]Riley[/name]! I’ve always liked both those names individually.
Like you said, if you’ve done the research and looked at lots of other names that are not popular, but you’re in love with a popular name, go for it. I’m not aware of their ranks on the top 100, but I can tell you I’ve met far more little girl Rileys than Arianas.
I like it! And I see nothing wrong with a name in the top 100 as long as it’s not trendy, which [name]Ariana[/name] definitely isn’t. I’m not as sure about [name]Riley[/name] and don’t really love that name myself, although I see what you mean about the spunkiness. I would keep it in the middle name slot, but that’s just my personal preference. I tend to prefer more feminine girl names, so names like [name]Riley[/name] don’t fit my basic criteria.
I also think it’s great that you’re feeling fairly sure about your selections. I surprised myself by feeling pretty confident in my top couple of choices this time around as well - a far cry from going to the hospital with a list of about 15 girl and 15 boy names last time 
Nice choice!
I love [name]Ariana[/name]. Then again, [name]Arianne[/name] (a French variant) is my second choice for a daughter in the future. [name]Arianne[/name] is much less known–I don’t know if that matters to you/appeals to you more? Honestly, I’m not put off by popularity in the least, but it’s probably just my experience. I was a really shy kid, and I loved having a name that made me feel like I “fit in” more. I think [name]Ariana[/name] [name]Riley[/name] is very nice, although I’m not a huge fan of unisex names, so I much prefer it [name]Ariana[/name] [name]Riley[/name] to [name]Riley[/name] [name]Ariana[/name].
I think most people on Nameberry are put off by popular names because they’re either a, trendy, or b, super popular and they want their child’s name to be unique. But honestly, I have only ever met two Arianas–one in my class in high school, and one little girl I met through a project I did while on internship. While it is a top 100 name, it’s much less common than [name]Arianna[/name] (which, honestly, I find [name]Ariana[/name] so much more appealing!), and I think it’s much rarer than some of the top 100 names out there. I wouldn’t worry about it, personally.
I don’t think either of those names are sufficiently popular to worry about the matter. They are not top 10 or even top 20 (top 50?) as far as I know. There aren’t a whole lot of babies given the 100th most popular name.
In terms of your choice, I prefer [name]Ariana[/name] as a first name because it seems more sophisticated, classy and grown up to me, while still fitting a young girl. I know a young [name]Riley[/name], but it is a bit too casual for me as a first name, just nms.
Congratulations on your baby and finding a name you love!
I like [name]Ariana[/name] [name]Riley[/name] together. More important than the popularity of a name is
1- whether you love the name
2- it has a good meaning &/or is meaningful to you
3- it sounds good, flows well, & works well for a child and an adult & by that I also mean that there isn’t any super obvious teasing potential
4- popularity
[name]Ariana[/name] is #84, not in the top 10, so although she is likely to meet other Arianas throughout her life, they won’t be everywhere. You can give her a fun, unique nn that is only hers. It would be much worse for you & your daughter if you have regrets about her name or she is always teased because she was given a silly name than if there is another little girl in her neighbourhood that shares her first name.
Thank you so much!
[name]Ariana[/name] [name]Riley[/name] just feels right. And to spunk it up, she can be called “[name]Ari[/name]”.
I’m not a fan of unisex names either. I had originally had [name]Riley[/name] down as a boy name… so I do like the name, but there’s too much I don’t like about it to use as a first name for a girl. BUT! I love how it sounds with [name]Ariana[/name]. The criteria was two-syllables and “ee” ending sound. Ta-da! Done.
BTW We’re Americans living in [name]New[/name] Zealand…with a long, Spanish last name and we don’t even speak Spanish… so it makes things interesting. We plan on moving back to USA when baby is 6 months - 1 year so I wanted the name to hold up in both places.
<3 Thanks for the added confidence boost. Excellent insights too
I love [name]Ariana[/name]! And I am head-over-heels in love with the nickname [name]Ari[/name]! It’s very pretty. I would defently use it.
But, I’ve always been a ‘hater’, so to speak, of [name]Riley[/name]. Yet, at the same time, if [name]Ariana[/name] [name]Riley[/name] feels right to you and you both love it, use it. It’s a great, beautiful name.
[name]Ariana[/name] [name]Riley[/name] is beautiful! Really, it’s quite lovely. I like that the name has elegance and spunk at the same time. Concerning individual impressions of the names, I picture an [name]Ariana[/name] being sophisticated and quiet, maybe a ballerina. [name]Riley[/name] sounds like a popular, outgoing girl. [name]Riley[/name] [name]Ariana[/name] is nice and I love the nickname [name]Rye[/name], but I think [name]Ariana[/name] [name]Riley[/name] flows better.
Well, as [name]Riley[/name] is my own name, I am a little biased, but personally, I love it, and I would put it as the fn I think it’s definitely “spunky” and fun and its a great name. Good luck with your little girl!
We picked a name in the top 20 of the year before our DD was born that climbed to the top 10 the year she was born. It sucks a little that there are other kids out there with the same name, and that occassionally we hear other parents calling their toddler girls and look around, BUT, every one knows her name, no one pronounces it wrong, everyone thinks its pretty, and we went a little crazy with her middle name just to make her special. I say there’s nothing wrong with popular names at all, and in fact, she’ll probably thank you for it going through life with a name teachers and employers don’t one screw up or thinks is weird.
[name]Ariana[/name] [name]Riley[/name] is gorgeous. Go for it!
I like [name]Ariana[/name]! But I prefer the pronunciation “ariane-ah”. [name]Riley[/name] is nice as a middle name or a nickname.