Which of the following names for the baby?

[name]Hi[/name] All,
My friend is stuck between two names for each sex, she doesn’t want to know if it’s a boy or a girl yet :slight_smile:
She would love to know peoples’ opinions on the following:

For a girl- [name]Ava[/name] or [name]Millie[/name]
For a boy- [name]Jack[/name] or [name]Evan[/name]

Thanks!

Hm, depends on how popular she wants her baby’s name to be.
[name]Both[/name] [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Jack[/name] are super popular.

According to Nameberry’s list from 2008 and babycenter.com’s list from 2009:
[name]Ava[/name] = #5 in 2008, #3 last year
[name]Jack[/name] = #39 in 2008, #7 last year

[name]Evan[/name]'s also been rising:
[name]Evan[/name] = #38 in 2008, #20 last year

[name]Millie[/name] is the only name that’s not anywhere on the popular radar, although [name]Miley[/name] (ala [name]Miley[/name] [name]Cyrus[/name]) is on the rise.

So! I have to vote for [name]Millie[/name] and [name]Evan[/name] from the choices she provided!
Let us know if she’d like some more similar suggestions!

Despite it’s high ranking, I never really think of [name]Jack[/name] as a popular name, as it is such a classic choice, and definitely not a trend name. Personally, I prefer it to [name]Ethan[/name], and so my vote goes to [name]Jack[/name]. She may also like [name]Max[/name].

I do, however, notice [name]Ava[/name]'s popularity, which is a pity, as it is a pretty name. Alternatives such as [name]Ivy[/name] and [name]Vera[/name] may work. Because of the popularity issue, my vote goes to [name]Millie[/name], although it feels very much like a nickname to me. [name]How[/name] about [name]Camilla[/name], [name]Camille[/name] or [name]Matilda[/name] nn [name]Millie[/name]? She may also like [name]Matilda[/name] nn [name]Tilly[/name].

[name]Millie[/name] and [name]Jack[/name] are great as a sib-set!

[name]Ava[/name] and [name]Jack[/name]

Definitely [name]Jack[/name] and [name]Ava[/name]. [name]Don[/name]'t worry about popularity too much these are great names.

I think [name]Millie[/name] is lovely… It would be really nice as a nn as someone else suggested. [name]Amelia[/name], [name]Matilda[/name] or [name]Camille[/name] nn [name]Millie[/name] are very pretty.
I love [name]Ava[/name] but it is soo popular. Have you thought of [name]Avalon[/name] nn [name]Ava[/name]?
or [name]Aveline[/name] nn [name]Avie[/name]?
[name]Jack[/name], despite its popularity, would be my choice for your boy name. [name]Evan[/name] is a solid, classic name as well. you cant go wrong (:

Fact:
[name]Jack[/name] and [name]Ava[/name] are both very popular.

My question:

If they are both popular why is it that name nerds warn people off using [name]Ava[/name] and yet continue to recommend [name]Jack[/name]?

(If I was naming a child I would put [name]Ava[/name] on my list at No 1, and probably wouldn’t even think of using [name]Jack[/name], but having said that my daughter is named [name]Jacquelyn[/name].)

I would go for [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Jacquelyn[/name] and [name]James[/name] and [name]Alexander[/name].

I agree!

[name]Rollo[/name], the difference between [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Jack[/name], is that while [name]Jack[/name] is a timeless classic that has been used consistently throughout time, [name]Ava[/name] became seriously popular out of nowhere, which means that it is riding a trend and will become dated (forever linked to a specific period in time).

As [name]Linda[/name] confirmed in a thread a while ago on Nameberry, she and [name]Pam[/name] chose to use the name [name]Ava[/name] in their new book’s title (“Beyond [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Aiden[/name]”–great book, by the way), because like [name]Jennifer[/name] of the 80s, [name]Ava[/name] is specifically tied to a specific time period (the first decade of the 2000s).

Aha! I just found that thread ("Why did you choose “Beyond [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Aiden[/name]”?)…Here’s the link :

Take care, [name]Rollo[/name]!

To the original poster: Another vote for [name]Millie[/name] and [name]Jack[/name]! (I love the suggestions of using [name]Camille[/name], [name]Matilda[/name], [name]Camilla[/name], etc., as a way of reaching [name]Millie[/name]!)

Good luck! :slight_smile:

[name]Rollo[/name], the difference between [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Jack[/name], is that while [name]Jack[/name] is a timeless classic that has been used consistently throughout time, [name]Ava[/name] became seriously popular out of nowhere, which means that it is riding a trend and will become dated (forever linked to a specific period in time).

As [name]Linda[/name] confirmed in a thread a while ago on Nameberry, she and [name]Pam[/name] chose to use the name [name]Ava[/name] in their new book’s title (“Beyond [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Aiden[/name]”–great book, by the way), because like [name]Jennifer[/name] of the 80s, [name]Ava[/name] is specifically tied to a specific time period (the first decade of the 2000s).

Aha! I just found that thread ("Why did you choose “Beyond [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Aiden[/name]”?)…Here’s the link :

Take care, [name]Rollo[/name]!

To the original poster: Another vote for [name]Millie[/name] and [name]Jack[/name]! (I love the suggestions of using [name]Camille[/name], [name]Matilda[/name], [name]Camilla[/name], etc., as a way of reaching [name]Millie[/name]!)

Good luck! :-)[/quote]

Thanks [name]Jill[/name] it makes sense but my mind is on [name]Ava[/name] [name]Gardner[/name] and how stunning she was and I wish the name had been the trend when I was naming my kids. I don’t see it as the [name]Jennifer[/name] of the 21st century I think [name]Sophie[/name], [name]Emma[/name] and [name]Ella[/name] would win that honour.

BTW Great blog [name]Jill[/name]!

I think [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Jack[/name] are popular for a reason - cause they’re great names - I’d go with those two. xox

[name]Evan[/name], though it might be rising in popularity today, almost sounds dated to me, like [name]Brian[/name]. I’m not a huge fan. [name]Jack[/name], on the other hand, is a timeless classic - a cheerful name that exudes masculinity and strength. I don’t think popularity can be applied to [name]Jack[/name], as it has been popular for decades, if not centuries. It may be a bit common, but it is a great name.

[name]Millie[/name], to me, it too much of a nickname to be considered. I know that, technically, [name]Jack[/name] might be considered a bit of a nickname, too, but [name]Millie[/name] REALLY is one. That being said, I like its style with [name]Jack[/name]. [name]Ava[/name], though I see the appeal - it is soft, feminine, pretty, and spunky - is very popular and very defining of a certain generation. If your friend likes the popular scene, then perhaps she should consider [name]Emma[/name], which, though popular now, has been popular for centuries and is a classic in its own right. [name]Emma[/name] and [name]Jack[/name] are perfect, albeit popular, siblings. Other girl names I might suggest are [name]Sarah[/name] (it has [name]Sadie[/name] as a nickname, which is similar to [name]Millie[/name]), [name]Elizabeth[/name] ([name]Libby[/name] is really darling!), [name]Caroline[/name] ([name]Carrie[/name] and [name]Millie[/name] are quite alike), [name]Lucy[/name], and [name]Eleanor[/name] ([name]Ellie[/name] is a rising favorite…).

[name]Ava[/name] and [name]Jack[/name], Definitely!