We all have that one name we love, and that we’re dreaming of giving to a real child. What’s that name for you and how has it changed over time? Maybe you went from [name_f]Julia[/name_f] [name_f]Marie[/name_f] to [name_f]Tuesday[/name_f] [name_f]Odette[/name_f], or from [name_f]Henrietta[/name_f] [name_u]June[/name_u] to [name_m]Calloway[/name_m] [name_f]Blythe[/name_f]. Either way, I’m excited to hear your answers!
[name_u]Rhys[/name_u] was my top boy pick up until 2018. [name_m]Warren[/name_m] was my 2nd favourite but both have given way to [name_u]Remy[/name_u] (!!!) and [name_m]Caesar[/name_m].
For girls, it was [name_u]Sydney[/name_u] and [name_u]Kenya[/name_u] a lifetime ago but at present I don’t have a top two set in stone like my boys.
[name_m]Hi[/name_m] there.
I’ve loved [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] since about 2001, & it hasn’t wavered. She’s still at the top! [name_m]Even[/name_m] though I married a guy in 2011 with a last name that [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] isn’t perfect with, I think it’s still okay. Middle names to pair with [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] have changed a bit. It used to be [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] [name_f]Azalea[/name_f] or [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] (both mns honor passed away family members in some way.). When my dad, [name_m]David[/name_m], suddenly passed away in 2018, it changed to [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] [name_f]Daisy[/name_f].
My boys have changed a little. I’ve loved [name_m]Julian[/name_m] & [name_u]Finn[/name_u] since I was in high school around 20 years ago (!). [name_u]Finn[/name_u] I still like quite a lot & could see using. Especially since I married into an Irish family. I still like [name_m]Julian[/name_m] a lot too, but not nearly as much as I used to. [name_m]Colm[/name_m] & [name_m]Ewan[/name_m] are at the top for me now. They’ve only been there a couple of years. [name_m]Colm[/name_m] [name_m]David[/name_m] or [name_m]Ewan[/name_m] [name_m]David[/name_m].
I can’t remember all the favorites I’ve gone through, but my first ones were [name_f]Emilia[/name_f] and [name_m]Lucas[/name_m]! I wouldn’t use them nowadays, though I still think [name_f]Emilia[/name_f] is nice. I really liked [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] for a girl at some point, but now [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] dethroned her.
I feel more passionate about my boy names. [name_m]Edmund[/name_m] was my first big love, followed up by [name_u]Lionel[/name_u], and now [name_m]Ozzy[/name_m]. I still love all three, and if I wanted to have three children and they were all boys they’re the ones I’d use!
The evolution of my top name for a girl: [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] --> [name_f]Annelise[/name_f] --> [name_f]Danielle[/name_f] --> [name_f]Karina[/name_f] --> [name_f]Lily[/name_f] --> [name_f]Elsie[/name_f] --> [name_f]Ella[/name_f] --> [name_f]Emma[/name_f] --> [name_f]Jane[/name_f] --> [name_f]Georgiana[/name_f] --> [name_f]Eliana[/name_f] --> [name_f]Emilia[/name_f] --> [name_f]Lilia[/name_f]
My top favorite boy names have not really changed much (they never really excited me as much as girl names). [name_m]Daniel[/name_m] was always my favorite. I went through a faze of liking [name_m]Marcus[/name_m], [name_m]Caspian[/name_m], [name_m]Cassian[/name_m]. Currently, it is [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], which has been true for quite some time now. (Though [name_m]Daniel[/name_m] is still one of my top names, and I do still really like the other three, too.)
I’ve been interested in names since I was 6 years old but it became an obsession when I got a name book for [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] when I was 10. I’d say this is my evolution of top names:
[name_u]Simone[/name_u] —> [name_f]Theresa[/name_f] —> [name_f]Jocelyn[/name_f] —> [name_f]Bree[/name_f] —> [name_u]Bryn[/name_u]/[name_f]Brynn[/name_f]/[name_f]Brynne[/name_f] —> [name_f]Siddalee[/name_f] —> [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] —> [name_f]Adalyn[/name_f] —> [name_f]Lila[/name_f] —> [name_f]Violet[/name_f] —> [name_f]Iris[/name_f] —> [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] —> [name_u]Rowan[/name_u]
[name_u]Cody[/name_u] —> [name_m]Collin[/name_m]/[name_m]Colin[/name_m] —> [name_u]Hudson[/name_u] —> [name_u]Carter[/name_u] —> [name_m]Nolan[/name_m] —> [name_m]Leo[/name_m] —> [name_u]August[/name_u] —> [name_m]Leo[/name_m] —> [name_m]Cassian[/name_m]
For girls, I’d say my top 2 is between [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] and [name_u]Rowan[/name_u]. If I had a baby girl today, my choice would be [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] but that might change tomorrow.
On the boys side of things, I don’t enjoy boy names as much and I never have so they don’t shift as much.
My geek-ish names passion only goes back about two years, so I don’t have many changes to my number one names.
For boys, [name_m]Caleb[/name_m] was my number one in early 2018 until [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] took it over in [name_f]October[/name_f] of that year. Also, once I found out about the name [name_m]Terrance[/name_m] that [name_u]July[/name_u], it was an extremely close second.
For girls, [name_f]Katelyn[/name_f] was my fave for a number of years before it became [name_f]Tara[/name_f] in [name_f]May[/name_f] 2018. In [name_u]July[/name_u] 2019, [name_f]Cara[/name_f] took it over because it seemed like more younger people had it than [name_f]Tara[/name_f].
My favourite girls name for the longest time was [name_f]Brenna[/name_f] [name_f]Mae[/name_f]. I still really like the name [name_f]Brenna[/name_f], but not with [name_f]Mae[/name_f]. My favourites right now are [name_f]Trudy[/name_f] [name_f]Esmeralda[/name_f], [name_f]Cicely[/name_f] [name_f]Winifred[/name_f], and [name_f]Marceline[/name_f] [name_f]Matilda[/name_f].
I went from [name_f]Isabella[/name_f] to [name_f]Persephone[/name_f] to [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] to [name_f]Delilah[/name_f].
My favourites have changed quite a lot over the years but they always seem to come back full circle stylistically?
As a kid, I LOVED [name_f]Kaitlyn[/name_f], [name_f]Stephanie[/name_f], [name_u]Kelly[/name_u], [name_f]Destiny[/name_f], [name_f]Rhiannon[/name_f] and [name_f]Ella[/name_f]-[name_f]Grace[/name_f].
Then when I was starting high school, it was [name_f]Savannah[/name_f], Irelynn, [name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u], [name_u]Darcy[/name_u], [name_f]Megan[/name_f] & [name_f]Sophie[/name_f].
That turned into [name_f]Sophie[/name_f], [name_f]Aimee[/name_f], [name_f]Millie[/name_f], [name_f]Daisy[/name_f], [name_f]Georgia[/name_f], [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], [name_f]Leah[/name_f] & [name_f]Emily[/name_f].
Which turned into [name_f]Florence[/name_f], [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f], [name_f]Amelia[/name_f], [name_f]Martha[/name_f] & [name_f]Harriet[/name_f].
Then [name_f]Agatha[/name_f], [name_f]Millicent[/name_f]/[name_f]Mildred[/name_f], [name_f]Maude[/name_f], [name_f]Edna[/name_f] & [name_f]Doris[/name_f].
Then it became [name_f]Millie[/name_f], [name_f]Pixie[/name_f], [name_f]Elsie[/name_f], [name_f]Honey[/name_f], [name_f]Lottie[/name_f], [name_f]Daisy[/name_f], [name_f]Aimee[/name_f]
Then I was on to 80s names - [name_f]Bethan[/name_f], [name_f]Stephanie[/name_f], [name_u]Kelly[/name_u], [name_f]Michelle[/name_f], [name_f]Aimee[/name_f], [name_f]Donna[/name_f], [name_f]Mallory[/name_f]
Then it became [name_u]Bristol[/name_u], [name_f]Karsyn[/name_f], [name_u]Remington[/name_u], Elliette, etc with my ex-partner
Then with my current partner it stayed with [name_u]Bristol[/name_u] and [name_u]London[/name_u] and [name_u]Remington[/name_u], etc. for a year and a bit, and switched between those and [name_f]Florence[/name_f], [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f], [name_f]Harriet[/name_f], etc.
However, now I’m starting to take a more realistic approach with names, I’m finding myself pretty much back to the same style I was at when I was 10.
[name_f]Pandora[/name_f] and [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] have been my top names pretty much since I got into names in 2014, middles have varied quite a bit though. I’m also way more all over the place with girls.
[name_f]Imogen[/name_f] [name_f]Elspeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Imogen[/name_f] [name_f]Amelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Pandora[/name_f] [name_f]Amelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Pandora[/name_f] [name_f]Valencia[/name_f] [name_f]Fae[/name_f] (this is when I really started loving names)
[name_f]Lyra[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] [name_u]Valentine[/name_u] (only lasted a month haha)
[name_f]Pandora[/name_f] [name_f]Valencia[/name_f] [name_f]Fae[/name_f]
[name_f]Pandora[/name_f] [name_f]Amy[/name_f] [name_f]Valencia[/name_f] [name_f]Fae[/name_f]
Back to [name_f]Pandora[/name_f] [name_f]Valencia[/name_f] [name_f]Fae[/name_f]
And finally (for now) [name_f]Pandora[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] [name_f]Fae[/name_f]!
[name_m]Alonzo[/name_m]
[name_u]Phoenix[/name_u] [name_u]Hunter[/name_u] (or [name_u]Hunter[/name_u] [name_u]Phoenix[/name_u], I went back and forth)
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Indigo[/name_u] [name_m]Edmund[/name_m] (when I got into names)
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_m]Sherlock[/name_m] [name_m]Edmund[/name_m]
And now [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_m]Sherlock[/name_m] [name_m]Walter[/name_m]
[name_m]Edmund[/name_m] has been my favourite for a lad without change since I was six so that it’s the middles that have varied, and they seem to be getting more out there as I go on: from [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] (an honour name) to [name_m]Ossian[/name_m] to [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] to [name_m]Caradoc[/name_m] and now to Endeavour.
Girls have had way more variety. Back when I was tiny, I adored [name_f]Ava[/name_f] and [name_f]Luna[/name_f] (ahead of the curve!), then, as I got older, [name_f]Araminta[/name_f] and [name_f]Arrietty[/name_f] were long term favourites. Since then I’ve gone from [name_f]Mabel[/name_f] to Honeysuckle to [name_f]Blithe[/name_f] to [name_f]Lyra[/name_f] to [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] to [name_f]Daphne[/name_f]. Again an ongoing battle between wearability and uniqueness but I adore the combo I’ve got atm with [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] [name_f]Blithe[/name_f]!
[name_m]Silas[/name_m] was my top name for years and years. The first time I looked it up on Nameberry the blurb basically said it was not really used for babies and just talked about the monk from the Da [name_m]Vinci[/name_m] Code. Obviously over the years it has increased in popularity, maybe to the point I wouldn’t use it anymore. It still is my favorite boys name, but I think I might use [name_m]Cormac[/name_m] nn [name_m]Mack[/name_m] before it.
I love [name_m]Edmund[/name_m] too! I’m not saying it’s ever been my top name, but I do love it.
[name_f]Aria[/name_f] and [name_f]Lyra[/name_f] are names that I have loved since I was at least 10. I probably wouldnt use [name_f]Aria[/name_f], due to the similarity with [name_u]Arya[/name_u] [name_m]Stark[/name_m], but I still think its very pretty. [name_f]Lyra[/name_f] I would use. Yes, it’s the name of the character from His Dark Materials/The [name_u]Golden[/name_u] Compass, but I mind that association less, partly for the character, and partly because I dont think it is as strong with the general public. However, I do think it will rise in popularity with the new BBC tv series.
I never really thought about boys names, so no comment there.
[name_m]Dennis[/name_m] > [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] > [name_m]Ulysses[/name_m] > [name_m]Gerald[/name_m] > [name_m]Ulysses[/name_m] > [name_m]Claudius[/name_m]
I can imagine [name_m]Claudius[/name_m] with almost anything. I love its pedigree. I’m not really a fan of [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] or [name_m]Dennis[/name_m] these days, but those haven’t been my tops for some years. I do like [name_m]Gerald[/name_m] and [name_m]Ulysses[/name_m] still though.
[name_f]Catherine[/name_f] > [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] > [name_f]Anne[/name_f] > [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] > [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Beth[/name_f] > [name_f]Clara[/name_f] > [name_f]Rosa[/name_f] > [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]
I’ve found out that I prefer Spanish names for girls. [name_f]Rosa[/name_f] and [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] might as well be tied, but I prefer [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] with [name_m]Claudius[/name_m] over [name_f]Rosa[/name_f]. I still like all the girl’s names, though I’d do [name_f]Clara[/name_f] with [name_f]Beth[/name_f] as a middle rather than a double barrel.
When I was a child I loved [name_f]Sophie[/name_f], [name_f]Chloe[/name_f], [name_f]Lily[/name_f]… Basically, names that were/are popular where I live. I also loved some names from my favourite TV shows, like [name_f]Serena[/name_f] and [name_f]Luna[/name_f] (both from [name_u]Sailor[/name_u] [name_f]Moon[/name_f] - it annoys me a bit when people say the name [name_f]Luna[/name_f] came from [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] when [name_u]Sailor[/name_u] [name_f]Moon[/name_f] came out first!).
When I became a teenager my taste became more extravagant. I remember loving very unusual, fantasy-ish names like [name_f]Amarantha[/name_f] and [name_f]Zenobia[/name_f]. Nowadays, I still like long names, but more familiar ones like [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] and [name_f]Esmeralda[/name_f].
I loved [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] and [name_f]Ava[/name_f] but found my partner’s nieces are named [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] and [name_u]Avery[/name_u]. I’ve always loved [name_u]Michael[/name_u]. Now for girls I prefer [name_f]Kathryn[/name_f], [name_f]Elaina[/name_f], [name_f]April[/name_f], and [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f].
[name_m]Callum[/name_m] will always be my favorite for boys. I would love a [name_m]Callum[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m]. Similarly I have always liked [name_m]Calvin[/name_m] as well.
Girls names change. I have loved [name_u]Hadley[/name_u], [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] and [name_f]Fiona[/name_f] for the longest that I can remember.
[name_m]Theodore[/name_m], [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f], [name_u]Eloise[/name_u], and [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] have been my favourites for the last 3+ years.