My husband and I both love the name Emily (it was even the name of my egg baby in high school way back when!). We took it off our list since it's so popular. It was the number one girl name from 1996 to 2007 according to the SSA website.
I still love it, and I'm a little sad to eliminate it, so I'm starting to consider the name Emily once again for our little girl. Even with it's popularity, the number of baby girls given the name is around 1%. To compare, the name Jennifer was given to 3% to 4% of baby girls in the 1970s.
Basically, I guess I'm asking, should popularity alone be a reason not to use an otherwise perfect name? Will I regret the choice based on the number of other little ones out there with the name, or will the fact that I've liked it for so long win out?
Re: The name Emily (and other popular names)
I've been teaching for years, and have only had 1 Emily, So, it isn't that popular.
I'd rather have a popular name that is normal and not a fad, than some of the made up, i feel sorry for the kid types of names i see all the time!
Our top girl name after Emily is Abigail, which is also a top ten name. Thinking about it, it seems silly to eliminate one popular name for another, since the two names are probably just about equally popular, kwim?
I have met too many Emilys in real life. It seems Ava and Madison and Hailey are much more popular among people I know.
Our first daughter is Claire, and while that name isn't quite as popular, I've never regretted the choice. I love the simplicity, timelessness and grace of the name, so I'm trying to find one that is a similar style and feeling for our second daughter.
I think Emily sounds great with Claire.
Two very classic and pretty names.
I always look around my town and neighborhood to see if I know any of the names I like. In our neighborhood we have a Charlotte, Amelia, Maya, Caroline, Kate and Julia for girls names. In my mommyand me classes that I have take (and I have taken 5 at 2 different places) we have not come across any other Abigails. I'm sure she won't be the only one in her class but I don't think there will be that many.
I agree with your statement that there are so many more names to choose from today as opposed to when Jennifer was popular so the number of babies with the name is actually less even though it is the number one name. If you look at the number of babies with the name in your state--it usually isn't that many spread across all the towns.
Use it if you like it-I bet there are more Sophia's then Emilys!
i really hate the idea of using a popular name because i grew up with one [taylor] and i hated knowing so many other girls and even boys with my name.
not all kids feel that way, though, and your daughter may love the name emily. i think if you give her a pretty, less common middle name, it will be fine because then she can choose to go by that if she wants.
I'm not a fan of using popular names but it sounds like you've loved it from way back so I don't think I would let it deter me. Why not make it a bit more personalized like Emmalee or Emmeleigh? Although they'll constantly have to be correcting people on how to spell it.
Our "Ellery" is due by C-Section this Friday and always have to repeat myself when people ask what we're going to name her.
Good luck!
Popularity does not phase me in the least. If you like it, so be it. I personally DESPISE all the trendy, "hip" ways to name your kiddo...who wants to be a Aunt Nevaeh or Uncle Bruno? Common is just fine in my book.
I also loved always being able to find my name on stuff like barettes, toys, toothbrushes, etc. when I was a kid so with an odd name, it'll never happen. Just my two cents
I am a Jennifer born in 1973. There was at least 1 other Jennifer in my class always. It was not a big deal. I survived.
This exactly. And my name is jennifer so in theory, I should be opposed to common names.
if you like it your child will like it
I avoid overly popular names, but that is just ms
It's funny how my DD's name (Abigail) keeps coming up in this post! I have only met one other Abigail IRL and we know tons of kids. My name is Jennifer, so I know about popular names! Honestly, it never bothered me.
On this very board, I posted a listing of names for child #2 that were more unique, and pretty much all the responses were lukewarm or even bad. So "unique" doesn't always equal good. (No, I will not be naming a child based upon the opinions of strangers, but still.)
I say use the name if you love it.
I love the name Emily. I have a younger sister, now 24, whose name is Emily, and she was always one of the few in her classes.
If you're looking for an uncommon but timeless name, how about Eleanor? I've always liked that one, and I was always the only Eleanor I knew until I got to college.