We are looking at Olivia as a middle name but actually calling her that instead of by her first name (if its a girl). But I also feel like our last name is so unique and catchy that she will just end up being called by her last name anyway. My husband had a very easy semi common first name but he has always been called by his last name but his friends, teachers, co-workers etc... Go for what you love!!
Olivia has been my baby name since I first saw The Color Purple years ago and I didn't give a HOOT if it was a popular name. Unfortunately, someone very close to me in my family had a baby first and snagged the name. (They didn't know I wanted it)
So, I say name your baby what you want! And from the sound of your dream it sounds like she was meant to have it so do what makes you happy!
We have had a pretty unusual name picked out for... 15 years!?!? And I worry about the opposite problem! What if no one can hear it right the first time and she always gets questions like- how do you spell that or gets called something close to it, but not quite right? But we're sticking with it because we love it and it's adorable and has meaning to us. I couldn't change it if I wanted, my husband and mom are both in love with the name. I guess we all second guess ourselves and just want everything to be perfect for our kids! It'll be good. Call her Olivia.
My name is Jennifer, which was the third most popular baby girl name when I was born. It actually never bothered me that so any other girls had my name growing up -- I thought it was cool. I actually prefer more common names than some of the more recently invented "creative" names -- especially the names with creative spellings. Those really bother me.
With that said, due to mixed heritage my baby will have a name that works well in both India and America -- I'm still trying to come up with ideas!
My fiancé and I, personally, vetoed every name that was in the top 100. It's important to us that our child has an "unpopular" name. We've never been ones to jump on the bandwagon with anything... Ever. We march to the beat of our own drum. Both of us. I think that's partly why we have been together for 8 years lol.
However, I don't think there's anything wrong with having a popular name, I personally just wouldn't choose one for my child if I can avoid it. To each their own. >-
shaunnarose - I was the VERY same as you with my first, then I thought Ava, not realizing where it fell on the popularity stakes (#5) and by the time I did I was SO in love with it with the middle name we had that there was no way we could do anything else. Hmmmm... I really didn't stick to my guns
10 years ago when we were having our first baby we were going to name the baby Caiden if baby was a boy.
My 10 year old is Caiden - same spelling as you would've chose! And surprisingly, we don't run into other Caiden's very often (and when we do they usually are spelled different) but yes, it was probably not even a year later when all of the other "aiden" names became popular.
I think you should go with Olivia if that's what your heart is set on. If you don't, you probably will have some regret. It's a beautiful name!
@joco I love the name Ava! My best friend's daughter is actually named Eva and she's an absolute doll .
We've actually decided on a name for our little man already . It's an Irish name (we're both Scottish and Irish with German and american Indian thrown in on DF's side), and everything I've looked up says it's in the mid 100's for popularity so we're pretty excited >-
If we had a girl, We were going to make her Ava! I have loved it for 15 years! I'm sure we will use it if we ever have a girl. I don't care how popular or unpopular it is. Lol.
When I was born, my mother said the lady next to her named her daughter Erin as well! Ha-ha. I've never minded having a popular name. I think its just important to pick something you love.
My fiancé and I, personally, vetoed every name that was in the top 100. It's important to us that our child has an "unpopular" name. We've never been ones to jump on the bandwagon with anything... Ever. We march to the beat of our own drum. Both of us. I think that's partly why we have been together for 8 years lol.
However, I don't think there's anything wrong with having a popular name, I personally just wouldn't choose one for my child if I can avoid it. To each their own. >-
It strikes me that the "band wagon" thing to do these days is to find uncommon names! That's how Olivia and Ava and Aiden got to be so popular!
As a teacher, I find with "original" names with weird spellings, that you instantly know so much about the parents and their desire for individuality, and associate the name with the parents more than the kid. I used to LOVE the name Lyra but amidst a sea of students with "original" names spelled every way imaginable, I thought a name like Lyra would get lost in the shuffle. So I got off the bandwagon and chose a family name that is uncommon these days.
Guess I'm still on the bandwagon if I scoured our family trees for an uncommon but "traditional" name.
What's funny, is that everyone mentioning popular names (Ava, Caiden, Olivia by OP), each time I think, "Oh, I love that name!" - I guess it speaks to the fact that these names are popular for a reason! If you love it, use it! As a teacher who once had three Paytens I. Her class, each child gives you a different association with their name. It's not as "bad" to have multiples as people make it out to be! (This is coming from a Jennifer from the 80's )
I'm in the camp of traditional but uncommon, but that is becoming more popular in and of itself. My husband and I love Autumn, and I myself also love Violet, but I'm hearing both those names more frequently!
My name is Sara and apparently so are quite a few other girls born in the 80's early 90's. I went to school with 2 other Sarah's who were a grade under me. I have always loved my name. In my adult life I have yet to work with another Sara. I love my name. If you decide to name your little girl Olivia I'm sure she will love it!
I'm a sarah and I graduated with 22 other Sarah's in 2009 in a class of 880. And there were 7 Sarah's in my AP English class. And in a bakery of 12 employees there were 4 Sarah's.
Personally? I couldn't stand it. I absolutely hated every second of it and still to this day prefer to go by my middle names (Ashlyn or Taylor) because I literally can't go anywhere without another Sarah. Not even in daycare and elementary school. I've more or less gotten over it now, but it used to really piss me off.
That's why we decided no top 50 names unless they were being used as a middle name. But that was a very personal choice because my name was SO popular at the time.
I really think it's up to you. I'll also throw in here that I know 6 Bella's under the age of 7 and 5 Harpers both boys and girls under the age of 5
I may be really far off base with this, but I feel like unless you name your kid something really strange there is really no such thing as an original name anymore. There is such a variety of names out there that a "Ben" is just as likely to have another Ben in their class as a "Paxton" or "Jackson" is. I guess what I'm trying to say is pretty much every name is used and popular anymore so if you really love a name you should use it regardless of it's popularity ranking.
I have friends/coworkers that have babies with names I had never even heard until they named them that, but now that I know the name I hear it all the time. Go with what you love and you will never regret it
My fiancé and I, personally, vetoed every name that was in the top 100. It's important to us that our child has an "unpopular" name. We've never been ones to jump on the bandwagon with anything... Ever. We march to the beat of our own drum. Both of us. I think that's partly why we have been together for 8 years lol.
However, I don't think there's anything wrong with having a popular name, I personally just wouldn't choose one for my child if I can avoid it. To each their own. >-
It strikes me that the "band wagon" thing to do these days is to find uncommon names! That's how Olivia and Ava and Aiden got to be so popular!
As a teacher, I find with "original" names with weird spellings, that you instantly know so much about the parents and their desire for individuality, and associate the name with the parents more than the kid. I used to LOVE the name Lyra but amidst a sea of students with "original" names spelled every way imaginable, I thought a name like Lyra would get lost in the shuffle. So I got off the bandwagon and chose a family name that is uncommon these days.
Guess I'm still on the bandwagon if I scoured our family trees for an uncommon but "traditional" name.
Yeah it definitely has became more popular for children to have names that are more "individual". I don't think there's anything wrong with that, personally, but I know a lot of people enjoy more traditional names over unique and uncommon names. Overly traditional names just don't appeal to us, for our child. That's just not the way we're wired.
So for us, choosing a name we both enjoy and isn't in the top 100 may come off odd to some, but that's just how we are. Neither of us have really cared what others' opinions were because we have our own and it's all that matters to us.
That being said, I think Lyra is a beautiful name! I wouldn't veto a name just because it's too unique or too traditional if you love it! But, it's your child so obviously do whatever works for you and your family. I'd vote Lyra all day though, I've never even heard of that until now and, to me, it seems like the perfect blend of traditional and individual. >- :x
We're naming our son William after my dad. It's #5 for 2013 but I don't know anyone under the age of 30 with the name William/Billy/Will. If you love the name then go for it.
I guess I really don't think it's that big of a deal. If you like the name then who cares! My sister, Ashley, had three other Ashley's in her class and we only live in a town of 600, roughly. They all just got nicknames. No big deal.
Re: How bad is it to have a popular name?
I guess we all second guess ourselves and just want everything to be perfect for our kids! It'll be good. Call her Olivia.
However, I don't think there's anything wrong with having a popular name, I personally just wouldn't choose one for my child if I can avoid it. To each their own.
shaunnarose - I was the VERY same as you with my first, then I thought Ava, not realizing where it fell on the popularity stakes (#5) and by the time I did I was SO in love with it with the middle name we had that there was no way we could do anything else. Hmmmm... I really didn't stick to my guns
Have you narrowed your name choices down yet?
My 10 year old is Caiden - same spelling as you would've chose! And surprisingly, we don't run into other Caiden's very often (and when we do they usually are spelled different) but yes, it was probably not even a year later when all of the other "aiden" names became popular.
I think you should go with Olivia if that's what your heart is set on. If you don't, you probably will have some regret. It's a beautiful name!
We've actually decided on a name for our little man already
As a teacher, I find with "original" names with weird spellings, that you instantly know so much about the parents and their desire for individuality, and associate the name with the parents more than the kid. I used to LOVE the name Lyra but amidst a sea of students with "original" names spelled every way imaginable, I thought a name like Lyra would get lost in the shuffle. So I got off the bandwagon and chose a family name that is uncommon these days.
Guess I'm still on the bandwagon if I scoured our family trees for an uncommon but "traditional" name.
I'm in the camp of traditional but uncommon, but that is becoming more popular in and of itself. My husband and I love Autumn, and I myself also love Violet, but I'm hearing both those names more frequently!
Personally? I couldn't stand it. I absolutely hated every second of it and still to this day prefer to go by my middle names (Ashlyn or Taylor) because I literally can't go anywhere without another Sarah. Not even in daycare and elementary school. I've more or less gotten over it now, but it used to really piss me off.
That's why we decided no top 50 names unless they were being used as a middle name. But that was a very personal choice because my name was SO popular at the time.
I really think it's up to you. I'll also throw in here that I know 6 Bella's under the age of 7 and 5 Harpers both boys and girls under the age of 5
So for us, choosing a name we both enjoy and isn't in the top 100 may come off odd to some, but that's just how we are. Neither of us have really cared what others' opinions were because we have our own and it's all that matters to us.
That being said, I think Lyra is a beautiful name! I wouldn't veto a name just because it's too unique or too traditional if you love it! But, it's your child so obviously do whatever works for you and your family. I'd vote Lyra all day though, I've never even heard of that until now and, to me, it seems like the perfect blend of traditional and individual.
Sophia - most popular name way too many years in a row. (So I didn't name her) Don't do it.
https://www.nickmom.com/videos/popular-baby-names-psa/