Name Vent (Tell me I am not alone!)

Pecas13

Why is it that I feel like my childrens' names have to be uncommon (Not Yunike) and not overused?  I am so frustrated finding names when I see that GASP! other people are using them too?  I don't want people to think I named my kids "trendy" names. 

I guess for a long time I thought the names I liked weren't that common, and now they "seem" to be everywhere.

citychicks

I'm the same. They need to be uncommon, but not made up or have U'Neek spelling. My son's name is becoming more popular than I would like, but DD is still the only one we know.

AsOctoberFalls

I'm with you.  Names I've loved for a long time are now becoming trendy, and it makes me sad.  (I'm talking names like Jasper, Silas, Jude, etc... mostly more obscure biblical names).  We won't use a name if it's popular.  I am concerned that our girl name is going to start popping up, as it's an old-fashioned name, and those are coming back "in style."  Keeping my fingers crossed that it stays relatively obscure!

msmerymac

Totally agreed. When I was younger (maybe 10 years ago) I loved the named Tristan and Amelia, and now they seem to be popular. Hell, I liked Aidan back before it was the number one name!

MBfromBMC

I'm the same way.  I want my kids' names to be common enough that everyone has heard them and knows how to spell them, but I am terrified of it being too trendy or my kid having to go by their name and last initial for their entire school lives.  DH is just as picky about this issue because he was always one Chris of many, and our last name is super common!

forensicmama

I like older names, classic names, names that aren't too common, yet aren't totally uncommon or you'neek. My daughter's name, Anna, was somewhere around the 22nd or 26th most popular name when she was born. So far, I haven't met anyone her age named Anna. *shrug* I thought I would have seen one or two by now. Thankfully it's common enough, but not so common that she'll be Ava P., Ava G., Eva L. or Ava R. hahhahahaha

AVA0908

I agree! I used to love the name Ava because it was actually my initials before getting married. No way I can name my kid that now-especially since I have a friend and a relative with daughters who are named Ava.

Lesley0228

I understand. I freaked out that DD's name, Matilda, moved 100 spots up the chart last year, even though its still in the 700s. I was adament against having a popular name, but still wanted something that people would be able to pronounce when they saw and spell when they heard. It's not an easy task.

nearly_klo

Same here! We really wanted a 'proper' and normal name, with a shortening we liked (we are Australian-everyone's name gets shortened!) and it had to be relatively easy to spell correctly! When you want all of that as well as uncommon, it's hard! I'm just crossing my fingers it stays uncommon!!

plainjanie1

I'm right there with you!  DD's name is sort of made up (Aeris), it has a source, but no meaning.  We choice it because it also goes well with Eri - her Japanese name.

BethPSU

I am the same way.  I had an easier time with boys names (good thing).  I still struggle looking for the perfect girls name because all the ones that I love seem to be fairly popular (Evelyn, Eleanor, Cecilia, Emily).  I have a feeling that if I ever have a girl she will have a name in the top 100 even though both of my boys are in the 400-500 range.

daenikoffre

I just read this somewhere [was it a link here?] that although names may seem popular, they aren't actually as popular as they once were. 

 

What?

 

Well, the distribution of names is now so varied, that the #1 spots of today actually are less common than the #1 spots of 20 years ago, because people are simply using more names than before.

 

You could get #1-50 on the charts for boys names before [I think it said the 50s or the 60s?] and that accounted for HALF of all baby boys born in this country. Now, to account for half of all baby boys, you need to extend it to names #1-150, or something like that.. 

 

So, try not to worry, ladies. There aren't even as many Adrians as you think!  [Also, my BF is an Andrew and it was #6 when he was born, yet he has only met 5 others in his life.]

luckyluvr

So you'd rather name your kid a name you are just ok with rather than a name you love b/c it's "popular"? I've only met 2 other Emma's since my Emma was born 2 years ago, and it's #2 on the ridiculous list. I've met 6 Tanner's since my Tanner was born 4 years ago, and it's #152. I guess you could always go with LaFawnDuh or Obiwan, but I bet there will be another one somewhere.

daenikoffre

Also, our LO's name is around the 130's, which is a HUGE jump from the last few years, but I'm not worried at all.

 

Oh, and here's the link I mentioned:

https://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2010/10/the-names-you-choose-mean-more-today-than-ever-before 

biblionerd

Yep, I hear ya'. I wish I could just be content with John or something common. I just like more obscure names. On the flip side... the less common the name it seems like more people tend to dislike it since they're not used to hearing it (in my experience at least). We've decided on Linus and my family was pretty much split 1/2 and 1/2 about liking it and hating it. It's funny... the younger people in my family tend to like it more than the older.

stahlop

Because more babies are being born, the number one names only account for about something like 30%.  So they really aren't as popular as you think.  You should also look at the SSA website for the most popular names in your state.  That can also help you out. 

On a side note, not only do I know two girls named Demi (not a popular name in the least), but they also have the same last name as well.  Who could have predicted that when their parents were naming them?

biblionerd

luckyluvr:

So you'd rather name your kid a name you are just ok with rather than a name you love b/c it's "popular"?

Who said that?

grace782

I have loved the name Madeleine for YEARS, and suddenly it's skyrocketing, and now I'm worried that I "can't" name my future daughter this, just because it's popular, no matter how much I love it. So I feel your pain.

IrishBrideND

I don't get it, to be honest. I get not wanting a "trendy" name that will be dated. But why does it have to be uncommon? Classic, timeless names are not bad.

 

But then again, I named my child Catherine, so you can see my personal name taste is more about being timeless and classic, and not unique.