Name Popularity

PinkPearlGirl

So, I've been thinking about the whole popularity of names thing. Why does it bother me? Does it bother me? Why does it bother other people? etc.. 

I'm not trying to be all philosophical, but I wonder is it that really popular names bother us because we want to emphasize our child's individuality? If so, would a name really define whether or not our child is an "individual?"

I'm struggling with this because the name that I love is in the top 20 names and I never thought I would use a top 20 name, so I figured I'd ask all of you:

What is it that bothers you or you think bothers people in general about using a name that is very popular?

 Just generally curious about people's opinions, it may help me decide which direction to go. 

Hope&Faith&Love

I don't necessarily mind popular names if it isn't that popular in your area. However, I was one of 5 Megan's in my grade, and I was Megan E. from first grade through 5th grade. 

I don't mind my name, but it was annoying as a kid.  

bluestreet

As a "Jessica", I can relate to PP. Popularity also seems to "cheapen" a name. My mom said that "Jessica" seemed old-fashioned and classy to her, whereas it feels completely boring to me because so many girls had it.

On the other hand, "Sophia", "Isabella", and "Emma" are beautiful names. What can you do? One possibility is to think about what it is that appeal to you about the popular name and try to find a less popular one that has those qualities. Chances are those qualities will endure longer with the less popular name. 

Woodwife

I've thought about this, too - I'm sure we all do. 

Setting philosophy aside, I must say that I lived through the Jennifer phase and that was enough to decide me to pay attention to over-used names. Having four Jennifers in one room at any given point made many of us, including the Jennifers, decide to think carefully about trendy names. They either had to choose a nickname or go by their last names. 

When I was teaching at the university a couple of years ago, it was four Megans in the room, and each was spelled a different way. There would be tension before it was settled who would be the Meg, and which was the Meeegan and which was the Megggan.

Also, very popular names date you. Some are rightly called timeless. But many are easy to date based on big crazes. 

But all that sorts out eventually - school doesn't last forever, but then there's professional life. I'd say follow your heart, but do recognize that there will be duplicates, perhaps many, of any very popular name. No one had my name, Claire, and I hated it in elementary school.  I came to love it and I never meet people my age with that name - but I do meet babies with it! But at no point did I wish my name were the then very popular and stylish Jennifer. 

moonfaerie

I always swore my kids would not be overly popular names, but as it turned out, DH and I did not like the same names at all! It was so hard to find names we could agree on that I had to throw that rule out the window. Now we have a Chloe which was the eighth most given name in Maryland in 2009, and when added to the spelling Khloe, ranked even higher. Oh well. It's better than one of us hating our daughter's name.

erinms

PinkPearlGirl:

I'm not trying to be all philosophical, but I wonder is it that really popular names bother us because we want to emphasize our child's individuality? If so, would a name really define whether or not our child is an "individual?"

I think this is absolutely the issue in a lot of cases.  I think a lot of people want to avoid their child being one of a million kids with the same name- they want them to be unique.  I think most names will not be as popular as the Jennifers of the 70s/80s.  There won't be 5 of the same name in the grade because people are using such a wider base of names.

But, I think if you were scarred by being one of 5 girls in your class with the same name, you will be more likely to seek out a more unique name to avoid your child having the same experience. 

There is also some narcissism involved in some cases.  I know people (I am in California, so no big surprise) who clearly named their kids as a way to show how hip they are- how uniquely cool they and their children are.  

We used a pretty popular name, but it really doesn't bother me that it is popular because I do think that he'll be his own unique person no matter what his name is.  

JaysonandKristin

DH and I were born in the 80s - he's Jayson and I'm Kristin.  There were 3 in his class, and there were 5 of us in my class.  I don't want my kid to be identified by our last name unless he chooses to be identified as such.

Because I was so athletic growing up, I ended up being referred to as a derivative of my LN because it was easier.  All of my teachers called me my LN NN as well.

So, while I'm not falling into the surname-turned-first-name phenomenon, I certainly want my children's names to be familiar but not top 100 nor trendy.  

It's not about individuality for me.  It's about finding a name that I love.  I found it difficult to LOVE a name on MY child when I've heard it 10 million times before on 10 million different kids.  DS is certainly not the first with his name, but I've never met a person with his name. 

AmyinSoCal

There always seemed to be at least 1 other Amy.  In high school, I was "Amy T" due to 2-3 other Amy's in my classes.

PinkPearlGirl

Thanks everyone. This was really interesting to hear what other people had to say about it. I, personally, was a Kelli in the 80s. I didn't meet a ton of other Kelli's and still don't know too many. I've heard of a lot of Kelli's, but not met a lot of them. Having the same name as someone else never bothered me, so it's interesting to hear about people that were bothered by that. On the flip side, having my name spelled with an "i" instead of a "y" bothered me a lot and I hated how I could never find personalized items with my name spelled correctly and it still bothers me today.

lemen99

I don't want to use the most popular name for one reason.  There were like 80 Katie's, Lindsay's, etc in my class and it was sooooo confusing.

 

alliejo725

Interesting thought.

I think for me, whether I like a popular  name when I first hear it or not, by the time I've heard it a hundred times on a hundred babies (and read it with a hundred stupid spellings), I'm sick of it.

Some popular names I like despite their overuse, but when I consider using them, I inevitably ask myself, "Does the world really need another Sophia?"

It's not so much wanting my child to be "more unique" than everyone else's. It's more about using a name that's just as lovely, without being tiresome or made bland by overuse.

hollyberry3333

alliejo725:

Interesting thought.

I think for me, whether I like a popular  name when I first hear it or not, by the time I've heard it a hundred times on a hundred babies (and read it with a hundred stupid spellings), I'm sick of it.

Some popular names I like despite their overuse, but when I consider using them, I inevitably ask myself, "Does the world really need another Sophia?"

It's not so much wanting my child to be "more unique" than everyone else's. It's more about using a name that's just as lovely, without being tiresome or made bland by overuse.

Love this and I agree completely!