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callalilly323
member
SSA - Popular names question
callalilly323
member
in Baby Names
My son's name, William, is #3 on the list. That said, I did not and would not have consulted a list showing popularity of the name when it was selected... It was a family name and very classic, never going out of style.
Im curious as to why people are so concerned with the ranking of names on the SSA list. Are you concerned that there will be a bunch of children with your child's name in his/her class? Or it just about the trendiness? If it's the latter I can assure you you can't plan that anyway, and if it's about trendiness, names falling way beyond the top 10 can be considered very trendy.
I don't mean to be snarky, I'm truly just wondering!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: SSA - Popular names question
As a Megan who grew up in the late 80's/early 90's in a very Irish-Catholic neighborhood, I was always one of several in my class. I hated it. I decided I wanted something a little more unique for my kids. Not youneek, but definitely not top 10. I tried to choose old fashioned names because, while currently trendy, they're still classic and I didn't think they would ever get too popular. So, when I see that Cora has jumped 72 spots in one year, it makes me nervous. It's still safely in the 200's, but I just don't want it to be the next Sophia.
ETA: Not that Sophia is a bad name. I actually think it's beautiful. But when you know so many kids with one name, it starts to loose it's luster.
"I went to school with 27 Jennifers". It's not just a song title. It was my life. Maybe not 27 but there have always been a lot of Jennifers around me in school, work etc. So I was never just called "Jen". I was "Jen last initial". It annoyed me (and still does today).
OK - I'm really sorry - I usually just lurk on this board, but can someone link me to the SSA popular name list? I can only seem to find the top 10 list, and I'd like to see all of them!
/threadjack
Thanks!
I agree - I'm in the "if you love it, use it" camp too, but having a fairly common name and having to go by nicknames in school (that I never used at home) was a bit annoying to me. DH and I are pretty well set on the names we will use when we do get pregnant, but at the same time, I always keep my eyes out to make sure they're not getting too popular
.
If I truly loved a name that ranked high on the SSA list, I'd still use it. Because there are so many more popular names today, Jacob and Sophia aren't like Jason and Jennifer of yesteryear. Besides, I base popularity of names on kids in my social circle more than statistics. In my 4-year-old's preschool class last year, there were FOUR boy Quinns (much more common as a boy name where I live) and THREE Siennas (out of 16 kids). These types of numbers aren't reflected in the SSA list.
ETA: I also want to point out that DS1 is named Jackson and he's the ONE and ONLY in his entire school. It happens.
Exactly!
I'm in the opposite boat- My name is unpopular and growing up, I longed for a "normal name". I was always jealous of my friends that had cute, trendy names and their ability to buy pencils and mini license plates with their names on them.
That being said, the SSA list did not influence our choice in names whatsoever. The two names we have selected are both in the top 10. That doesn't make me want to go and change our names- it was hard enough narrowing the list down to 2 names we both agree on! It just so happens my husband and I both love two names that are popular right now. And for the record, I do not know a single little girl named Ava. That's not to say she won't wind up with one or two in her class but as of right now, I don't know a single kid named Ava.
It's funny cause the people who had trendy names want their kids to have unique names and the people like myself who had unique names want their kids to have "normal" names.
If a name I loved was popular I would still use the name. That list isn't for my country so it doesn't mean as much to me but I will be looking through the popular names of my province out of curiosity.
William, Elizabeth, etc = classic names. If I'd planned to use one of those, I'd use it regardless of ranking - they don't scream "I was born in the 2010s!"
Jackson, Aidan, Madison, etc = trendy names. I don't want to saddle my kid with the Jennifer or Tiffany of our era. Blech.
(read it. you know you want to.)
anderson . september 2008
vivian . february 2010
mabel . august 2012
No, I don't get it either. I wouldn't personally do that myself. I was just stating that I know it happens and thats how a lot of these names get so trendy in the first place. So, if some celebrity chooses to use my daughter's name, it will likely become popular again. I don't think it makes sense but that's how it seems to work. The only thing I can sort of condone, is sometimes a show or movie brings to light a name I hadn't heard before or hadn't thought about it, and then I might ponder it, but not necessarily choose it.
As a Kristine with 26 other Kristine's (various spellings) in a class of 200, it was important to me not to have a name that was in the top 10. I never liked going by my last name, last initial or a distinguishing factor (short Kristine as opposed to my friend Tall Kristine).
Yes, Dillon is not super original and is top 30, so ultimately it came down to a name that my husband and I could agree on, but I know he will not be an Aiden or Jayden and when someone calls his name 20 others will not turn - 1 or 2 is okay.
After 7 years trying to concieve, 3 failed IUIs and 2 failed IVFs, my third IVF was a success!
My Christmas baby turned into a turkey bird! Dillon Richard was born at 34 weeks, 5 days on November 28, 2009 after 10 weeks on bedrest for preeclampsia.
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v705/arriinthere/PJ/?action=view
Well, as a Sarah from the 80's, yes, the primary concern is having multiples of the same name in school and social circles. I *hated* being "Sarah LastInitial." That is not my name.
My name is Sarah... or Sarah FullLastName. 
It just felt so anonymous being one of many Sarahs and it didn't help that I was already shy (and a twin, so people would often not know my name, period).
Regarding trendiness, I think you're mixing up popularity with trendiness. William is a classic (as you stated) and it's unlikely it will ever feel trendy. But yes, some names (even classic names) do start to sound trendy when they shoot up too quickly. I think most name nerds are aware that Top 10 does not always equal trendy so other factors are considered like how quickly a name rises and falls, if it's associated with a certain decade or letter trend, etc. I personally do not like overly trendy names, and in spite of my frustrations with being one of many Sarahs, I *do* like the fact that my name is a classic name. Ideally though, we'll pick the best of both worlds with our son... an underused classic.
ETA: And as another pp pointed out, it's not just a childhood annoyance to be "FirstName LastInitial." This continues on into the workplace if a name is popular enough (I get email etc of other Sarahs/Saras in my office. It's just frustrating).
I am in the "If you love it, use it" camp.
I prefer classic and old-fashioned over trendy. I would be more likely to use a classic name, even if it was popular, over a "trendy" name, but I do shy away from the top 25. I can't quite explain why.
I have a "popular" but classic name- Sarah. It wasn't my experience to have multiple in my class, though. Some years there was one other. Some years, there were no others. As an adult, I run into a lot more Sara(h)s than I did as a kid. I did grow up with a ton of Jennifers, though. And Jasons. In 9th grade, there were 5 Jasons in my home room. I think that would have annoyed me.
As for names on pencils etc.. it's a lot easier today to customize than it was when we were kids.
When you add up all the "ayden" variations, it equates to about 5% of the babies being born. So there are still trends today that are significant and will impact those kids as they grow, go to school, go to work, etc. Some parents would just prefer to avoid those trends.
I respectfully disagree that Jackson and Aiden are trendy, although their uniquely spelled variants certainly are. Jackson has been around since the 1800s (it was #247 on the SSA list in 1880 and has remained on this list ever since). Likewise, Aidan was a saint for G-d's sake! These names aren't going anywhere.
William is our top choice if we have another boy. It would be after DH's grandfather and I know the name is a classic. But, the popularity does worry me. Boy names tend to be a bit less trendy. Yes there's Jayden on that list, but it's not number one the way Isabella was for years. So even if William became #1 I wouldn't perceive it as trendiness.
I tend to not think like the mainstream so I'm curious as to where the names I like rank compared to others. If it wasn't for DH's grandfather I wouldn't consider William because of the popularity. Honestly, it just doesn't appeal to me if the name will be one of 20 in his grade. I don't like the idea of naming my kid the same as everyone else. To me, a name loses appeal then, unless like in our case, there's another reason. We're not selecting William because everyone else I know has been interested in the name so I hear it 27,000 times and after awhile it sounds like a great name to me versus looking through lists and taking time to see if there might be a better fit. (Just kind of my impression of what some people that select a popular name do, not all, and I could be totally wrong- but I've had several people tell me that as well).
I'm slilghtly alarmed that my son's name, Theodore, jumped up 30 points but it's safely in the 200s still so I'm sure it will be ok. I would be freaking out if it was in the top 25 all of a sudden though. It would just be a shock because it wouldn't be what I expected.
Our girl list is less set in stone. I've noticed Margaret, Josephine and Charlotte all got more popular. Margaret just a few spots, Josephine a few more and Charlotte a whole lot.
Also, considering I come to this board each day it's interesting to see if names that are floated around on here constantly are really that popular. Most of the ones we see often on here have indeed become more popular, but aren't terrifyingly trendy or anything.
I'm just an all around name geek and like to know the pulse of the rest of the nation when it comes to names.
This.
It's more about the trendy-ness of a name. Classic, timeless, elegant names such as Elizabeth will always rank high because, well, they are good names.
I was honestly really surprised at the drop DS's name has done in the last decade. Not complaining, but I think it's timeless and classic enough to be more popular than it is (though I do consider it a popular name). His name is Nicholas.
I would never use Aidan but it has been around and been used for hundreds of years. It's become more popular and it's trendy to use names ending --aidan but I wouldn't say it's just a trendy name. All of the other ---aidan names have ruined it for many people.
Isabella was a character in a Jane Austen novel in the early 19th century. The name of a famous queen in the 16th century. No one denies these names have been around for awhile, but a sudden spike in popularity is trendiness. Aiden was ranked 995 in 1995 and did not rank before then. Now it's number 9. Aidan has similar numbers, though not near as popular right now. Jackson I do agree with you on though. It's rise to fame has been more gentle. I think the thing that gets some people is the variation Jaxon. I actually really like the name Jackson, one of the few surnames turned first names I do like. But again, people are seeing it part of that trend. Every once in a while a trend wraps up a good name and gives it a bad rap. Aidan/Aiden a good long standing name but now so popular, came out of nowhere and led to awful variations. Jackson's part of the surname/presidential name trend and also led to Jaxon.
Along the lines of what everyone else is saying, I knew that my daughter's name (Abigail Elizabeth) was in the top ten when I selected it. I also think that it is classic, not just popular. It has been around for years and ages well.
I love the name, love the meaning (source of joy), don't know any other Abigails and picked it for those reasons, not its ranking.
Burned by the Bear
I was born in the mid-eighties... I graduated with ~400 ppl. We had no Brittanys, maybe 2 Jennifers.. But had a zillion Morgans, Jackies, and Joannas... None of those names were in the top 100 when I was born. I think it's luck of he draw when it comes to that.
In addition, names like Blake, Harper, Hunter, Chase, etc are not in the top 10 (or 50) but seem really trendy to me. They're nice names, but shout 2012 more than Michael, Daniel, or William.
It is nice to strike a balance I guess with a name like Samul - not top 10 but still classic and timeless.
I was born in the mid-eighties... I graduated with ~400 ppl. We had no Brittanys, maybe 2 Jennifers.. But had a zillion Morgans, Jackies, and Joannas... None of those names were in the top 100 when I was born. I think it's luck of he draw when it comes to that.
In addition, names like Blake, Harper, Hunter, Chase, etc are not in the top 10 (or 50) but seem really trendy to me. They're nice names, but shout 2012 more than Michael, Daniel, or William.
It is nice to strike a balance I guess with a name like Samuel - not top 10 but still classic and timeless.
I guess I can't personally relate to trying hard to avoid Top 10 - I don't like any of those names to be honest, anyway. I too think it's funny how OBSESSED people get with name rankings. They are in search so hard for a unique (not you-neek) name that eventually, it doesn't seem all that different...or it's just average. I'd go with what you love! And additionally, I also think it's hilarious when people are looking for something not-Top-10, and then we you put your unique name out there, people are scared of it. People don't really like change...IMO.
Oh calm down. You can't deny that although these names have been around for hundreds of years there has been a HUGE recent trend in people using them, all at the same time.
Take Isabella, for example. I have lost count of how many little Bella's I know. I am, quite frankly, sick to death of this damn name. It is classic and a well established name, but it is trendy as hell to use right now.
Calm down?? What gives you the impression I'm riled up? (I'm not, truly.) Is it my use of an explanation point?
FWIW, I agree with you that a name can be both "classic" and "trendy." The OP was classifying names as one or the other. The way you feel about Isabella is how I feel about Michael. It's a classic and not remotely trendy, yet I'm soooo tired of it. To each their own.
I think it was the for god's sake. LOL.
I tend to gravitate toward FFS to drive home my point. haha.
That is really funny, I don't know of any Michaels under the age of 30, I don't think!
The rise in Harper has broken my cold cold heart. It's a name I've always loved (To Kill a Mockingbird fan from the beginning of my memory. I walked down the aisle to the theme of the movie. Atticus was on my short list of boy names, and Harper was our girl name for Bean). The Beckham (and Neil Patrick Harris and Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) thing doesn't bother me at all... but I have 2 close friends that have daughters named Harper, so I really can't use it. It was different 3 years ago, but now it's become trendy.
Our kiddo's name (Charles) has been holding pretty steady in the low 60s for the last 10 or so years. It went from #63 (where it had been for 3 years) to #62. Our girl name for the next time around (Margaret) goes well with Charles, is completely classic, and has multiple nickname possibilities (being able to shape one's own identity is important to me, and being able to switch around nicknames is a big part of that). Margaret is around the 160s, if I remember correctly.
So, name ranking isn't *really* important to me, but I do pay attention.
My concern is more about us having a top 10 LN and not wanting to pair that with a top FN. DH has lots of problems resulting from information not getting to him due to more than 1 person in the company with the same name.
I have a trendy FN, it was #3 the year I was born, and while I never had another Heather in my class until I was in college I now have issues with it paired with my married name. I have to use my birthday when I check in at the salon because there are 7 clients with the exact same name. Annoying.
I completely agree with all of this. For me, the most important is that DH and I love the name. But, I'm a bit of a baby name nerd and I pay attention to the SSA list. DH and I have a similar style which is not TOO popular but not weird or youneek. We like normal, classic "boy" or "girl" names that are spelled correctly, and not names that suggest a decade, like the name Stephanie (80s). I would consider a classic like Elizabeth, but not a trendy popular name like Olivia.
I hated having a popular name growing up so much that when I went to college I started going by my much more unique middle name, and I still go by it. I always wished my parents had switched the two names around. My problem was there were SO many girls with my first name and my maiden last name began with S--another common letter that i always had to write my full name out on everything and it drove me NUTS (plus I HATED my impossible to spell last name). I always felt like I didn't have my own identity with my first name, because I was always clustered as "one of" a bunch of girls with that name. I think it held me back in school and made me shy because of it. I had a complete personality change in college when I switched names and felt like I could finally be myself.
So I really don't want my daughter to go through the same thing that I did. I'd like to choose a name that she can be herself as and not feel held back by. That being said, the name we like is above 100 but below 200. Not exactly where I want it to be, I'd like it to me much less popular, but I do love the name so much and haven't found anything I like better.
ETA: I realize my issues with names is totally the epitome of a first world problem! But when you had a great childhood, this was pretty much the worst thing that happened to me! haha. Also, I'm a writer so I am constantly choosing names for my characters and I often can't even read a book if I don't like the character's name--it alienates me from them.
Baby girl born July 6th 2012 at 40w2d