May 2012 Moms

Question for people naming their LO a top 10 name

According to Social Security's records, these are:

1. Jacob 2. Isabella
2 Ethan Sophia
3 Michael Emma
4 Jayden Olivia
5 William Ava
6 Alexander Emily
7 Noah Abigail
8 Daniel Madison
9 Aiden Chloe
10 Anthony Mia

 

I don't want this to come off as mean or offensive because I really don't intend it this way, but does it bother you that your LO will be one of many Avas, Aidans, Jacobs, Isabellas, in their class or soccer team or whatever? 

I do totally understand why you would choose the top ten names, they are top ten for a reason, and I also think it's cool to go against the "special snowflake" trend, but I am genuinely curious about how you view the whole issue of your kid having to be one of 8 Sophias they know. 

Anyways I hope this didn't come off snooty because I DON'T mean it that way!!!

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Re: Question for people naming their LO a top 10 name

  • I am not naming my child a top 10 name, but I can understand the appeal.

    Other than Jayden, Aiden, Madison, and Mia, the rest of the names are timeless and classic. They are beautiful names that will never be out of style nor will they ever be considered trendy or "time-stamped" (like a Jennifer or Ashley of the 80's).

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  • We're naming our son Michael. It's a family name.  I like traditional names.  My first name is Sarah and I was frequently one of several Sarahs in my class.  It never bothered me.  Michael is easy to spell, easy to pronounce, suitable for a baby and a grandfather.  It also won't handicap him when he looks for a job.

    I cringe when I hear 'creative' baby names and feel sorry for the children who will spend their lives correcting spelling and pronunciation. A lot of those kids grow up to want to be called things like 'Joe'

     

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  • We haven't decided for sure on a name, but one of our leading contenders is in the top 10.  Honestly?  We came up with our list a long time ago (before it was in the top 10) and when we discussed names this go-around, we had sorta narrowed it without looking at the list.  I wouldn't go to a top 10 list and pick a name there on purpose.  And, it does sorta bother me that it's on there.  But, I do think it's silly to go back on hrs of name discussions just because I happened to see the list. 
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  • I'm not, but... picking a top 10 name is a lot different today than it was when we were kids.

     

    For instance, in 1980, the #1 girl's name was Jennifer, and there were 58,000 Jennifers born that year.

    In 2010, Isabella was #1, and there were 22,000 Isabellas born that year.

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  • I don't know what her name will be yet, but I recall from school that all the Jeff, Jenny, Melissa, etc that I grew up with did not have any issue with other people having the same name. Nor did they get grouped together, like all Jennys are the same... I have no issue with it, nor do I have an issue with having a rare name. I'm just looking for a name that sounds nice, people can pronounce, and spell. I don't care where it ranks.
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  • I grew up with a very popular 80's name. In my class of 202 people 8 of us were Amanda. It was extremely annoying. So I wanted to make sure my children didn't have super popular names but names that aren't every common that people have heard of. Victoria is number 25, I think, which is more popular than I would like it to be. But I love the name so much and it goes so well with my other girls names.
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  • We won;t be naming our kids any super popular names, as both DH and I have popular names for our age groups... but, I'm all for NAME YOUR KIDS WHATEVER YOU WANT!  If you love Ava, name your kid Ava!!  All of those top names are beautiful!


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  • imagesmacb:

    We're naming our son Michael. It's a family name.  I like traditional names.  My first name is Sarah and I was frequently one of several Sarahs in my class.  It never bothered me.  Michael is easy to spell, easy to pronounce, suitable for a baby and a grandfather.  It also won't handicap him when he looks for a job.

    I cringe when I hear 'creative' baby names and feel sorry for the children who will spend their lives correcting spelling and pronunciation. A lot of those kids grow up to want to be called things like 'Joe'

    This exactly. My name is Sarah, and in one class, there was: Sarah, Sara, Sarrah, Cera (pronounced Sarah), Tara and Cara. It  never bothed me that my name was popular or that it was spelled differently (even if Sarah *IS* the correct spelling). It never bothered me that other kids in the class had my name or a name that rhymed with it. In fact, two of my closest friends growing up were both Tara's.

    My daughter's name is Jordanne, and it's pronounced Jordan. She has issues with people calling her Jord-anne, but she corrects them and moves on. I think people who get upset about having common or differently spelled names might have bigger issues than their name.

  • imagePotomacSt:

    I'm not, but... picking a top 10 name is a lot different today than it was when we were kids.

     

    For instance, in 1980, the #1 girl's name was Jennifer, and there were 58,000 Jennifers born that year.

    In 2010, Isabella was #1, and there were 22,000 Isabellas born that year.

    This.  If you look at the percentage, the top names are just over 1/100.  And just because you pick a name out of the top 25 does not guarantee that there won't be another kid with that name in your child's class.

    My son is Jacob, I don't know any other Jacob's IRL around his age.  There were about 300 boys named Jacob born in the whole state of CO in 2010 so it's not likely that there will be 10 in his class, maybe 1 or 2.  It doesn't bother me at all. 

    I have a common name (graduated HS with 9 girls with the same name out of about 250 girls) and it hasn't ruined my life.  On the flip side my H has an uncommon name (easy to say and spell but not common) and he HATES it.  Every time he makes reservations or something he uses Steve b/c everyone asks him about his name all.the.time. 


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  • We have chosen Olivia. DH chose the name this time.  I like it. But to be honest I really don't care about it being in the top 10 it has been for awhile and where we live there is literally no other Olivia.  We live in a small town and she will go to school here and all sports teams.  And really my sisters names are all ones that were in the top ten when they were born and they never found it a problem. 
  • The name I chose for LO if he had been a girl is not a popular name, but if we have a little girl in the future and the name is popular, I don't know what I will do. I love the name so much, but I have a very common last name.
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  • My daughter is Ella Grace. Which is a very popular name combo. I heard a lot "oh Ella is so popular" but she is the 6th Ella in our family and my grandmother was Grace, so there was no doubt from the beginning that was going to be her name. We've offset the popularity buy calling her 'Ella Grace' her classmates call her that. At her daycare there was an Ella M., Ella A. and Ella Grace. Now that she is in Kindergarden there is only one other Ella I'm aware of and she's in 1st grade. 

    I guess what I'm saying is, not every town is filled with Avas, Ellas, etc. I agree, popular names are popular because they are awesome and I'm much happier with my Ella than I am with a Uniqua sort of name. Those names don't age well and are confusing for children.

    This girl will be Anna. Another popular one, but we love it, Tims mom is Anne, so she's excited to be a namesake (sort of) and I think its cute with Ella.

    If you like it...go for it. My name is Kendra and I hear "oh...like the playmate" Um...NO. Not like the playmate. So no matter what your name is someone will compare you to someone.

     

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  • DH and I fell in love with Jacob way before we even realized it was the #1 name.  Oddly enough his sister will be Parker - a fairly unique name.  Again - we just fell in love with her name early on.

    It takes a lot to bother me really.  I had a top 10 name in school and there was one other Stephanie and we became best friends!  I feel like I see more frustration from kids with "unique" name or "unique" spellings and have to constantly correct people or many of them even change it completely to a nickname.  (I have a student I coach now named "Mical" - its hebrew, but everyone pronounces it like Michael and it drives her nuts.  So she goes by "Mickey")  Whereas I have subbed in a class with 3 Madisons and they just thought it was funny.

    I want my children to stand out because of who they are - not because of their name.  I can't think of any children who stand out completely because of his/her name - unless that parent was cruel enough to name them Precious or something goofy like that (I knew a precious at a daycare - she was the OPPOSITE)

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  • We're naming our daughter Charlotte, which is rising in popularity...I even saw one list that said it would be the #1 name this year.  But we fell in love with it before we realized how popular it was.  It doesn't bother me that its popular, I think it bothers DH a little more, but really...I don't think it'll matter that much over the child's life. 

    Like PP said, I don't think any the new #1 names will become as common as names like Sarah or Jennifer, since its also a trend to shy away from common names, or to come up with unusual names. 

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  • For me, a name is a name - if I love it, I love it and I choose it. If I don't love it, I don't love it and I don't choose it. I could care less about the popularity to be honest. Sophia & Isabella are two names on my list. If my child is in a class with other Sophias (not a gurantee, just because it's on the list... and since it's a list probably from 2011, also not necessarily the list from when our babies will be born), then she can be Sophia V. She'll still be her own person. I also love Julia, not on the list. Didn't know what the list was until you posted it - because I would never go off a list lol.

    When I was in high school, I was good friends with another Danielle. There were also 2 other Danielles in my graduating class of 198 girls (4 in total). I didn't have a problem. My goddaughter's name was REALLY popular in 2009 (Emma). I'm surprised to see it's not on the list now. The list turns around fast. Why base your life on someone else's decision, IMO. Just choose what you want! If it's not on the list, someone still may have the same name as you.

     The one thing I hate is when people try to be unique with naming their child and it just sounds... weird. Like, if you choose a popular name, so what? Just choose it. Don't spell it "Sophya" and think it's so different lol.

    --Danielle :-)
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  • We are naming our son William. It's one of my favorite names for a boy, and it's my grandfather's name (and his MN will be Paul after H's grandfather.)  I don't really care that it's so popular.  Sure, there will probably be a few other Williams in his class.  He'll be okay though. Even for the super popular names in the 80s, we only had at most two Meghans, two Sarahs, etc.  It wasn't this huge crisis in my opinion. 

    Generally the top 10 names don't really bother me because they tend to be the classic names for the most part. Sure Ava has skyrocketed but it's still super classic.  Like annerz said, take out Jayden, Madison, Mia and maybe even Chloe and you have names that have been around for decades and centuries.  I don't really count these names as "trendy." 

    For me the "trendy" names are the Nevaehs, all the "-aden" variations, and yes Madison, Mia, etc but I don't think most of the top 10 names are "trendy."

    It's the you-neek names that drive me bonkers and make me wonder what the eff the parents are thinking, to be honest.

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  • MH and I are both weary of using a top ten name or anything that feels super popular but I wouldn't rule it out.  Although it is not on this list Jackson is a front runner for us and I know everyone on the baby names board hates it and that there are so many.  Because of that MH keeps steering away from it but I haven't crossed it off the list just yet b/c I don't actually know any IRL.  For sure this could change when he is going to school, there will be a lot more kids there than in my circle but I'd still consider it because I have loved it forever.  
  • imageErinR2012:

    We're naming our daughter Charlotte, which is rising in popularity...I even saw one list that said it would be the #1 name this year.  But we fell in love with it before we realized how popular it was.  It doesn't bother me that its popular, I think it bothers DH a little more, but really...I don't think it'll matter that much over the child's life. 

    Like PP said, I don't think any the new #1 names will become as common as names like Sarah or Jennifer, since its also a trend to shy away from common names, or to come up with unusual names. 

     

    I love Charlotte! We couldn't use it because we live so close to Charlotte, NC and my sister lives there. We just spend too much time there, and might eventually move there so it is out for us. Its a great, beautiful name.

    A woman that goes to Ella's dance school has girls named: Virginia, Georgia, Savannah & Charlotte. Ugh...a little much if you ask me. Each on their own are great names, but together is crazy!!  

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  • We are naming our daughter a top 10 name, but not because it's top 10, because it's a family name. I don't really care if there are others in her class with the same name. We personally don't know ANY in our circle of friends, so I'm not that worried about it. My name was #2 for the year I was born and never had a problem.
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  •    Nope,  doesn't bother me at all. My son is named Anthony, and he was named after a family member that is no longer with us. I am so happy we were able to carry on the name, and it makes the family very happy that we honored the original Anthony. I also prefer classic/normal names on boys. I really dislike super trendy cutesy names on a grown man, I think it just sounds bizarre.

        Also, I would like to point out my friend named her son Ryan which is the #1 most common name in Mass for boys. Her son is the only Ryan I have ever met in his age group. So its just luck of the draw. My name was only popular in the late 1880's then it had a sudden comeback in the late 1970's. My parents thought they picked a name no one else would have, well I was one of three in my class. Mt point is you can pick a name that seems unpopular but you have no idea where trends are going to go in your area.

  • imagekendrawp:

    A woman that goes to Ella's dance school has girls named: Virginia, Georgia, Savannah & Charlotte. Ugh...a little much if you ask me. Each on their own are great names, but together is crazy!!  

    Ha! That's quite unusual :p  I agree, pretty names on their own...but together its a little much...

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  • Wow.... I didn't realize our #1 choice name so far (Ethan) was on the top 10.

    SO and I have always agreed to not use a name from the top 20. So, now we'll have to talk more about names again.

  • FI and I both love Ava but having it on the top 10 list definitely does steer me away from it.  I have a super unique name, literally probably one of a handful (if that) with my name.  Even though I did have to do a fair amount of correcting spelling, I really like having a unique name and get lots of compliments on it so, in the end, it's okay with me.  I don't necessarily want to give our kid a name that involves spelling and pronunciation help, but I do like the idea of a fairly unique name - or at least one that's not on the top 10.  But I also can totally see the value in - if you love the name, name your kid that, regardless of any lists! 
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  • I'm not using a popular name, but I think there are other things to consider.  Just because it's nationally popular doesn't mean it's regionally popular.  And there are plenty of names that are classical that will crop up just as regularly in the same class even if they aren't top ten.  My nephew Owen was a top-25 name when  he was born, and there are no other Owens in his classes.

    My name is ancient.  There are TONS of women with my name and I was in several classes with E.B. (while I was E.S.) and I was not scarred by the experience.  In fact, I loved that I could easily get 'name' things like pencils and keychains.  Maybe it's not such a bad thing that kids learn early they aren't unique because of their name or appearance, but because of how they act and think and behave.

     


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  • imageannerz22:

    I am not naming my child a top 10 name, but I can understand the appeal.

    Other than Jayden, Aiden, Madison, and Mia, the rest of the names are timeless and classic. They are beautiful names that will never be out of style nor will they ever be considered trendy or "time-stamped" (like a Jennifer or Ashley of the 80's).

    ALL OF THIS!!!!  Except I actually am naming the baby a top 10 name.  DS#1 is Alexander and this baby will be William.  Both are family names and both are classic, imo.  If either of them have an Alex or William in their class then so be it - I won't be bothered.  Names like Jayden however, I believe will be a short lived trend and my boys will likely have more of those types of names in there classes than anything else.

  • imagesmcgervey:

    I want my children to stand out because of who they are - not because of their name.  I can't think of any children who stand out completely because of his/her name - unless that parent was cruel enough to name them Precious or something goofy like that (I knew a precious at a daycare - she was the OPPOSITE)

    THIS!!!

    I'm Isabelle, and I grew up with other Isabelle's in my class. I am not less of a human or less 'unique' as a person because I was Isabelle H.  KWIM?  In fact, as a kid I always thought it was fun to have other girls with the same name around, and as an adult, it doesn't even phase me to have work colleagues with the same name. 

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  • People make the mistake of thinking the top 10 names are timeless and classic.  Sure they are old, but so are Patricia, Lisa, Barbara, and Donna.  All these names have ancient origins, but they really do date a person over time because they were SO popular during the 60's.

    That said, I am a Laura and never minded that there were lots of other Lauras and Loris in my school.  I had an unusual last name, so having a Top 20 name kind of balanced that out.

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  • imagemrskinsler04:
    I grew up with a very popular 80's name. In my class of 202 people 8 of us were Amanda. It was extremely annoying. So I wanted to make sure my children didn't have super popular names but names that aren't every common that people have heard of. Victoria is number 25, I think, which is more popular than I would like it to be. But I love the name so much and it goes so well with my other girls names.
    '

    This! I am an Amanda, too, and I wanted something that was a little original. But, I also have a friend that has both an Ava and Mya, and I think they're adorable, too. Teagan isn't on the most popular list, and I'm thinking that it is said exactly as it's spelled, so I hope we're good there!

  • Our boy name is a top ten name, but when you check by the state we live in it drops off quite a bit.  Honestly, I like classic, traditional names over trendy, unique names.  My name was number one for years and years.  My best friend as a child had the same name and I thought it was cool.  Go figure.  My kid will not be traumatized by having a classic name.
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  • While Catherine didn't make it onto that list, what with Princess Kate I'm assuming it will be on next year.  We chose Catherine as a name before it even occurred to me that this might happen.  I like it because it's a family name and I like the classic sound.  If Catherine has too many kids with her name in her class it'll be the exact opposite of my problem growing up (name so strange no one could pronounce it, let alone had it as well).  I dunno, I don't see it as a big deal. 

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  • The names we've chosen aren't in the top ten (Connor and his little sister will be Claire), but we didn't purposely avoid those names because of their popularity. Honestly when I run into people who have a Connor or Claire I would simply think "I guess we both have the same great taste in names!"... haha

    Every person owns their name in a totally different way... and well, a name is a name because it's something people are called. If you know what I mean.

    There are also lots of very classic and timeless names in the top ten (as other posters have noted), so even less of an issue in my mind.  


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