What are you thoughts when it comes to common names?

Question

Hi,

wondering - if the baby name that you really really love is in the top 10 baby names in your area, what do you do? Do you still use the name or use another name??

Just a curiosity question! I've decided it doesn't really bother me

Answer 1

Depends - I love the classic/traditional names that have been around forever (Michael, Matthew, Nathaniel, Isabella, Elizabeth, Catherine, etc.)

However, the trendy ones (Aiden, Jayden, Jada, Emma) just don't do it for me... and I think that I would actually be less likely to use it for a name just because it was trendy... Some I do like, but just don't think I could use (Emma for example)

Basically, if it has been in use steadily for at least the last 100 years - then I would consider it no matter what place it is on the list...

If it hasn't been used steadily - or has had a MAJOR upturn recently, I would probably avoid it...

HTH :-)

Answer 2

I personally wouldn't.  Part of the reason we liked and chose the names that we did was because they weren't names that you heard on every other kid out there.

Even if I loved the name, hearing it all the time on everyone else's children would made me love it less and less.  

EDIT:  I was just thankful that our son's name didn't become trendy and popular before he was born.  It's my mother's maiden name, and I always wanted to use for my son's name if I ever had a boy.  But had it become really trendy in the years before his birth, I would have chosen a different first name for him.  Thankfully, it was somewhere in the 400s when he was born, and it has pretty much stayed in the high 300s and low 400s for many years now.  Only 616 other little boys throughout the entire country were given that same name the year he was born, compared to the over 30,000 little boys who were named Jacob.

My name has now become very popular for baby girls, but it wasn't at all when I was born.  The spelling of my name wasn't even ranked in the Top 1000 in the year I was born, and even the longer version of my name was somewhere in the 500s or 600s.  I guess I was just ahead of my time--LOL!

Answer 3

I would probably use it as a middle name.  I know I wouldn't want to be one of ten Katies or whatever living on the same road plus another five in the classroom or work.  So naturally I wouldn't want to do that to my son or daughter.

Answer 4

Use it!

Answer 5

I think you can definitely still use a name in the top ten! If you are worried about it not being unique you could tweek the spelling just a little like instead of Jacob, you could spell Jakob...or something. Not the greatest example, but if you love a name don't let anyone talk you out of it! I say go for it. CONGRATS!  

Answer 6

I don't mind if it is heard of as long as it is not over used.  I also never wanted my kids to have someone in their class with the same name.  I always had to use my last initial in school and found it annoying, never wanted my kids to have to do that.  

Answer 7

names should be used for the baby not for the adult it should be easy on the ear..

Answer 8

I prefer uncommon names so I would look for a different name, and possibly save the more common ones as middle names or just ignore the common names altogether, or possibly use variants of them.  For example, I love Sophia but it is way too common as a first name.  I know alot of Sophias too.  I love Michael and Andrew for boys, but I'd use them as middle names since they are family names.

I was given a very common name  (Amanda Lynn) and I've always hated it because I had to share my name with many other girls at school and not one other Amanda was nice to me either, and Lynn is a filler.  

For that reason, I would rather give my children names that are different than give them a top 100 name even if I did like the name.

Answer 9

I'd still use it. If I really like a name, just cause it's popular doesn't mean I'm not going to use it and settle for another name that I don't love as much.

Answer 10

idk but here are some of my fav's

Anna Claire

Chloe Rose

Kaleigha Rose

Erin Leigh

Sarah Anne

Alana Rose

Answer 11

I personally would try to look for another name.

While there are some popular names I love quite a lot, I want my childrens' names to be distinctive.  Part of the reason we give people names is so that we will be able to distinguish them from other people when talking about them -- if everyone had the same ten names, it wouldn't work so well!

Then again, as someone has already pointed out, everyone doesn't have the same ten names.  Even when a name is in the top 10, usually only about 1% of babies born that year of that gender were given that name.  That means, if you include both genders, only one out of every 200 babies born that year might have the same name as your child.  While your little Emma or Sophia might have another one in her class sometimes, she probably won't have to share her name every year.  Some years she'll be Emma D. or Sophia W.  Some years, she'll be just Emma or Sophia.

My biggest problem with popular names is actually how they come to be perceived later on.  Almost 30 years ago, when everyone was naming their children Jennifer, Jessica, and Amanda, those seemed like beautiful and creative names.  Jennifer, after all, is the Welsh form of Guinevere, so it's both exotic and regal.  Jessica is a name first used by Shakespeare.  Amanda is also literary -- it was invented by a 17th century British playwright.  When we hear those names now, though, what do we think of?  I would bet that most of us don't think of them as literary, regal, exotic names.  In fact, they strike us as rather plain and boring.  Many women who were named something like Jennifer, Jessica, or Amanda wish their parents had come up with something a little more creative.

I'm afraid the same thing will happen to names like Emma, Sophia, and Olivia.  Right now they seem fresh, literary, and beautiful.  However, in 15 years or so, when all the little Emmas, Sophias, and Olivias are in high school, they'll seem like boring names, common names, or (heaven forbid) even "cheerleader names."  I know that's not what we're aiming for when we name our children.  That's why, no matter how much I love these names, I do try to steer clear of them.

That being said, there are sometimes more important considerations than popularity.  If you are naming your child after a relative or friend, or if you simply can't find another name you would grow to love as much, then by all means, use the name you want.  In that case, you may want to consider balancing it out with a more distinctive middle name.

Very interesting question!

Answer 12

I would definitely would.

Answer 13

If you like the name then use it, but I would think of it as very generic and boring.

Answer 14

if you really love it, use it anyway. Your kid is going to be stuck with it, and you're going to be stuck having to call your kid by it... it better be something you love. who cares if other people have it or not.

Answer 15

I would still use it. I actually had this very same predicament. In 2004 and 2005, around the time I was pregnant, the name Madison was VERY (and still is) popular. That didn't stop me. I love that name. Always thought it sounded very feminine. I did spice it up a little by spelling it Madisyn tho. (I don't pronounce it Mad-i-sun, but rather Mad-i-sin. Subtle difference, but one none the less.) :)

Answer 16

It depends on a lot of factors.

1) How common are the most common names? What percent of the babies born that year actually have that name -- does the most common name cover 1% or less than .5%? I think it's a big consideration -- don't just look at rankings, look at actual numbers.

2) Does the name have a lot of different nicknames? For example, take the name Elizabeth. It's been in the top 20 girl names by popularity since 1880, but it has a million different nicknames: Elle, Ellie, Eliza, Liz, Liza, Lizzy, Beth, Bethy. Elizabeth is actually 9 different names combined into one, so an idea would be to divide the total number of baby girls named Elizabeth in a certain year by 9 and you'd get a better (though slightly imperfect) idea of how common each nickname is. This can be applied to any name: Emily can be Emmy or Milly; Isabella can be Izzy, Bella or Belle.

3) Does it bother you that the last initial might be attached to the child's first name? If it doesn't bother you, there's nothing wrong with it.

PS: There are a lot of benefits to common names. Common names are common for a reason -- they are well-liked by many people. I think you should choose whatever kind of name you think is best, be it common or unique! Good luck. =)

Answer 17

Me?  No.  But then I grew up with a Top Ten name.  (Actually, the #2 name for girls born in my year.)  It crazed me.

But I don't mind so much when other people choose to use them.  Most names become popular because they are great choices - what's not to love about Josh, Ava or Emma?  And it's also true that the percentage of kids receiving a Top Ten moniker has dropped with each generation - meaning that while there might be two Avas in your daughter's kindergarten, it's unlikely there will be five Jennifers - as there was back in *my* day.

Answer 18

it will be lame to me

Answer 19

You got some great responses!  I have a name that is not common, however it's similar to a really common name.  At times I've been thankful that there were no other girls w/ my name in school.  However, it's annoying having a name you have to distinctly pronounce for people so they don't mess it up.  At times, I've thought 'gosh, if my name was Jennifer no one would mess it up ever!'

I've met more "Bella's" in the last 4 years than ever.  Isabelle, Isabella, Anabella, Anabelle, belle, bella.  I've got to admit that the beauty in the name is now lost on me.

Answer 20

Usually it doesn't matter because something bigger than a list is persuading you to use that name. I would still use the name. It's just right.