Would You Use a Top 5 Popular Baby Name?

[Anonymous]

Husband likes a baby name that was on the top 5 list last year and I’m hung up on it. I like the name, but hung up on it being super popular and baby being one of many in their class. FWIW I have a very unusual name that has benefited me so perhaps that is where my feelings stem from! Anyone else avoid popular baby names or use them regardless?

[Anonymous]

This is actually a hyperlocal decision.
Of the top 10 baby names from my kindergartener's birth year we have one Isabella, one Sophia, and that's it in his class. None of the top 10 boy's names. However we have two Maeves and two Cecilias (and I know of two more Cecilias in the school) and a bunch of multiples of less common but classic boys' names (what I call Thomas the Train names.) I have actually never even met a Liam.

[Anonymous]

I normally tend to avoid popular names. Two of my kids have names outside of top 100 (105th and 160th the years they were born). My last kid's name is the most popular name of all time. I don't care because they were name after somebody special to my heart.

The point is don't let popularity deters you from naming your kid, if you really like it.
My non-popular named daughter keeps complaining about not finding anything in her name at the souvenir shop when we travel.

[Anonymous]

I have a teen aged Noah.

When younger, met a few others and they thought it was cool that their name was so popular.

Now, doesn't think about it at all.

[Anonymous]

My toddler is James. I knew it was popular (apparently #5 his birth year) but I really like the name and I consider it classic, so am fine that there will be lots of them. I also have a popular/classic name and usually had another kid or so in my grade with my name (but not always). Didn’t care about it at the time. Just choose a name you like.

[Anonymous]

I was born in 1970. My name was the most popular name from, I think, 1970 - 1984. There were at least 2 of us in each class. I hated it.

But "top 5" is different from that situation, if the name is #5 or even #3 or #4 (if that makes sense).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is actually a hyperlocal decision.
Of the top 10 baby names from my kindergartener's birth year we have one Isabella, one Sophia, and that's it in his class. None of the top 10 boy's names. However we have two Maeves and two Cecilias (and I know of two more Cecilias in the school) and a bunch of multiples of less common but classic boys' names (what I call Thomas the Train names.) I have actually never even met a Liam.

Huge lol for Thomas the Train names

[Anonymous]

I would go for it. I have three girls - none with top 100 names - but if my last daughter had been a boy I would have named her Noah. I would not have cared about it being the most popular name. You like the names you like!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is actually a hyperlocal decision.
Of the top 10 baby names from my kindergartener's birth year we have one Isabella, one Sophia, and that's it in his class. None of the top 10 boy's names. However we have two Maeves and two Cecilias (and I know of two more Cecilias in the school) and a bunch of multiples of less common but classic boys' names (what I call Thomas the Train names.) I have actually never even met a Liam.

My niece was obsessed with Thomas the Train when her little brother was born. He was named Thomas and for the first few weeks she called him Choo Choo. I thought it would have been an adorable nickname but my SIL nixed it real fast!

I have a Jack and the only Jack we’ve met so far is one his toddler friend’s dad!

Huge lol for Thomas the Train names

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Husband likes a baby name that was on the top 5 list last year and I’m hung up on it. I like the name, but hung up on it being super popular and baby being one of many in their class. FWIW I have a very unusual name that has benefited me so perhaps that is where my feelings stem from! Anyone else avoid popular baby names or use them regardless?

Or course! Who wants their kid to have an obscure or unpopular name?

[Anonymous]

I tried to go for something less popular and ended up with two names that wound up being super popular! I was pissed. You think you can be original, but everyone everywhere has the same idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was born in 1970. My name was the most popular name from, I think, 1970 - 1984. There were at least 2 of us in each class. I hated it.

But "top 5" is different from that situation, if the name is #5 or even #3 or #4 (if that makes sense).

Hi, Jen!

[Anonymous]

I definitely would not

[Anonymous]

No. My name was SO popular in 80s/90s and there were always at least 4 of us in every class with the same name which was very annoying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. My name was SO popular in 80s/90s and there were always at least 4 of us in every class with the same name which was very annoying.

Same. And I know all the arguments about it not being the same now, but I had such a horrible experience with my own name that I searched far and wide for names nowhere near the top of any lists, unlikely to have a rise (I researched all of this) but also known names that were nice/not too out there.

OP can do what she wants, but I personally would NOT use a name that high on popularity lists.