Why are people in the DC area so weird about name popularity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the name?!

Why is everyone so coy?

What fits in but stands out?

I like the name Maeve.

My sister has a Maeve and a Charlotte. Her Charlotte has always been the only one in her circle (despite it being a top ten name at all times since she was born), but Maeve has 2 or 3 others in various classes and activities (I think it was 400-something when she was born; sometimes you just hit on a microtrend without realizing).

It's because Maeve is trending among a specific demographic (UMC white professionals, largely in or near major metropolitan areas). Whereas Charlotte (and really any top 50 name) is more dispersed throughout all demographics and geographies. Charlotte is technically more popular, but less likely to be reoccurring.

Maeve is exactly the kind of name that people desperate to give their kid an original name hone in on, so of course a bunch of people looking for a name like that will hit in the same one. I've seen this happen repeatedly at my kids' school with names like Sebastian, Iris, Viola, and Hugo. It's funny.

OP heard parents talking about name popularity. You are making assumptions that other parents are desperate and didn't simply choose a name they liked---the way you did.

One of my relatives named her son Sebastian after the character in Reign. She was fangirling and not desperate for originality. While I don't know about the others, Sebastian started trending after Cruel Intentions.

Actually I get it because I'm one of those people -- I'm a UMC white professional living in a major city. I know what names hit that sweet spot because they appeal to me too. Hugo was on our short list for a boy. I've always loved the Apatow sisters names (Maude and Iris). I love Maeve. I met a kid named Harold recently and was like "oh, good name." I know this style of name really well because it's *my* style of name.

But I'm self aware about it. I know I'm part of a specific demographic looking for these very specific names and that's why a lot of us wind up liking the same names. At playgrounds, I chuckle to myself because I constantly hear kids being called the names that we considered for our own kids. It's a reminder that I'm not as original as I think I am. But it's also why those names are surprisingly popular in preschools in DC and NYC and SF, where you will be hard pressed to find an Olivia or a Liam because the parents at these schools dismissed those names as too popular.

So yes, these parents are simply choosing a name they liked. But they are also thinking their likes and dislikes are very unique. But we are a type, and that's never more clear than when you discover your 4 year old has the same first and middle as another kid at school.

We're all following trends! We have to get over ourselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of parents try to find a sweet spot with names - a name people recognize, can easily say and spell but isn't everywhere. The kind of name where people say, "Yeah. That's a nice name, I haven't heard that in a while." The name then becoming popular was not part of their plan.

LOL My best friend in college was one of the many Jennifers. Her mom was very much not a follow-the-crowd person and named her Jennifer when nobody used it. It was the "Nice name, I haven't heard that in a while." A few months later "Love Story" came out and that spawned the infinite Gen X Jennifers.

This used to happen a lot. There were no published statistics on name frequency so people thought if they'd never met a kid with that name, they were good.

I think this is a secret reason why names have diversified so much and there are no more Jennifers or Jasons. People notice a name is "on the rise" and intentionally back off of it. You can actually see this in a lot of names -- they will shoot up and then level off, sometimes at 300, sometimes at 100, sometimes at 40. It's like people are exercising collective restraint.

I'm actually really grateful for this because my kid has a name that has climbed quick into the top 100 before we had her, but we'd had the name picked out for years and it was just already her name, so we picked it anyway. And it's just hovered right around that level ever since, not dropping or rising more than 5 or 10 spots. I'm glad to all the people not choosing the name so that we could, without it getting too popular!

Good hypothesis! I think you’re right. I have an Evelyn and picked the name in 2018. The name started trending and by the time I was ready to use it in 2021 it was top 10. Knock on wood but she’s been the only one in classes and activities so far.

[Anonymous]

it’s the hyper individualism that trainers into everything people do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:it’s the hyper individualism that trainers into everything people do.

I think it's this and it also makes me think a lot of the conversation around college applications and needing a "pointy" kid instead of a "well rounded" kid. It's like these brand new parents are subconsciously trying to make sure their kids stand out as college applicants or job applicants by giving them a name no one else will have, which just makes me deeply sad.

I have a super common name and yes, there are times when it would have been nice in life to not share my name with like 5 other women in ever setting. But I'm actually glad my parents just gave me a name they liked and didn't stress over making sure I was super special and individual from birth forward because it gave me a chance to just be a kid and figure out who I was on my own and not have to live up to the expectations that I be a pointy little star with unique interests, just exuding specialness all the time. It seems exhausting.

Also when you meet little kids they are mostly the same and when you meet one who is different, it has nothing to do with their name and everything to do with their personality.

[Anonymous]

My oldest kid is about to turn 18. Giving kids more unique/less common names has been a city-based issue for quite some time. Basically, this isn’t new nor is it localized to DC. You are just learning it. It’s no different going with a common name - just naming trends.

[Anonymous]

I feel like in the last 20 years Freya has become more popular.

[Anonymous]

There were studies done years ago that had professors grade some essays with only first names on them. The popular names like Jennifer and Emily were consistently graded higher than the essays with unattractive names like Myrtle or Mabel.

[Anonymous]

It is difficult to escape your demographics. If you are concerned about this, just pick a classic name (Elizabeth, Katherine, John) and don’t worry about it.

[Anonymous]

I'm a top 10 1980s name..always had 2-3 in my classes and it was annoying but whatever. When we named my daughter Maeve in 2007, nobody had heard of it...nurses in the hospital called her Mauve and Mavis. anyway, we picked it because my husband is a fluent irish speaker, grew up in a Gaeltacht area in Ireland and wanted an Irish name for our baby and I did not want it spelled Meabh or worse, Meadhbh like he wanted to. so we did Maeve...,low and behold, she is now a senior in high school and has had several Maeves in her school and I have met several toddlers over the years named Maeve. I think the trend is based on where we live and irish names being popular here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of parents try to find a sweet spot with names - a name people recognize, can easily say and spell but isn't everywhere. The kind of name where people say, "Yeah. That's a nice name, I haven't heard that in a while." The name then becoming popular was not part of their plan.

LOL My best friend in college was one of the many Jennifers. Her mom was very much not a follow-the-crowd person and named her Jennifer when nobody used it. It was the "Nice name, I haven't heard that in a while." A few months later "Love Story" came out and that spawned the infinite Gen X Jennifers.

This used to happen a lot. There were no published statistics on name frequency so people thought if they'd never met a kid with that name, they were good.

I think this is a secret reason why names have diversified so much and there are no more Jennifers or Jasons. People notice a name is "on the rise" and intentionally back off of it. You can actually see this in a lot of names -- they will shoot up and then level off, sometimes at 300, sometimes at 100, sometimes at 40. It's like people are exercising collective restraint.

I'm actually really grateful for this because my kid has a name that has climbed quick into the top 100 before we had her, but we'd had the name picked out for years and it was just already her name, so we picked it anyway. And it's just hovered right around that level ever since, not dropping or rising more than 5 or 10 spots. I'm glad to all the people not choosing the name so that we could, without it getting too popular!

Good hypothesis! I think you’re right. I have an Evelyn and picked the name in 2018. The name started trending and by the time I was ready to use it in 2021 it was top 10. Knock on wood but she’s been the only one in classes and activities so far.

Those “old fashioned” E names are all so popular now. At my kid’s preschool on the first day, the teacher asked a family “which Evelyn” they had. Turns out there were 4! Also 2 Eleanors, and an Emily and an Eloise— all within about 40 kids. We joked that if you didn’t know a kid’s name, just call them Evelyn!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like in the last 20 years Freya has become more popular.

I’ve noticed this too.

[Anonymous]

Class indicator. My siblings and I have classic names and grew up in DC in the NW private school world in the 80s/90s. We did not know many Jennifers. I went to a state school for college and they were everywhere.

People in DC are very class-conscious (even if they don't say this out loud). The worst case scenario would be naming your child something that blows up and becomes the go-to flyover name for a decade right after you use it. Obviously the names that are already trendy are off the table, but names, like fashion, tend to start off as "original" and then trickle down and become trendy/overdone.

Your best bet is to go with something a little boring and in the family. Worst case scenario is it becomes trendy and you can at least say, "that was my grandmother's name." I am talking Anne, Elizabeth, Edward, John, etc.

[Anonymous]

Not a DC specific issue and damn OP your initial post says a lot about your mental health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a top 10 1980s name..always had 2-3 in my classes and it was annoying but whatever. When we named my daughter Maeve in 2007, nobody had heard of it...nurses in the hospital called her Mauve and Mavis. anyway, we picked it because my husband is a fluent irish speaker, grew up in a Gaeltacht area in Ireland and wanted an Irish name for our baby and I did not want it spelled Meabh or worse, Meadhbh like he wanted to. so we did Maeve...,low and behold, she is now a senior in high school and has had several Maeves in her school and I have met several toddlers over the years named Maeve. I think the trend is based on where we live and irish names being popular here.

A fluent Irish speaker? Or do you mean Gaelic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Class indicator. My siblings and I have classic names and grew up in DC in the NW private school world in the 80s/90s. We did not know many Jennifers. I went to a state school for college and they were everywhere.

People in DC are very class-conscious (even if they don't say this out loud). The worst case scenario would be naming your child something that blows up and becomes the go-to flyover name for a decade right after you use it. Obviously the names that are already trendy are off the table, but names, like fashion, tend to start off as "original" and then trickle down and become trendy/overdone.

Your best bet is to go with something a little boring and in the family. Worst case scenario is it becomes trendy and you can at least say, "that was my grandmother's name." I am talking Anne, Elizabeth, Edward, John, etc.

Barf. And I have a name that never makes these lists but is a known name.