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

[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.

This is a very depressing way to live.

But it also only explains why wealthy people often stick to "classic" or "timeless" names like Elizabeth or Edward (both very common, popular names). It does not explain why a UMC person would scour the bottom of the name popularity list to name their child Freya or Cyril or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

This is a very depressing way to live.

But it also only explains why wealthy people often stick to "classic" or "timeless" names like Elizabeth or Edward (both very common, popular names). It does not explain why a UMC person would scour the bottom of the name popularity list to name their child Freya or Cyril or something.

I think it's because they did not grow up here and don't understand how it all works and think that Freya is the way to ensure you don't fall into the Sophia hole. They are not getting the understated vibes of old money and think that they are indicating to everyone that they are literate, original, etc., but still have that nagging fear that they will be the trendsetter, so are going with something too offbeat to go trendy.

[Anonymous]

^^unfortunately they are surrounded by others doing the same thing, and--people can't help but follow trends a little. Should've just gone with Margaret.

[Anonymous]

In the rush to judgment, you are way overthinking this.

[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.

This was called “Fitting in but Standing Out” chapter in Laura Wattenburg’s baby name book circa 1998 and how I selected DD name.

Did it then become popular? Or is it still in the sweet spot?

PP - and the name is Meredith. I love it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the name?!

Why is everyone so coy?

What fits in but stands out?

I like the name Maeve.

I don't like sharing my kids' names on here because of anonymity, and also because people can be nasty on here and I don't want to hear how ugly or trendy or "downwardly mobile" other people think my kids' names are.

I think Maeve is lovely.

There’s a lot of ugly judgment on this thread. Posters are writing paragraphs and paragraphs purporting to know exactly why someone named their kid something and to show how people in this area are such crass strivers.

I am sure these same posters exempt themselves though— their naming reasons were pure and untouched by class or culture, and their naming choices are perfect! lol such classic DCUM.

[Anonymous]

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.

I think you are correct, but when trying to sounds snobby, please use the correct "home in on." Saying "hone in" is also a class marker. It is just wrong and indicates that you don't read and don't know what words mean.

[Anonymous]

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hone%20in%20on

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

This is a very depressing way to live.

But it also only explains why wealthy people often stick to "classic" or "timeless" names like Elizabeth or Edward (both very common, popular names). It does not explain why a UMC person would scour the bottom of the name popularity list to name their child Freya or Cyril or something.

My mother’s side is French Catholic and I have so many relatives including my mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and on and on who are named Mary Elizabeth or Elizabeth Mary. A lot of Irish guys years ago were named John or Edward. The names are mainstream classic.

As long as a name is spelled the way it’s supposed to be spelled I don’t see a problem. Choose classic or trendy, whichever name you love saying.

[Anonymous]

I don't necessarily think there's that much to it. There are many reasons for picking a kid's name but we usually pick a name we like. And we often like the same names.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't necessarily think there's that much to it. There are many reasons for picking a kid's name but we usually pick a name we like. And we often like the same names.

I like pretty feminine names for girls and based on our last name I thought a two syllable name would be best for boy names.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hone%20in%20on

This is just a case of a misuse becoming accepted. It is "home in" as in on a target. Hone means to sharpen, as in a skill. You still sound like a moron when you say it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hone%20in%20on

This is just a case of a misuse becoming accepted. popIt is "home in" as in on a target. Hone means to sharpen, as in a skill. You still sound like a moron when you say it.

I love when grammar obsessives make a huge deal about common and easily understood mistakes, but then say the person making them "sound like a moron."

No, they don't, because everyone understood what they meant and many people make that same mistake to the point that "hone in on" is in the dictionary. But you look like a jerk for making a huge deal about a common and easily understood grammatical error. If it was very important to you to correct this error, you could have done so tactfully. You chose condescension and belligerence. It is YOU people are annoyed by.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even though my name isn’t rare, I rarely ever encountered personalized items with my name on them. I named both of my kids names that are more common than mine and I’ve been thrilled that most displays of personalized tchotchkes have their names. My kids are in high school and one of my kids has had one classmate ever with her first name, and the other has never had a classmate with the same name, but has had two classmates with a variation (think Sophie vs. Sophia). It’s not like back when I was in elementary school and had 3 Michelles in my class of 29.

This was an issue before Etsy. Now you can get item personalized from Amazon if you wait an extra week for shipping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even though my name isn’t rare, I rarely ever encountered personalized items with my name on them. I named both of my kids names that are more common than mine and I’ve been thrilled that most displays of personalized tchotchkes have their names. My kids are in high school and one of my kids has had one classmate ever with her first name, and the other has never had a classmate with the same name, but has had two classmates with a variation (think Sophie vs. Sophia). It’s not like back when I was in elementary school and had 3 Michelles in my class of 29.

This was an issue before Etsy. Now you can get item personalized from Amazon if you wait an extra week for shipping.

Agree, and also I just don't think kids care as much about the kinds of personalized items you would buy in a store these days (mini license plates, keychains, etc.). My kid gets excited about personalized items but only the kinds of things you'd have to get custom anyway -- she loves backpacks and bags with her name or initials but that was always something you'd have to order.

I feel like there was this brief time (1970s-1990s) where kids cared about those kinds of personalized tokens but it's over. It feels like a dumb reason to choose a name.