# Is Esme becoming terribly popular?



## suri mum

I saw it crop up on several people's "octuplets" lists. And I worry about the influence of the Twilight books, which has a character with this name. When we first considered more than 10 years ago it was still pretty unusual.

We named our oldest son Jack 12 years ago. He was born in the U.S. where it was way down in the 300s on the baby name lists. What a surprise to find it was #1 in the UK!! (which is where I'm from). Wouldn't you know we did it again with our two year old, Oscar. That name is way up there in the British polls but not so popular in the States. Note to self: Check the UK baby name charts. :blush:

So now we're expecting again (#6!! - Aaagh!!) and it's back to the drawing board. Our others are girls - Tilly, Finn, and Louisa. Esme has been on our shortlist every time. Maybe we can use it if it's not in the UK Top Ten!


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## Pyrrhic

I know two babies called Esme. Never read the twilight series though.


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## suzanne108

I really like Esme...and I don't think its too popular. Its pretty and ages really well...

To be honest I don't know of anyone called Esme. And I haven't read the Twilight books so don't know of it from there! :)

As for your other choices, I really like Louisa - I'd kind of ditto my comments about Esme on that one, its pretty and ages well! I've never heard Finn used as a girls name before, I've only ever heard it as being short for Finlay which I thought was a boys name? Tilly is "cute" but not sure I can imagine it on anyone older than about 5 I'm afraid...its also the name of someones pet dog that I know! 

xx


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## Louisandcoco

We're calling our LO Esmé. As soon as I mentioned what we were calling her people mentioned that it'll be more popular due to the Twilight books/films. 

I read on a names list for June 2009 that 9 babies were named it in that month-take from that what you will. But we weren't using any names that were in the top 50 from 2008, and Esme was something like 283rd last year...

Hope that makes some form of sense and isn't just ramble...


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## suri mum

Just to clarify, the other names I listed are not ones we're considering, they're my other daughters' names. Finn is Anna Finn but she sort of suits Finn, so that's what we call her. Tilly is a nickname; she's officially Elizabeth in case she wants to be a barrister or something.

Thanks for the thoughts on Esme!


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## polo_princess

I know a few Esme's but they are "older" as in from 10 years old up to 20 ... dont know any babies personally but i have seen it pop up a lot lately, perhaps the trend is catching on


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## suzanne108

Suri mum - oops :blush:

I thought you meant there were other options for the LO cooking....

Sorry for the criticism...must point out though that I love Anna and Elizabeth!!

Elizabeth is actually on my shortlist, I love it shortened to Lizzie :flower:


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## suri mum

suzanne108 said:


> Suri mum - oops :blush:
> 
> I thought you meant there were other options for the LO cooking....
> 
> Sorry for the criticism...must point out though that I love Anna and Elizabeth!!
> 
> Elizabeth is actually on my shortlist, I love it shortened to Lizzie :flower:

No worries! I love Lizzie, too, and Beth. We already have a few of these in our family, though. Both my and my husband's paternal great grandmothers were named Tilly, but one was Matilda and one was Teophilia, and we didn't care too much for either of those. I only ever hear it in films and TV, and then Tilly is usually the scullery maid! We love it, though, and it suits our Tilly.


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## DizzyMoo

right ok is it just me thats never heard of this twilight thingymabobby you're all on about? 

I cant say Esme is a name i'd choose myself but its not something i dislike either x


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## Brightfield

My friend has just called her baby Esmae. It has just made the top 100 baby names in England (for 2008) and I expect it will rise in the 2009 stats. I don't think it will become uber popular though.

I love your other children's name. I have a (male) Finn myself and Anna and Elizabeth are high up on my list for number 3. 

My top girl's name is Eliza Beatice at the moment!


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## smartiepants

I love Esme, it's on my list but I wasn't aware it was popular, there goes my unusual name!!

Matilda is also on the list but I thought of abreviating it to 'Tildy'

I've always like 'Effy' but that's short for Elizabeth and I'm not too sure how much you can dictate what a child shorten's their name too :shrug:


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## suri mum

smartiepants said:


> I love Esme, it's on my list but I wasn't aware it was popular, there goes my unusual name!!
> 
> Matilda is also on the list but I thought of abreviating it to 'Tildy'
> 
> I've always like 'Effy' but that's short for Elizabeth and I'm not too sure how much you can dictate what a child shorten's their name too :shrug:

When my daughter started school the teacher showed her her desk with the name "Elizabeth" on it. She said "Who's Elizabeth?". Oops, we had basically forgotten to mention that her name was actually Elizabeth. She was, and is, always Tilly. The teacher changed the sign! All that to say, I suppose you can dictate up to a point, but once they're teenagers, all bets are off!!

Tildy is cute. Effy is nice too. I've met German women with that name (Effie). It must be short for something but I can't think what. :thumbup:


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## suri mum

Brightfield said:


> My top girl's name is Eliza Beatice at the moment!

Oooh, great name!:thumbup:


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## Brightfield

suri mum said:


> Brightfield said:
> 
> 
> My top girl's name is Eliza Beatice at the moment!
> 
> Oooh, great name!:thumbup:Click to expand...

Ooops that should have spelt Eliza BeatRice! :wacko:


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## suri mum

DizzyMoo said:


> right ok is it just me thats never heard of this twilight thingymabobby you're all on about?

The Twilight series is a set of four books about vampires and werewolves. They are basically teen romances, if you can believe it. One of the vampires is called Esme. (She's a good, mmotherly vampire, in case you were wondering). The first movie came out last year, and they are busy making the sequels. They are ALL the rage with every female I know aged 14 to 44! People are fanatical about it in the States. :wacko: Quality literature it is not!

Okay, so I did read them all and the house was a bit of a wreck by the time I was done! :blush: I needed to know what the fuss was about.


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## binxyboo

my friend called her daughter Esme after Granny Weatherwax in the Terry Pratchett books!
I have never read the twighlight series so have no idea of the characters names in that!


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## suri mum

Brightfield said:


> Ooops that should have spelt Eliza BeatRice! :wacko:

I guessed as much, but you never know!:flower:


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## Brightfield

suri mum said:


> DizzyMoo said:
> 
> 
> right ok is it just me thats never heard of this twilight thingymabobby you're all on about?
> 
> The Twilight series is a set of four books about vampires and werewolves. They are basically teen romances, if you can believe it. One of the vampires is called Esme. (She's a good, mmotherly vampire, in case you were wondering). The first movie came out last year, and they are busy making the sequels. They are ALL the rage with every female I know aged 14 to 44! People are fanatical about it in the States. :wacko: Quality literature it is not!
> 
> Okay, so I did read them all and the house was a bit of a wreck by the time I was done! :blush: I needed to know what the fuss was about.Click to expand...

Lots of my friends (aged 35 +) are fanatical about it. I haven't watched the film or read the books yet!

I was very annoyed the hear that Edward was the name of the main man. It's my favourite boy's name and I am now worried that it's going to become uber popular!!


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## Ilove

Yeah it's becoming popular again


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## readyforbaby

I have read the series and do like Esme but I liked it before that - the motherly character in the book doesn't hurt my feelings toward the name but I can agree that it probably will become a lot more popular. I still dig it though!


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## suzanne108

suri mum said:


> DizzyMoo said:
> 
> 
> right ok is it just me thats never heard of this twilight thingymabobby you're all on about?
> 
> The Twilight series is a set of four books about vampires and werewolves. They are basically teen romances, if you can believe it. One of the vampires is called Esme. (She's a good, mmotherly vampire, in case you were wondering). The first movie came out last year, and they are busy making the sequels. They are ALL the rage with every female I know aged 14 to 44! People are fanatical about it in the States. :wacko: Quality literature it is not!
> 
> Okay, so I did read them all and the house was a bit of a wreck by the time I was done! :blush: I needed to know what the fuss was about.Click to expand...

OT but....I got halfway through the first book and was thought :nope: couldn't get into it at all!! I still want to watch the film....even if it is just to drool over Robert Pattinson :cloud9:


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## Blah11

I know 2 babies under a year called Esme so I'm gonna go ahead and say yes. One is actually esmerelda but gets called esme.


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## Blah11

Oh I think its no coinsidense that Isabella, Bella, Rosalie, Alice, Edward, Jacob names are also all on the rise.


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## Dream.A.Dream

I don't think Esme is that popular, I love it though :) xx


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## having#4

I LOVE Esme!!!!! I suggested that to DH, but he shot it down right away. And to admit yes, the first time I heard it was in the Twilight books. Although I like it not because of that but because it isn't too common and has a really classic sound to it. I'm pretty sure we are having another boy though and almost have DH convinced to let me name him Presley


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## Vicyi

I LOVE Esme, its on my shortlist along with Eliza and Elsie but they are ALL getting more popular now! We chose Amelia for our firstborn as it wasn't to common, by the time she was born it was number 7 or something on the top 10 baby names! But it was too late, the name stuck as she looked like an Amelia and everyones said it suited her!


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## mumnbean

Esme makes me think of the old Matron from "A Country Practice"... tv series... does anyone else remember that one from the 80's?


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## Gunner's Mama

Twilight is all the rage with my group of friends and they are all trying to convince me to name the baby "Bella." Esme is the most classy name of the cast of characters and I had NEVER heard of it before reading the books. I think the books will give all the names a bump in statistics but I don't fear Esme will suddenly break into the top 10.


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## smartiepants

mumnbean said:


> Esme makes me think of the old Matron from "A Country Practice"... tv series... does anyone else remember that one from the 80's?

Not heard that one but does anyone else remember the Esme from the ITV series 'The Grand' about a 1920's hotel??


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## trynitey

Honestly, the names in Twilight aren't really all that more popular than they were. Isabella (from Twilight) has been in the top 30 in the US since 2001. It's gone up in popularity but it's always been kind of a more popular name.

Baby girl #3 for us will be called Bella... but her actual name will be Arabella, even though people will think it's Isabella from Twilight, that's not the case.

Oh, and Esme isn't even in the top 1000 here ;) Same with Rosalie....


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## suri mum

mumnbean said:


> Esme makes me think of the old Matron from "A Country Practice"... tv series... does anyone else remember that one from the 80's?

I do! Does that show our age???? :flower:


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## surprisebaby

my friend just had a baby a month ago and called her Esme.


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## kate.m.

I think it will make it overly popular. I know there arent many Esmes yet, but the 2008 statistics have only _just_ come out, & Twilight (the film) didnt come out until November 2008. Think i remember reading somewhere that its jumped up the list by quite a lot (although its still only number 100)- and thats just with 2 months exposure! Think of all the people yet to have their babies who have seen the film, and the fact that there are going to be 4 films in total (i presume). Thats a lot of exposure, and a lot of time for it to catch on!

I do really like the name tho, and can see why it might become so popular!


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