Does the popularity of a name put you off using it?

[cupcakekate]

Just wondered really... I've always loved the name Oliver, my husband's fave name is Jack- both of which really popular. Would it put you off using them? I kind of think it doesn't matter because our boy will make the name his own etc and if we love it who cares...but then it does bother me abit that it may be overly common! Opinions?

 

[tinystar]

Depends what its popular for. If it was just happened to be popular and it had meaning to me I would use it, but if it became popular because of a celeb or character in a film it would be enough to put me off. I really like the name Jacob but if I got knocked up the next couple of years would not touch it because of Twilight.
I am actually dreading Will and Kate picking one of 'my' reserved names because then I would not want to use it

 

[phoebemum]

I personally wouldn't use a "popular" name.

I adored the name Olivia when I was pregnant with my first. Really wanted to use it but the popularity of it just put me and OH off.

We went with Phoebe. I'm so glad I did now as I feel she is more of an individual for it.

however, you should go for whatever name you love for your baby, your child will make the name his or her own anyway xx

 

[MUMOF5]

Some names that become over popular have put me off in the past, however I think if you love a name enough then nothing would put you off it iykwim. I think Oliver Jack is a great sounding name btw, and if our last baby had been a boy she would most likely have been an Oliver

 

[LoolaBear]

im not a fan of over popular names (especially if its in a big film/book/celeb name) but thats because im a big believer in wanting my child to be known for their first name and not their last name (especially as their last names are linked to a very famous circus) so for them to be one of many in a class would put me off that name no matter how much i liked it.

luckily for me the names ive chosen are definately not popular around my area even though they are else where.

by the time they are old enough for college/university they would have made their personailty known so i dont mind if they are at that age and their are more than one in class. (strange i know i just want them to be the only ones at school age as this is when individuality and personailty i find mean most as its when they create the building blocks of who they are and their lives)

 

[Kismamma20]

In not to much a fan of overly popular names just because I wouldnt want my son to be one of so many in a class. I chose Kian as I'd never known anyone to be called it apart from the guy in west life (he's not named after him) but since he's been born I've come across a few Kians/Cians. It hasn't put me of though and a lot of time he gets Ki for short x

 

[Dragonfly]

No but having trouble trying to find a name I dont associate with someone. Thats a tough one. Like I cant call my child after an ex just because I like the name or someone who wronged me.

 

[daneuse27]

I think it depends on the name. I loved the name Emma my whole life, and in the end couldn't justify it for my daughter because of how popular it had become. If I had really liked the name enough, I don't think I would've let that stop me.

Most names I wrote off were due to popularity or association. As PP said, its hard for me sometimes to find a name that I don't associate with someone or something.

 

[Nichole]

I can't bring myself to use common or popular names, no matter how much I love them. I adored the name Aiden for my son, but it was THE name at the time. I have a Saharrah Shealynn and a Dimitri Carter and a soon-to-be Adalynn...something. But, I personally cannot do common names.

 

[JJKCB]

I picked my kids names when I was quite young and nothing would change my mind because in my head my children already exist and have them names... although there pretty unusual names

my DS is called Jake (the most common of the names I picked) and people go on about it being popular, it was listed as the 27th most popular name when he was born and we have never met another one lol, one of my friends has a son (that ive never met) called Jake but he is 3 years younger

the other names picked on is an old Swedish name and the others an old American name so neither are common here in the uk and id be surprised if they became common


although if i had picked Harry i probably would of been forced to change my mind as most little boys my sons age are called that including 2 of his cousins, such a ridiculously popular name

 

[BubsMom17]

Yes, I wouldn't use a very popular name. I have loved some very popular names, but when I see them over and over and over again, it begins to lose the meaning for me. For instance, I love the names Sophia and Isabella. I just couldn't name my baby either of those names now because they aren't so near and dear to me personally now, you know?

 

[MamaPerez]

Just wondered really... I've always loved the name Oliver, my husband's fave name is Jack- both of which really popular. Would it put you off using them? I kind of think it doesn't matter because our boy will make the name his own etc and if we love it who cares...but then it does bother me abit that it may be overly common! Opinions?

I have not met a single Jack in my life and the only Oliver I know is my father. I actually thought about Oliver as a name to take after my father, and searched if it was a popular name on polls and "Top 100s" and "Popular names of 2012"- Oliver was in no way popular. How are you gathering that it's popular? Then again, I'm in the US, so those names in a personal knowledge wouldn't matter. The online searches weren't exclusively US, but you maybe know a lot of Olivers and Jacks, haha.

My husband and I personally are not the type to use a name that is too popular, and with husband's pickiness, that narrows down a lot of choices anyway. Both are great names that you and hubby like- USE 'EM!

 

[JJKCB]

Just wondered really... I've always loved the name Oliver, my husband's fave name is Jack- both of which really popular. Would it put you off using them? I kind of think it doesn't matter because our boy will make the name his own etc and if we love it who cares...but then it does bother me abit that it may be overly common! Opinions?

I have not met a single Jack in my life and the only Oliver I know is my father. I actually thought about Oliver as a name to take after my father, and searched if it was a popular name on polls and "Top 100s" and "Popular names of 2012"- Oliver was in no way popular. How are you gathering that it's popular? Then again, I'm in the US, so those names in a personal knowledge wouldn't matter. The online searches weren't exclusively US, but you maybe know a lot of Olivers and Jacks, haha.

My husband and I personally are not the type to use a name that is too popular, and with husband's pickiness, that narrows down a lot of choices anyway. Both are great names that you and hubby like- USE 'EM!

the US and UK do tend to vary on names (America seem to have more modern or exotic names while the UK tends to stay more classic English/Irish/Scottish/Welsh names)

over here there both supposed to be common (saying that i only know one Ollie/Oliver and one young person called jack who is my bother named after older family member and 1 Jackson) however i have over heard those names while out and about at parks or on buses (jack was number 1 for 6 years after my brother was born)

 

[sugarplumbum]

Yes it would put me off. DH wants to use the name Harry if one of the twins is a boy, but as nice as the name Harry is (it's DS1's middle name) it's not for me.

2 girls names that we had previously considered with DD was Willow and Rose and they have become more popular ( not common at all, but alot more heard of these days)

 

[sugarplumbum]

Depends what its popular for. If it was just happened to be popular and it had meaning to me I would use it, but if it became popular because of a celeb or character in a film it would be enough to put me off. I really like the name Jacob but if I got knocked up the next couple of years would not touch it because of Twilight.
I am actually dreading Will and Kate picking one of 'my' reserved names because then I would not want to use it

Same here, I loved the name Primrose 'Prim' for short, but after Hunger Games its becoming more popular. x

 

[discoclare]

Just wondered really... I've always loved the name Oliver, my husband's fave name is Jack- both of which really popular. Would it put you off using them? I kind of think it doesn't matter because our boy will make the name his own etc and if we love it who cares...but then it does bother me abit that it may be overly common! Opinions?

I have not met a single Jack in my life and the only Oliver I know is my father. I actually thought about Oliver as a name to take after my father, and searched if it was a popular name on polls and "Top 100s" and "Popular names of 2012"- Oliver was in no way popular. How are you gathering that it's popular? Then again, I'm in the US, so those names in a personal knowledge wouldn't matter. The online searches weren't exclusively US, but you maybe know a lot of Olivers and Jacks, haha.

My husband and I personally are not the type to use a name that is too popular, and with husband's pickiness, that narrows down a lot of choices anyway. Both are great names that you and hubby like- USE 'EM!

The Office of National Statistics data for England and Wales show Oliver is the most popular name for a baby boy (for the last 2 years I think) and Jack was number 1 for about 10 years prior to that. They are both extremely common in the country that the OP lives in.

Op, yes being overly popular does put me off, maybe as I was born in the 70s and my name is Clare!

 

[emyandpotato]

Kind of irks me when I love a name, thinking it's all original, and then it's in the top 100. I chose Rory out of the blue without looking at a single name list and it still manages to be popular. Ah well. Next baby will likely be a Violet or an Indigo and they're both popular but I love them.

 

[JJKCB]

Kind of irks me when I love a name, thinking it's all original, and then it's in the top 100. I chose Rory out of the blue without looking at a single name list and it still manages to be popular. Ah well. Next baby will likely be a Violet or an Indigo and they're both popular but I love them.

my dads name is Rory (he was named after an uncle) but other than him ive never ever met another one, surly cant be that popular

 

[emyandpotato]

Yeah I'd only heard it in my generation or above. It's now in the top 100!

 

[MariposaTam]

Yes, I wouldn't use a very popular name. I have loved some very popular names, but when I see them over and over and over again, it begins to lose the meaning for me. For instance, I love the names Sophia and Isabella. I just couldn't name my baby either of those names now because they aren't so near and dear to me personally now, you know?

I am completely with you Bubsmom! I too loved the name Sophia but it has become so common and I've met so many that I now would not use it. I am definitely not posting our potential boys name online, for fear that somehow it will gain popularity lol.

Our girls option is not very popular either and I'm hoping it stays so. I'm not sure I'd change it if it did get popular because it is my grandmother's name, but I definitely would hate feeling like I'm following a trend, and having other kids with the same name in her classes.

As for Oliver... I'm in the US and recently had a baby at daycare named Oliver-I loved the name, and Ollie as a nickname. Prior to that, I hadn't heard it commonly used around here!