Popular or Unique for a baby name?

[peyjax]

What is easier? Having a popular name or a unique one. That is the debate for us. I read an interesting article how people are now thinking outside of the box because of unique names like Suri and Shiloh in the celebrity world. People are wanting their kids to stand out and not blend in.

We chose somewhat common names for our boys one in the top 25 the other in the top 100. I am tired of hearing my kids names when I go out. It does not make me excited to say "oh you have one too!". I would like to feel that way but when you hear it all the time it just makes you go UGHH!

So we are deciding on a name for a girl. When I throw out a unique name I get a frown or an Oh. Mind you these are not crazy names just ones people have probably not heard of before or are not popular around where we live. So should we stick to it and make her name unique??

 

[babytrees]

I have a unique...Cassidy (although it is much more popular in the preschool set rather than the high school grouping she is in) and what is considered popular....Abigail. To be honest Abi doesn't hear her name very often either...just a little more than her sister. Both girls love their names and neither gets teased.

I would say go with the name that fits your daughter.....

 

[NHdisneylover]

I can only give you my experience:

I have a unique name and i have always loved it. I think it is a lovely name and I liked that if I heard someone say it I always knew they were talking to me.

DH has very common first and middle names (first name is David). Both were in the top 10 for boys names for years sourrounding his birth (like 30 or 40 years). He always disliked that there were so many otehr Daves and then some other way of being identified had to be figured out. When we were dating in college his dorm floor hada 5 Dave. He was BigDave and there was also LittleDave, MontannaDave, and CrazyDave.

We gave both kids unique first names and normal middle names and have alwasy let them know we chose normal middle names so that if they do not care for teh unique names they have a fall back. So far they both love their names. DD13 is Marika and DS11 is Rio.

 

[allison443]

There was just an article on the yahoo home page today about this...it was very interesting as to the reasons/societal causes for parents choosing unique names for their kids.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20100224/sc_livescience/parentschoosingmoreunusualbabynamesnow

 

[bas71873]

i have a unique name and i've ALWAYS hated it. hated that people can't pronounce it (although if you look at it, it's not THAT hard.......B R E E A). ALWAYS knew when my name was being called on the roll in school, because they'd get to it and just stop.....always me. i have since just shortened it when I tell people my name because it's just easier than having to say it over and over and over and then having to spell it. the shortened version of my name has become a little more popular (Bree).

now, when I had DD, there was no way I was going to stick her with some name no one would know, but I didn't want the popular names either because I didn't want her to have the same name has 1/2 the girls in her class.....DH and I finally decided on Bailey and I LOVE my decision. It just suits her personality to a "T" and it's easily pronounced & spelled

Good luck. It's a tough decision. My PERSONAL opinion. If you go with a unique name, don't add to the unique-ness by spelling it all crazy

 

[bas71873]

So we are deciding on a name for a girl. When I throw out a unique name I get a frown or an Oh. Mind you these are not crazy names just ones people have probably not heard of before or are not popular around where we live. So should we stick to it and make her name unique??

So what names are you considering.....if you wanna share

 

[Pixiedust34]

I like my name, but it's way too common in my age group.

You could take a middle-of-the-road approach and pick a classic name that is not overly used. Get a bunch of baby name books from the library and start making lists of the names you like. Have fun!

 

[Uuaww]

name your kid Michael or Matthew. These days those are probably unique. If it has the suffix -den in it, it is common.

 

[Mommee]

Unique is easier IF it's something that can be pronounced easily. If everyone has to ask how to say it, it would probably be more of a pain.

 

[blana]

I prefer classic but not popular, if that makes sense. Ones where people aren't looking at you oddly when you say the name, but they also aren't comign up & telling you that's their kid's name, too. (DS's name was #81 on the SSA list, and, yes, we get the, Oh, you have one, too, fairly frequently. DD's name was #735 on the SSA list in 2000 and hasn't made a reappearance since. But, no one thinks it's a wild & crazy name, either.)

 

[Familyof4lovesDW]

I think it depends on your last name. If you have a common last name, go with a unique first name. But for us we have a unique last name so I tried to go with common first names. My DS's name has been at the top of the list and there are several kids with his first name. DD's was #35 spelled her way,the year she was born, but people spell it wrong. Even a teacher that helps in her room. Just ask her she will spell it for you (sorry pet peeve). We also know when they get to us on a list because they stop and stare at our last name to figure out how to say it, but they are always wrong. lol I think just finding one you both can agree on can be the real challenge.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

This entire post is JMO..

Keep in mind, this name will be a reflection on your kiddo, not you. I think so many parents who choose the "off the wall" or worse yet, spelled wrong, names are selfishly thinking this will make the parent look clever or cute. Forget that little Sigmund or Nevaeh (I'm sorry,. but I think this is the silliest name out there today -JMO) will have to walk around with that name for the rest of his life, it makes the parent look "cool".


This is JMO.


Also, don't spell a common name phonetically or just plain wrong. When I see this, I don't think...oh how clever, or wow, that makes this child stand out. I think, "pitiful parent can't spell or even bother to look up the correct spelling for their child's birth certificate."

This is all entirely MY opinion, so please don't take it personally.

I love a classic name for a girl, like Grace or Isabella.

again..JMO.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I like names that are old fashioned, yet unique to this generation...like Abigail(Abby) and other "old" names.

I think you can do unique names that are mainstream as well. For example, my kids names are Landon and Jade. No really common(although Landon is coming around), but not unheard of either. Do whatever YOU think is right for your family though!

 

[Gabes_mommy]

I am struggling with this too. I have a mommy instinct that my current pregnancy is a girl and our top two contenders for names are Lily Grace or Sophia Grace which both go well with DS's name - Gabriel. However, I think both Lily and Sophia are pretty popular these days and I don't want to use a very popular name. I love that DS's name is strong and classic, but not super common. Anyone have any ideas for me?

 

[mickeyboat]

I have a unique name (Denae) and although I like it now, I hated it growing up, especially since my maiden name is a bear to pronounce, too.

I chose to name my kids very popular names, with common spellings (Hannah, Emily). They seem to like them, and I do too.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I am struggling with this too. I have a mommy instinct that my current pregnancy is a girl and our top two contenders for names are Lily Grace or Sophia Grace which both go well with DS's name - Gabriel. However, I think both Lily and Sophia are pretty popular these days and I don't want to use a very popular name. I love that DS's name is strong and classic, but not super common. Anyone have any ideas for me?

How about Madeline or Abigail...Abby/Maddy Grace? CUTE!!!!!

 

[englishteacha]

I have several friends with Lily, Maddie (Madeline/Madelyn), Addie (Addison, Adelaide), and Abby. Those names are popular in our area.

 

[connorlevismom]

This is a tough one because it has so many variables. This is JMO.

Whatever name you pick, please spell it like it sounds. There is nothing more horrible for a child to have to spell there name out for their entire lives, because it is not spelled like it sounds. I love my name but all my life when people ask me my name I say "Kristine, with a K". It gets annoying.

Unique is fine again as long as it is easy to pronounce and spell

Popular is fine too as long as you don't care that lots of other kids have the same name.

We chose a semi-popular name for our son, Connor. I love the name and it fits him well but there are lots of Connor's around his age. It does not bother me though.

With our daughter we chose something classic, not to unique but not overly popular. Natalie. And I love that name. When we delivered her and told the nurse her name she said "oh, I love it and have not heard that name for quite a while in here". It was a very large and busy hospital too.

It is all up to you but just think of it a couple of ways and put yourself in your childs shoes before you decide.

Kristine "with a K"

 

[MomofKatie]

I like traditional, classic (but not necessarily currently popular) names. Never was one for trendy, "hot" names (like Tiffany in the 90's, or Madison/Taylor in the 00's) or wacky ones (creative spellings, made up words, totally non-name names like Denim or Apple).

Our DD is Katherine. There are no other Katherines in her school, but lots of variations- Kaylee, Kylee, Kyler, Kahlin, Kaitlyn, Katrine, Katee, Kitson, etc, etc. DD goes by her nickmane, Katie, but when she gets older, she won't be stuck with a "cute" name- she can be Kate, Katherine, or whatever she chooses.

JMO- I like some of the trendy or non-traditional names, just didn't want to go that route for DD...

 

[mjkacmom]

i have a unique name and i've ALWAYS hated it. hated that people can't pronounce it (although if you look at it, it's not THAT hard.......B R E E A). ALWAYS knew when my name was being called on the roll in school, because they'd get to it and just stop.....always me. i have since just shortened it when I tell people my name because it's just easier than having to say it over and over and over and then having to spell it. the shortened version of my name has become a little more popular (Bree).

now, when I had DD, there was no way I was going to stick her with some name no one would know, but I didn't want the popular names either because I didn't want her to have the same name has 1/2 the girls in her class.....DH and I finally decided on Bailey and I LOVE my decision. It just suits her personality to a "T" and it's easily pronounced & spelled

Good luck. It's a tough decision. My PERSONAL opinion. If you go with a unique name, don't add to the unique-ness by spelling it all crazy

I have a somewhat unique ethnic name, with a very unique ethnic spelling (the horrible silent Y). I dreaded the first day of school, and even at doctors appointments, I always know they are going to call me in, because of the hesitation. My oldest has a unique name, but easy to pronounce, and the rest of mine have classic names, with the most traditional spelling (Anna, Katherine, etc.).