Spin-off - Popular Named child

[sam_gordon]

When we had our first child, we picked a name for a boy and a girl (we didn't find out the sex). We had a girl. Five years later, we moved to a smaller town and we found out another girl in that town not only had the same first name, but the same last name (and the birth dates were within 6months-1 year of each other). And they went to same pediatrician.

When we had our second child, we already knew what we wanted for the boy's name (left over from the first child) and picked a girl's name. We had a boy. 10 years later and on a soccer team with 10(?) kids on the roster, three others shared the same name as our son.

 

[ashley0139]

I was an Ashley born in 1987. I was one of like 10 or 11 in my 4th grade class (all of the teachers, not just one) and it was a small school. I have decided when I have kids i want to do more old fashioned names but names that are also classics like Lucy and Jack!

Another 1987 Ashley checking in! I agree with every single thing you said, down to the "more old fashioned but classic name" for my future children. I always hated how common my name is.

 

[Cadiewampus]

When we named my oldest DS back in 1993 we thought it was a unique name. We only knew one other with the same name and he was my wifes age. Now everywhere we go we hear someone yell for their son "Hunter". Same way with my youngest son. I hardly ever heard anyone named Kyle but as soon as we used it they are everywhere

 

[Riles_and_Gabe]

For my older son, I unfortunately picked a name that became very popular with the girls (those darn girls take over every name!). His name is Riley and it was just about the time everyone started to name their daughters and pets with the name. What I find most insulting is that when I mention his name but don't mention he is a son, they will assume he is a girl! I still stand by the fact that it is a boys name.

My younger son, I have only met one person with his name. His name is Gabrian. I love the name but the issue I think he will have with it in life is that people assume they heard wrong and think his name is Gabriel.

 

[HM]

For my older son, I unfortunately picked a name that became very popular with the girls (those darn girls take over every name!). His name is Riley and it was just about the time everyone started to name their daughters and pets with the name. What I find most insulting is that when I mention his name but don't mention he is a son, they will assume he is a girl! I still stand by the fact that it is a boys name.

I can see this happening. But, to me your son's name is a boy's name.

 

[gwynne]

For my older son, I unfortunately picked a name that became very popular with the girls (those darn girls take over every name!). His name is Riley and it was just about the time everyone started to name their daughters and pets with the name. What I find most insulting is that when I mention his name but don't mention he is a son, they will assume he is a girl! I still stand by the fact that it is a boys name.

My younger son, I have only met one person with his name. His name is Gabrian. I love the name but the issue I think he will have with it in life is that people assume they heard wrong and think his name is Gabriel.

Gabrian is a cool name! Is that his photo in your avi? His smile could light up a room. Cute!

 

[nene0182]

We wanted names that were different, but not TOO different, if you know what I mean! We chose Aidan. This was over 15 years ago. There were very few Aidans at the time. We actually got a few sideways looks when we told people the name we'd chosen. Fast forward a few years and it's one of the most popular out there. Couldn't go anywhere without hearing another mom calling for her Aidan. I think it's dying down a bit, but there's a HUGE group of Aidans a few years younger than my son. We like to think we were trendsetters!

I have an almost 13 year old DSL named Liam and I feel the same. A few years ago people looked at me so strange when I told people his name, now it's one of the most popular boys names and everyone seems to know someone with a little one named Liam.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I named my second son Daniel. I didn't think it was that common, but when he started school he was one of three in his class. Teacher decided he would be Danny, the other two were Dan and Daniel.

 

[ashley0139]

For my older son, I unfortunately picked a name that became very popular with the girls (those darn girls take over every name!). His name is Riley and it was just about the time everyone started to name their daughters and pets with the name. What I find most insulting is that when I mention his name but don't mention he is a son, they will assume he is a girl! I still stand by the fact that it is a boys name.

My younger son, I have only met one person with his name. His name is Gabrian. I love the name but the issue I think he will have with it in life is that people assume they heard wrong and think his name is Gabriel.

Why is it insulting? It's just a name. There are worse things than someone assuming someone is the opposite gender by their name.

 

[wenrob]

I was an Ashley born in 1987. I was one of like 10 or 11 in my 4th grade class (all of the teachers, not just one) and it was a small school. I have decided when I have kids i want to do more old fashioned names but names that are also classics like Lucy and Jack!

Jack and Lucy are extremely popular right now. There's definitely been a resurgence of "old fashioned" names.

When we named our kids, their names were in the 60's for popularity and I did not know of any other kids with their names. Both are now in the top 10 or so, and they are everywhere. In their grades, though, they are the only ones. Small school, though, so even 4 other kids with the same name sprinkled throughout is a lot

If we ever had another boy, I would go with Josiah or Xavier...both of which, I am confident, will not be in the Top 10.

Girl - Cora, Josephine, or Cecelia...again, I don't see them in the Top 10.

How funny, DH and I were talking last night how Cora has become a popular name in the last 5-10 years. Before that the only one I ever knew was my great Aunt. We were having this conversation because a friend's son, same age as mine has the same first and middle names and her next two were Cora and Leo which were my aunt and uncle, lol.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Our girls are Veronica & Vanessa. Neither name is common here, so thus far they've been the only kids in their classes with those names.

 

[Jedana]

The thread about naming children with the same names as family members made me think of when you name your child and the name happens to be one of the most popular the year they were born.

This happened to my son. I always knew I wanted a boy named Christopher, ever since I found out that would have been my name if I'd been born a boy. Luckily my husband really liked it too. So, Christopher it was.

So when he gets to elementary school we find out that there are 8 boys in his grade named Christopher. And they all wanted to be call Chris (we'd hoped he wanted to use his full name but he didn't). Luckily there were a lot of classes for each grade and there were rarely more than 2-3 in one class. His 5th grade year he had 5 of them in his classroom- Chris H, Chris G, Chris D, Chris W, and Chris B.

Anyone else have this problem? Did you know you were using a popular name or were you caught of guard?

My name was popular for years. Hated it.
In my graduating class, there were 14 of us, with 3 different spellings (Jennifer, Jenifer, Gennifer). There was even one girl with a very similar last name----spelled differently, pronounced the same.
in my son's Cub scout pack, there were 5 of us moms with the same first name. Three of us were moms in the same den, one was the Cubmaster's wife, and one mom in a den one higher than DS's.

I hate my name.

DS hates his name too. It's "too plain, too normal". DH wanted Zane Alexander (I vetoed Zane, which now makes DS angry). I had planned on Justin Alexander or Justin William, but when he was born, DD2 (who was in the delivery room with us) said he looked like an Alexander, so that's what he ended up with.

ETA: both girls have "popular" names. I didn't get to name either of them. I swear, if by some miracle, I have another baby, I'm doing the naming...

 

[HM]

Names do seem to go through periods of popularity. I agree with the person above that stated that "old-fashioned" names seem to be very popular right now. I think looking at names that were popular in the early 60s and late 80s might be good ones to try now, as you hardly seen any young children with names like Cindy, Susan, Patricia (61) or Stephanie, Melissa, or Samantha (87) these days. But you're going to find lots of girls named Olivia, Emma, or Isabelle.

 

[wenrob]

At the time my oldest was born Brianna/Breeann and Caitlyn were hugely popular. Of course I wanted Brianna. DH was adamantly against it and wanted something real simple like Tina. So I started playing around and came up with Tiana. You could not find this name in baby books, on keychains etc. For years, it did not come up on baby name sites, (kind of hobby of mine) until that is Princess and the Frog came out. DD is Tee-anna, the princess is Tee-ahna. Sure enough there have been two-three Brianna's in every class and she spent a good part of her school career being called Brianna, lol. When she graduated last year there was one other Tiana but pronounced like the princess. That dean practiced getting it right forever and the girls had filled out cards and she still reversed them, lol.

My son is William, named after my dad and I knew going in he'd know more than a few and he has. I suspect it's for the same reason, most likely a family name. He does not use a nickname where several of them do so it hasn't been a problem.

His twin sister is Breelyn and again, couldn't find it anywhere. Wouldn't you know there's a Breelynn in her school in the same grade. Six third grade classes and they ended up in the same one. She spent her year being called Breelyn R, lol. Never dreamed that would happen!

 

[georgina]

My DD's college roommate was also named Tiana! We named DD Hannah, which was popular 20 years ago when she was born, but there were never more than a few other Hannahs around. My son is Eric, which was also fairly popular but that was not a problem.

 

[luvsJack]

My eldest has a common name but he goes by a nickname. Its not that the nickname isn't pretty common it just isn't for his age group. Even in school they always called him by the nickname since it did single him out a little more.

My middle child has a fairly common name too but it is usually shortened to the same nickname is dad goes by and ds has never used it. So using the full name makes it a bit less common. He never had anyone in class that went by the same name.

DD's name is pretty unusual. Not that no one has ever heard it but its not used much. I originally heard it from a character in the Sunday comics. My sons met a girl with the name that went by a nickname they loved so they actually picked her name. She has never gone by the nickname and hates it. There has never been anyone in anything she has done with the same name. There are 3 in her entire high school and one just graduated.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Mine are more common now then they were I think.

I've only met one or two other Landons but every time I mention his name someone knows someone's kid named that.

Jade isn't super common, but everyone seems to think it's short for the popular Jayden/Jaidens. It's not and she's not shy about telling people that she's "just Jade"

 

[GusGus77]

I have a son named Noah. I never realized it was so popular. I wish he had a name that was less common.

 

[Ambear]

My name has never been too popular. In my graduating class of 400+, there was maybe one or two other girls with it. I don't think it's ever going to be a mega popular name, just kinda medium popular.

 

[indygirl99]

My parents expected me to be a nun, boy did I disappoint them, so they gave me a name that I wouldn't have to change.

I also have a very common last name. I graduated in a class of 450 with 6 of us having the EXACT same name including middle name and spelled the same.

The apartment I lived in in Dallas had me on the first floor, directly above me on the third floor and across the hall on the second floor we all had the same name including spelling. The postman hated us.

I am a nurse and the floor I work on there are 4 of us with the same first name and 2 of us have the same first and last name.

My kids therefore have names that are not common, neither when they were little or now. My grandkids all have popular names for their age group.