Popular names

[RuthK]

Whilst I grew up here in Aus, my name (Karen) was one of the most common of names. I played basketball and even though I was only in a team of 5, there was still 1 other Karen in the team! I felt as though I was so unimportant and common. I hated my parents for not having more imagination.

I decided to call my son Samuel and my daughter Mia. I had them in Ireland, where Irish names are the go. Everyone remarked upon how unique my children's names were. Then we moved back here and in my kiddies childcare room of 20 there is one other Samuel and 2 other Mia's. I've done to them what my mother did to me!

We're considering Anna for a third girl's name. Can someone reassure me that although this name has been around for a long time, it is not the moniker of every second child?

[Moorish]

Hi RuthK, I must admit that if my name wasn't Anna that I would have considered it for a girls name - I also really like Hannah & Nicola (dd #2) was nearly a Hannah but I just couldn't do it (Anna & Hannah??!!)

Having said this, besides another mum in my mothers group being called Anna, I don't know any kids by this name - including mothers group, story time group @ library & creche in a church of over 400 people. The most common name I've seen that's similar is Anika (which I also loved but in Aus they pronounce it as it looks with the "AN" sounding like how you say it in "AND" but I like it pronounced "ARNIKA" (so hard to explain but like they say it overseas!)
Hope it helps!

[ThomasMum]

thought you might like to visit this cool site: http://www.thinkbabynames.com/babyname.php?g=0&n=Anna

Btw, as long as I could remember growing up in the UK I have only couple friends with name as Anna, but heaps in the US tho as 3 out 5 of my friends from US all with name Anna, coincidence? I guess not, because they are all from totally different state.

I think its a cool name Anna is.

Hope this will help

[Elfin]

I know 3 Anna's. One is 14, 1 is 9 and the other is 6. There are a few around but not a lot. It is a pretty name. I really also love the name Annabella which could be shortened to Anna.

[Chickadee]

I ran across this site after a quick google search. It lists the most popular boy and girl baby names for the years 2002, 2003, 2004 in the NT. Anna's in the top 10 for 2004 but not earlier years. Of course it's only the NT but national popularity is probably similar and there may be something similar for other states. http://www.nt.gov.au/justice/graphpages/bdm/popnames.shtml

I wish I'd looked at this before. We named our daughter Chloe after my hub's mum and also thinking it was unusual, since we knew no Chloe's. The woman next to me at the hospital also had a Chloe and we've since met heaps! Oh well.

[funnyfarm]

I don't know any Anna's at all but i think it is a lovey name.


Cheers
Janet
Mother of Briana Sage (12 months)

[StormAngel]

Hi

I don't think it should matter if a name is popular or not, if you like it then who cares

My youngest is Isabella, very popular but she is MY Isabella and that makes her different in my eyes (does that make sense?)

[Milly]

I think that many traditional names go through a popular period at some time. Most of the names that are popular now, were not even on the map a decade a go, or even as little as 5 years ago. There has been a huge resurgence in vintage names. So, really, popularity fluctuates and what might be uncommon now may be on mass in a couple of year's time. Some of the names in the 'unique girl's names' thread are already working their way up quickly in the Top 50. I think the minute they are printed in baby sites (like this one) and in pregnancy magazines they become popular. For a name to be truly unique and not overly popular, you woud have to invent it yourself.

I really think that a name should be something that you like. It's popularity should not matter and it makes your child no less unique.

[Chickadee]

There has been a huge resurgence in vintage names.

Milly, I'm still waiting for "Martha" to be popular :p And how about all my aunts and great aunts? : Velma, Ruth, Avonelle, Dorothy, Maisie, Elise... ;)

[Milly]

Well there are some Vintage names still on the quiet! Yahoo! I was beginning to think that they were on the real up and some of them really are. I do know a little Ruth and a Maisie. A lady in my ABA group has a Maisie. Gorgeous name.

Names like Ruby, Lily, Annabelle, Isabelle, Ivy, Ella, Emily and Grace are really popular. They are vintage stock.


But let's se a resurgence of these classics! How about Betty, Gertrude, Mildred ( which I actaully quite like in a strange way), Millicent, Agatha, Dora, Delia, Iona, Violet..

Boys: Cedric, Clive, Albert, Desmond, Cecil, Edgar, Percy.....

:D

[Bec@Brisbane]

I have very vintage names for both my children Robert(aka Bobbie) and Ruby May. Bobbie was choosen for me, all the first born men in my husbands line are Robert and we just liked ruby, and may was my middle name. Although if i was to back it up for a third baby i don't think clive would be my top pick(hehehe) :D

Bec
Bobbie 06/2000
Ruby 08/2004

[RuthK]

I've decided Anna it will be. All your input has helped make this decision, thanks! I think Anna Eloise has a nice ring to it, don't you?

For a boy I love Thomas, Joshua and Noah. The first two are common, but it doesn't matter as much to boys that every second boy has their name, does it?

What about names we would never give our kids, some of the older names? Myrtle, Wilma and Enid. Everytime I hear them I think of elderly ladies with false teeth, saying them with a lisp. No, we have to be fair to our kids.

Another girl's name I like, although it's a bit close to my son's name of Samuel, is Sally. Like Anna it's been around forever, but is never over-used.

[Milly]

I don't mind Myrtle. Maybe I have eccentric taste, but names that can be associated with old ladies and false teeth are kind of appealing and quirky to me. :D

[monique]

While I was living in the UK a couple of years ago all the really old fashioned boy's names were in vogue, like Rupert, George, Frederick etc. Oliver has also become really popular - there were 3 on our ward when William was born. We picked William because it runs on both sides of the family and is a strong name which will endure - it's a kings' name and means "protector". He gets called Will or Wills at home, and sometimes Willie Woo when we're playing around. Billy and Willy are strongly discouraged.

Ultimately you have to pick a name that you like and that you can be confident that your child will be able to wear into adulthood without being teased to death. I think most parents who regret the name they picked do so because they picked something unusual or even made something up and now nobody knows how to pronounce it or spell it.

Anna is a classic name and you certainly can't go wrong with spelling or pronunciation!

[Angelmist♥]

Hi all,
I named my two boys (Cody and Dylan) thinking that the names were no longer popular!We live in a semi-small town so I am sure I started the trend up again ha ha.I am now pregnant with third child and hoping for a little girl but can't decide on any names.I'm thinking Ellie but that is really popular now too, aargh!It does hold special meaning to me though, so will probably stick with it anyway.I really dont want anything to out there though as I know how it is having to spell your name to every person you meet. (my name is actually Shannara)I've tried checking out baby name websites and books but it is so hard ha ha.So good luck and ps: I really like Anna and haven't heard it for ages.

Nara

[maybe1more]

My sons name is Connor and a lot of people have said to me its a surname not a first name but i like it because its a strong name, his middle names are Aaron Vincent named after his uncle and grandfather both no longer with us. Im currently trying and if i have a girl i like the names Ella. Montana, Makayla and Taylah. But who knows as long as we like them thats all that matters :) Mum to Connor and trying for bub #2

[RuthK]

Firstbub

With a lovely Irish name like Connor, why don't you try for another Irish name? I could go on all day suggesting them, but it would take forever. When I was living over there hearing some of the names they gave their children was really beautiful. Although a lot of them are spelt the gaelic way (almost impossible to interpret) you can anglocise them.

A good link is: http://www.babynamenetwork.com/origin.cfm?origin=Irish

R

[willsmum]

Don't know any Annas but we know an Annie.

As for old fashioned, a little girl we know is called Mabel. Her brother is Willard.

My little girl is Charli Rose (not short for Charlotte, just Charli) after her great grandad Charlie and her great grandma Rose.

We thought this was pretty unusual for a girl then after we named her there were about 5 more Charli's in the paper. We like to think we started a trend.......... :p

[nemosmum]

Hi :)
My dh and I named our son Orlando but if he was a girl we were going to call him Iris Ann after my dh mum who passed away of cancer 4 years ago. I think its lovely naming your child after a loved one. But I have to say it did take me a while to accept that my future daughter(if we ever have one) will be called Iris and not Isabella or Olivia (two names that I have loved for as long as I can remember!).

[clairbear]

Really like the name Orlando! Charli is nice. I am newly pregnant with second bub and we're leaning towards Charlie for a boy and Charlie (short for Charlotte) for a girl. I am happy to see some vintage names talked about, bring em on! I love Henry, Jack, Joseph, William, Ruby, Matilda, Grace, Scarlett, Maisie, Pearl, Rosie, Clara, Lucy,Ivy, Milly, Lily, Ava (which is just a bit too common lately, I know of five!)
Glad to also see Violet there but my husband hates it and so does everyone else I mention it to! Can't half tell I am hoping for a girl this time!
A really funny site I came across is "baby's called a bad bad thing".......all the tacky names get a real serve! Well worth a look at for a laugh!

[Briannabear]

I just looked at that site... it is so funny! :)
I struggle to think why parents would name their kids some of these names!
Here's the address...
http://www.notwithoutmyhandbag.com/babynames/

One girl called her baby (and Im not swearing here!) *******
(pronounced Ah-shol-ee)

WHY????!!!!! The mind boggles! :rolleyes:

[shanz]

We are TTC at the moment and so i have started to look at names i like.I always swore that my child would not have the same name as any other cousin etc.However I already have around 80 odd cousins and 2nd cousins so it makes name choices a little limited.There are only a few that double up and its names i wouldn't use!I like Jack or Jackson for a boy, partners grandfather was known as Jack and Matilda for a girl after my Grandmother that died some 15 years ago. People are very quick to point out Jack is common and most people turn their noses up at Matilda.
One name that i absolutely love is Kyran,unfortunately my cousin beat me to that one,also fond of Hamish(beaten by a friend!!)Noah also seems safe for now.

[BlueGin]

hi Shanz,
Just a quick note to say that I think Matilda is an absolutely beautiful name! If she is very girly then it is perfect, and for a little tomboy then Matty is the sweetest nickname ever! If you like it, and as it does have significance, I would go for it if you have a baby girl!

[shanz]

Thanks Bluegin,
I was kinda swinging that way anyway.I was a tomboy growing up and i have always liked the idea of Mati as a nickname.Guess its up to me,if she hates it later in life she can blame me anyway. :)

[mumof2girls]

My 2 favourite girls names are
Mahalia & Arabella
and my 2 favourite boys names are
Declan & Daniel

Since I can't have anymore kids then I guess I will wait for someone else to use them , my sister loves the name Lacy Deone

[Milly]

Actually thinking of great names popular or otherwise. My hairdresser has a daughter called Majella. Pretty smart. Sounds very arty and is a name that looks like it belongs to an artistic/creative and bohemian person. I quite like it actually, but it is a bit too close to my daughter's name so I can't really use it with my second born. But then again I have a cousin who has two daughters called Emily and Amelia and these two names in some name books have the same meaning (although one other sourse says that this is a common misconception with these two names. It must be a misconception as Amelie is the French form of Emily and Amelia is French/German but apparently comes from a Greek name :confused: ). They sound pretty close, so anything is possible ;) . There is also Nigella too. A very old but very unusual name.

[mummy_to_4]

I had always loved the name Charly for a girl for a long time but my sister got in first and named her first daughter Charly-Jane ( i have never really forgiven her for that as she knew how much i loved the name) so since then I have never wanted to use it again.
When we were picking out names for our Kids we were going for the names that you dont hear every day aswell. We chose Lachlan then months after his birth there was always a lachlan in the births section of the paper and he is one of 3 lachlans in his kindy class. Lachlans middle name was easy - it is James after my dad.
With the twins we chose a name each. I had taught a Tahlee years ago and she was such a doll and that name stuck in my head for ages and knew that I would have a daughter called Tahlee. Her middle name is Bronte which i think sounds really nice with Tahlee. My ex chose Taylor's name and chose Isabelle for her middle name after his great grandmother. The name Tahlee i have not heard since but I have heard a few girls named Taylor but most of them was different spelling (taylah, tayla).
With Adele I was sure I was having a boy ( I was actually disapointed when we found out it was another girl). If she had been a he we had chosen either Finn Patrick or Owen Patrick. When we found out it was a little girl we found it so hard to choose a name we both agreed on - the only part of her name we agreed on was her middle name - Olivia after my mum and Skye cause Todd (my ex) liked it. We were out shopping one day and heard the name Adele and both turned and knew straight away that that was the name of our soon to be baby girl.

[WeThree]

Anna is a lovely name, and i agree that the resurgance of older names is great, my daughter is Matilda and i think it is such a gorgeous name, if it does get shortened it is shortened to Tilly, which is so cute, at the local park the other day there was my Matilda, an Audrey, Amelia, Miriam and Lydia (my mum put me off Lydia however when she told me it reminded her of Lydia the tattoed lady off the muppet show!) I also love Clementine (if I had another girl I would probably go with that atm), Scarlett, Poppy, Mable, Ava, Violet, they are all very groovy. as for boys i think all the old irish names are great, as well as all the little Will's and Henrys and Harrys, very cute. :)