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@zippylef: I care somewhat, because my name is Jennifer, i.e., the most common name for a girl between 1979-1981. I was born in 80. So you can imagine what every class was like for me. Not just one or two other Jennifers. Usually more like 3 or 4. I couldn't even be "Jennifer H" (my maiden name also started with an H) because there would also always be a Jennifer Holmes and a Jennifer Hunt. And we all moved up into the next grade together. So I could never really escape the Jennifers!
I have always said I want my children to have really different names for that reason. My husband, however, is in love with the name Taylor for a girl. I think that's pretty common, but he's been so set on it, ever since I met him (he picked that name even before he met me, with the middle name Leigh. Which, ironically, is my middle name.) So that will be our name for a girl. I've grown to love it because he loves it so much, and while it's more common, I love it enough and think it's so pretty, that I really don't care.
My boy name is Nash Michael. So at least I'll have one child that won't have too many other people with his name;)
And even if you pick a name that's not too popular now, all it takes is a celebrity or somoeone to name their child something, and then it just takes off like wildfire. So you could not use the popular name you love, and use another more "original" name, and when your baby is 2 years old, Kim Kardashian has a kid and names it your baby's name, and BAM! There 60 gillion babies with the same name as yours.
I say that because my girl name is Harper, which we'd use if we had more than one girl. And Posh and David Beckham had to go name their daughter Parker Seven, so by the time I have a 2nd daughter, there will be a ton of Parkers roaming around everywhere!
I think if a name is classic enough, i wouldn't mind if it's hugely popular. personally, i would want to stay away from 'trendier' names. but i wouldn't mind something that's been pretty timeless throughout recent generations (ie. michael, benjamin etc.). i think it would also help steer me away from names that would seem ok for a child, but weird to me for a senior citizen.
but bottom line, i'd say go with your gut :)
@jholler25: Just as a side note, my cousin's name is Tayla. Could be a nice compromise on Taylor, and a lot less common (and a lot prettier, I think!)
My name (Suzanne) was pretty UN-popular for my birth year (1987). I only know one other Suzanne, and of course she was in my grade! I still don't hear my name a lot anywhere.
As far as the popular names, I think DH and I are set on two very popular ones as well. We are doing totally original middle names though, so it makes up for it in my mind!
Our favorites:
Addison Drake
Landon Wells
(Grew up, fell in love, got engaged, got married closeby on Drake's Island in Wells, Maine - a very special place for us!)
I'm an Ashley born in 1984, so I know what you mean about popular names. :)
The thing is, though, having a very popular name didn't scar me for life or anything. It's just an inconvenience (and really only through grade school, no one had to call me Ashley H. in high school although there were actually more Ashleys there). And I much prefer having a common name that everyone knows how to pronounce/spell than a complicated/unique/strangely spelled name that I have to explain to everyone.
My husband and I have picked out a name that we consider "normal" but not super common, but not rare or anything either (Kara). I think Layla falls into that same middle-ground category. We are paying less attention to the actual # for the names we like and more about whether we know other kids with that name. FWIW, I think the name Layla is so pretty and would consider it for our future child except that my husband's cousin has a Leila (who is the most adorable thing I've ever met).
In my generation, it seems like most people kept family names, so many were named after an Grandfather or Great Aunt, or a favorite relative somewhere in the line. I think I grew up with more boys who had the same names than girls,tho. Lots of Johns and Joes and Bobs, but very few Andrews or Ryans or Adams (if any, and if there were, they always had nicknames).
My Mom named us so we would never have nicknames or have them shortened, and it was almost a guarantee it wouldn't happen in a Catholic school. The nuns always called you by your proper name, so even now, I cringe when somebody automatically assumes I have a nickname. (Can you tell it's a pet peeve?) Anyway, we were all the 'only' ones in our classes with our names, and they weren't even unusual.
When MY kids were born, people seemed to be on a whole different path with child naming, and lots were suddenly being named after soap opera stars or named after popular songs. I was guilty of naming one of mine after an actress, and the other was a name I'd heard a co-worker mention as being her daughter's (but hers was a family name). The beautiful part of each of their names is that they never went to school with anyone with the same name, so people they ran into years later always remembered them.
Most people have a name they've loved for many years before they have kids, but sometimes find out their spouse isn't a fan. If they are, it's a bonus!
I definitely shied away from the most popular, but picked names that while unique to the times, weren't completely off the wall or odd. I agree with a PP who said to go with what you love.
Well, my full name is Katie (not short for anything). It seemed to be that everyone had a variation of Katie when I was growing up (Katherine, Kaitlyn, etc.), and the nicknames for those were Katie. (My brother had the same problem with his name being popular) So I went to school where there were close to 12 "Katie's" in my grade. But, as I've gotten older, I've noticed that I don't know as many Katie's, and I think that will go for any name. At first there may be a ton, but once the child gets into college and the working world, there's such a mix of ages and names that it doesn't matter.
I think you should go on what you like and what feels "right", instead of what's popular at the time. :-)
ETA: I can't wait to find out what you're having!! So exciting!
First of all, congrats!
I wouldn't worry about the name being too popular if you like the name. I am personally a fan of giving children classic names that are not too trendy. I know quite a few people that have given their children these more trendy names because they think they are unique... but I suspect many of them will end up being just as popular as "Jennifer" in the 80s.
My name was suuuper popular in the 80s and there were always a few in my class. It never really bothered me. It helped that my parents had no idea it was popular when they named me. I would just go with what you love.
I always told myself we wouldn't name our baby anything too popular but the names FH and I chose for our future babies, are pretty popular. We chose Ava Elise for a girl and Jack Ryan for a boy. We really like the names so I've looked past the popularity of them :)
Aw, I love Layla! I have a niece named Laela Jane! I agree with @twodoghouse:, I think Layla will be a good middle-ground name--not rare, but not super common.
FWIW, I'm a Sarah born in 1985. There was always at least 2 other Sarah/Sara's in every class until I graduated high school. It never bothered me. We thought it was kind of fun. I love my name.
I think if you love the name, you should use it, even if it's #1.
I agree with PPs... go with whatever you love. FWIW, I grew up the only "Vanessa" in my entire school (small town, lol) and I loved it that I had a name that no one else had, and that no one could easily make fun of (the closest anyone got was "nessie" which was from "Loch Ness Monster" but it was such a strech it didn't stick (and it was funny!). Even if there had been others, my parents always told me they named me Vanessa because it means "butterfly" and that made it special for me :)
We named our little girl Abigail. I know it's common, but I've always loved that name so we used it despite its popularity.
And Layla is absolutely beautiful!
I love the name Connor and always have. It was the only other name that DH and I agreed on. However I refuse to name my child anything that is on the top 100 list, let alone the top 50 list. We ended up chosing something that is like in the 400's. Here is a link by state to see what is most popular.
I was born in 1989 with the name Amanda. I can't tell you how many were in my graduating class.....it was rediculous. My sister had a friend named Amanda and also her best friends little sister was named Amanda. I had three friends named Amanda and I hated when I had another Amanda in my class and when someone would say my name I would always turn around! By the time I was in High School I ignored every first time someone said my name because it most likely wasn't for me lol. It's hard when you really like a name though. I hated how there were so many of my name so I want to try and give my kid an old name or a unique name.
@katiesee: I always think about the exact. same. thing. I wonder what it will be like when all of the Jadens and Cadens and Braedens get old and are running around the nursing home. It just doesn't make sense in my mind and probably won't until I see it.
P.S. I love the name Layla...but it is like Caroline for me. If you settle on it make sure she learns to love Clapton at an early age...lol.
My name is Jessica and I was born in 84 so very popular name growing up. Funny thing at work I am the ony one in the building with my name every once and awhile I am paged by my first name alone. My little guys are Ethan and Logan which are quite popular but are also very strong names. Look into the history of the name because name can really define who you are as a person. I personally would not like my child to be picked on at school because I decided that I wanted them to have a unique name.
Layla is a gorgeous name I wouldn't worry about how popular it is!
I've seen both sides... My sister's name is Brittney and she ALWAYS had multiple Brittney's in her class... I think at one point she was actually Brittney D.K.. b/c there was another Brittney K so the teacher had to use their middle initials as well.
Me on the other hand.. I've never even met another girl with my name, even if spelled like in the dictionary.
On of the biggest difference I noticed is if someone was talking about what Brittney did.. we didn't know WHICH Brittney it was. If someone talked about what Amnysti did, well there was no getting away with it. lol
I say go with whatever you like.. I personally want a name that atleast isnt' in the top 50 but moreso not in the top 100... for a girl. For a boy I don't feel quite the same way b/c I think too unusual of a boys name can cause alot of problems for the poor lil guy and don't think it's quite as accepted like with a girls name.
I'm an 80s Megan. :) There were a lot of us too.
@Storm0075: That's actually exactly where the name came from. DH is a musician and comes from a family of hardcore musicians and Eric Clapton is his idol.
@jholler25: I actually knew 2 babies named Harper before Posh and Becks got to it, plus Neil Patrick Harris and his husband named their little girl that before them too. I actually remember hearing Taylor when I was a kid, but I haven't in a long time. You might be in the clear with that one.
I was scouting the ssa website and I was looking at how the numbers compare from 1988 to 2010. In 1988, Megan was number 14 with 18,500 baby girls named that. The number 14 in 2010 was Natalie with only 8,000. I guess maybe the name this not a big of a deal as it used to be because baby names have diversified so much in the past 20+ years. I guess us 80s girls just got lucky. lol
I would like to find a name we love that isn't in the top 100 but I also want a name that is a "normal" spelling and pronunciation. I'm not completely adament on avoiding anything below 100 but I don't think I'd be able to go with something in the top 25, no matter how much I liked it.
If you love the name, then go with it!
Baby names today are so different from a few decades ago. Back then, the most popular names composed a much greater percentage of the population than today.
As an example, the top 3 boy names for 2010 in the US accounted for 2.8% of the population, when in 1985 the top 3 boys names accounted for 8.7% of the population and in 1970 it was 10%.
I do understand the concern, though. When we have kids my fiance really really wants to name our first born son Jakob (with a k!). Unfortunately, Jacob has been the most popular boys name for years and years. I love that name, but I wouldn't mind if it wasn't as popular :)
Congrats, btw!!!
@zippylef: Then you are good to go! As I said I think it is a beautiful name and I think it is a great song too! One of my favorite movies is Mr. Holland's Opus and it was a similar situation. He named his son after his favorite musician. As long as the name has meaning to you as a couple that is the most important part.
If the name has a special meaning to the two of you, then use it!
I work for an agency that does casework for children age birth-3, and it's great because I am able to sniff out name trends each year. I have seen a few Layla's, but not very many. And I'm talking....maybe 2 out of 1500 referrals. Right now we get a ton of -ton names and -den, like Peyton and Aiden, etc.
Go with what you like. I wouldn't even look at popular name stats, although I understand your reasoning. Even if Layla was the #1 girl's name in all states and countries around the world, she will be the most important one of all to you. :)
@jholler25: I'm just going to go a bit off topic here and tell you that my "boyfriend" in the 3rd grade's name was Michael Nash. I broke up with him because he said that learning multiplication tables wasn't important, and he wasn't going to do it.
I was a pretty serious child, lol.
Talk about a trip down memory lane!
I agree with the comments to maybe choose a not-so-popular middle name? Once you've fallen in love with a name, you've fallen in love with a name. And you can't really predict where that name is going to go in terms of up or down the popularity chart.
I really don't know how bad the 20s & 30s are for popularity -- I guess the only thing I can suggest is that hopefully the names you like have nickname possibilities, or you pick an 'unpopular' middle name.
if you love the name stick with it! my sister named her son Cash and i love love love it and thought it was so neat an original - but now that i've heard it, it pops up everywhere - since he was born a year and a half ago i've heard that name again a handful of times. I have one of those names you dont hear too often but its not unheard of - it wasnt on the top 100 list for my birth year! haha (i had to go look)
I think the point made above is really important. There's a difference between trendy and classic when it comes to popular names. Elizabeth is #12 but it's a classic name with a lot of nick name options, while Madison #8 rings of trend to me and doesn't have a lot of options.
Just because you pick a popular name doesn't mean your kid will always know 8 other people with their name and vice versa (I know 2 kids named Hadley and it's #216).
If you named your child something really unusual and then they were in a class with another kid with the same name would you be annoyed? What I mean is, I think you should pick a name because you love it and it's popularity (while an important consideration) shouldn't be the reason you pick or veto a specific name.
I'm a Sarah from the early 80s, so there were always a ton of Sarah's in all my classes. Even now, two of my best friends are Sara(h). We used to go by our last names, but now when we introduce ourselves to someone new, it's easy "I'm Sara, and so is she."
I'm hoping to avoid super popular names, but if there's one I love, I won't not name my kid that just because it's popular. What works for me, is that a lot of the "popular" names right now are trendier and not names that I want to use anyway. I'm more of a "classic" kind of girl.
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So, since we are finding out the gender of our little one in 2 weeks, DH and I have started seriously discussing names. We currently have one agreed-upon girl name and one boy name. We're not stopping there, but that's where we are currently sitting.
Now, I have one of those names that was popular in my generation, so there were always 3 others in my class at school. I always hated having a common name. AND, mine wasn't even top 10 common, it was #14 in 1988 when I was born. I always vowed that I wouldn't name my kids something really popular or common so that they didn't have to deal with being one of a few for their whole lives. (I mean, at one point myself, my best friend and my brother's girlfriend all had the same name. Ugh.)
What brings this all up is that the girl's name that we have so far is #37 for 2010 (and #24 in the state we are from). I always said I would stay out of the top 100, so I am struggling with that.
In your opinion, how popular is too popular for you? Do you want your kids to have super unique names? Do you not care? Are you staying away from the top 10, 20 or 50? What do you think?
(The name is question is Layla, by the way.)