Popular names

[alison-in-oh.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's true. The only name my husband and I agree on right now for a girl is Emily.

I've known about one Emily in my life, so no matter how much I stare at the SSA stats telling me there have been more Emilys than any other one name for the last DECADE, I just can't help but think it's unique. :(

Is there any chance of the trend slipping? How much torture are we submitting our future daughter to? Maybe if we find a good middle name that she can choose to use?

In the same vein, I thoroughly welcome any and all suggestions for girls' names that do NOT end in -a or an 'ah' sound. DH does not want the first name to rhyme with our last name which ends in -a. We prefer traditional "girls' names".

Thanks!

Comments

[bloomingtulip.livejournal.com]

I know maybe 3 Emilys but they are all different ages and none of them know many others with that name, so I don't think it's a big deal. It is a very pretty name.

Emily Marie
Emily Elizabeth
Emily Jacqueline (if that spelling is wrong, forgive me, i'm having trouble at the moment)
Emily Constance
Emily Rose
Emily Jocelyn (Joselyn?)

[bloomingtulip.livejournal.com]

LOL, sorry I didn't think of that.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_x_blackroses_x/]

I think I only know one Emily, and she was the only Emily in my graduating class. I will say that I personally do not like the name, popular or not, but that's just me. It's a perfectly fine name. According to the lists it IS incredibly popular and frequently used, but if you both really love it, then what other people are doing shouldn't change your minds..
you can always use a unique nickname.

[ky-whitney.livejournal.com]

http://www.babynamewizard.com/namevoyager/lnv0105.html
Type in Emily and see what the last century has for that name;)

[babyhoyt.livejournal.com]

ok, using this same tool, look up Jessica. That was the #1 name in the 80's, coming in at just under 10,000 girls its peak year.
Emma is the #2 name, and our top pick (by far). It's #2. There were just under 5,000 girls born with that name last year. I think that is a major difference, and these girls won't end up with nearly as many same named girls in their lives.

[sayga.livejournal.com]

5,000 babies named Emily, and (if you're in the US), divide that by 50 states. That's *about* 100 per state (more if you're in a bigger/more populated state, cause I don't imagine Alaska and Montana had 100 Emilys last year). For me, in Arizona, I could probably assume that half of them at least were in Phoenix because of its size, a quarter in tucson (next biggest city--where i am) and the remaining were in the rest of the state. 25 kids named Emily in one city in one year isn't bad. I don't know how many schools there are here, but all 25 *couldn't* be in one school. so... those odds make me feel fairly comfortable.

Even though that equation is vague and flawed, hopefully you'll come out with a number you're comfortable with and makes you feel better about the name you love.

[dolcedaze.livejournal.com]

No, the chart is measured in names per million. So, for every million babies, about 5,000 were named Emily. That was 23,544 all together. The OP is from Ohio and lives in Arizona, where the name was #4 at 831 and #1 at 498, respectively.

[sayga.livejournal.com]

oh, i misunderstood. thank you for clarifying.

[dolcedaze.livejournal.com]

No, the chart is measured in names per million. So, for every million babies, about 5,000 were named Emily. That was 23,544 all together, or 1.18% of all females born. So, in a graduating class of 600 like mine, you could expect about 3.

[alison-in-oh.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm aware that Emily is a popular name, that it's been THE most popular name for a decade, blah, blah, blah. That is the point of this post. How does having a popular name affect a person? There was another Alison(Allison) in one of my elementary classes. She didn't mind going by Allie, so we were easily distinguished and I certainly wasn't traumatized. Not even when the classroom teacher's name was Alison as well (and we called our teachers by their first names).

[krosp.livejournal.com]

I don't think Claire was a hugely popular name when I was born, definitely top 100 but not that high I'd guess. I was the only one in my primary school called Claire.

Then I got to high school, and somehow there were 8 Claires in my grade... often 3 of us in my classes. Claire can't be shortened to any nickname, and I was the least popular of the Claires so most of the time when people called out "Claire" it wasn't referring to me.

I think it was marginally annoying, but it didn't affect me much at all really. It has taken me quite a few years, since leaving that school of an unusually high concentration of Claires, to realise that I don't actually have THAT common a name, and don't need to say my surname on the phone all the time to people who know me.

[krosp.livejournal.com]

So the point of all that was just that I knew lots of people with my name and turned out ok. I am thankful that it was only 5 years of my life, and not a permanent state of having a really common name, though.

Emily is always shortend to Em or Emma or Emmy, maybe you could make another nickname out of it like Milly? :-S

[sotypical42483.livejournal.com]

yeah but there are so many MORE names used today that a #1 isn't used as much today as the #1 was used years ago.

[dancing-crazy.livejournal.com]

I know... 10 of them. It's the most people I know of any name. It's pretty popular, and it looks like it's going to stay pretty popular. Still, though. I mean, I'm not all for using very popular names, because being one of 5 people of the same name in one class is really annoying. When I was on a volunteer program (the YC) we had 6 girls named Elana in a group of 40 (although, I don't think there was anyway of predicting THAT). They were pretty frustrated. But Emily is a beautiful name, It's timeless and classy, and if it's really the only name you can agree on and you both love it, maybe you could use a less common middle name. Here are some traditional names outside the top... well, at least 50:

Elise
Adelle
Juliet
Adeline
Jane
Scarlett
Meredith
Iris
Rose
Annabelle
Vivian
Ellie
Hope
Sadie
Daisy
Kate
Ruby
Charlotte
Sophie
Amy
Claire
Caroline
Audrey
Evelyn
Madeline
Paige
Faith

[sageharper.livejournal.com]

I know at least three IRL, and that's in England. At the name/parenting forum (mainly American posters) I frequent there are quite a few.

You might get lucky and not end up meeting any/many in your town but it's a gamble, and she might end up meeting more at college or whatever. There aren't as many girls being named the most popular names as there were in previous decades, but obviously it's still common.

My mother has about the most common name for the decade she was born. It doesn't bother her so much but it can get confusing. My own given name is quite common too and that bugs me so much. Then there are other people will popular names who don't care. So you never know. Maybe it also depends how common your surname is.

OK, 'traditional' names ...
Abigail
Anna/Annabel/Annelise
Caroline
Charlotte
Elizabeth/Elise
Grace
Lauren
Rose
Sophie

[tallc00lone.livejournal.com]

I guess popular is better than kre8yve.
Emily is way better than, say... Shaniqua.

[alison-in-oh.livejournal.com]

LOL, that's the second hubby criterion for the name choice. "Must be something fairly traditional, or at least not...Shaniqua." ;)

[meadowrue.livejournal.com]

How many children under 10 do you know? It's extremely popular, think Jennifer popularity. That said if that isn't an issue for you it's a very pretty name.

[bellisima87.livejournal.com]

You should use that name because it is beautiful, classy and timeless.
Yes, it might be pretty popular but she still has a middle name and then I think, it's no big deal.

[sayga.livejournal.com]

My name growing up included part of my middle name. Sarah Kate. A nickname could be a good thing in the Emily situation. Emily-something. She could go by it if she wanted to in school.

[trissyd.livejournal.com]

I know Emily's of every age... oldest being 21... if popularity isn't an issue for you, than go for it... ;)!

[p-inkjeans.livejournal.com]

Truthfully, I think you're fine. The trend will probably start slipping soon, and even if it doesn't, having a popular/common name isn't the end of the world. My parents named me Lindsay in the late 80s and I've grown up without psychological damage and I don't hate them for it. If you're that worried, give her a more unique middle name. The most important thing is whether or not you like it, not whether or not it's unique.

[p-inkjeans.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I thought of a name you might like that's less popular than Emily - how about Eliza? It has that nice traditional feel to it, it's not overly unique and weird, but chances are, she won't meet another one. Just a thought.

[alison-in-oh.livejournal.com]

Hee, and I'm a fan of "My Fair Lady" too. :) But sadly it breaks the "no -a ending" rule and would rhyme with our last name. :\

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

It's a nice name, and popular for good reason. I don't think it's the end of the world if it's the only thing you agree on. Afterall I think the most important thing when choosing a name is that both parents love it and think it will serve their child well. And if you've considered the downsides of commonality, then there you go.

I have a common name, and hate that I still have to use my last name, last initial even today at 31, and even when leaving a message for one of my closest friends. Because everyone knows at least several women with my name. Imo, the purpose of a name is to give a unique identifier. But when people have to ask, "which Jennifer?", "Emily C. or Emily M.?" I think the name is failing its primary purpose. But that's just me I guess. Many people, Jennifers included, don't mind having a common name. It's a gamble.

I currently know 4 Emilys, but all of them are in their 20s-30s. I just don't know very many small kids. I do know a couple young Emmas though, which is a second thing to consider. That other Em names are also quite popular.

To make it more original I'd pick a mn that's NOT common. No Grace. No Rose. No Marie, Ann, Lynn, Elizabeth.

The non -a names on my list:
Chloe
Jasmine
Matisse (like the artist)
Zoe
Annabel
Laurel
Sky
Daphne
Lark
Linden
Summer
Violet
Vivian
Deirdre
Delphine
Felicity
Tamsin
Meadow
Sparrow

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

I misread earlier and though you were just looking for mn suggestions so I left of ones I didn't like paired with Emily. Here's the rest, repeats from others included, sorry.

Catherine, Adrienne, Audrey, Avery, Helen, Jane, Lucy, Meredith, Sage, Adele, Adeline, Genevieve, Arielle, Joy, Harper, Ingrid, Ivy, Merielle, Alice, Naomi, Venice, Avalon, Coral, Esme, Imogen, Autumn, Lyric, Sabine, Calliope, Liadan, Skylar, Daisy, Sadie, Ruby, Cedar, Ariadne

[miss-tee.livejournal.com]

Emily is a lovely name.
If you like it I say go for it.

If it helps any, I work at a school, in the office, and I know the names of all the students. There is only one Emily in the entire school, she's about 4 years old.

What is the most popular name at the school is variations on the name Alexandra. There's Alexandra, Alexandria, Alessandra, Alexa, Alexia and Alessia.

[miss-tee.livejournal.com]

Also, outside the school I only know one other Emily, she is a teenager.

[anapology.livejournal.com]

No chance of the trend slipping i'm afraid!
You may not know any other Emily's but chances are your daughter will know loads.
What about Amélie, similar but not half as popular, & a lot better IMO :-)

[heyitsrebecca.livejournal.com]

Emily is.. nice. A bit boring, perhaps.. but still nice.
I've only known two Emilys.. one about 23, and one who's probably 12 now.
There's nothing wrong with a more popular name.. I've known lots of Rebeccas, and I'm not in therapy. ;)
If you genuinely love it, use it. =)

[solyma.livejournal.com]

by "ah" sound, i imagine you also mean the "uh" sound too, right? bummer!

and by "traditional", do you mean non-unisex or classic names? hmm, i'll try to think of names that fit both. sorry for all the questions. ;)

here's some ideas...

alice
annie
beth
carolyn
carrie
catherine
charity
charmaine
christine
daphne
elsie
gretchen
gwendolyn
hazel
hillary
irene
joy
karen/karin
lauren
lillian
lucy
mabel
marie
marion
molly
naomi
opal
pearl
phoebe
rosemary

[tigress-oils.livejournal.com]

have you considered Romilly? similar sound.

[ifancylust.livejournal.com]

i know a bunch of emily's. =/ try using it as a middle name instead.

other suggestions for traditional girls' names:
adrienne
alice
amy
annie
avery
belle
beth
bonnie
caroline
carolyn
catherine
cecile
charlotte
chelsea
claire
dawn
ellen
elinor
elyse
erin
eve
evelyn
gabrielle
grace
iris
isabel
jaclyn
jane
jocelyn
jolie
josie
julie
leigh
lillian
lily
kate
kelly
kristin
leslie
lindsey
lucy
lynette
mallorie
margaret
marisol
mary
melinda
melody
megan
michelle
morgan
natalie
pearl
rachel
renee
romy
rose
ruth
sadie
scarlett
sophie
taylor
terese
tess
violet
vivian
zoe

[smasharash.livejournal.com]

Some name ideas:
Adaline
Autumn
Ariel
Cassidy
Ebony
Esme
Eden
Fern
Faye
Hazel
Hailey
Holly
Halle
Ivy
Jasmine
Jamie
Kaelyn
Lily
Lorelei
Madelaine
Naomi
Ruby
Robin
Rosalie
Violet
Wren
Zoe

[neroli.livejournal.com]

Other options (trying to omit ones ending in -a or ones others have already mentioned before I started writing this post)

Adrienne/Adriane
Amarie
Annelise
Beatrice
Betony
Camille
Cecily
Christabel
Eliane
Elodie
Emmeline
Genevieve
Imogen
Jessamine/Jessamy
Jillian/Gillian
Meredith
Verity

[kati-d.livejournal.com]

Emily is a beautiful name. Ive known countless emilys but I also know countless jennifers, elizabeths, Desirees, Kellys. Names are popular and names are less popular. no matter what you name your daughter unless its "sdkfhashf" thers likely to be people with her same name. I grew up with the name Katie in the 90's. I had 3 katies in my 2nd grade class. 6 Katies graduated with me in high school. There were 3 katies in my dorm in college and I now know 2 katies that are under the age of 5. its a popular name but also a beautiful name and I dont hate my parents for naming me something popular and pretty... with that said.. GO for it :)

[emiliewtf.livejournal.com]

[cherryrider.livejournal.com]

I know no Emilys.
As far as I'm concerned its pretty rare over here. (Cali)

[bree019.livejournal.com]

My name is Emily. I don't know anyone my age with my name (I'm 23) but I have met several babies/little girls named Emily.

The trend could die down eventually, but if you choose the name, she'll most likely be Emily (initial) through all of school. If that doesn't bother you, go for it. It'd most likely bother me.

Names that could be used as alternatives (FH and I love traditional names too, so here are some we like):

Catherine
Madeline
Abigail
Caroline (love this one!)
Elizabeth (different nicknames to offset popularity)
Grace
Helen
Jane
Lucille (Lucy)

[nightskygalaxy.livejournal.com]

My name is Emily and I'm 23, haha ;)

Anyway, to the OP. I grew up as Emily H. all through elementary school because one of my friends was also named Emily. Never bothered either of us honestly. Having a common name is not the end of the world, and will most likely not cause any ill effects ;) I actually love my name, and I wouldn't choose another one for myself, even with all the little Emily's running around.

[biancasablancas.livejournal.com]

My name is Bianca Emily.

[sotypical42483.livejournal.com]

I think Emily will always be popular because it's a great name. It's sweet and ages well. I adore it, absolutely. If you really love it, use it. No, it's not unique by a long shot, but it's refreshing and lovely compared to the Madison/Mackenzie/Riley/Makayla crap out there. I like Emily Charlotte.

[itcouldbelove.livejournal.com]

My name is Emily. Granted, I was born in 1986, when the name wasn't quite AS popular... I went to high school with two other girls in my grade named Emily, but I never felt like I was... overwhelmed with my common name. I think if you like the name than you should name your kid that, despite how popular it is. I don't feel tortured because I wasn't uniquely named... I've thrived despite it. ;) So do what YOU want.

[another-lie.livejournal.com]

I was born in 1987 and my name is Emily Grace. I never knew too many Emily's and I've never met another Emily Grace although Grace is growing as a popular 'filler' middle name, like Marie or Lynn was for girls my age. No point to this, really. I love the name, but I guess I'm partial :)