(no subject)

[-------1997.livejournal.com]

Not pregnant, or TTC. Just like names. I have lists. (Most like pry almost everyone else here.)

GIRLS
- Emily
- Amelia
- Samaire (Sah-mee-rah)

BOYS
- Michael
- Ryan
- Danté
- Noble (Fiances great-grandfathers name [i.e. don't love it, but it has meaning.])

Ideally in the future I'd like to only have one child, boy or girl (I am pretty neutral at this point). My absolute favorite names are Emily & Michael but they are so popular. I like them, but I don't want my child to be Emily S./Michael S. all their life.

Should popularity be a deciding factor when it comes to names?

Comments

[p-inkjeans.livejournal.com]

Okay, I love your names. Emily and Amelia are both on my lists (Emily is my #1 and Amelia's in the top 10) and Michael and Ryan are two of my favorite boys' names. I like Dante, too, and while Noble isn't really my style - hey, if it's a meaningful name, I don't see the problem. I'd just suggest, if you use that name, to give a pretty common sounding middle name that he can go by if he doesn't like Noble once he gets into middle school/high school.

[p-inkjeans.livejournal.com]

PS - Popularity should be to an extent, but trendiness is more of an issue, I think. A name like Emily or Michael is popular, but it's a timeless name that will never go out of style and will fit them as a child and as an adult.

I shouldn't talk about popularity since my top two names are Emily and Jake, which happen to be the top names in America, haha.

[whisperthewords.livejournal.com]

To a certain extent- I agree with the previous posters that trendiness is certainly the most important thing to shy away from.

I think people worry about a name's popularity more then then neccesary, though. Emily may be the number one girl's name, but it only takes up 1.1818% of the total female names, as opposed to Jennifer being about 3% of the total in the 80's. An Emily is bound to come across other Emilies in her life, but she's not as doomed to be Emily Last Initial as the Jennifers, Jessicas, Ashleys and Amandas before her. :)

[krosp.livejournal.com]

Emily and Amelia are nice, but very similar, so I wouldn't use them in the same name (e.g. Emily Amelia S...) or as sisters (although you say you only want one child so that should be ok).

Emily and Michael still are very popular, but the thing is, there may be more names being used these days. So let's say that Emily is ranked #1.. well that could mean that only 2% of girls were named Emily, and thousands and thousands of other names were used that were all 1-2% so Emily came out top.... whereas years ago, Emily being number one could mean that 40% of girls were called Emily. So take that into account too.

Samaire - I don't see how you get that pronunciation. To get your pronunciation, I'd spell it Samira. Samaire looks like it could be either "suh-MARE", "suh-MAIR-uh" or "suh-MY-ruh" but not what you are saying.

I don't have much to say on the boys' names. Emily and Michael are good names though, which is obviously why so many people use them.

[poespretty.livejournal.com]

I agree, that's a really good point about how so many other names are being used that even though it's most popular it doesn't mean there's an overwhelming percentage of say, Emily's.

to the OP, personally, I still am not overly keen on using a top 25 (or 50) name unless I LOVED it and hated everything else. I did use to like Emily but was turned off by everyone else overusing it (esp where I live). My first daughter is actually named Amelia so I obviously love that.

I do NOT like Samaire and it also seems way off from your tastes (not that that's bad, but it might not fit your family in the long run).

Michael and Ryan are both ok, if a bit boring bc they've been used by so many people but nothing wrong with them. (also, this feels moreso to me bc everyone on my mom's side of the family is some form of Michael. or John.)

Noble sounds like a good middle name especially bc of the family connotations, but I don't care for it as a first name.

[anapology.livejournal.com]

GIRLS
- Emily- like but hate because it's so popular.
- Amelia- love love love love!
- Samaire (Sah-mee-rah)- dont like at all.

BOYS
- Michael- blah
- Ryan- blah
- Danté- blah
- Noble - euw. too puritan.

Yes i think popularity matters,not for all but personally I couldnt love a name enough to use it if it was ranked really high.

[seren.livejournal.com]

I think the above commenters have got it spot on - popularity shouldn't be an issue but trendiness should. That's exactly how I feel about names. I would never want my children to grow up and for everyone to know instantly that they were born in the mid 2000s.

I think Emily, Amelia, Michael and Ryan are all classic names in my opinion. I'm not too keen on the others I'm afraid. I lovelovelove both Emily and Amelia. My husband vetoed Emily - he says he's never actually met a nice one yet ;) He originally vetoed Amelia too but has since changed his mind - yay!!

What do you think of Emilia? I've come across that name once or twice.. it's nice, like a compromise between Emily and Amelia.

[septembergrrl.livejournal.com]

Should popularity be a deciding factor when it comes to names?

I'd rather not use an incredibly common (top 20) name, but if the ONLY name the parents like is Emily or Michael or Madison or Aidan, I don't think the kid will be scarred for life.

So I guess I think other factors can overrule the popularity thing, but it's nice to avoid if you can.

[sundayuniverse.livejournal.com]

i dont think that popularity should be a deciding factor when you are naming your kid.
maybe i am saying this because i grew up with a pretty uncommon name and i hated it. i have never known any other girl with my name and i so wanted to be a sabrina or a jessica.. but well, when i grew older i realized that it is not nice when there are 3 other girls in your class with the same name.

so i will definitely give my future child the name i like. no matter how many other people are naming their kid with same name.

[danacarlesays.livejournal.com]

Love Amelia. But popularity willalways play a huge part in whatever names we eventually decide. The idea that twelve other kids will respond to the same name at any given time just sort of....irks me, I guess. The hubby doesn't understand as much, because his name is Michael Edward, lol.

[sotypical42483.livejournal.com]

Popularity of a name is a tricky thing for me. I think classic names that are popular are fine. Emily and Michael obviously fit into that category. Trendy names are a different story and I would hesitate to use a popular trendy name as it would probably become dated.

I personally LOVE Emily and would use it.

[feelslike-2day.livejournal.com]

Being born in 'the year of jennifer's' i grew up with a billion other Jennifers, and generally had my last intial attached to my name. I despised it and still do. Although my name was picked for the significance (named after my grandmother 'jenny') not the popularity factor, I fully intend to steer away from popular names when i have kids.

[corielcries.livejournal.com]

Amelia is fabulous, it's my number one right now. I didn't want to use something so popular, but its one of the only girl names we can agree on. Plus its is close to Amelie and Amalia, French and Italian names. I don't like those two like I love Amelia. =]

I sort of like Ryan. Its been growing on me.