Is Abigail Too Popular? Would an alt...

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-02-2004
Is Abigail Too Popular? Would an alt...
8
Tue, 05-10-2005 - 10:57am

Is Abigail Too Popular? Would an alternate spelling be better?



  • Yes
  • No
  • Thoughts welcome!


You will be able to change your vote.


iVillage Member
Registered: 11-04-2003
Tue, 05-10-2005 - 11:18am
Abigail is popular (#6), yes but it's a very lovely name nonetheless. Spell it properly so she won't have to spell her name for everyone forever.
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-16-2003
Tue, 05-10-2005 - 11:35am

Hi! I voted no, but let me explain...Is Abigail too popular? Well, maybe. It's awfully popular here in Massachusetts. I know three babies named Abigail in the past year and a half, and I don't know that many babies! It's a very popular name, but at least it's a classic popular name (unlike, say, Madison.) If popularity bothers you, you might want to look for another name altogether, but do not change the spelling! That would be a mistake. There's nothing worse than an messed-up spelling of a classic name. You'll be forever correcting people with the spelling.

Good luck!

Cara

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-14-2003
Tue, 05-10-2005 - 12:07pm
I'm not sure which of your questions to answer!! I do think the name is pretty popular but I wouldn't alter its spelling. So "yes" & then "no".
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-01-2003
Tue, 05-10-2005 - 12:26pm

yes, it was very high on the social security list that just came out for 2004. I think like maybe 4th or 5th - and it's been in the top 10 for many years. it depends on whether or not that bothers you to have it that popular

the people voting "no" are not really answering your question- what they mean by their "no" vote - is they feel it shouldn't matter that it's too popular if you like it

the people voting "yes" are either answering your question directly, in that Yes, it is very popular, or saying - yes it is too popular, so do't use it.

here is the link to the social security site. you can do all kinds of things on there - track the popularity of the name over the years - they've improved it this year, you can take some things way farther back than you used to be able to.

good luck

http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-01-2005
Tue, 05-10-2005 - 1:37pm
Abigail may be popular, but changing the spelling WON'T help!

Kate

dd Maggie 11/10/05

ds Jake 2/11/07

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 05-10-2005 - 2:04pm

My DD has a Christina and a Krystina in her class. The names sound exactly alike even though they are spelled quite differently. One is Christina T and the other is Krystina L because of the way that they sound. You can change a spelling, but the name's still the same.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-28-2003
Tue, 05-10-2005 - 2:49pm

That is tough to answer because you are asking 2 different questions.
My answer: Yes it is too popular if you are concerned about popularity. It is in the top 10 (I think #6 last year) and I know countless Abby's in the under 6 set.

No, changing the spelling will not make it better, it is the same name, and a creative spelling will only lead to confusion throughout her life.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2003
Tue, 05-10-2005 - 7:25pm

I didn't answer in the poll because there were two questions, and they would require different answers on my part. If you are concerned about popularity, yes, IMHO Abigial is "too" popular. I don't think that a different spelling would be a good solution. I mean, whether it's Abigail or Abygayle, it's still the same extremely popular name. I'd try and figure out what it is you like so much about Abigail and look for a different name that still satisfies what it was that made Abigail appeal to you, but that isn't as overused.

Just my two cents.