Trendy Names Discussion on Rants/Raves
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| Sat, 06-10-2006 - 12:22pm |
This is an interesting thread I found on Rants and Raves below. ***For you who are expecting, I think it would be time well-spent to read the thread in its entirety. Very good trending info!!!
I've copied and pasted my response simply to better explain the list of names I'm about to provide...
"In all my years of collecting names, I've decided there are only 5 true classics-
Ann, Mary, Margaret, Catherine, & Elizabeth--- honorable mention- Laura---
Laura is most widely used girl name of all time in literature.
James, John, William, Charles, & Joseph ---honorable mention--- Michael
Michael has the most phenomenal stats of all-time IMO. It's the longest running Top 5 name in history.
You might ask- Where's Sarah or Jacob, for example?
My answer--- The names I listed have well-used variants in almost every language and steady usage over centuries.
Now if you want a list of new classics or what I like to call "New Traditional"--- there you will find Sarah, Jacob, Rachel, Rebecca, & Daniel, for examples.
On the other hand, Emma, for example, has certainly been used over more than one specific decade in history, but it's had pockets of much less usage. While it might seem classic, you are fooling yourself if you think it's NOT trendy...
The golden rule, IMO, is IF YOU PINPOINT A NAME TO ANY ONE DECADE, most esp. in the top 25, it is/was trendy.
Of course, there are multiple trends going on at any one time, and new trends forming before most parents even realize. Ex.- Charlotte- It is used in gigantic proportions in certain parts of the country pushing it up the charts very quickly. This will cause more widespread notice/usage. Next will come a name that rhymes- Scarlett, for ex. which doubled in usage last year, even though it's barely broken the Top 500... At this point, I wouldn't touch Scarlett with a 100-foot pole.
Another trending example- The names on the coattail of Emma- anything short & E- --- First, it was Ella, then Eva. At this point, anything that fits this criteria IS NOT unique, but rather a trend waiting to happen. If you use Etta, for example, thinking that she'll fit in without having a trendy name, IMO, you are wrong. Etta is up for grabs now b/c she fits the criteria of the "trend" AND is she REALLY all that different from Ella? (Many of you have already discussed this point with the more recognizable Mc-names, Kay-names etc.)
Another misconception I believe people have is believing they can select a name in the 200-500 range on SSA charts and AVOID any given trend or future popularity. WRONG. Sure, there are names in this range that have never been trendy or popular, but rather steady. HOWEVER, many of the names in this range are "recent" "rediscoveries" that EVERYONE is "rediscovering at the same time." This is the range where sneaky names that are already REGIONALLY popular hide out. Then, as they infiltrate other regions, suddenly parents look around and panic saying, "BUT five years ago when I named her, she was the only Wysteria!" (I chose Wysteria not to offend anyone who's used a name that's REALLY done this). No, she wasn't the only Wysteria, she was the ONLY Wysteria in Wyoming. Wysteria was probably at #357 on SSA chart because there were already 25 in Georgia, 15 in Alabama, and 10 in Mississippi. Today, when you register Wysteria for kindergarten in Wyoming, Wysteria is at #121 on the SSA chart, and there are 5 in your playgroup, younger than your daughter, giving you the impression that you, at the very least, came up with it and everyone took it!
HOW TO AVOID THIS- Spend hours at the SSA site charting names that are consistently in the 200-700 range with no real huge blasts of popularity in one decade OR over time.
Does this mean no one will "find" the name you have found? NO, thanks to telecommunications- like baby naming sites & trending sites- Names explode quickly now.
Like
1. Your birth announcement printed at a paper company in West Hell, Alaska is publicized over the Internet with a heading like this---
UP AND COMING BABY NAMES- "Blah, Blah" Baby Annoucement Company studies the trends of announcements printed each MONTH and has discovered 2 baby Lorraines in May..."
2. There are name researchers, right now, hitting on sites just like this one, just to see what WE are listing, then publishing books and updating websites around the world to let interested expectant parents IN on your "unique" name lists.
But at the same time, if you do what I suggested, YOU will be more unique than- Charlotte- if you name your daughter Lorraine. Ppl in your immediate area will be more hesitant to snag it since they've probably heard of at least one Charlotte recently but no Lorraines.
Of course, being a recognizable name over time- Lorraine- isn't YOURS...
AN EVEN MORE SURE WAY TO AVOID THIS- Find a correctly-spelled name that is not in the Top 1000 and isn't completely preposterous (Banana, for ex.) and pray that a celebrity/movie/t.v. show hasn't found the same name. 'Cause trust me- this is where they look for "new" names!
In the end, it's simply a matter of personal choice, IMO, and far important that you named Emma for her great-grandmother and "you had always planned to since age 15" rather than you heard it from "Rachel's baby on "Friends"."
On the other hand, if Rachel had ALWAYS been your favorite character on "Friends" then, so be it. If you named her Kaylee b/c your parents' names are Kay and Lee, then--- while you ARE a part of a trend, your daughter's name has history and meaning TO YOU, and that is, IMO, what really matters!
I enjoyed all of your comments on this thread."
NOW FOR THE "LORRAINE LISTS"- with the understanding that letters E & L and vowels in general are not really completely "safe" at the moment, and C/K is NEVER off limits!!!---
*Plus even a name that has little popularity can be considered "trendy" because it falls in a "group" of names that is trendy- Example - Trinidad isn't in the top 1000, but it's a place name, so some people would say you selected a "trendy" name anyway! LOL
Safe names in the Top 200-
Paul, Timothy, Joel
Andrea, Valerie, Jacqueline, Amanda, Shelby
Safe names in the 200-1000 range-
Thaddeus, Lucian, Bennett, Reid, Ramsay, Miles, Turner, Zane, Pierce, Stuart, Duncan, Wade, Hugh, Curtis, Lamar, Warren, Douglas, Chester, Clifton, Clayton, Phillip, Israel, Royce, Alden
Celeste, Joy, Celia, Daphne, Virginia (place name/old fashioned), Cecilia, Betsy, Aurora, Johanna, Patricia, Annette, Sylvia, Meredith, Delilah, Genevieve, Vivian (maybe not completely safe), Colleen, Gloria, Cora, Raina, Gretchen, Mina, Bridget, Candace, Nina
THE FOLLOWING aren't currently Top 1000. I've listed popular "mini sub-trends" they could fall under ---
Arlo (vowel and o- ending)
Chauncey (surname & C)
Roscoe (o- ending)
Gemma (rhymes with Emma)
Benton (surname)
Rollin (surname)
Thea (short, old fashioned, and has long E- sound)
Adele (vowel and old)
Raleigh (place name)
Lorraine
Susannah
Willa (old & "Lily" sound)
Lenore (letter L & old)
Dudley
Truman
Maude (old)
Winona
Ambrose (A)
Doyle
Agatha (A and old)
Chayton (C)
Xanthe
Haskell (old)
Constance (C)
Oren (O, sounds like Owen)
Vera (old)
Lois (I see this one really catching on soon, though...)
Leona (L)
Tanith
Florence
Ariadne
Marjorie
Ardith
Roma
I hope someone finds something that makes sense and is helpful in all of this scribbling!!!
Later, Ginger

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Perhaps a simpler way to make "non-trendy" lists using the same approach I used with my lists in this thread would be to---
Concentrate on names beginning with letters D, F, H, N, P, R, S, T, V
that do not fall in the following sub-trends-
Place names
-ay sound
Surnames
Blatantly Bibical
Irish
Distinctly antique/old-fashioned
AND
that are not more popular than #200 on the SSA site AND not making leaps upward.
Perfect examples- Daria, Penelope, Van & Stefan
Some ppl would argue that you should eliminate names that end in -n too...
Later, Ginger
Ginger
I thought it was interesting that two of your "safe names" Curtis and Sylvia are names of two siblings that I know under 7 -- also older sis named Katie Jo. ;)
Thanks for your thoughts,
Karen
Interesting thoughts. I would personally stay away from several in your Safe list for the reasons listed as follows:
Safe names in the 200-1000 range-
Bennett - an alternative for nickname Ben and has the surname feel that is trendy now.
Reid - surname feel, an alternative for Rhys/Reece
Miles - seeing these pop up more and more
Turner - surname
Zane - trendy feel like Zander and the like
Pierce - surname trendy
Stuart - old man trendy (like Henry and Max)
Joy - possible new middle name trend as Grace and Hope wear
Celia - alternative to Olivia and Amelia
Daphne - seeing this in the Ruby/Ivy crowd
Cecilia - again, along the lines of Amelia and the like
Betsy - will pop back up as a "new" nickname for Eliz. as Lizzie and Libby fade
Aurora - a way to get to trendy for girls Rory
Johanna - seeing this on parents who loved Hannah and Emma but won't use now
Sylvia - and Sylvie. alternative to Sophia and Sophie
Meredith - Celtic names trend and Meredith Viera on the Today show will expose it
Delilah - with nickname Lilah and for the edgier crowd, ala Scarlett
Genevieve - an elegant way to get to fast-rising nickname Evie
Vivian - will follow Evelyn's rapid rise
Cora - will follow Nora
Raina - will follow Maya/Maia
Bridget - seeing this more and more
The problem is that people want to use names that appeal to them and sound fresh and therefore as much as people want to avoid popularity, if they choose something truly not popular and not set to rise soon they won't get the sound they're looking for. Someone who loves Jacob and Emily, for example, probably won't go for Gary and Nancy instead. Oh well.
We have Ander on the top of our list for a boy. Do you see this as trendy or non-trendy? I see it as unique...but maybe I'm wrong. I like Anders but the 's' at the end was not doing it for me, then I found Ander and loved it. I know there are others that are similar, like:
Anders
Anderson
Zander
Xander
Lander
Leander
I appreciate your view. You hit on a point that maybe I didn't emphasize enough. I outlined, in advance of offering the lists, the inherent problems with any of the names you pointed out (ex. starts with letter E, or surname, or whatever). Every single name in the world can be categorized in some way. Certain categories are considered trendy. Let's take the more safe alternative- a name OUTSIDE of the Top 1000- Marcianna. It's an Anna-name, so most of you would call it trendy...To some people that would be more important than the actual USAGE (popularity) of Marcianna...WHILE others would see Marcianna as a rare gem in a well-appreciated category...
Perhaps I should've called the Safe LIst the "Safer-than-other-names-you'll find-in-the-200-1000" List. I made the list to illustrate the sneakiness of names. The more crucial point is the names of the "Safe" list have been among the top 1000 over a very long period of time, making them more classic-with-a-potential-for-some-increased-use as opposed to oh-this-is-a-new-name-that-broke-into-the-top-1000 trend...
Which leads me to another thought- the previous poster knows a Sylvia and a Curtis. If the name is in the top 1000...SOMEBODY IS using it.
I re-evaluate my safe list yearly because of our fickle naming habits and I've added your comments to my own thoughts about each name. But, if these names take off, it will take so many years (*** unless used in the media some way)- to reach true repetition (from a mathematical standpoint) that TOMORROW'S newborn Daphne & Reid will be teenagers before their parents see that particular name at the top 25. Now, Reid sounding so similar to the five or six Reece/Reese's he's friends with---that's another issue for serious consideration. I have a list for that too called- Chloe-names which leads me to your
Jacob & Emily vs. Gary & Nancy name-style comments. You and I both recognize that sisters named Kayley have brothers named Kaydyn instead of Walter. AND THAT is perhaps the most fascinating of all factors affecting name trends...SIBLINGS... Because Charlotte is surging, Henry will be pushed up because he is likely Charlotte's sibling. AND, this is why Meredith & Vivian teeter on the brink--- they are adorable little sister considerations to big sister Charlotte (or Emma or Sophia, etc.). But for the MOMENT, for TODAY'S expectant mom- I offer up the "safe" list up as fitting lesser-known CLASSMATES to Charlotte & Henry.
Maybe on another day, we can get back together to discuss how possible sibling combos will affect names that are "lurking."
Enjoyed reading your perspective! Later, Ginger
Ginger
Here's my take on how to be "safe" naming your children. These tips will not help you find names that no one could label trendy, nor will they ensure that the general public will remark "oh, how fresh and original" upon meeting your child; however they will help in preventing you from getting ever more conflicted and confused about choosing a name that your head begins throbbing, and then swelling, and eventually burst right off of your neck, rolling across the floor until it lodges underneath your sofa.
1. Don't spend so much time analyzing your choices, so worried about avoiding a "trendy" name, that your only recourse is to consult a list that someone else has - using their own logic - deemed trend resistant.
2. Avoiding names in the top 25 seems rational; avoiding names that start and end with certain letters, may be part of some sub-trend, have a certain number of syllables, or, when rearranged and then deciphered using the Rosetta Stone spell "Emma"; seems about as sane (and fun) as tarring and feathering yourself.
3. Forgetting what personally pleases you and evokes positive emotions, and opting instead for a name that you like less but satisfies the test of "not trendy", so that you have the approval of self-appointed name critics that you meet on the street or on ivillage, is a far greater crime than picking all of your children's names from the current top five.
4. A wise person will keep some perspective. Being one of two Coras in her school is not likely to cause your daughter identity confusion.
5. Whether she's Gertrude or Emma, your child will be unique. Not one individual on earth will share her personality, her quirks, her strange combination of food preferences, her laugh, her smile, or her life experiences.
This is not an exhaustive list but time and space are limited.
I do want to add that I understand fully the desire to have a name is not over-saturated to the point of being boring and to avoid choosing names that might be the hot trend of tomorrow, but at some point you have to stop fussing and fretting and go with what floats your boat; otherwise I think we all run the risk of taking ourselves a little too seriously.
Edited 6/11/2006 1:52 pm ET by kaedelove
A quote from my first post-
"In the end, it's simply a matter of personal choice, IMO, and far more important that you named Emma for her great-grandmother and "you had always planned to since age 15" rather than you heard it from "Rachel's baby on "Friends"."
On the other hand, if Rachel had ALWAYS been your favorite character on "Friends" then, so be it. If you named her Kaylee b/c your parents' names are Kay and Lee, then--- while you ARE a part of a trend, your daughter's name has history and meaning TO YOU, and that is, IMO, what really matters!"
***We are not so far apart in our thinking. Your method is precisely how we named our children.
Perhaps I am insane as I find it TONS of fun to list "names that start and end with certain letters, may be part of some sub-trend, have a certain number of syllables, or, when rearranged and then deciphered using the Rosetta Stone spell "Emma."" Those lists and the 999 others I have made are for my personal entertainment and enjoyment. If the list can be of some use/entertainment to someone who specifically comes on a website seeking discussion on baby names, then I see no harm. 99.9% of parents aren't going to the extremes I go to studying baby names. If someone reads the "Safe" list and says - "Sasha...I've always loved that name, and evidently, it's not widely used." -and then- adds it to their own list of potential names- great!
Anyone who has children understands she/he simply becomes whatever you name him/her --- and in hindsight, whether she's "Gertrude or Emma", it seems as if it was always meant to be, no matter where, how, or from whom it was found.
Later,
Ginger
Ginger
All of you had fabulous points. I am having the hardest time deciding on a name for my baby girl due beg. Sept. I have come up with at least 12 suitable names. My biggest obstacle is my DH!!!! I have spent countless hours searching for the perfect name for our munchkin just to have it shrugged off by dh. HELP! One name we agree on and I love is Lily, and as we all know SUPER popular, although I currently have only a neighbor with the name. I just can't do that to my little one, because I was born in '75 and had at the very least 3 Jennifer's in all of my classes. UUUGGGHHH. So I ask, what might be a cute name to go with big brother Brady? Her middle name is Elizabeth - family name. I need advice on handling the dh :)
Stacey
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