Do you have a common/popular name?

My name is Kaylah. There were multiple Kayla, Makayla, Kaylee, etc. in my classes growing up. It wasn’t that big of a deal for me. My issue was that my name wasn’t spelled “the normal way.”

I’m a Natalie born in the late eighties! In my primary school there were 5 of us in my year. At secondary school I was the only one and now having been in the workplace for 15 years I’ve only met one other adult Natalie! It didn’t bother me in the slightest. We had a lot of fun as a group of Natalies! I think of you love the name then go for it!

i was one of about 6 laura’s it never bothered me curious as to what you want to name baby xx

I had 2 other Chloe’s in my year in school and many others in the school in the early 2000s and tbh back then I never even thought about it or was bothered.

I was the opposite. I grew up with an unpopular name, it's more common now but still never met another person with that name 😅 and hated it, legally changed my name to Alex (very common) when I was 16/17.

I only came across 2 other Samantha’s but it never bothered me. My youngest sons name is also getting popular but we loved it and couldn’t think of any others so we chose it anyway

My husband is a Tim or Timothy and he told me he didn’t care at all if other people had his name despite it being very common. Both of my baby boys have somewhat common names we liked them so we went with it 🥰

I had 3 Samantha's in my year growing up . We didn't really think about it.

There was me and a bunch of other Lauren’s in my year at school and still even today at work there are other Lauren’s 😂 it’s never bothered me, I would go for it if you really like the name. Bonus is you could always find things with your name on it in the shops 😂

I'm an Amy, and in school there were always at least 2 other Amy's or Aimee's. I HATED IT! I always felt like my name didn't feel like mine or suit me because I knew so many others. I always wished I had been named something more unusual, and was so jealous of other people with more unique names

I’m an Emma and almost all of the ones I meet my age have the same middle name (Louise) too 😅 it doesn’t bother me (and never has) at all. I have got a friend who’s little girl has a popular name, and it upsets her that there are a few others in the same class and they have to use their last initial with their name.

I’ve got a common name, I think there was 2 in my primary school class and 4/5 in my secondary school year. It never really bothered me, we either just went by surname if we were together or just brushed it off if the ‘wrong’ one answered. However, I have named my children with more obscure/less common name (Oziah/Ozzy and Cassandra/Cassie) as my partner has a very common name (Thomas) so we thought it would be nice to give them something more unique. But it never bothered my partner having a common name either 🤷🏻‍♀️

My name is Bethany (I go by Beth). I love my name but it was really irritating to always be responding to it and not be the one needed, especially as Beth is short for two names, Bethany and Elizabeth. The plus is my friends and I came up with some good nicknames to be able to identify which Beth was needed.

Hey, in my year at secondary school there were 3 other Helen’s, nobody was bothered by it or even commented as far as I can remember.

I’m a Rebecca, and I’ve worked with two other Rebecca’s in my small team at work for 12 years. It never bothers me at all, never even thought about it. But we do make jokes that you have to be called Rebecca to join the team haha x

I have a very common name and always loved meeting other girls with it - it felt like being part of a special club or like I automatically had friends in any new situation.

I knew lots of other Caitlyns (usually Kaitlyn or Katelyn or Caitlin, etc.) but it never bothered me lol. I just hated when people shortened my name to Caity. 🤢

For what it's worth popularity isn't really the same as it was 10-20 years ago. I gave my son a top 10 name in the UK when he was born 4 years ago and so far we haven't met another child with the same name as him. I'm sure it will happen eventually but so far he's been the only one. People are so keen to find an uncommon or unique name that whilst there are popular names there just not as common as popular names were back in the day, if that makes sense.

Jennifer from the 80s here 🤣 it was a little annoying being Jennifer C. Now at work sometimes we'll have to agree on who is going to go by Jen Jenny or Jennifer on the team. but overall not a big deal.

I had a girl who had the same first & middle name as me a grade under in a small school. I HATED it because we were always compared. I was never the “pretty Paige” or the “skinny Paige.” I also had a friend named Gabrielle who had a classmate with the same name & the same happened with her. She became “fat Gabby.” My sister is the “short Bella” or “needy Bella.” My brother has the unisex name Ashton, and he ended up as “gay Ashton” or “boy Ashton.” For that reason, I trashed the name Oliver & Theodore for my current pregnancy because I can’t do that to my child based on personal and witnessed experiences. I know it’s not universal, but still.

Katie in the early 2000s where there was always at least one other Katie in my class. It was fine until one teacher decided that we should all be named distinctly, 3 Jessica’s became Jess, Jessie and Jessica for example - that didn’t stick but my “proper” name was Kathryn she made everyone refer to me as Kathryn despite me not being known as Kathryn at the time - my friends took years to go back to calling me Katie. So long as your kid has some autonomy over their name/nicknames at school it’s absolutely fine.

I have quite a unique name and I love it!! I actually really hate seeing my name on others like on insta or Facebook, I feel like there shouldn't be anyone else with my name, it's mine lol

The name I had chosen years ago for when we finally had a baby, lots of miscarriages delayed it - has become extremely popular. Even though I've been in love with the name for 6/7 years we aren't using it anymore. I've been 6 people I know well use the name for the birth of their baby this year alone!!

Wow, I'm so glad I asked, thank you everyone! It sounds like the teachers/environment can have an impact on how the child feels about their name but it's reassuring to hear lots of people aren't bothered by it too. The name is Arthur which I thought was a bit different and taps into my love of mythology and Pre-Raphaelite art, and my partner's Cornish heritage but it's currently number 5 in the UK! I would probably shorten it to Artie and he has 2 strong middle names to pick from if he really hates it. I'm a very arty person and always imagined I'd have quirky arty children's names so maybe I'm fighting that idea a bit too, but Arthur just feels right. Thank you so much everyone! This really helped.

I’m Hannah - growing up for me, there was 3 Hannah’s in my class and we all loved it! as a kid, we all became best friends and the initial bond came from us all having the same name 😂 no negatives for me!

I’m a Jessica. The most common name for my generation… I went to a tiny school 36 in my entire class… and there were 3 Jessica’s. I don’t love it. I go by Jess now as an adult. But I’ve been picked on a lot for having such a basic name. But I also don’t hate it. I think my name is nice despite the popularity and never took the jokes too seriously.

I grew up in the UK and had three other Bethany’s in my class alone, we were “besties” so I think it was funny more than anything else

@Alice love Arthur i wanted it for my lb but my partner didn’t want it xx

@Bethany 😅 I had the same experience

My husband has a super common name for his age bracket, Thomas. At one point at his workplace there were four Thomas’ so the manager called them all something different for the sake of rotas etc and he HATED it. Thomas, Tom, Tommy and then my husband had to go by his surname 😂

I have a classic name. Many common nicknames, but a name that has always been seen as a classic. We gave our son a new name in the family ( granted , we spelled if Ayden).... And whether we have a son or daughter next.... We will give them a new to the family name as well.

Hubby has a uniquely spelled name

I have a uncommon name and I love it 😂

There was lots of Hannah’s in our school ( 3 in my year) didn’t really think anything of it. Now in my workplace, which has over 3,000 employees I haven’t come across another Hannah yet 😂