A question I get asked a lot is how popular is too popular? Some parents know to stay out of the Top Ten to avoid classmates with the same name, but how far do they have to go? Top 50? Top 100? The truth is you can never predict every person you’ll child will meet in their lifetime. The odds get slightly less the further down the popularity chart you go, but there is no guarantee.
Ways to avoid a popular name . . .
LISTEN to names in your neighborhood, when you’re out shopping, and see if you hear the same names over and over again.
READ the birth announcements in your area and pay attention. Do you see a name popping up a lot?
CHECK the social security charts and do your research. Social security does not count different spellings so keep that in mind when choosing a name. Also, they provide top names for your state so that is another way you can see what is popular in your area.
As to how popular is too popular, I did a little research. Using one newspaper source, I tracked the last few months (500 babies) to see what names were used the most and where they fell on the popularity chart.
NAMES THAT SHOWED UP TWICE
- Abby (#257)
- Adalyn (#367)
- Ansley (#658)
- Asher (#165)
- Callie (#249)
- Cason (#541)
- Delaney (#241)
- Dixie (#935)
- Eliana (#193)
- Hudson (#150)
- Jonah (#148)
- Lacey (#431)
- Rory (#937 girls)
- Shelby (#167)
NAMES USED BETWEEN THREE AND SEVEN TIMES
- Abigail (#8)
- Addison (#12)
- Alexis (#13)
- Aubrey (#41)
- Ava (#5)
- Bentley (#518)
- Brooklyn (#37)
- Caden (#103)
- Caleb (#31)
- Chloe (#9)
- Christopher (#11)
- Emma (#2)
- Hailey (#25)
- Isabella (#1)
- Jayden (#8)
- Jeremiah (#65)
- Joseph (#16)
- Landon (#36)
- Lily (#18)
- Macy (#286)
- Mary (#102)
- Mason (#34)
- Matthew (#13)
- Michael (#3)
- Nathan (#24)
- Parker (#96)
- Peyton (#147 (boys) (#43 (girls)
- Piper (#147)
- Riley (#107) (boys) (#38 (girls)
- Tyler (#24)
- William (#5)
Riley was the most popular unisex name used six times (4 girls and 2 boys).
One boy’s name was used seven times. Which name do you think it is?
Two girls names were used six times each. One was Emma. What was the other?
Guess below on what girl name and boy name came in at number one.
I didn’t mean to make this sound like a word problem, 🙂 just interested to hear your guesses.
FOR REAL BABY NAMES 
Jacob and Emily perhaps?
Those are good guesses, but it is one of the names on the list above.
Boys Name: Jayden?
Girls name, Emma and: Abigail?
This is hard 🙂 second guesses would be William and Addison!
I love word problems! 😉
I’m guessing Addison was used six times and Jaden was used seven.
That’s assuming that spelling didn’t count. If spelling counts, I’m going Brooklyn and Caleb.
Good guesses so far, but no one has gotten it yet.
Caden and Ava
Thanks for commenting, and great guesses, but its not either of those.
Chloe & Mason
Good job! You got one of them. Mason is the boy’s name that was used the most.
Yay! 🙂
Lily then
Good job! Lily is the top girl name!!
Okay, Mason and….Ava??
Isabella?
Mason and Lily were the most popular!!!
Thanks for guessing!
Woooo I’m the winner haha 2 out of 2
Yes you are!
It is very true that you can aimfor uncommon, and fail 🙂 I gave my daughter a name that has never touched the SS Top 1000 list. I named her Crimson. The day she was born, I met another. And yet another a year later. Next year, she will start junior high with another Crimson S. at her new school (yet a third girl, not one of the previous ones).
Wow!
Are you in Alabama? That’s usually the only place I see a Crimson or two. 🙂