'I work with children - parents should avoid unique names that are becoming popular'

Daily Record

02-05-2025

Picking a name for your new arrival is one of the key decisions you'll face - but one school worker is warning parents that many of the 'unique' names they are choosing are actually common
Parents on the hunt for a unique baby name may be falling into a trend without realising it. If you've got a little one on the way, naming your new bundle of joy is a pivotal decision.
Are you drawn to time-honoured names or are you aiming for a title that will ensure they stand out in a crowd?
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But a school worker from the UK has words of wisdom for parents when pondering their naming choices. She's observed a surge in the number of parents looking for 'unique' names, with the irony being many of these names have risen sharply in use, making them less individual.
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The TikToker, who works in both primary education and a nursery, took to social media to share her thoughts after noting a trend where names intended to be one-of-a-kind by parents are becoming widespread.
Her observation was: "I hear names all the time that I just know the parent has used to try and find a unique and different name, and I love that. But the same ones are becoming more and more popular."
She advised: "If you love the name, go ahead and use it. But if you're using it to be completely different, you might want to have a rethink, because these names are becoming a lot more popular than you think."
In her video, she called out a few names like Willow, Nova, and Ivy, which seem to be gaining traction among infants and toddlers.
She explained: "I hadn't really heard anyone using these until recently. But over the past couple of years I feel like the use of these has really shot up. So if you want something completely different, you might want to have a little bit of a rethink."
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For boys' names, she advised avoiding Indie, Eden (which she's also heard used for girls), Teddy, and Beau.
She added: "Beau, especially, I feel like, is becoming really popular at the moment. So if you love these names, go ahead and use them. But if you're using them thinking they're going to be the only one in the school or the only one in their class, they might not be. So you might want to have a look at some different names."
According to BabyCentre data, Ivy and Willow are among the UK's top 10 most popular girls' names for 2024, with Ivy ranking 9th and Willow 10th. Nova was 94th in 2023 but dropped out of the top 100 last year.
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Teddy ranks as the 24th most popular boy's name in the UK, making it the only name mentioned by the teacher that features in the top 100 for boys. Eden is 75th on the girls' list but doesn't appear on the boys' list.
The teacher's video was met with gratitude from viewers who appreciated her insights. Many shared the names they had chosen for their children, while others discussed the balance between choosing a "respectable" name and aiming for uniqueness.
One person recalled their choice of picking unique names, saying: "I have an Ivy who is five. It wasn't even in the top 100 when I called her it, but I think it's in the top 10 now. My son is Archer, and I still haven't really heard it [elsewhere]."
Someone else expressed a preference for classic names, arguing: "Parents need to come to their senses and realise that their child having a respectable name is more important than whatever uniqueness complex they have."