A teacher has suggested parents thinking of ‘unique’ names for their children to avoid certain monikers – as so many parents want unusual names that they’ve actually become popular
Parents could unknowingly give their children popular names when looking for something unique. If you’re expecting a baby, one of the biggest decisions you’ll need to make before they arrive is what name you’ll give them. Do you like classic and traditional names, or would you prefer to give them something that makes them stand out from the crowd?
One teacher is urging parents to think carefully about the names they choose for their kids, however. She claims that there’s an increase in parents looking for “unique” names, but they’re running into one problem – they’re all picking the same names, so their lesser-known monikers are becoming hugely popular.
In a video on TikTok, the woman said she works in both a primary school and a nursery and always hears names that she knows parents have picked to try and find a “different” name, but they’ve inadvertently chosen something popular.
She said: “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.
“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.”
The teacher started with girls’ names, and said that she’s seeing a lot more babies and young children named Willow, Nova, and Ivy than ever before.
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.”
For boys, the teacher recommended you avoid Indie, Eden, which she has also heard 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.”
For relatable parenting tales, tips and offers to help you and your family, sign up for our free Lemon-Aid newsletter here.
Ivy and Willow are among the top 10 most popular girls’ names in the UK for 2024, with Ivy placing 9th and Willow coming in at 10th, according to data from BabyCentre. Nova, however, placed 94th in 2023, but dropped out of the top 100 last year.
Teddy is the 24th most popular boy’s name in the UK, but that is the only name the teacher mentioned that made it into the top 100 for boys. Eden was 75th on the girls’ list, but was absent from the boys’ list.
Commenters on the teacher’s video were quick to thank her for the insight. Many shared the names they’d given to their children, while others argued that giving your child a “respectable” name is more important than being unique.
One person said: “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].”
Another argued: “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.”