Why do people choose the most common names for their babies?

Do you realize that picking names from the top 10 is going to make school really difficult when in every single one of their classes, they have to be referred to as Emily C. or Emily J. because there are so many freggin' Emilys in the school? How come people aren't more creative with their baby's names?

Why do people choose the most common names for their babies?
I myself tend to lean towards the more unique names, ones that you don't hear that often. Some of the very common top names are very nice, but like you said they are very popular and everyone and their 5 friends have the same names. My name is Ashley and I always had 3 or more other Ashleys in ever single class all throughout school. It was a pain in the butt! But the truth is some people don't really like the more exotic and creative names. They prefer something traditional and most of the traditional names are the common ones. It's really up to a persons personal taste and opinion.
Reply:I believe there is no winning in the naming game. You are either harassed for being too common or too "out there".





I named my daughter Zalia Grace...Zalia is so uncommon but it is a family name for me. Her father chose Grace because he thought it was beautiful and feminine. And Grace is common in case she decides for herself that Zalia is too wild.





I get so many negative comments for picking Zalia.They say it is too difficult and no one will ever be able to pronounce it and she will never be able to spell it. But at the same time every one accuses us of picking a "filler name" and not putting any thought into it for picking Grace.





Like I said, you just cant win.
Reply:my name is very common. and i actually like, for the most part, everyone spells it right. and NOBODY pronounces it wrong. i have gone by Christina T when i was in school, but i didnt ever bother me. eventually, once you get into jr high and highschool, your gonna have to wright your last name on everything anyway, because it's more professional. i hated when i would have a new friend, and i would spell or pronounce thier name wrong. if your going to be origanal, at least make it an easy name. not something you made up, that should be a pets name.
Reply:I totally agree. I named my daughter Taryn because I like different names and most people think that's such a crazy, unusual name BUT there are at least two OTHER Taryn/Terin/Tarren's in her Kindergarten class and that doesn't count the 3 other elementaries in town who may have Taryn's in their Kindergarten also. I'm from a small town too...strange.
Reply:well, i kno my daughters middle name is like 2nd, hich wasnt planned but it happened. use to not be so popular you know.





but her first name is very creative without being weird or having her resumes trashed. i think if u go with a creative first name the middle name should be "normal" not so much popular but pronouncable and presentable at least and vice versa.





anyway, i kno my daughter is goin to be the only one with her name in class, but she'll be in there with fie jaydens (no matter how they are spelled...still said the same way) 3 jailyns, 2 caelans and 4 cadens and who knows which is a boy or a girl!!! i dread valentines day kindergarten and shes not even 2 yet!!!





i do wish people would choose names other than emily and jacob...and stop spellin them differently weird
Reply:Not that long ago, the top 10 names were Mary, Mark, Michael, John, Stephen, Thomas, Ann, Elizabeth and a few others. They were the top 10 names for CENTURIES! I don't think this is an issue you need to be too concerned about. People figure it out.





Names can become trendy very fast and then die out just as fast. Heather is a good example. Justin has longer staying power. Ava is going through the huge trend right now while it was pretty much an unknown 5 years ago. People like the names that they like and that's just the way it is.
Reply:all i hear on here about baby names is that they are too common or they are too uncommon...a woman carries a child for nine months and then raises that child until it is grown (and often beyond) so they earn every right to name their child emily, john smith, or something i can't pronounce.





people can offer up their opinions all day long but ultimately it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.
Reply:people are afraid of being too "indie" or "weird"


classic names supposedly mean you are a good parent. creative names supposedly = weird crazy parents.


My name is Sophia, I was named when Sophia wasn't that popular, but it is now, so maybe that's the case with the Emily's
Reply:Name fads - people hear a name and all of a sudden everyone chooses it.





In the UK the name 'Jack' has been the number one boy name for 8 years now. I couldn't believe it when my friend told me she was calling her new son Jack!





I dislike a lot of these made up 'original' names but made sure that when I chose names for my children they did not appear in the top 100.
Reply:I don't worry about stuff like that. I named my kids whatever I wanted to and that was that. I home school, so they definately won't have anyone else in their class with the same name.
Reply:No name is going to be completely original. And picking a name not in the top 10 or top 100 does not mean there will not be another child with that name in their class. My daughters name is River, born last October. Guess what a friend of an acquaintance just named her daughter born 3 weeks ago? River. see??
Reply:i don't think people should make up horrible names but it is hard when you call out (name) and 20 kids turn around. But it is the parents decision and if they like it then hey not much we can say.
Reply:I agree completely. I prefer unique names so whenever somebody refers to them by their first name, they know who they're talking about straight away.
Reply:Because they think that if they have the same name as everyone else they wont get teased, but that just isn't true. Kids will find something to tease if they want to.
Reply:You're right, we should all start making names up: Makyisahmalynn. That'll make life much easier than poor Emily who has to share her name with a fellow class mate.
Reply:because people have no imagination. (sigh)





on the other hand, my mother almost named me Khaterina.


thank goodness my dad talked her out of it.
Reply:tell me bout it





ah lyk tuh maq up ma kids namz





z on erf wud zuh wnt uh comun kid fer
Reply:Because those are the names that they like.