What's in a name?

Cher_Alumni

The 10 most popular names in England and Wales over the last year have been released and that got us in community HQ thinking..

Do you like your name? I've quite a unique name and am used to people singing Cher songs at me (Yes I believe in life after love) and having people say "Oooh that's different" when I tell them it. Whereas, my son has quite a popular name that I absolutely loved but he might be a little annoyed to find, there's 3 others with it in his class at school   

Without giving away anything you are uncomfortable with (and being conscious of privacy!):

• Do you like your name?
• Is it popular or rarely heard of?
• Does it have a particular meaning?
• What were the most popular names in your school? (In my class we had lots of Emma's!)

And also, if you want to guess the top 10 names for each gender, without googling, then have a go! 

Tori_Scope

I also get a lot of jokes about my name, especially as I did a politics degree! 

There were a few Sophies and Hannahs at my school, so I'd say those were the two most common. 

OverlyAnxious

I don't mind my name.  It's very common and a bit boring but at least it's easy to spell!  Was just named after a relative that died before I was born, the name itself doesn't have any particular meaning as far as I know. 

The main thing is that it's ageless though.  You know how some names suit little kids but not really adults? 

66Mustang

My name is common but it's spelt differently to most! I have never met anyone who spelt it the same as me and only know of two famous people who so!

leeCal

I have a middle name like that @66Mustang I wonder if it’s the same name? 🤔

my first name is quite unusual as is my surname and I’ve had to spell it all out since I first went to school when I was five! I still do! Very annoying. My first name means something but I info it an awkward name generally speaking. 

The most common name in my schools was Mary for a girl and possibly Steven for a boy. These days it’s probably Elon! Or zalph 🤣

Tori_Scope

You know how some names suit little kids but not really adults?  

And vice versa @OverlyAnxious. I find it difficult to picture a baby Gary or Derek, for example. No offence intended to anyone with that name, or a child with that name! I'm sure those names will come back around, as they do.

leeCal

I’ve known a lot of Gary’s and Dereks  from when I was young and you just accept it at the time, nothing odd about those names at all when they were young. 

Nominal determinism is interesting, you know when you get a doctor called Death etc.

Cher_Alumni

@leeCal What an interesting concept! Think I'll go down a google rabbit hole tonight looking at examples of that. 

I can remember (or it could have been a dream) singing a hymn by a Mr W Coffin at a funeral. I stifled my giggle respectfully 

leeCal

Actually it’s called nominative determinism ...sorry @Cher_Scope

Sandy_123

Made me laugh thinking of a few drs names at the Hospital, one was Dr head, Dr blood and Dr pepper 

chiarieds

I had a dentist called Mrs. Slack, & met an orthopaedic surgeon called Mr. Niewjerk, which sounded like knee jerk, whom I met when considering knee surgery.

66Mustang

A relative, won't say who, went for a certain operation to stop them having more children and the doctor was called Dr. Seaman.

Jo_2022

Hello @Cher_Scope!  I love this question!

Here goes:

- I don't mind my name, although I was bulled at school because of it.
- My name is quite rare and it is spelled in an unusual way.
- It means flower from heaven.
- The most common names at school were Sarah, Laura, Thomas and Sam.     
- Top ten names, I'll take a guess; girl name Bella and boy name Arlo.