While we’re on the subject of babies, a college classmate of mine gave birth to a beautiful baby girl yesterday. She named her Isabel Grace, and I thought the name was so elegant and regal and classy — things you’d associate with classic baby names of the past. But get ready because mini monikers are about to take a turn for the unusual for boys and for girls, at least according to NameBerry, the unique baby name guide.
It got me thinking about the whole classic vs. trendy name debate. Trendy names are fun, sure, but classic names stand the test of time. I mean, think about it. Would you really want your daughter to go through her entire life with a name like Katniss (and yes, that name was on the list…)?
I’d love to know, friends: Would you rather give your baby a classic name or a trendy one? What factors would go into choosing a name? Do you find yourself liking boys’ names or girls’ names better? xoxo
[Photo by our labor of love]
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Charlotte says
I don't really think about whether a name is classic or trendy, i just like what I like. saying that though, i do like a lot of names like Emily and Toby, which i guess are classic, but also Cora and Amelia which are slightly more modern?
I guess it depends on the name and how much you love it. Wouldn't call a kid katniss though
Elsa de Diego says
I usually lean more toward 'classic names' although I am open to be surprised. I believe on this emotional connection to the name. Anyway, I also believe that there are names that only a Martin-Paltrow can pull off. XOXO
souljane says
CLASSIC NAMES PLEASE. You are right, they do stand the test of time. & just to add to this argument…I also feel this way about some current wedding themes/picture poses. When your children and grandchildren are looking at your wedding photos where you are mimicking the Bridesmaids pose or where the wedding itself is Twlight/Hunger Games themed, do you think the meaning will stand the test of time? I am leaning towards "no."
Poetic_Butterfly says
If I were to have a child, I would give my child a classic name. I am definetly not into trends so that would'nt be for me. My family or my future husband family names would play a major factor into a choosing a name that I would be fond and proud of. I always found myself liking girls name more than boys. I guess I would want to have a daughter. But its in God's will whatever it is decided to be done.
Good Topic Melissa,
Poetic_Butterfly
PinkPanthress says
I am a bit against classical names, 'cause in the end it's all relative.
I've already chosen the names I would gave my children, if I ever chose to have one or two. Or three… 😉
They might sound trendy at first because they are rather rare & unique, and from a culture I partially belong to… that doesn't use themselves these traditional names & wordsm, but that's even better to me.
I won't be able to tell them, or else someone else might snatch them first. 😀
Truly Engaging says
We had a name picked out for our daughter beforehand, but after she was born, I wanted to change it based on her tiny yet feisty personality: Francesca {Frankie}. 🙂 We didn't name her that but I still love it!
J+H @ Beyond The Stoop says
i sort of think they are the same right now? more and more people are naming their children common names from their grandparents age (ella, eleanor, jack, annabelle, etc)… classy but trendy names! those are the ones i'd go for..
Anonymous says
My three children are named Owen, Elijah, and Adelaide. I LOVE all their names.
Before I had Owen I found the name in a book I was reading and fell in love with it. Who knew it would get so popular?
We named Elijah with the plan to call him Eli, which sounded great with Owen. We don't call him Eli. Never have. He just isn't one. Instead we call him Lijy (Liej-zhy). And Adelaide just won when we found out we were having a girl. We call her Addie some, and other made up nicknames. Mainly I call her Noodle.
I think when you actually have kids your style changes from what you liked to what you actually want to bestow on the people you are bringing into this world.
On another topic, some of the best/weirdest names I've heard include:
Ann Apple (her married name)
Cindy Cinnamon (Married name and she taught preschool.)
When I worked in a daycare a mom actually named her two boys Danzig (band from the 80s) and Osiris (Egyptian god of the dead.)
Anonymous says
It depends on how you look at "classic" names too–I know two brothers named Ashely and Whitney, which I like a lot–both of which are Traditionally Male names.
Dancing Branflake says
I love both. I love classic names like Faye and Gwen. I love trendy names like Watson and Jameson. I also love looking at all the names in the comments. Some real cute ones!
Wendy says
I like both! My tastes have definitely changed over the years, though. When I was pregnant with my first daughter (at the age of 20 and almost 23 years ago) I liked boys names for girls. Her dad and I picked "Sydney". At the time it was original and edgy and we loved it (still do). Years later when I got pregnant with my second daughter I chose Olivia Aislinn (the middle name is gaelic and means dream.) Little did I know at the time that Olivia would be one of the most commonly chosen names of the early 2000's. So much for being unique. 🙂
Bethany says
I'm childfree, but if I did have a kid, I would want to make up my own name, or find a really uncommon name that's Irish or something, and change it up.
http://bethsquidly.blogspot.com/
Coco Draws says
This is something I think about all the time and I always vacillate between both!
Couture Carrie says
Love classic!
Isabel Grace is a beautiful name!
xoxox,
CC
Lena at A Crimson Kiss says
I'm a traditional girl, and I like names with history, but family legacy is my favorite! My parents found out after they named me that I had a great great aunt Lena!
Krysten @ Why Girls Are Weird says
I like classic but with a twist, like spelling the name differently. Heck, I'm Krysten. And I like that that's a little special.
P.S. Anonymous should maybe get a life?
Kathy Schneider says
I like slightly different names. Something unique but not too off the wall. (I would seriously LOVE to have a girl named Katniss!)
Mandy says
I love classic names. Maybe that comes from being a Mandy born in the middle of the 1980's, when EVERYONE was a Mandy. It would nice to have a name that doesn't immediately scream an era and is more timeless.
Samantha says
I gave my daughter a unique name, Niko. I have only met one other girl with her name and she was 15! I'm so happy that I did. If fits her personality and she won't be in a class room one day with 5 other girls with her name.
Here in Seattle it seems to be common to give kids unique names. The other day I was at a park with a Jasper, Jude, Atticus, and Tigus. And those were just the names of the kids playing with Niko.
Little redhead says
Lol, Katniss is cool in the Hunger Games, but being named after such a popular book character would kinda suck, that's the first thing people will say. 'Guess your parents liked the Hunger Games!'
I like classic names, but I'm not against uncommon and more unique names. I'm not a huge fan of spelling a common name in a crazy way just to make it unique. It doesn't make the name unique, it just makes sure everyone will misspell your kid's name.
Then again, as my partner is Irish, we'd go for an Irish name, which are usually hard to spell for non-Irish people.
Sweet Posy Dreams says
Our children have unusual names, especially our daughter, but they are family names. We named our daughter after my grandfather, who was named for his uncle, who was named after a river. Our son actually has family surnames as his given names, so he likes to tell people he's a man with three last names.
suburban prep says
I had names picked out for children but unfortunately I was not to have children. I am the good aunt now. All my siblings are younger so there is still a chance that one might have more but I think that they too have stopped. I married and within the year developed DVT and then was on blood thinners for quite some time. I was told that it would be very dangerous to have children once I was off the blood thinners.
I had picked out names like Hope and Brogan for girls and like Shea and Malachy or Liam for boys. They are names that I loved. Now I love my nieces and nephews with their names. Some have been named after others (I have one niece who was named after my sister's bone marrow transplant donor). I have a nephew who was named after his grandfather on his mother's side but his name is also that of the man who was like my father's second father.
I think that a name fits a child as they grow into who they will become. I could not imagine my husband being anyone other than the person he is with the name he has.
annaintheworks says
My girls are called Abigail (Abi), Elinor (Elli) and Josephine (Feenie – I know!) So I guess I'm in the 'classics' camp.
I was so worried the first time round, that I'd regret whatever name choice I'd make at some point. But the thing is that the name becomes a part of the kid so quickly, I could not imagine any of them being called anything else.
Just found your blog, btw, love it!
A.xx
Julia from Dozen Flours says
When I was prego 17 years ago I wanted to name my son Keegan but I lost the coin-toss with his dad (literally). He liked the name Jacob or "Jake".
I was not a fan of this name, not because it was classic verses trendy, but because his last name would be Jones and I wanted something about his name to be distinctive.
But of course I've warmed up to it but had I had the choice I would have picked something not so much trendy but original.
Caitlin says
I really like the name Shenandoah for a girl and Soren for a boy. For when I have a baby 🙂