# Was your name uncommon, but now isn't? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 29, 2004, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402 "2004-07-29T04:59:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kaitlin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/59ef9b/32.png) [@Kaitlin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlin)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/21 "2004-07-29T19:51:24Z")
I’ve never known anyone named Kaitlin who is my age or older, but in recent years I’ve seen a lot of little girls named Kaitlin (or some variant). It’s frustrating when I’m at the grocery store to hear someone call my name, and when I turn around on autopilot to respond I see a little girl running across the store to her mommy. My middle name has never really caught on, although when people find out that it’s Ariel, they inevitably start singing “Under the Sea.” ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/22 "2004-07-29T20:09:46Z")
I was born in 1970, I didn’t hear of anyone else named Krista until college. It’s more popular now than it used to be, but I still don’t hear it all that often (thank goodness). ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/23 "2004-07-29T22:37:21Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Yep. Colin. Never met another one until I was 35, now they’re everywhere. 'course, they’re all kids… Damn it. I want to name my son Collin if I ever have one but don’t want there to be a ton of people with the same name. When is this Celtic naming fad going to end? (And just FYI, I got the name from a very non-Celtic source so I’m not a part of the fad.) ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/24 "2004-07-29T22:51:41Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Yep. Colin. Never met another one until I was 35, now they’re everywhere. 'course, they’re all kids… How do you _always_ beat me to these threads, **Ethilrist**? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![fizzestothetop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e79b87/32.png) [@fizzestothetop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizzestothetop)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/25 "2004-07-30T00:49:58Z")
My first name is Bailie. My parents took my mother’s maiden name Bailey and tweaked the spelling a bit. I never knew another Bailie (first name) and nobody ever spelled my name right. But now there are all sorts Bailies running around. Unfortunately they’re all about 5 years old and none of them have the same spelling. The worst was when I was working in daycare and there was a little girl with my name only it was spelled Baileigh. Yuck. :-p ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/26 "2004-07-30T02:41:17Z")
Ah, I remember the thrid famous person with my first name. Besides Joel Coen and Joel Hodgson there’s Joel Shoemaker. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/27 "2004-07-30T03:22:53Z")
I’d never met another, besides my maternal grandfather (after whom I was named), until my brother had a son (and oddly enough, that one’s got the same last name, as well). Crosby ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/28 "2004-07-30T03:48:51Z")
Stephen I’ve met plenty of Stevens and plain ol’ Steves which is what I call myself to cut down on confusion, oh and there’s is Stephen King. But here’s the kicker it’s not pronouced Steven, it’s pronouced Steffin. Nobody’s gona match that right? Wrong, I know three. Except of course it’s like Rosaline/Rosalyn, Rozlyn (and so on until infinity), nobody spells it the same. We had a meeting but never agreed on the proper spelling, we deadlocked at one vote each. ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/29 "2004-07-30T03:50:12Z")
Born in 1963, I was given the name of Kyle. Not a rare name in the South at the time. Texas A&M football team plays at Kyle field, but not really common, and when I met another Kyle, it was usually a rural southern white guy. In the 90’s I remember seeing several sit-com characters, black and white, named Kyle. Maybe Kyle Mcglaughlin helped. I don’t know if it is still trendy, but it was fashionable in the 90’s. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/30 "2004-07-30T04:08:33Z")
Conversely, my (tiny) college class of 39 had seven guys named Tom, while my son has only had one classmate named Tom in nine years (and five schools in four districts). (We also had _sixteen_ guys named John, a name I rarely see among kids my son’s age.) ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Macphisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Ms\_Macphisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Macphisto)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/31 "2004-07-30T04:29:06Z")
Julia. I’ve only ever met a handful of other people around my age (I was born in 1978) named Julia. The last few years however, it’s been in the top 20 names, or at least close to it. Oh, and incidentally **Ethilrist** and **interface2x** , my brother’s name is Colin too. He’s not quite 22, so I’m not sure if that makes him young enough to count as a kid though. (He certainly acts like one still…) ---
**Author:** ![AzRaek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/azraek/32/16739_2.png) [@AzRaek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AzRaek)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/32 "2004-07-30T05:09:09Z")
Born in 1970, I never met another Rachel until high school…and she spelled it wrong anyway. Every 6 year old brat at the mall is Rachel. My neck nearly snaps when I hear a mom scream that name. I swear I wasnt picking on my brother! ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/33 "2004-07-30T05:11:41Z")
> [@Kaitlin](#): > > My middle name has never really caught on, although when people find out that it’s Ariel, they inevitably start singing “Under the Sea.” Actually, I started humming [Ariel](http://www.deanfriedman.com/lyrics/lyrics_main.html#Ariel) by Dean Friedman… Shows you my strange taste in music… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![DaddyTimesTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@DaddyTimesTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaddyTimesTwo)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/34 "2004-07-30T05:40:49Z")
My wife counted 35 people with the same name as me in the local phone book. i could think of at least 10 off the top of my head. “Michael” was always near the top of the popularity lists, I think it’s fallen a bit lately. I was born in 1968. Anyone car to guess my last name? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/35 "2004-07-30T06:01:10Z")
> [@Master Control](#): > > Seeing your name almost makes want to sing the One Day at a Time TV show theme song 😃 > > But serious, do you just go by Mack for short? Mac, actually. ---
**Author:** ![kimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@kimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimera)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/36 "2004-07-30T06:21:18Z")
Luckily Ava still isn’t a very popular name. However, I didn’t hear or read about another Ava besides Ava Gardner until I was in college. Now I have seen about 4 or 5 total out there. More than I would like. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/37 "2004-07-30T06:21:26Z")
> [@DaddyTimesTwo](#): > > My wife counted 35 people with the same name as me in the local phone book. i could think of at least 10 off the top of my head. “Michael” was always near the top of the popularity lists, I think it’s fallen a bit lately. I was born in 1968. Anyone car to guess my last name? Jackson? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/38 "2004-07-30T13:14:44Z")
> [@Ms Macphisto](#): > > Oh, and incidentally **Ethilrist** and **interface2x** , my brother’s name is Colin too. He’s not quite 22, so I’m not sure if that makes him young enough to count as a kid though. (He certainly acts like one still…) If he’s young enough to be _my_ kid (and he is…) then he’s young enough to be _a_ kid. Kids these days… **Master Control** –Shortly after I moved to the Twin Cities, I was helping a friend move. There was a large bearded gentleman they introduced as Joel. After a while of schlepping boxes back and forth, I asked my friend, “is that Joel ‘I release the power from my staff’”? (Loooong Twin Cities gaming story omitted). My friend said, “No, that’s Joel Rosenberg.” :eek: :eek: :eek: The author of one of my favorite fantasy series of all time, the Guardians of the Flame books. I had to go introduce myself. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/39 "2004-07-30T14:33:44Z")
I was born in 1963. I haven’t checked the popularity lists, but Ellen seems to be rare, but certainly not uncommon. I grew up in a small town and there were three of us in school at the same time, although not in the same grade. Occasionally I’ll hear it in a young kid, but really not that much. My daughter’s name is Claire and I’d never heard of any besides a girl I went to college with, which gave me the idea. Now it seems to be climbing in popularity. The name Christopher, my son, seems to be in the perenially middling popular category. Although now I wish I’d named him Kristoff, which is what I call him all the time just because I think it’s strange and cute. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2004, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402/40 "2004-07-30T16:31:10Z")
> [@Master Control](#): > > :dubious: Your full name is Clay Aken? You my have my sympathies man… No (thank God) but my name is Clayton. I’ve been called Clay Aken 3 times today by different people. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-your-name-uncommon-but-now-isnt/257402.md?page=3)