I'm a teacher - here are the baby names to avoid if you want your child to have a unique moniker
- A UK-based nursery teacher has shared the names she hears most often
- READ MORE: I can't bear to say my one-year-old's name out loud because it's so embarrassing
The arrival of a new baby is one of the most exciting and precious moments in a parent's life.
It's for that reason that selecting a name for the newborn can leave parents from around the globe scratching their heads, with many set on finding a name that is unique and original.
With countless options available, parents often spend hours searching the internet, purchasing books, or looking through their family tree to find the perfect moniker.
However, to help the process run a little quicker, a UK-based teacher, who goes by @ready.for.baby on TikTok, has revealed the names parents should avoid if they want their child to have a rare moniker.
The content creator and nursery teacher based her choices on the names that frequently pop up in her classroom.
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,' she said.
'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.
Starting with girls' names, the nursery teacher revealed that Willow, Nova and Ivy have become increasingly popular.
A UK-based teacher (pictured), who goes by @ready.for.baby on TikTok, has revealed the baby names that she believes have become popular
For parents hoping to select a unique name, the teacher recommended avoiding Indie and Eden
She said that, at one time, the names were uncommon, but they have since popped up numerous times on her register.
The content creator said, 'I hadn't really heard of 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.'
Meanwhile, for boys, she picked three modern monikers that appear to have entered the mainstream.
She suggested parents should consider avoiding Indie or Eden, and said she had also heard the latter used for girls.
Additionally, she has witnessed multiple children with the names Teddy and Beau in her class.
'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.'
Some of the names on the nursery teacher's avoid list have also appeared in the top ten most popular girls' names in the UK for 2024, with Ivy coming in at 9th place and Willow shortly after in 10th, according to data from BabyCentre.
Additionally, she found that the names Teddy and Beau have become increasingly popular over time (stock image)
Meanwhile, Teddy came in 24th place in the list of most popular boys' names in the UK for 2024.
However, Teddy was the only one on her boys' list to have made it onto the top 100 names for 2024, with Eden coming in at 75th place - but for the girls' list.
Viewers rushed to the comments to share their thoughts on her insights, with many taking it as an opportunity to share their own children's monikers.
'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 ten now. My son is Archer, and I still haven't really heard it [elsewhere],' one wrote.
Another shared, 'My little girl is called Elodie, and I've never heard it before now starting to get popular.'
A third commented, 'If you want something unique go classic books/ legends. We've got our names from The Mabinogion and The Odyssey. Five years and not met anyone with the same names, and they're not too unusual sounding.'
Another parent urged people to opt for a 'respectable' name, writing, '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.'
