A third of people in Yorkshire admit that they secretly hate the baby name that their friend or family member has chosen for their child, a new regional survey has revealed.
The Baby Names Study uses data from the Office for National Statistics to identify trends in the names used – including which are becoming less popular – and surveyed 2,000 UK residents to reveal what would turn them off using a baby name for their own child.
While 1 in 3 people are quiet about their friend’s name choice, the survey found that 7% of Yorkshire folks have gone so far as to tell their friend that they should change their mind.
When it comes to why people would avoid using a baby name, the survey shows that the top reason is if it’s associated with someone that the parent previously or currently dislikes – such as an old high school bully – as well as if it’s linked to a common meme or joke.
This can be seen in ONS nationwide data, as the name Karen – now synonymous with someone who belittles staff – has dropped in use by a massive 24% in the last five years.
Other reasons for avoiding a name came out as if it was mainly associated with a celebrity or the name they gave their child (12%), if it can be joked about as a euphemism (9%) and whether it was difficult to pronounce or spell (8%).
There’s also evidence of this in the ONS data, as the name shared by popular yet polarising talk show host Ellen has also decreased in popularity by 40% over the last five years.
It’s not surprising then that 12% of those surveyed in Yorkshire judge celebrities if they opt for unusual baby names or unnecessarily complicated spellings – with Elon Musk’s X Æ A-12, Gwynth Paltrow’s Apple and Kylie Jenner’s Stormi coming to mind.
Top 5 reasons for avoiding a baby name in Yorkshire
- The name is associated with people I currently or previously disliked (25%)
- The name is associated with a running joke, or meme (15%)
- The name is primarily associated with a celebrity or the name they used (12%)
- The name is commonly or can be used as a euphemism (9%)
- The name is difficult to pronounce or spell (8%)
Baby names are clearly an important consideration for many of the nation’s young adults, as the results show that 11% of Yorkshire people have had lists of potential baby names for over five years, despite not yet being a parent or having plans to get pregnant.
Other standout findings from the survey included that people often feel pressured into choosing a name they dislike by family or friends, while some don’t believe it’s necessary that both parents agree on a name before deciding it should be used.
Furthermore, 1 in 10 of us prefer to go by a nickname that we’ve chosen rather than our given name, while 3% of us regularly avoid sharing our middle names with people.
In the most recent ONS report, it was revealed that the most popular names in Yorkshire were Olivia, Amelia and Ava for girls, and Muhammed, Oliver and George for boys.
To see the full results of the Baby Names Study, please visit: https://www.casinoguardian.co.uk/articles/most-popular-names-revealed/
