Help me whittle down our shortlist - getting nowhere!

[snowwhitepanto]

We would like a name for our DD that isn't faddy or made up and not too popular. I know some of the below are high in the charts - will this equate to there being several in each class when DD goes to school?

Please help us decide given the above criteria as we're not name experts and don't know lots of other babies so aren't aware of naming trends. Any other suggestions appreciated too.

Jasmine
Megan
Ellen
Martha
Cassie
Emily
Catherine
Sophie
Erin
Elsie

[MadameCastafiore]

Jasmine - loads around here
Megan - again loads around where we live (4 in DDS class, 2 in DS's)
Ellen - Nice but loads of Ellies and Ellas around
Martha - I really really like this and don;t know any or know that are any at the kids school (but DD just said is a fat kids name and ugly - she is 12 though so what does she know!)
Cassie - Horsey
Emily - A bit fey - always the drippy kid at school of in novels
Catherine - would be worried that they would be called Cath or Cathy
Sophie - not too poular around here
Erin - nice - I only know one
Elsie - my great aunts name and she used to be called Else which isn;t great for a small kid

Sorry - not very complimentary.

What about Phoebe or Harriet or Anna?

[Gwennan]

[http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/baby-names--england-and-wales/2011/rtd-baby-names--boys--2011.xls 2011 Baby Names Statistics Boys]
[http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/baby-names--england-and-wales/2011/rtd-baby-names--girls--2011.xls 2011 Baby Names Statistics Girls]
[http://names.darkgreener.com/ England & Wales Baby Names - Baby name trends in England & Wales since 1996]

Jasmine - fairly constant in popularity
Megan - more popular in the late 90s, early 00s than now
Ellen - less popular now than in recent decades but increasingly being turned to by parents who like Ellie and Ella but want something a little different
Martha - peaked in 2009, probably declining slowly in popularity again
Cassie - seems popular here; wouldn't be surprised if it went up the charts in the coming years; seems trendy to me
Emily - a classic; perenially popular
Catherine - also a classic; always well-used but never particularly trendy
Sophie - consistently very popular
Erin - peaked about 5 years ago, declining ever since; parents now turning to names like Merryn and Seren, making Erin seem dated in comparison
Elsie - increasing massively in popularity; would avoid due to such a quick rise up the charts - quick fall almost inevitable

Jasmine is either very classy or very downmarket. Megan/Erin are 90s names. Ellen and Elsie are nice but not when you throw in all the Ellies, Ellas, Eleanors too - makes them a bit bland. Martha, Emily, Catherine and Sophie are all lovely but I love classic names. Can't see the appeal of Cassie myself but it is well-loved on MN!

[Bearandcub]

Martha or Catherine (nn Cat/Kitty).

[Gwennan]

Sorry, those links didn't work:

2011 Baby Names Statistics Boys
2011 Baby Names Statistics Girls
England & Wales Baby Names - Baby name trends in England & Wales since 1996

Well worth checking out the ONS' data as it'll tell you how many children are given each name and is a great source for compiling lists.

[ClutchingPearls]

Sophie Emily and Erin are very popular names I've heard of recently. I know of 2 Emily's born in the last month.

We have lots of Catherine's and Martha's as well.

I like Elsie Ellen or Megan. Another vote for Harriet, I wish my pregnancy brain would of thought of that when I had DD1 and 2. Or Charlotte?

[Fifi2406]

I wanted to call my yellow bump Elsie but he turned out to be a boy I love the name but glad I didn't as it is becoming very popular very quickly! I didn't know any other people with my name at school and loved being the only one in the class so wanted the same for my child but since its gone up the tables so quickly there might be loads of them in her year! Depends if you can go over the popularity if you can deffo go with it cos I blooooody love it!

[SurreyWithAFringeOnTop]

Jasmine - bit dated for me
Megan - old fashioned, frumpy
Ellen - classic but a bit dull
Martha - love this; favourite on your list
Cassie - very pretty, third favourite
Emily - classic but dull
Catherine - nice but too popular for me. Love Kitty as a nickname
Sophie - dull
Erin - nice but not special
Elsie - cute, pretty, second favourite

[smother]

All lovely! None are very unusual - I know of children with all of these names except for Cassie - but none are overly used except for Sophie (very dull). Also find Emily a rather plain/boring name. Jasmine and Elsie are gorgeous, very pretty. Catherine has lots of lovely nicknames.

For other suggestions, what about....
Anna
Seren
Elizabeth
Matilda nn Tilda/Tilly
Madeleine
Josephine nn Josie
Rose
Alice
Connie

[exoticfruits]

I like:
Megan
Ellen
Martha
Emily
Catherine
Sophie

The rest are OK but I dislike Elsie and I have never found an elderly one who actually liked their name.

[ladymia]

Jasmine - lovely
Megan - dated
Ellen - plain
Martha - old fashioned
Cassie - not a real name
Emily - too popular
Catherine - bit bland
Sophie - nice
Erin - not keen
Elsie - too cutesy