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I'm one who finds Mary completely bland and boring. I know it's dropped and is no longer commonly used as a first name, but due to centuries of being the most common first name for females, it needs to be disused for a very long time to come before it can erase the bland boring image it has now, IMO.

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I've known about 9-10 women named Mary, although none would be younger than her fifties now. I've known far more women named Mary than named Katherine, Elizabeth, or Jane.

Love the name Mary, always have. A beautiful, classic name that ages well.

I was in the same boat as you. I hated Mary. It was boring, but now it's really charming to me.

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I've been liking compound names lately that feature Mary not as a silent first name, but as a part of one whole. Mary-Cecile, Mary-Rosalie, etc. A step up from dated Mary-Ann, Mary-Sue, Mary-Lou, etc.

Love, love, Love Mary.

I don't dislike meeting real-life Marys, but I would never saddle a daughter with this name, precisely due to its overuse. Even back before name popularity statistics were so readily available, seeing every other little girl be named Mary would've put me off the name. I feel the same way about Maria, and Marie is pretty much the most common middle name for girls in my generation (though it would be nice to see as a first name).

I've gone through the loving Mary phase as well a while back. It's just something about how soft and classic it is. I think with so many beautiful names out there, I'd never use it, but it definitely has appeal!

Mary is an amazing name. The sound is so cute and sweet, but it really has gravity because of the history of use. I've never met a Mary, but if I get to have a daughter I will call her Mary or Fay.

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If you've met any Mary's probably depends on where you live. If it's more of a traditional conservative area you'll hear it more. And of course there are silent Mary's, that was the tradition in many families that most women were Mary but went by a middle.