You should choose for yourself.
Beginners Opening Principles

At our level, it's best to focus on opening principles. If I want to play an opening, I look at the first five or six moves from the opening explorer.

Chess Openings Resources for Beginners and Beyond...
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/openings-resources-for-beginners-and-beyond
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell

Yes, I will always try and stick to principles, but I find it interesting when I do Chess.com says that my opponent or I am using some opening line that I have never heard of, let alone know how to play

There are many different options for openings, but usually the main principles will apply in some way. If you want to set up some time to talk opening theory, feel free to message me.
#1
"Is it worth noting these openings and exploring them" ++ No, that is wasted time & effort
"just stick to the "principles" and ignore" ++ Yes, that will bring you further

Agreed. Ignore the fact that the sequence of moves have been given an opening name. This does not guarantee soundness nor do you necessarily have the skills to pursue a sound, yet precise and complicated opening.. Refine your use of opening principles and make use of the analysis/game review tools available to you as a platinum member. I really did not start improving until I recently started following that path.
I'm a beginner hovering around 1200 on chess.com.
I try to play with the opening principles outlined in many books and online. But on Chess.com, when applying these "principles", I find it off-putting that it shows me these weird and wonderful openings that I never even knew existed.
Like: Indian Game: Yusupov-Rubinstein System or Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed French Variation.
Is it worth noting these openings and exploring them, or just stick to the "principles" and ignore