If you want to be unusual, name your daughter Gertrude

[belgo]

old baby names are dying out

[posieflump]

I had a rabbit caled Gertrude, Gertie for short

[belgo]

I'm surprised Ada, Olive and Norah are all dying out. Not surprised at Gertrude,Edna,Ethel and Irene - there's a reason why they are no longer popular!

[MaureenMLove]

My nan was called Gertrude! People of the 70's will remember the comedian that had a neighbout called 'Dirty Gertie from number 30' though! It just wouldn't work on so many levels now!

Who was that comedian?

[SoupKitchen]

Strange, my friends DD,s nickname is Gertie. In fact it is all she is known as, I think it really suits her and is sweet.
It bears no resemblence to her real name though

[belgo]

All the nice old fashioned names are soming back though - Martha for example.

[MrsJohnCusack]

I know a new baby called Norah, but in France
and I know an Etheldrede of my age

[MrsJohnCusack]

I like the name Irene actually
always makes me think og the batty music/maths girl in Malory Towers

[yawningmonster]

hmm I know an Olive (4mths old0, Ethel (7yrs old) Irena (2yrs old) a Herbert (5yrs old) and a Cornelius (5yrs old) so not necessarily on the way out in our neck of the woods, I don't however know any Gertrudes

[MrsJohnCusack]

yes no Gertrudes and I have always said I don't think Edna is ever coming back (I had a very dear relatvie called Edna.) I know an Olive born in June.

[Twinkie1]

Oooohhhh I loved Drew Barrymore as Gerty in ET - think it a really cute name - but reminds me of the cow Ermintrude!

[Clary]

Yes I saw this. My mum?s bridesmaid (now in her 70s) is called Edna and her husband also has an old-fashioned name which we happened to give to DS1 - much to his delight (tho as he?s always known by his nickname I didn?t even realise!).

It?s coming back a bit now (not on the list on the BBC story, tho I rather like Harold) but Edna agrees that hers will never be in vogue again.

Rather like Gerturde actually. Not sure about Norman tho.

[LynetteScavo]

Fine unless you live at number 30.

[ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight]

I know a 18 year old Irene.

[LynetteScavo]

Suprised about Ada dying out!

I saw a really trendy dad with a georgous little lad called Ernie the other day.

[popsycal]

i was just about to post a link to this

[broccolispears]

Gertie was one of my choices for DC2, but he was a boy and Gertie wouldn't have suited him.

[poorbuthappy]

Gertie is my dogs name and she was named after Gertrude the dog in the Jilly Cooper books...

But she only gets called Gertrude when she's been very naughty!

[BouncingTurtle]

I'm surprised at Ada and Norah too - especially as there is a singer called Norah Jones.
My mum's mum was Norah (though we found out after her death when mum was looking through her papers that she was Hannorah, according to her birth certificate!). Mum's older sister was also called Norah as well but much to Nanny's dismay she changed her name to Lesley when she was 18!
I was considering Norah for ds if he'd been a girl, as she and I were very close - she died 11 years ago

[BouncingTurtle]

Ooh just googled it and apparently Hannorah was the Irish form of Honoria - which makes sense as Nanny was Irish

[Pidge]

Both my grandparents names are in those lists. And I've considered both for dc3 due in 7 weeks! Yet to be totally convinced or persuade dp though.

[Mamazon]

i actually LOVE most of the names on that list.

[Clary]

One of DS1's best pals is Richard. Don't think it's really dying out.

Looked at the original survey, ie full list of "threatened with extinction" names and was surprised to see several of my children's names (if I include middle names) as well as both of the names DS2 would have had if he had been a girl.

Maybe I'm a flag-bearer, keeping the old names alive. Or something...