Mumsnet Talk

Not pg yet but wanted to know - is Doreen among the older names that are making a comeback?

It's the middle name of my dearly beloved and sadly missed grandmother. I used to think it was awful, but I'm warming to it.

It was her middle name but she used it in preference to her first name, Eda. I like Eda and always thought I might use that, but it would be a bit odd when she hated it so much!

don't like Doreen or Eda sorry
but then all my DC's have very conventional names

don't like any of the een names Coleen, Doreen, Noreen etc
Not sure about Eda either tbh. I've met a little Edie which seems a bit softer IYKWIM or even Ada.

Agree Smac. Although funnily (and yes I know I will be in a minority!) I quite like Maureen. just prefer to Maura etc.

I don't like any name that ends in eeen.

Irene is about the best.

Dorothea Irene?

You could get some good nick names out of that.

It's not dreadful, but isn't really my taste either. It has a modern dated feel somehow, but perhaps this is because was first popularised relatively recently.

Might be nice as a nn for Dorothy or Dorothea.

According to my Oxford (granted is 1945) It is one of the commonest names among the working classes.

Sorry,no,

Edie is lovely, though.

MrsWoolf, What else does your Oxford say about names and class from this era. TO me, all Victorian names are just Victorian names, but to my Mum's generation they are still either 'one' or the 'other' iykwim. It's an interesting subject, but there's the risk of being labelled a chavhunter. Or something like that. It's interesting imo.

Doreen not Victorian I have just realised. My g&t stronger than I thought.

No!

No!!! 'Tis my MILs name. As much as I love my MIL, it is still a name I very much associate with old ladies. I can't see anything 'pretty' about it at all, sorry.

Its fine for a middle name but I wouldn't use it for a first name, not sure it is on its way back in yet.

I like Eda much better though but I know what you mean about using a name she hated, my lovely Gran hated her name (Emily) which I love and I really wanted it for DD but it did seem odd to use a name she didn't like so I didn't in the end.

I like Eda, Ada and Edie - a lot.

Doreen is not great, but could you shorten it? Dorie/Dory is sweet. Wasn't there a musician/singer called Dory Previn, married at one time to Andre Previn?

PS. Best of luck getting pg!

Lovely thought behind it, naming your possible DD after your grandmother, but I think Doreen is horrid - sorry! I quite like Dory though, good suggestion hester!
Good luck with the baby making though x

How about Doris? It's near enough to be "named after" and I think it's prettier, like Charis.

Sometimes it can be pronounced 'Dreen' iyswim. Don't like it either way, but nice to call baby after much loved grandmother. Perhaps middle name, or Reenie ?!

Love love love Doreen!!!!

And no-one else will have it (unlike Ruby etc)

It means something to you, no other babies will have it, it's not a made up name- it's perfect

It's awful. Sorry

My great Aunt is a Doreen (pronounced Dur-eeen cause I come from Yorkshire) and i've always hated it

This granny-name revival has gone TOO FAR!

No-one else will have it cos it is bloody awful. Sorry, no disrepect to your relative and all that, I'm sure she was lovely. It is not on its way back. It is the name of someone who works in the canteen.

Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!! How about Dora as a less dated compromise?

Hmm, I guess I expected a reaction like this It's not really my cup of tea either, but I really would like to remember her. A girl couldn't ask for a better Grandma

I like the Dory/Dorie suggestion, hester, thanks for that. It's very sweet. I think it's also pronounce-able (and doesn't mean anything awful) in Japanese too, which a plus as dh is Japanese.

Thanks for the support anyway, tethersend, but I think you were the only positive reaction! I would be said to give that name to a future dd and then have her hate it, especially as she will never be able to know first-hand just how super-duper her Great-gran was.

Have to agree with becklespeckle about not going with Eda, though. It's not a name that anyone in the family associates with her - it was common knowledge that she hated it!

Now, just got to wait a couple of months till we're ready to start properly trying! Thank you for all the kind thoughts - seen some quite harsh comments on other threads in this topic so I'm quite touched.

It is interesting I agree.
There is very little in the introductory blurb about class. Lots of interesting comments under some of the individual names, however (e.g Bert is described as 'somewhat plebeian'). Also gives exact date/source when name was first found/used.

Charlotte Mary Yonge, History of Christian Names is around Victorian era, and she does mention which classes used particular names. Though I'm afraid I don't have this.