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Baby names

Names in your class vs now

67 replies

Wambsgans · 27/07/2020 17:06

I was in secondary school in the mid-90s. I was thinking about the names of kids in my class/year and whether I know any children born now (i.e. 5 or under, thereabouts) with the same names. Interesting little exercise when you're bored! Boys were called eg Adam, Mark, Ian, Jonathan, Andrew, Tim, etc. Girls were all Katherine, Emma, Anna, Vicky, Lucy, Kim, Claire, Karen etc.

So the only overlaps I have between boys in my year and boys of friends born recently are
Ben
Daniel
Tom
Peter
Edward
Nicholas

Girls I can only think of Katherine and Rea.

I guess boys' names tend to stay more 'classic' and girls' names are more changeable. I now feel quite old!

OP posts:
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Aber9 · 27/07/2020 17:24

Lucy, Laura, Emily, Daniel, Darren, Charlotte, Georgina, Oliver, Holly, Anna

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Quizeerascal · 27/07/2020 17:28

I was in secondary school in the late nighties/early noughties. Not many names around now it seems. In terms of under fives I know I can only think of Rebecca and James. I can't imagine babies called Leanne, Lauren, Gary, Bradley, Amanda, Kirsty etc now.

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Wambsgans · 27/07/2020 17:30

aber you know a recent Darren? Not come across that!

OP posts:
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SweatyAndyFromWoking · 27/07/2020 17:39

I was at secondary school the same time as you op. Some of the boys names from my time are in my dd's year (Ben, James, Daniel) but the Wayne, Paul, Jason, Scott and Lees are missing!

Girls are very different. I think only Emily and Jessica. There's no Michelle's, Laura's, Rachels or Kelly's.

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Caaarrrl · 27/07/2020 17:43

OP, I have a few Darrens in the primary school I teach in.

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netflixismysidehustle · 27/07/2020 17:47

I was at school in the early 80s

Emma, Kate, Charlotte, Beth/Elizabeth, Sophie

Thomas/Tom, Daniel (Dan), Alex

Are kids you'd find in my classroom and my children's

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MrsGilly1 · 27/07/2020 17:51

In my time at school...

Ella
Eloise
Kathryn
Lisa
Gemma
Zoe
Hannah
Sophie
Karen
Claire

Boys

Wayde
Darren
Peter
Leon
Jermaine
Colin
Thomas
Bill
Neil
Lewis

Kids classes now


Hattie
Heidi
Maisie
Lottie
Mia
Madeleine
Thomas
Alfie
Charlie
Alfie
George
William
Thomas

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kitschplease · 27/07/2020 18:04

Crossovers from the 90s to now for me would be Ben, Matthew and Nick. Can't think of any girl names as haven't met any new Emmas or Sarahs.

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GreekOddess · 27/07/2020 18:13

Boys:- Steven, Mark, Paul, Neil. No overlap at all.

Girls:- Kerry, Claire, Lisa, Tracey, Lorraine and Sharon. Again no overlap.

Definitely names of their time!

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worldweary45 · 27/07/2020 18:59

When I was at school I had the usual for the late 80s mix of Claire, Helen, Karen etc

My children's classes are much more multicultural

Ella
Molly
Grace
Zainab
Saba
Aisha
Zhara
Aminah
Joyce
Blessing

-all girls school so cant really comment on boys

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HipHopBanzai · 27/07/2020 19:09

I was at school at the same time as you OP. Crossover names are:

Sam (boy)
Joe
James
Emma
Hannah
Grace
Emily
Alice
Rosie
Amy

I went to school with loads of boys called Paul, Sean, John Paul / John and girls called Cheryl, Laura, and Kate. Can't think of any children in DCs school with those names.

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keziahthecat · 27/07/2020 19:15

The ones that were in my year at school and I now know an under 5 are: Rebecca, Holly, Amy, Lucy, Isla, Matthew, Samuel, Joseph. So all quite classic and timeless.

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cliffdiver · 27/07/2020 19:24

Emily
Philippa
Katie
Benjamin

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molliemay · 27/07/2020 19:27

I was in primary in the mid 1990s. I’d say the names that were around then and still are about now are Hannah, Jessica, Lucy, Abigail, Emily. For boys James and Samuel are the only 2 in my old class that I still hear for little boys nowadays.

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Sunbird24 · 27/07/2020 19:32

From my class (late 80s early 90s)
Mary
Tracy
Sarah
Nina
Clare
Katie
Danielle
Joanne
Michelle
Samantha
Kylie
Louisa
Natalie
Emily
Emma
Athene
Michaela

James
Stephen
Woodrow nn Woody
Joel
Toby
Andrew
Dominic
Christopher
Paul
Jamie
Thomas
Daniel
Nathaniel
Marcus
Richard
David

The boys do seem to last a bit better than the girls...

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AnnieMaul · 27/07/2020 19:32

I started primary school in 1991 and throughout my school life the most common names in my classes seemed to be:

Ryan, Michael, Joe, Christopher, Steven
Amy, Claire, Gemma, Kelly, Laura

I seem to remember that at least half the girls had the middle name Louise though! There were so many "Gemma Louise" and "Claire Louise" girls.

Michael seems to still be popular, I don't hear of any little Ryans anymore, but it still seems to rank in top 100.

Of the girls names, it's only Amy I still hear for little ones, but often not spelt "AMY".
Usually Amie or some other variation.

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BatleyTownswomensGuild · 27/07/2020 19:35

In my class at school (the ones I can remember):
Rachel, Amanda x 2, Emma x 3, Rebecca, Julie, Stephanie, Paula, Patricia, Samantha, Mark x 2, Stephen, Jason x 2, Andrew, Peter, Geoffrey, Daniel, Timothy, Christopher, Aaron,

Absolutely no overlap with my DS's class at school. In fact, apart from Christopher and Daniel - I don't know any school-aged kids with these names.

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Wambsgans · 27/07/2020 19:46

Pp have reminded me there is an Amy in our Reception class, and there were a couple in my year at school too, so that's another one.

OP posts:
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HelenaJustina · 27/07/2020 19:49

There were 6 girls called Sarah out of 60 children in my primary year group.
I work in a primary school now and there is not one!

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FindingNeverland1 · 27/07/2020 19:50

Started secondary in 2001.
Boys - James, Michael, Ali, Billy, Carl, Mehmet, George, Daniel

Girls - Hannah, Lucy, Louise, Katie, Maria, Elif, Amber, Rosie

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Jamhandprints · 27/07/2020 19:58

90's too. Overlaps are: Katie, Molly, Holly, Elizabeth, Daniel, James, David (although none Uk born anymore), Ben and Robert.
No more Paul, Kelly, Gemma or Carls

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GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 27/07/2020 19:59

We had a couple of Vickies, a Louise, a Claire, an Elizabeth, a Jenny, a Lisa, an Amanda and an Andrea. Boys were John, Paul, John-Paul, Terry, Andrew and Gary. Obviously there would have been more, but those are ones I remember.

In DD's class there's two Elizabeths, a Sophia, a Maddy, a Chloe, a Tara, a Minty, an Eve, a Scarlett, an Anna, a Bella, a Grace, a Cora and a Zara. Boys-wise, there's a Josh, two Freddies, an Atticus, a Lucien, a Harry, a Guy, a Ben, and a Lucas.

(Waves at anyone from my kids' school who recognises those names!)

Don't know many of the kids in DS's class, but there's another Josh and another Freddie, a Tom, a Ryan, a Henry, and a Stratos. He rarely mentions girls, but I know there's an Anne, an Annie, an Anna and an Annabel!

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sel2223 · 27/07/2020 20:08

I was at school in the 80's and 90's

Girls - Emma, Sarah, Rachel, Rebecca, Charlotte, Louise, Vicky, Claire, Gemma, Kerry

Boys - Alex, Nick, Michael, David, Lee, Andrew, Peter, Steven, Carl, Chris

That's just off the top of my head

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Coffeeandteav · 27/07/2020 20:19

I was at school in the 90s. I am a teacher. Was surprised to come across a Susan in year 9 last year. We had a few in my year.

Also Rachaels and Rebeccas have a few of them in school. Katies too.

No Darrens. Lots of Ryans, Ellis, Harrys, Joshs.

Girls- Maisie, sophies and mias lots of unusual ones too.

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Pantheon · 27/07/2020 21:33

Overlaps I can think of:

Zoe
Alice
Poppy
Emma
Thomas
William

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