To think Barbara is a lovely name.

A simple yes or no would suffice but some of you are just ridiculously and disgustingly rude - please remember that there are people on here who didn't ask your opinion on the name we chose for our dd but who then end up hearing your spite and nastiness. We choose names for many different reasons and if you are one of those who have bad-mouthed someone else's choice I really hope that one day you have to hear someone ridicule your name or the name of your child so that you find out how it feels. Barbara is a popular name in Central Europe and I have taught and known a number of young, beautiful, clever and lovely girls named Barbara. People really need to think about the people at the other end of the keyboard before making these comments and remember that if you wouldn't say it to someone's face you shouldn't be saying it on a forum either.

Well I'm mid 50s and very relieved my name hasn't been mentioned (yet), though I like my name and it seems to be timeless (smug).

My late mum was Barbara and as she died very suddenly 3 months after our wedding, when DD1 was born nearly 2 years later, DH wanted to call her Barbara. I didn't want it as a first name as I'm not a fan, but it is one of her middle names. In fact DD1 is called after my great-grandma, my mum and my grandma.

I teach and so choosing names is always tricky as I can recall revolting (or lovely) examples of lots of names. However, we went for family and biblical for the DDs and I am happy with them now 20 & 18 years later.

However, to the people asking about Valerie, I teach one in year 8 now. She's very nice and definitely born & bred in the UK. I also teach a Colin, a Kevin, a couple of Claires, a Fiona and a Helen.

I’m not a fan, but really like the idea of a PP’s friend being called Bobby as a nn.

I’ve always liked the name Rita which would be considered old fashioned, but some people may choose it now influenced by the singer Rita Orla. Popular Culture can have a big influence on name revivals - remember the popularity of Kylie and names like Kayleigh etc.

@Misscromwellrocks

Not a fan of the name Barbara for a new baby sorry. Seems a bit 'frumpy.' But then I know someone who called their daughters Nancy and Ava (one year apart in age,) in the mid 1990s when I had my kids, and I found it hard to not laugh. I thought what old-fashioned, naff names hahaha!. (I know, bitchy.) I did just think it though, I never said anything.

Fast-forward a quarter century, and they are both lovely, pretty, quirky, smart young women, and their names really suit them now, and the names seem actually quite sweet now.

Oddly, I used to dislike the names Taylor, Tyler, Chelsea, India, and Jackson, and similar names (you know, surnames for forenames, and 'places' for forenames.) But this past 10 years, I have got to know young women (and men) with these names, and they have really grown on me.

I think many people have snobbery over names, (or just dislike them,) but most names are not awful...

Interesting choice. Greek origin, meaning strange or foreign. Linked to the word barbarian.

It wouldn’t be in my top 100 names. I can’t get past Barbara Windsor or Barbra Streisand.

I have an Irish friend who is called Bairbre ( pronounced the same as Barbara) I think the spelling is nicer.

pronunciation is a problem.

Barb a ra

Barb bra

Some people being very rude about these names will eventually meet their grandchildren Brian, Kenneth, Ian, Barbara, Susan and Lorraine. They will be expected to look enthusiastic about the names (after all it is none of their business)

Barbie and Ken, snigger

@AhoyMrBeaver interesting that you see Barbara as the female version of Kenneth as not only is Barbara my mum's name but dad was called Kenneth. And yes he did wear a beige blouson jacket, brown shoes and they had a velour sofa!

Don't see any if this makes them horrible names (and agree that some comments here are quite offensive) but it certainly makes them appropriate to their generation and not necessarily what I would think of naming a baby, unless it was a middle name given for grandparents , which I think is a nice thing to do.

Names tend to be unpopular when people with that name are still alive and aged 55+, they come into fashion again when their owners have all died of and are romanicised in historical books and films. There are names like Elaine and Sylvia which have a lovely sound but just have the wrong vintage at the moment. Barbara is of that time but I am not keen as it sounds like Barbaric. People born in the 1920s hated Sarah and Emma, people born in the 1950s tend to dislike Edith and Albert and soon Karen, Sharon , Tracey etc will be very unpopular. It is because they know ordinary older people with the names and they are therefore not romantisised.

Not a fan but I loved my auntie Babs

Mil name. Absolutely awful. Even she doesn't like it and that's saying something!

I used to work in the 80's with a lovely lady called Barbara. But then most of my older colleagues were Maureen, Doreen or Christine. Names are definitely age grouped.

I think it’s horrible. It’s not old fashioned chic, it belongs with Susan and Lorraine

I'm not keen because I don't like the harsh sound of names that begin with B. And I also think that the nickname 'Barbie' might be brought into use...

But not my child, so anyone is free to use whatever name they like!

Nah, not pretty. I can't be doing with 'B' names, let alone names that have more than one B in them.

I know too many Barbara's still fit and well in their 70's and 80's to consider it for a new born. Name revivals tend to take off when the name has almost disappeared.

I love Blyton names too like Peggy, Betty, Dinah and Norah and names that I think of as jazz age flapper names. Daphne , Dorothea, Constance and Evelyn and Marguerite.

I don't like it personally but I can see why it would appeal

It's definitely not my thing but if you like it, that's all that matters. I remember finding out at secondary school there was a boy in my year called Bernard. Early 90s. My son has an Oswald in his year. Go on, OP, start the trend!

Its a beautiful name....my mum's :)

Definitely better than all the Eleanor/Ellie brigade!

I wonder if the dislike of this name is connected how a people/language feel about the letter 'r'.

Oh, good point. My relatives come from countries that can pronounce the letter 'r' and I roll my 'r's as I say their name. It's a beautifully languid and sexy name to say.

I far prefer Barbara to all the nicknames that end in 'ie' that have dominated the name charts for so long (Victoria servant names is the best description I've heard of them) and I do find it funny how some people can't seem to understand how names go in fashions. The cutsey names have been fashionable for so long, grown-up names are due a revival. So roll on the revival of Enid, Frances, Margaret, Eleanor, Constance, Audrey etc.