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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Barbara is a lovely name.

317 replies

Misscromwellrocks · 02/01/2020 20:16

A friend's daughter has just called her new daughter Barbara. A few people have wrinkled their noses, but I think it's a lovely vintage Enid Blytonish name.

AIBU?

OP posts:
WildRosie · 03/01/2020 09:18

I can't imagine calling a newborn baby Barbara, but it is a good dog's name. I can imagine a big, jolly Golden Retriever called Barbara.

SerenDippitty · 03/01/2020 09:05

Recently met a 12 year old Cynthia.

Somanysocks · 03/01/2020 08:58

In my sons year at school there are a number of small Kevins, there is an Alan, Colin and a small Brian.

Sorry but I'm picturing the tiny little Kevins and wee Brian playing alongside big old Alan and his giant mate Colin. Grin

ChilliandLemon · 03/01/2020 08:55

I know of toddlers Annette and Ian. Hmm

To me, if the name Barbara was a colour it would be brown. That’s how it appears in my head.

EuphorbiaHemlockthe1st · 03/01/2020 08:33

But in years to come all the Amys, Mias etc will be old woman names. I don't get why that's bad.
A bit ageist to say the least.
I can remember laughing as a young child when I disovered Granny's name was Winifred. But that was before the internet which has made it obvious that name popularity goes in cycles.
All the Storms, Poppys, Snows will be old and wrinkly eventually. We all age, if we survive long enough.

woodhill · 03/01/2020 08:27

Wouldn't be my choice.

Definitely associated with older women.

Barbarella anyone😊

IHaveAnOutie · 03/01/2020 08:11

My cousin has a two year old called Harold.

Original poster
Misscromwellrocks · 03/01/2020 08:05

I met 5 year old twins on holiday called Hilary and Judith. They were gorgeous.

OP posts:
onemorecupofcoffeefortheroad · 03/01/2020 07:58

For those saying Barbara is old fashioned, the name of a fat old woman or the name of the woman who organised the church jumble sale in 1978 I give you model Barbara Palvin.

To think Barbara is a lovely name.
MiniGuinness · 03/01/2020 07:58

My favourite ever colleague was called Barbara, so I like it because of her. But I don't think it is in the same geeky-cool category as Jean or Audrey or even Maggie (bit Mainstream)

Original poster
Misscromwellrocks · 03/01/2020 07:52

I bet if mumsnet had been around 40 years ago some posters on here would have been adamant that names like Violet, Maisie, Betty and Margo would never see the light of day again but they're all creeping back in amongst a younger generation.

Give it another thirty years and the playgrounds will probably be full of Gwens and Janets and Angela's while the Julie's and Vickys and Emma's are all in nursing homes.

OP posts:
treadlightlytoo · 03/01/2020 07:44

Try having it as a surname, very tedious, if you grow up in the U.K., but it's a quite common Maltese surname.

I am consequently very biased against it, sorry.

Entschuldigung · 03/01/2020 07:43

I really like it.

daisypond · 03/01/2020 07:42

I like it. I know two baby and toddler Barbaras.

Skyejuly · 03/01/2020 07:32

Makes me think of Barbara/Brabera in Flight of the Conchords. I think it's a name of a 50/60 yr old but not ready to return...if ever.

malificent7 · 03/01/2020 07:25

The thing is we are babues for such a short amount of time and adults for most of pur lives so why not choose a grown up name?
There are some very cutsie names that sound great on a baby...but not so much on a 20 year old.
Old sounding names only sound old as they are retro

malificent7 · 03/01/2020 07:21

I like it...it's a strong name.
My favourite vintage names are Ada, Valerie, Pamela, Edith and Joan.

MonnaLIza · 03/01/2020 07:16

I wonder if the dislike of this name is connected how a people/language feel about the letter 'r'. Barbara is popular in countries with a strong 'r' sound such as Spain, France, Germany and Italy where the rotating r makes it a thing of beauty whereas in English speaking country where the rotating r does not exist the double r sound gets shortened to one or even eliminated to the prevalence of the labial b.

GinDaddy · 03/01/2020 07:03

What I find more hilarious is how a huge number of middle class parents flock to the same kind of names that they consider aspirational.

It's like some kind of mafia where everyone agrees on the same names being the kind of "society" names they would have heard growing up - therefore it somehow leapfrogs being a Sarah or a John in terms of class.

Some examples are :

Oliver (then immediately start calling him Olly like we're on MIC)
Harry (they don't even give him the full name Harold, just go straight to the diminutive on the birth certificate!)
Oscar
Noah
Theo
Leo
Charlie
Jasper

Etc...

And for girls it's

Amelia
Arabella
Sophia
Isabelle

Etc..

So in a world of all that, I'd happily congratulate anyone who had the individuality to call their kid Barbara, hats off to them.

VestaTilley · 03/01/2020 06:47

No. Some of these names from our parents/grandparents generation became unfashionable for a reason.

Us all liking the old, pretty ones at the same time is not a reason to saddle your baby now with an ugly old name.

kmc1111 · 03/01/2020 06:38

My mum was called Barbara and she hated it and though it was outdated even then.

Barbara’s also get a lot of Barbie, Babs and Barb, none of which are great.

EuphorbiaHemlockthe1st · 03/01/2020 06:24

Someone mentioned that it stands out amongst the Amelias,, Mias, and Emilys.
It is quite a strong name imv compared to the pretty, girly ones which are more popular today. Surprising really in this time of #metoo.

Boys names are quite 'tough' Zak, Jack, Rory. A few Brians and Grahams is probably a good thing.

cushioncovers · 03/01/2020 06:19

Nope don't like it at all. Especially when it's shortened to Barrrrb

Ilovenutellaaaaa · 03/01/2020 06:07

*always

Ilovenutellaaaaa · 03/01/2020 06:06

It's think its cute..Smile

The thing to remember with baby names is the parent should always go with what THEY like ....because there are lways going to be friends, family, neighbours, people online etc who are going to love it, hate it or think it's so-so no matter what the name is....