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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:
Innertwist · 02/01/2020 21:38

Barbara - nn Biba much nicer than Barb.

Foghead · 02/01/2020 21:37

I’d never think badly of anyone I came across with a name I didn’t like, but I can’t warm to names beginning with b or g (unless it’s a j sound)

Butchyrestingface · 02/01/2020 21:37

Not a fan of Nora, but love me some Cora, and, as a young child, though Dora was one of the most exotic names I’d ever heard of. 🤯

Barbara - it’s a no from me, I’m afraid.

ViciousJackdaw · 02/01/2020 21:36

Let's remember that many people are named after their grandparents (including Christine Lampard's DD) so it's probably kinder not to be rude.

In 25 years time, people will say that Lily, Molly, Olivia, Noah, Jayden and all the rest are 'old fashioned' names. They will call their children Karen, Claire, Jason and Gary, after their own parents.

Original poster
Misscromwellrocks · 02/01/2020 21:34

A guy at work has a new daughter called Audrey and everyone went "aaah cute". Twenty years ago the reaction would have been 🙄☹️

OP posts:
TigerOnATrain · 02/01/2020 21:33

@olivertwistwantsmore

Actually, tigeronatrain, it is pretty rude to e.g. use the vomit emoji about a name. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Who used the vomit emoji? I certainly didn't!

Stovokororbust · 02/01/2020 21:32

What about the lovely and very sad Jacques Prévert poem Barbara? That does make it cool. Pretty much anything sung in French by Yves Montand is going to sound cool.

dirtyrottenscoundrel · 02/01/2020 21:32

My era was all Karen, Sandra, Sally, Joanne, Caroline, Julie - I don’t think any of them have had a revival.

Original poster
Misscromwellrocks · 02/01/2020 21:32

A new generation of parents will barely remember Barbara Windsor. Those associations die out.

OP posts:
Hepsibar · 02/01/2020 21:32

Cant help it, really not keen, but am sure if you know some lovely Barbaras then it will be fine. And certainly not so awful as Lesley!

Hotcuppatea · 02/01/2020 21:31

I'm waiting for Claire to have a revival.

Loveislandaddict · 02/01/2020 21:30

Thirty years plus ago, names such as Grace , iris, George, Harry, Henry, were considered fuddy duddy and you would have got people frowning if you named a baby that name. Now look at how things have changed.

Names such as Barbara are cue a revival. Yes, there is the association with Barbara Windsor at the moment, but all names have negative connotations if you look eg? Nancy - Nancy boy, George - Georgie Porgie (= fat child), Betty - ooh, Betty ( from a tv programme), isis, Etc

Original poster
Misscromwellrocks · 02/01/2020 21:29

Judy is another name I think is due a revival.

OP posts:
DaughterOfEvening · 02/01/2020 21:29

Regarding Nora(h)

Every time I hear that name I think of this twitter.com/bonesnorah/status/1136536882261778432?s=21

AllideasAndNoAction · 02/01/2020 21:28

No. I’m not ready for Barbara. People called Barbara are my mother’s age.

RubyViolet · 02/01/2020 21:28

We have neighbours with a young Barbara, Dorothy and Betsy. I love these names.

Ohtherewearethen · 02/01/2020 21:27

I really don't like it I'm afraid. I think some older names are beautiful and work really well now (they say it takes three generations for the names to come back in use) but there are some I really can't imagine ever being fashionable again. Pauline, Claudette, Noreen, Denise etc being a few that spring to mind, along with Barbara, Dennis, Brian, Derek and Ian. Ian always surprised me as a bane choice for some reason.

dirtyrottenscoundrel · 02/01/2020 21:26

I quite like it, but then I’m a Patricia.

Stravapalava · 02/01/2020 21:26

I think it's quite sweet. But I also like Doris and Jean!

PeninsulaPanic · 02/01/2020 21:25

It's nice if she grows up to be an actress/character in a Carry On film. Otherwise... Grin

Original poster
Misscromwellrocks · 02/01/2020 21:25

Nice names to our generation @TigerOnATrain. But our parents recoiled from them.
Intersting how different generations view names, each one convinced the names popular amongst their parents generation will never see the light of day again.

OP posts:
olivertwistwantsmore · 02/01/2020 21:24

Actually,@tigeronatrain, it is pretty rude to e.g. use the vomit emoji about a name.🤷🏼‍♀️

SlothRunner · 02/01/2020 21:24

I cant help but pronounce it as Bar-Bar-Rah, with 3 very separate parts to it. I think its horrible

PapayaCoconut · 02/01/2020 21:24

Barbara means "barbarian" in Greek.

Original poster
Misscromwellrocks · 02/01/2020 21:22

I think to a coming generation of new parents Barbara will have the old lady chic that Lilly, Evie and Isabel had for parents of today's teenagers.

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