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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

I'll eat my hat if that name comes back!

390 replies

AllieW · 18/12/2010 12:16

There are some names which I've been quite surprised to see returning. For example, Edith was my granny's name. Much as I loved her, I was never keen on the name and can only presume the little Ediths now arriving are due to the Radio 1 DJ or something.

Are there any names which would surprise you if they were revived? For me, the list might include:

Girls

Doris
Ermyntrude
Gertrude

Boys

Arnold
Herbert
Roderick

OP posts:
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GwennieF · 18/12/2010 19:10

Brian or baby Derek.... You could never do it!

missismonky · 18/12/2010 19:08

Shirley

Dreya · 18/12/2010 19:04

Fanny! That is THE worst name for a girl.

Mumcentreplus · 18/12/2010 19:03

@ Gaylord

cardibach · 18/12/2010 19:02

Fanny.

LynetteScavo · 18/12/2010 19:02

DH was keen to call DD Dawn Confused

Dreya · 18/12/2010 19:01

Virgil, Cyril and Ephraim.

Original poster
AllieW · 18/12/2010 19:00

Gillian/Jillian seems like another which might take a long while to be revived.

OP posts:
Kendodd · 18/12/2010 18:56

Has anyone mentioned Gaylord yet?

NormaSknockers · 18/12/2010 18:55

I can actually see Nigel making a come back.

DS's name is constantly mistaken for Nigel & when people think he is called Nigel they always seem to really like it - though maybe they are just being polite. We used to correct people when they misheard it but we gave up ages ago and and now just nod & agree.

BootyMum · 18/12/2010 18:49

Have just heard that a friend has named her new baby girl Martha. I was initially surprised as i thought this name was quite old fashioned, but actually I now rather like it.

dementedma · 18/12/2010 18:47

lol at Alan - DS commandeered a baby doll when he was small that once belonged to his older sisters. This thing was bald and wore a pink Babygro - he named it Alan.Agree that the 60's and 70's names (like mine) are going to be out of favour for a while.
I like Beryl and Ruby but everyone laughs at me.

Original poster
AllieW · 18/12/2010 18:46

I like Malcolm a lot too, 93pjb. I'd sort of presumed it would get more popular after Malcolm in the Middle, but apparently not.

OP posts:
93pjb · 18/12/2010 18:42

Mentioned a couple of times here but my 2 day old ds is Malcolm. He is gorgeous and it suits him too Grin.

LynetteScavo · 18/12/2010 18:37

My cousin has a baby Alan.

At first it did seem odd, but he's the most gorgeous little boy, and it seems to suit him. Confused

Garry

Barry and

Nigel are surely now going to die out..

OnthefirsdayofMrsDeVere · 18/12/2010 18:35

It Aural isnt it? Thats my BIL's name. I havent seen an Oral but nothing would suprise me.

PercyPigPie · 18/12/2010 18:35

Roger - never met a nice Roger yet (and they all seem to be short).

I love Herbie, Arnie, Roddy though.

UnquietDad · 18/12/2010 18:32

For interest

The Baby Name Voyager

We'd surely have said 25-30 years ago that we couldn't imagine Maud(e), Alice, Mary, Harry, Alfie etc. coming back...

Our great-grandchildren's generation will be full of all the names which were the most common in school classrooms 30 years ago and which have now all but died out: John, Paul, Steve, Andrew, Wayne, Kevin, Lisa, Joanne, Sharon, Tracey, etc.

NurseGladys · 18/12/2010 18:26

Isn't Hilda a dimunitive of Mathilda, therefore it most definatly is back- or doesn't that count?

NurseGladys · 18/12/2010 18:24

Surely Bertha will never make a comeback?
But then I didn't think Hector would and I know someone who called their child Hector...

Original poster
AllieW · 18/12/2010 18:17

thereisalight, yes. Lesley is the girl's version and Leslie the boy's. Although evidently nobody thought to tell Ms Ash's parents this fact...

OP posts:
Mumcentreplus · 18/12/2010 18:06

A baby Barbara also sounds odd..Evelyn, Marva..Daphne..all very hard names

SantarissaCripslock · 18/12/2010 18:01

Alan.

Baby Alan just sounds...odd.

thereisalightanditnevergoesout · 18/12/2010 18:01

Don't you spell it differently if it's for a boy or a girl? Though don't ask me which is which...

Yvonne's got to be another (DH actually suggested this for a DC once...)

Mumcentreplus · 18/12/2010 17:55

Lesley...hmmm unisex name