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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

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egopostulosomnus · 20/12/2010 05:41

i am delighted my baby daughters name is on here as hopefully it means she will always be an original. and it is a beautiful name, so there, love you lots Virginia

AngelsOnHigh · 20/12/2010 04:15

Have seen the name s Maureen and Pauline a few times. Have twin cousins named maureen and Pauline Xmas Grin.

My real name also appears on the never coming back list (only seem to hear it when a polish or german background is involved).

I have neither background.

Dreya · 20/12/2010 00:56

1944girl The film Annie was on television today and I was thinking that I really like the name. It's cute and the Annie's I know are both such lovely women. I think that can make a difference! I can see Annie coming back.

Dreya · 20/12/2010 00:52

Someone said Andrea... Xmas Shock I don't think Andrea was ever common was it? Certainly not like Sharon or Tracy or Kelly etc... I have only ever met one other in 34 years and very recently - my midwife! When I was little I really wanted to be called something 'normal' like Samantha or Kelly or Lisa instead but really love my name now.Xmas Smile

1944girl · 19/12/2010 23:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WishIWasRimaHorton · 19/12/2010 23:42

hahaha! my mum is sandra, my dad barry, my nans were edith lillian and beryl mavinia violet. take your pick out of that lot really!!

if i had been a boy, i was going to be neil. godawful name.

also the whole sharon / tracy / kevin thing from my school days has tarnished those names. but - give it 20 yrs or so and those associations will have gone and mumsnet will be fully of baby barrys and baby tracys Smile

godspeed · 19/12/2010 23:17

Lisa, Susan, Barbara, Sandra, Sharon
Brian, Kevin, Nigel, Barry

christmaseve · 19/12/2010 23:09

Elizabeth is classic.

Don't reckon Janet will come back anytime soon, but who knows.

PublicHair · 19/12/2010 23:07

i know a 15 year old called Roderick
a baby Herb

loads of them mentioned here are fairly popular.

KittyBigglesworth · 19/12/2010 22:56

Hasn't Elizabeth been in the top 100 for decades?

Not sure I agree that Sharon will make a comeback because Charon is the boatman that has to be paid to cross the River Styx so the connotations aren't promising. Similarly, with Tracy, there are negative connections with that name; one of the murderers of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral had the surname de Tracy and it was reputed to be unlucky to repeat it. I think many parents liked the name because of the Grace Kelly character in High Society.

I know a couple of children called David, it's a good, classic name.

hidingintheattic · 19/12/2010 22:40

I work with little ones and looking at the names above there are definately at least 1 little

Peggy
Nancy
Evelyn
Samantha
&
Erik
Walter
Reginald x 2
Frank

Running about

Also other names of LO that make me go "Hmmmmm" here are Vincent, Montgomery, Clare and Claribel

SnowIsFallingOnLee · 19/12/2010 22:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Clarabumps · 19/12/2010 22:21

i know quite a few baby davids..i would have called ds2 david however there are 7 davids in mine and dp's family. yup popular in scotland..

Clarabumps · 19/12/2010 22:18

pauline
maureen
ellen
kellyann
marge

barry-awful name
gary-unless you want your child to be a bouncer
jeffrey

DownyEmerald · 19/12/2010 21:56

what about David - used to be millions around - don't know any little boys called David now.

schoolsecretary · 19/12/2010 21:50

Also Elizabeth... don't seem to get many of them any more, there where 7 of them in my high school year.. all either, Liz, Lizzy or Libby.

schoolsecretary · 19/12/2010 21:48

someone mentioned Eugene, I know 2 Eugene's both under 7!!

theDudesmummy · 19/12/2010 21:41

Ethel
Gladys
Beverley for a boy
Hilda
Evelyn for a boy
Shirley

MrsThisIsTheCadillacOfNailguns · 19/12/2010 21:37

Just read further down the thread.DH's name,his 5 sisters names and his parents names have all been mentioned.Grin

MrsThisIsTheCadillacOfNailguns · 19/12/2010 21:35

A friend has a 17 year old Victor currently working for him,and dd1 is in the same class as 8 year old Hamish [not Scottish or in Scotland].

I like Victor,it sounds a good strong name.

RalphTheChristmasGnu · 19/12/2010 21:21

Gordon's a name I can't see coming back soon. Or Linda. Whatever happened to all the Lindas and Janets? I do know of someone who recently had a Dick Confused
She's not from this country, but still...

KittyBigglesworth · 19/12/2010 21:03

Sharon, Tracy, Denise, Kimberley, Beverley, Michelle, Danielle, Kelly, Andrea.

Deborah may be saved as it's a biblical name. If the name was used centuries back, it may fall out of favour for a decade or two but will probably not date in the long run. Fashion style names for bags, shirts lead the way and often soften opinion, Agnes being a case in point.

Many of the names on here have already made a comeback in some enclaves of London, although I doubt Barry will be making a comeback any time soon.

Athrawes · 19/12/2010 20:58

Adolf

LittleJingleBellsMum · 19/12/2010 20:54

Not sure that Horace has been mentioned yet ( much as I loved my Grandad!)

mippy · 19/12/2010 20:34

I;m 28 and I know/knew a Ronald and a Barry my age in sixth-form. Ronald went by James and goes by initials professionally now. My name is quite 70s and not very sexy (I always wanted to be Kate or Charlotte) so probably won't be coming back.

Scottish names tend to what the English might see as old-fashioned - Archie, Kenneth, Alan.