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Baby names

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Original poster

'Old-fashioned' names that might NOT make a come-back?

338 replies

PrincessFiorimonde · 04/04/2011 07:08

I was thinking about names that might have been popular about 100 years ago or more, and were then considered old-fashioned 30, 40 or even 50 years ago - but are now becoming more popular again. For example, Dorothy and Archie are names that are probably used more now than they were for babies born in the 60s or 70s.

So I wondered if there are names that have not made a come-back, and are not likely to?

For example, does anyone think these names are used much for babies born recently:
Eustace
Eunice
Jean (for a girl; not the French boys' name)
Joan (for a girl; not the Catalan boys' name)

I'm not trying to start a 'these are horrible names' thread. I'm just wondering which 'old-fashioned'-type names haven't really been revived. (Or perhaps I should say: haven't really been revived yet!)

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barbarianoftheuniverse · 04/04/2011 23:16

i know Kevin(15)
Hazel (14)
Sonia (17)

the Kevin in particular is the coolest of the cool1

Olifin · 04/04/2011 22:57

Ha ha ha haaaa! Well, fancy that Purveyor.

PurveyorOfBologna · 04/04/2011 22:51

Olifin, they must be different as 'my' Paul is the eldest and his younger sister Paula must be early 40s.

I hope it is a small and exclusive club though Grin

Lonnie · 04/04/2011 22:49

Funny some of the names here I have seen in my line of work recently

I love Ingrid and it is fairly common in Denmark (after the late queen mother there

I see no issue w Julie I think its pretty

I know a Gertrude and 2 Bruce
and have recently in work come accross a Doris, Percy (named Percival - family name) Elsie and Paul

i think one I cant imagine myself going back into fashion is Gordon

thinkingkindly · 04/04/2011 22:47

I know an Olive, a Mabel, a Minnie and a Fanny!

Woodlands · 04/04/2011 22:37

Friends of mine who are expecting a baby soon have shortlisted Constance (nn Connie) if they have a girl. I have really had to bite my tongue to avoid saying how hideous I think it is! I hope they have a boy. Hope they don't know my MN nickname...

Olifin · 04/04/2011 22:18

Ooooh Purveyor! The ones I know...well, I should think Paula is in her 40s, Paul must be almost 40. Could they be the same ones? I just can't accept that more than one set of parents would do such a thing!

emmy12 · 04/04/2011 22:14

Valerie and Phyllis. I used to work in hospitals and half the clientele were called valerie or phyllis. Can't imagine a baby Val now.

HackneyCabbage · 04/04/2011 22:05

My DD (age 2) is an Agnes.

A1980 · 04/04/2011 21:58

I'm pretty sure Doris has had it.

Olifin · 04/04/2011 21:58

I know a baby Margot too!

PurveyorOfBologna · 04/04/2011 21:56

Olifin I know a Paul and Paula sibling combo too. They are more like in their 40s though, so maybe not the same pair (mind boggles that more than one set of parents thought that was a good idea!)

Makudonarudo · 04/04/2011 21:52

I'd be surprised to see a Beryl.

But DS2 is in a class with a Julian and a Giles, so!

delphinedownunder · 04/04/2011 21:52

I know someone who has called her baby Gary.

bilblio · 04/04/2011 21:45

My brother was considering Doris for my niece. They picked something else in the end... her nickname is Mildred.

I've traced our family history back about 400 years. I can't imagine Clement, Leonard, Clifford, Horace, Herbert, Maurice, Rodney, Willie, Willis, Wilfred or Ody making a comeback.

For the girls, Rene, Margot, Marilyn, Gertrude, Eileen & Irene.

Most of those are from late 1800's early 1900's.

The really early ones (1600 & 1700's) were all called John, James, Jane, Sarah, Rebecca, William, Henry, Edward, Anne, etc. The only vague quirkiness was in the spellings, and that was probably due more to illiteracy than inventiveness.

SugarSkyHigh · 04/04/2011 21:45

I secretly like the name Julie......

and Jean

Olifin · 04/04/2011 21:40

LOL @ Pauline, Sonia and Carol.

astarwithherownways Exactly what i was going to say!

All the other ones I was going to suggest have, I think, already been said: Graham, Colin, Gavin, Brian, Barry, Alan, Roger, Keith. Just can't imagine any of those on a baby boy. Likewise Dawn, Donna or Gemma for a girl.

I have recently met babies named Bertie, Peggy, Pearl and Martha.

A few people have mentioned Paul as a bit of a boring name. I know of siblings in their 30s named Paul and Paula. Yes indeed. Hope neither of them are MNers.

halfcaffodils · 04/04/2011 21:32

I do actually know a Hepzibah aged about 6 or 7!

GrimmaTheNome · 04/04/2011 21:29

Hepzibah. Mind you, I don't think it was exactly popular even in the era of Silas Marner.

My DD was totally exempted from being named after a grannie as collectively they have Elsie, Joyce, Norah and Winifred to offer ... I gather Elsie is making a comeback, don't think the others will (though Joyce is quite nice)

tomhardyismydh · 04/04/2011 21:28

a little girl in dds class with a very pretty name (claudia) has a baby brother named martin

CultureMix · 04/04/2011 21:27

I know a three-year old Harriet and Connie, they're both adorable and couldn't imagine another name for them!

PurveyorOfBologna · 04/04/2011 21:23

Jean/Joan are still being used. We considered Joan for DD (DP wanted Joni for a nn). I quite like Jean/Jeanie too.

Dilys I know an Athelstan, who has a brother Wulfric

Plenty of Florence/Nancy/Martha/Agnes around here

What's wrong with Ennis?? I also like Innes and Annis (had this on DDs list too)

Also know a 6 month old Ross, he is gorgeous Grin

mammamia25 · 04/04/2011 21:22

I overheard a mum calling her dd Barbara the other day - child was about 2.

discobeaver · 04/04/2011 21:21

Launcelot is an amazing name becaroo!

I can't see the name Dolores without thinking of the episode of friends wehre Joey is trying to remember a girl's name, and he said he knew it rhymed with a part of the female anatomy. Makes me giggle.

Wilbur is cute, because he's the pig in Charlotte's Web. I met a gorgeous Wilf the other day, aged about 8?

aStarWithHerOwnWays · 04/04/2011 21:14

Gaylord. The one name that is guaranteed never, ever to come back.

I know a gorgeous baby Agnes, a toddler Stan and a small Wilbur.