Names popular in the 80's - will they make a comeback?

I was once very bored at DD's Parents' evening, waiting to speak to the Maths teacher & ended up counting the Louises in the classlists on the table - out of 210 girls in the year (b 1989 - 1990) 36 had Louise as either a first or middle name.

Emma is still very popular among my dd's age group (3). I think names like Sarah and Laura may make a comeback as they fit with the vogue for short, pretty names. Not so Joanne, Sharon etc...I know of a baby Jennifer born recently, which is quite unusual!

So true about Louise being the middle name of choice for the 80s generation! These days it's probably Grace, Rose or May/Mae.

I'm confused by people thinking Emma isn't popular - it was the No. 10 girls' name in 2010 and No.8 in 2009.... (here in Scotland!)

I love Emma. I think it deserves a come back. I gave dd (4) the middle name Clair, which is quite 80's. I love the sound of it though, so am glad I did.

I am a Sarah Louise. It's true that it was everyone's mn back in the 80's. Thanks for that mum...

My Dd2 is Charlotte Emma, both names mentioned as being '80s', Personally I know people of all ages with these names and think the're pretty timeless. .

Ben, Luke and Emma are still popular, so is Rebecca. I know lots of those with parents born in the 80s.

I am an Emma born in 1977 and it was quite a popular name back then. I think it has made some what of a come back. Other popular names were Sarah, Hayley, Katie, Samantha, Taryn, Lisa, Shannon, Sharon, etc etc. Boys were Andrew, Jason, Anthony, Benjamin, Jeremy.

I think some will make a come back and some will not. Not sure if Darren or Sharon will ever be loved again!

I am considering Alison if I have a DD, after my aunty. She was born in the 1940s though but I think Alison was popular in the 70s. I think it's due a come back.

In some ways these names would make a nice change from all the Lilys, Oscars, Archies etc ets which I just find dull because they are so overused.

I was an early-80s Katy, I don't meet many Katy/ies older than me, but a LOT my age and a few years younger. Saying that, Katie has retained a certain popularity and I know a few that are under 5.

Agree that all the girls had Louise as a mn it seems

I know babies called Hannah, Alice, Holly.

In my school classes, there were a few each of Kerry, Emma/Gemma, Rachel, Cla/ire and Lisa which I haven't found in any recent babies.

Boys, knew a lot of Richards, Marks, Matthews, Lukes, Christophers and Lees. . I also went to school with two Georges, which was highly unusual. Matthew seems to have lasted, followed by Luke and Ben

I love the name Matthew, but I can't use it (married one), but I'm also liking Fiona, Emma and Claire. None of the 80s boys names are particularly inspiring though.

Emma,Gemma, Sarah, Jenny, Katie, Stacey, Marie, Rebecca, Alison, Michelle, Tracy, Fiona, Laura, Jayne, Samantha, Hannah, Alice, Rachael, Eve .....and Louise for a middle name.

Christopher, Stephen, Timothy, Paul, Jonnathan, Glen, Joe, Peter, David, Philip, Robert, Ben, Michael, James, Andrew, Richard, Thomas, Oliver, Matthew, Simon.

These were all at school with my 1980s DC.

DD2 was Nicola throughout the whole pg. DH decided that Emma suited her 2 days after she was born. I thought Emma was quite common...

DS was born in 1987 and at his playgroup were Hayley, Cayley, Kayleigh, Keeley, Kylie and Carly.

Looking at his FB friends, the names that crop up several times are David, Ben, Mark, Richard, Luke, Alex and James for boys, Sophie, Chloe, Laura, Holly, Stephanie Charlotte Emma and Kate for girls.

And everyone with my name is exactly the same age as me, no exceptions...

I know a 4 year old Emma, an 8 year old Clare, a 6 year old Sarah and a 5 year old Gemma. All of which I think of as 80s names - I was at school with lots of those.

As i have said many times before, I live in an 80s time warp, and have a Laura and an Emma...

I know of a baby Darren. Poor lad...

I heard a dad call his son Keith at the play6round today, have to say it sounded sweet.

There are also more Rachels and Sarahs than I can count. I don't think Rachel ever lost ground in Ireland.

Irish names have also retained their popularity, maybe Siobhan being the exception.

I know:
1 Jason
1 Bradley
3 Ians
5 Emmas
4 Claires
3 Nicoles
At least a dozen Kevins
1 Jeffrey
2 Jacquelines/ 1 Jaclyn
2 Adrians
1 Jillian
3 Allison/Allyson/Alisons
2 Grahams (brothers of two of the Ians )

Brian, Derek and Trevor have dropped off the face of the earth around here, it seems.

I know someone whose 4 and 2 year olds are called Sarah and Emma - very, definitely bucking the naming trend!

Born in late Seventies not Eighties, but similar-ish. I also grew up in a very mixed area, and there were definitely popular 'black names' and 'white names'.

White girls were called Michelle, Emma, Sarah, Keely/Kelly, Kerry, Rachel and a fair few Chanels and Chantelles for the black girls.

White boys were called Paul, David, Jason, Jamie. Leon and Tyrone for the black boys.

Common names of kids I went to school with were Jamie, Paul, Leanne, Kelly, Shelley, Claire and Steven.

Remember when you couldn't move without bumping into a Stephanie, but my friend has just called her baby this and I really like it this time round!

I remember my grandmother being horrified when my cousin was named Laura - claiming it was an "Old granny name"!!

I love this thread and I find the idea of a baby Stuart/Timothy/Joanne/Ruth quite sweet!

As an 80's baby I cannot see anyone naming their child my name. Poor soul.