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Baby names

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

Original poster

Most retro/dated name you've heard recently

463 replies

atthewelles · 09/01/2013 11:26

I heard a woman in the park calling her little girl Madge. I haven't heard that name in years and years. I also know of a little toddler called Sheila.

Just wondering if any of you know any children with names that you thought had died out completely.

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misspollysdolly · 11/01/2013 00:25

My friend just called her baby Dorothy Smile which was my Gran's name, so that's nice.

LadyWidmerpool · 10/01/2013 23:26

Myra

PretzelTime · 10/01/2013 23:23

Nice names, all of them. I wonder if Bertha will make a come-back. Now that's a name I feel less sure about but it means "bright, famous"

SomersetONeil · 10/01/2013 23:21

Marlene, German pronunciation, is gorgeous.

SomersetONeil · 10/01/2013 23:18

June, Joan, Jane, Jean, Jeanne will all come back sooner rather than later, I think.

rockinhippy · 10/01/2013 23:11

I know an 8 yr old Marlene, German pronunciation & IMHO it's lovely & suits her very well

SamSmalaidh · 10/01/2013 22:56

I like the German pronounciation of Marlene!

Actually I think June could very well come back.

Clawdy · 10/01/2013 22:50

Would anyone choose:
Marlene
June
Sandra
Joyce

Shirley
Don't think so...

KatyPeril · 10/01/2013 22:46

I know a baby Darren. Two Florences. An Albert and a Henry.

PretzelTime · 10/01/2013 22:45

It makes me think of the author Sadie Smith, not bad.

LilyVonSchtupp · 10/01/2013 22:43

DNephew (13) has a classmate called Roger and his brother's friend (15) is Ian

At a party last year we met a 5 year old Robert - can you imagine?! I've also heard of a couple of baby Kevins and it depressed me that they must be named after GPs. An ex-colleague also has a baby Sarah

hf128219 · 10/01/2013 22:39

Sadie (in my mind) is associated with a very rude song about prostitutes.

Biscuitsneeded · 10/01/2013 22:31

My son is Bill. We haven't met another one yet.

I agree that all the Victorian/Edwardian names like Alfie, Archie, Daisy, Ruby etc are now tooooo popular, although all nice names. I think the trick is to go for our own parents' generation (ie born 30s/40s/50s)

My children know several Mabels, a Vera, a Maude, a Daphne, a Sylvie (I wanted Sylvia if Bill had been a girl), a Margaret, a Celia, several Arthurs, and a couple of Davids. I am also very keen on Sally, which if I had a daughter now I would definitely love to use.

Jollyb · 10/01/2013 22:16

clifford

delilah88 · 10/01/2013 22:10

I recently heard of a baby Todd.

DonderandBlitzen · 10/01/2013 21:59

Dudley makes me think of Dudley Dursley in Harry Potter and also Mr Dudwee in Little Britain

DonderandBlitzen · 10/01/2013 21:58

Are Gary and Barbara siblings? Smile

dizzydixies · 10/01/2013 21:53

Gary and Barbara

Allofaflumble · 10/01/2013 21:49

How about Sadie. I had an Irish aunt that was called this, not sure if it was short for something else? Could be teased with being called sadist though. The name is very pretty though.

PretzelTime · 10/01/2013 21:08

Ivor and Edgar are some seriously cool names!

bealos · 10/01/2013 21:04

sleepwhenidle my mind boggled a bit at Dudley!

My friend has three boys with names along the same lines: Ivor, Alec and Edgar

Sleepwhenidie · 10/01/2013 20:59

My friend would win, she has four gorgeous boys,

Stanley
Ted
Walter
Dudley

PretzelTime · 10/01/2013 20:45

Beryl is beautiful. I'd name my daughter that.

devonsmummy · 10/01/2013 20:44

There's a 3 year old called Donald as DD's school
I know a teenage Bridie

skyninja · 10/01/2013 20:43

It's not the friend who's now got an Audrey by the way. That would be weird to let me mock it for years and then use it for her own child.

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