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Baby names

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

Original poster

Mid-Century Names

40 replies

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 15/08/2013 21:21

DS is called a traditional name but very uncommon now. To say what it is would be to out me and it was in the 900s on the recent ONS list. It was more in use (though hardly very common) in the 40, 50s & 60s.

Would love to get similar ideas for DC2 (if it happens) ie mid-century but not used that often these days - definitely outside top 100.

I like for boys:

Teddy / Theodore - but am ruling out as too common
Peter

And for girls:
Margot
Gilda
Constance (likely to be a middle name)
Stella (too common now)

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Original poster
TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 17/08/2013 16:48

One thing I've been doing Georgette (also a great name but can't use) is looking up 50s films on IMDb and going through the cast & actors list. Films and actors do tend to be a little ahead of the curve and inspired the baby names of the time.

OP posts:
georgettemagritte · 17/08/2013 16:38

Rosalie
Marigold
Roberta
Belinda

-why not take a look at eg a midcentury Chalet School book for ideas; or Blyton or Hardy Boys?

RiceorChips · 17/08/2013 16:19

Sorry for any repeats:

Geraldine
Valerie
Linda
Vivienne
Mary
Wendy
Sally
Una
Esther
Janice

Gerald
Ross
Vincent
Keith
Daryl
Martin
Kenneth
Roy
Victor
Karl

Original poster
TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 17/08/2013 15:52

No not hippy names - I don't think they really kicked in until the 1970s anyway unless you were very fashion forward. Definitely stay square here :)

Ursula to me is the name of the wonderful poet UA Fanthorpe plus Ursula LeGuin and Ursula Andress. And it means 'little bear' :) Love it.

OP posts:
JazzAnnNonMouse · 17/08/2013 15:42

Ursula is the name of the badie in the little mermaid - just a heads up Smile

LittleFeileFooFoo · 17/08/2013 15:40

So I could be out of line here, but there's a huge difference between 40's and 50's names, and 60's names where I was. (lots of hippies about)
The 60's names tend to be more like
River
Sunflower
Hariven
Tremine
Quesnell

JazzAnnNonMouse · 17/08/2013 15:40

Gene?

Original poster
TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 17/08/2013 15:31

Thank you for all your ideas. Flowers So I have added:

Dorothy
Penelope
Daphne
Rita
Frida
Olive as a middle name - my GM's name :)
Ursula
Sadie
Mary

Love the following but cannot use:
Michael
Susannah
Sylvia
Lawrence
Gregory
Benedict - mainly because I fear a Cumberbatch inspired popularity surge

I like slightly less common names versus Janet / Stephen.

I feel a bit odd old that my name has been mentioned! It's definitely LATE century dahlings.

I love the name Sharon btw, but am a bit afraid of using it.

OP posts:
Merylz · 17/08/2013 00:59

Late 40s though. So still mid century I think.

Merylz · 17/08/2013 00:58

my mum and my aunt (born in the 40s) were discussing their friends Gloria and Frieda as they chatted earlier so I bring those two names to the thread.

BikeRunSki · 16/08/2013 21:03

So, common names of people who are about 50- 60 now?

Paul
Michael
Malcolm
Stephen
Robert
Keith
Mark

Sue
Valerie
Linda
Barbara
Angela
Jackie

womma · 16/08/2013 20:57

Great names. I think we need a Thelma in there.

millymae · 16/08/2013 20:04

No one had mentioned Barbara - my mum was born in the 50's and has several friends of the same name. She says that David, Paul and Michael were really popular for boys. She married a Norman and he had a brother called Malcolm.

MortifiedAdams · 16/08/2013 20:02

Rita
Olive

Robert
Lionel

itsBeer0cl0ck · 16/08/2013 20:01

list had howard etc on it. Not pregnant. thankfully! Grin

itsBeer0cl0ck · 16/08/2013 20:01

ha ha!

I like the name Howie! and I like Robert. My boys list has howard and Robert on it. I think it had Marcus (but not mark) on it too. I don't like Gary but I don't see how it's so different from Harry really! and I like Jason, prefer it to the modern Mason which I hear about, so I like the names on this thread. They make a change.

siluria · 16/08/2013 19:57

Howard, Mark, Gary, Jason, Robert ... oh, wait a minute ;)

RalphtheTimid · 16/08/2013 19:20

Gregory

Ursula

RiceorChips · 16/08/2013 18:52

Kathleen
Christine
Eileen
Irene
Glynis
Rita
Susan
Freda
Sandra
Anne

Brian
Leslie
Dennis
Ronald
Douglas
Paul
Donald
Roger
Alan
Gerard

Cassieyellow · 16/08/2013 18:35

Patricia for a girl.

Rhubarbgarden · 16/08/2013 13:30

Dinah. I love Dinah.

sleepingbeautiful · 16/08/2013 00:32

I know a baby Sadie!

Lavinia
Margaret
Selina
Vivienne
Veronica
Sylvie/Sylvia

Edmund
Robert
Timothy
Lawrence/Laurence
Ernest
Grant
Spencer
Sterling
Richard

SpeedwellBlue · 15/08/2013 23:48

I love Sadie and Daphne

IWipeArses · 15/08/2013 22:14

Ooh nice, Daphne, Audrey, Penelope and Elizabeth were all on our list.
Love, love, love Peter!

Definitely think Gary is due for a revival.

I'd also like to throw in Kevin and Tracy for discussion purposes.

smoothmoves · 15/08/2013 22:02

For boys..

Roderick nn Roddy (fab!)
Ivan
Ivo
Benedict
Kenneth nn Kenny (loving this)
Gregory
Maurice (hate it, but takes all sorts)

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