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Baby names

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

Original poster

Old lady names that haven't had a comeback

232 replies

GirlcalledJames · 12/05/2017 11:15

Wondering if any of these will trend:

Eileen, Doreen, Noreen, Maureen
Margery
Dorothy
Doris
Vera
Rita
Norah
Winifred
Mary
Joan
Margaret
Patricia
Ethel
Gladys, Dilys
Edith

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auntym · 27/05/2017 21:12

Jessie
Betty
Peggy
Effie
Edith

Icklepickle101 · 24/05/2017 22:11

I know a toddler Dorothy and Mable Grin

Olddear · 23/05/2017 21:48

Hortense.
Hermione. They must be due for a comeback......

PodgeBod · 23/05/2017 15:41

Charlotte I see Hazel a lot on American name boards. I can see it becoming very popular in the next couple of years.
It's my DD2s middle name, after her aunt.

MrsToddsShortcut · 22/05/2017 20:02

I believe David Tennant's youngest is named Doris.

Also is Lettice pronounced like Lettuce (as in Salad) or is it Let-teesha?

Lastly, when will all the 80's footballer names come back?

Gary
Barry
Darren
Russell
Dean
Wayne etc...

Charlottenburg · 22/05/2017 19:51

has anyone mentioned Hazel? I always thought it was kind of cool.

buttercup54321 · 20/05/2017 21:14

Ethel
Joyce
Joan
Jean
Sheila
Mabel
Vera
Pamela
Barbara
Edna
Shirley
Agnes
Agatha
Mildred
June
Hilda
Yvonne
Maud

squishee · 20/05/2017 04:29

Niña means girl in Spanish.

I like the name Esther.

Also Greta.

HerRoyalFattyness · 19/05/2017 22:35

fir she's 3 now. Its a beautiful name.

firawla · 19/05/2017 22:03

royalfatty Id love to come across a baby Bernadette! It's my mums name but you never seem to come across it these days

TheClaws · 15/05/2017 03:51

On my local McDonald's a couple of years ago was a wonderful piece of graffiti - "Phyllis was here". Grin. Either Gran got out of the retirement home and went on a bender or there's a rebel teenager out there called Phyllis (probably because she's has the name 'Phyllis').

BelleTheSheepdog · 15/05/2017 00:27

I had forgotten Phyllis. I knew a few growing up, older women called Phil!

Beebeeeight · 14/05/2017 23:34

The names from the worst witch books-

Mildred
Maud
Ethel
Enid
Agatha

Fozzleyplum · 14/05/2017 23:32

I think some of the names mentioned, like Edith, have already had a surge in popularity.

The ones which have been rarely used and which I reckon are due for an airing are:

Jane
Mary
Susan
Deborah
Kay
Julia
Paula
Dorothy nn Dot
Elizabeth nn Betty

purplecollar · 14/05/2017 23:28

The ones I don't see, which were rife on the hospital wards when I worked there (ten years ago) are:

Valerie and
Phyllis

At one time it seemed every other patient was called one of these.

And Donald for male patients. .

Mise1978 · 14/05/2017 23:22

Many of the names mentionefld have origns from other countries are quite normal everyday modern names. Ida and Nora for example. Normal modern names else.

Though I would never call a child Persephone, as I have seen here. If you want to go to Finland. Perse means arse in Finnish. Arse Phone always makes me chuckle Grin

treaclesoda · 14/05/2017 23:13

What about Roberta? That's a name that I think would be unusual these days.

treaclesoda · 14/05/2017 23:11

I know a Kaye who is a child. She is the only Kaye I have ever met actually.

Also know children called Edith, Constance, Martha, Kezia, Maggie, Wilma etc. Quite a lot of the names mentioned here actually.

However, all these things go in cycles. My mum, now in her 80s, told me that when she was a child all the girls called Margaret and Betty etc felt really sorry for the girls who had been lumbered with the terrible old lady names like...Emma and Amy Grin

NennyNooNoo · 14/05/2017 22:56

The only Beryl I know has 4 hooves and a mane.

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 14/05/2017 20:50

Kay maybe coming back a bit. My DSD is in Y7 and there are 2 Kay in her year.

29Palms · 14/05/2017 20:47

wizzler
I have a cousin called Kay and it seems to be quite a rare name as we have only ever met two or three others between us. I don't think it's ever been popular, so don't see how it can date you.

wizzler · 14/05/2017 19:52

Devastated to find in a book of names that my name, Kay , is apparently an old lady name ! I am 52!

I know a Dilys which is lovely I think .

NavyandWhite · 14/05/2017 19:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HerRoyalFattyness · 14/05/2017 15:01

I know 2 little Maggie's (one Margaret, the other Marjorie)
A little Scott
Rita who is the same age as Scott
Dorothy, nn Dotty (baby)
A 5 year old Alan
A 7 year old Martha
And my DD is called Bernadette.

Mothervulva · 14/05/2017 14:50

I think Velma could come back. It's so retro I love it.