Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
daisypond · 12/05/2017 13:43

Winifred could come back. I think it's quite nice - very Welsh, to my mind. And it has diminutives you could use if you wanted - Freddie, Winnie, Freda, etc.

I know both a young Nina and a Stella. I had a great-aunt Rita. It was short for Margarita.

Daphne is OK, too - if you don't think "old lady" but instead think "river nymph" from the Greek myths.

EssentialHummus · 12/05/2017 13:42

Expecting first DC here and Vera is on our two-name shortlist. DH would love to use the Russian version of Barbara - Varvara - which I think is God-awful.

RortyCrankle · 12/05/2017 13:39

I would add:

Susan
Pamela
Barbara
Joan
Cheryl
Jean
Doris

AnnaThursday · 12/05/2017 13:39

I like Sylvia and Barbara, I think Julie is a lovely name, Elaine is not
so common now as it once was.

CherryMintVanilla · 12/05/2017 13:38

Edith is part of the retro baby name bunch. Because no-one seems to actually intend calling their dd Edith, it gets immediately shortened to Edie.

I expect all the old lady named babies will have children called Tracey, Patricia and Sharon

That has been forecast actually! Nans and Great Nans of today's Ava's and Betty's will probably find Carol and Karen very retro and appealing!

CricketRuntAndRashers · 12/05/2017 13:38

I know a 10 year old Peggy (I think Margaret on the BC but known as Peggy all the time)

That's such a lovely name imo!

CricketRuntAndRashers · 12/05/2017 13:37

I personally admittedly dislike Mabel.

Alma, Barbie, Bridie, Betty, Ruth, Shirley, Gladys, Phyllis, Marylin, Minnie, Bonnie, Muriel, Eunice, Beulah, Roberta, Janice, Regina, Jeannette.

harderandharder2breathe · 12/05/2017 13:26

I know a 10 year old Peggy (I think Margaret on the BC but known as Peggy all the time)

I expect all the old lady named babies will have children called Tracey, Patricia and Sharon

Marcipex · 12/05/2017 13:24

I know toddlers Dorothy, Ivy, Elsie, Mabel.
I really like Barbara .

Morewashingtodo · 12/05/2017 13:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 12/05/2017 13:20

Brenda is one of my 'worsts' , not helped by having a PITA aunt of that name, well into 80s now.
My granny was lovely but she gave all her kids (to me) ghastly names. Winifred was another - no doubt fashionable at the time, though. Can't imagine anyone now calling a poor innocent little baby Winifred.

Don't know who said Mary, but I don't see that as old-lady, just classic and overdue for a comeback. I gather it was one of the most popular for hundreds of years.

WankersHacksandThieves · 12/05/2017 13:19

I had an Aunty Bunty - think that was short for Elizabeth..

badabing36 · 12/05/2017 13:14

Adding Sybil and Virginia to the list!

badabing36 · 12/05/2017 13:13

Oooh getting some good ideas from this board. I'm loving:

Rita
Vera
Audrey
Norah

I also like Nina, is it short for something or just nina? Stella is also an option. I am not pregnant

I had a great auntie named Blanche always thought it was the worst name in the world. Poor old Blanche.

AdaColeman · 12/05/2017 13:09

I had an Aunt Fanny, it wasn't short for anything! I do love Francesca!

CricketRuntAndRashers · 12/05/2017 13:08

Hildegard, Gertrude, Wilhelmina, Virginia, Berenice, Bernadette, Patrice.

I personally also love Marise, Peggy and Gloria. Imo they haven't made a comeback (yet?)

daisypond · 12/05/2017 13:04

Fanny is unlikely! But Frances, the name it's short for, is possible, just like Francesca is now.

AdaColeman · 12/05/2017 13:00

I've not met any little Sybils, Berthas or Hildas yet.

I really like Maud, Constance and Edith, but don't see the appeal of Ethel, Olive or Ivy.

I can't see Fanny making a comeback.

ShotsFired · 12/05/2017 12:58

My local paper recently had a bonny baby photo competition.

The write up of all the entrant names looked like the register of an old folk's home! Grin

(Both my grandmothers names [DOBs in the 1920s] are on your OP @GirlcalledJames - I can't say I could ever see them working for a baby today)

WankersHacksandThieves · 12/05/2017 12:56

29Palms - I was inclined to agree with you and then realised that actually time is moving on and the Janet, Barbara and Patricias I know are in their 70s.

Middle-aged names are now those of my peers (I'm 50) so those are the Sharon, Shirley, Sandra & Gillians.

My Mum's generation which is those in their 80s are the Henrietta, Philomena, Adas etc.

ajandjjmum · 12/05/2017 12:56

My Mum was Doris - she always hated it - used to say she didn't know what her mother was thinking of to call her that name!

She was always Dot or Dottie.

29Palms · 12/05/2017 12:51

I wouldn't class a lot of these names as "old lady names".

Ethel, Hilda, Phyllis are old lady names to me
The likes of Janet, Barbara, Patricia are more middle-aged lady names.

daisypond · 12/05/2017 12:45

Yes, I know a Gloria.

Hilda might be due a comeback, especially with the Last Kingdom TV series predominant - the character Hild - and all those other Anglo-Saxony names, like Aethel - Ethel.

Beryl is a gemstone, so no different in type to names like Ruby. I think it's quite nice.

allegretto · 12/05/2017 12:43

I love Ethel!

WankersHacksandThieves · 12/05/2017 12:42

I know a 5 year old Sue - not short for Susan, just Sue.