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Baby names

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

What names which were popular in the past haven’t yet made a comeback?

109 replies

Urbanbeetler · 24/06/2018 07:53

Susan was a name which you often heard in the 60s. And I went to school with a number of girls called Donna, Jacqueline, Nicola and Marie. And boys called Graham, Colin and Barry.

Will these names ever come back in fashion again, or are there a subset of historical names which miss revivals and will forever be consigned to a particular patch or 30 or so years other than the odd naming here and there?

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kaytee87 · 26/06/2018 09:11

I think Mary is due a come back.

BeautifulWintersMorning · 26/06/2018 09:09

Lesley

BabloHoney · 24/06/2018 21:44

Christina
Helen
Nicola
Gemma
Joanne
Jennifer
Leanne

Ian
Steven
Neil
Simon
Timothy

I think more girls names popular in the 80s sound dated now then boys names.

MariaMadita · 24/06/2018 21:39

grass Agnes has been making a comeback imo.

Huh, it's surprisingly popular:

names.darkgreener.com/#agnes

grasspigeons · 24/06/2018 21:29

My grandparents generations names seem to be the opular 'comeback' names at the moment but from their friendship groups
Cyril, Cecil and Guy don't seem to have come back
and neither have Phyllis, Hilda and Agnes

Urbanbeetler · 24/06/2018 21:19

And agree, Margaret Ellen is beautiful.

OP posts:
Urbanbeetler · 24/06/2018 21:17

I really like Susie, and Sally too.

OP posts:
MinesABabyGuiness · 24/06/2018 21:15

Linda and Susan for sure. Can't see either of them coming back.

Ian and Mark too.

Stillwishihadabs · 24/06/2018 21:12

I love Leonard Len for short if I had a DS this year I would definitely consider it.

Cinderella2018 · 24/06/2018 21:06

Terence/Terry

I’m old, half my family are on this thread!

SnartyFartBlast · 24/06/2018 21:06

Ethel
Thora
Montgomery

LoveInTokyo · 24/06/2018 21:03

ABC I have a relative called Margaret Ellen and I love both names.

ABCFamily · 24/06/2018 20:48

If we go by the 100 Year Cycle rule, here are some names which were popular approximately 100 years ago but aren't today:

Mary
Margaret
Kathleen
Winifred
Gladys
Phyllis
Hilda
Ethel
Irene
Vera
Ellen

Ernest
Leslie
Harold
Leonard
Ronald
Walter
Reginald
Herbert
Norman

ABCFamily · 24/06/2018 20:38

Gemma
Danielle
Stacey
Natasha
Jenna

Timothy
Scott
Craig
Richard
Nicholas

MariaMadita · 24/06/2018 20:22

MrStark

I have a little cousin (well, the child of my mother's cousin's son) named Samanta. She's such an adorable little toddler... Which is probably why the name seems fresh and cute to me (nowadays).

MrStarkIDontFeelSoGood · 24/06/2018 20:04

The oldest people I know with the following names are all over 25

Nicola
Louise
Emma
Samantha
Sarah
Joanne
Lorraine
Helen
Leslie
Beverley
Michelle
Victoria
Jane
Louise
Rebecca
Heather

Boys

David
Simon
Anthony
Andrew
Steven
Adam
Mark
Colin
Gary
Stuart
Graham

DumbledoresApprentice · 24/06/2018 19:58

I also had a Phyllis this year. (Aged 15)

Japanesejazz · 24/06/2018 19:57

It’s interesting isn’t it. My grandparents names are all popular now. In no particular order.
Alice
Lily
Joseph
George
Henry
William
May
Some middle names. I don’t have 7 grandparents!

DumbledoresApprentice · 24/06/2018 19:57

We have a few teenage Susans at the school I teach in and a fair few Sharons. Quite a few of the names on here are fairly common at my school actually. Although we are a very ethnically diverse school in Greater London with lots of girls from African backgrounds.
I teach all of the following this year
Elsie
Tracy
Sharon
Joanne
Tanya
Beverley
Joyce
Denise
Michelle

Sukitaketwo · 24/06/2018 19:47

I never hear the name Fred...
It's always Freddie. The name is never mentioned on these lists either.

RoseMartha · 24/06/2018 19:44

There are a few young children with some of these names now. I know three Kevin's who are under 10. An Elsie, Mabel, Christopher, and a couple of Claire's.

user1457017537 · 24/06/2018 19:44

I like Rita

missmouse101 · 24/06/2018 19:36

Quite like Herbert, or Herbie!

MariaMadita · 24/06/2018 19:29

jilted Adrian is a great name. Thanks:) (I'm pilfering baby name threads for inspiration Wink)

KeefBurtain · 24/06/2018 19:28

I know quite a few young Barbara’s. They’re all Polish and have the nickname ‘Basia’

I have a baby Leonard 💙