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Baby names

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

Original poster

Staying one generation ahead of "cool"

113 replies

NicknameMustbeBetween4and30Cha · 16/08/2018 11:50

So, we all know the current wave of trendy vintage "cool" names being revived (Ada, Vera, Beatrice, Wilfred, Stanley, Albert, etc), but the problem is that kids don't appreciate how cool their names are! It's just their name to them! And by the time they're in their 20s and 30s and old enough to appreciate it, these names will all be done to death and boring. The new Clares and Emilys and Johns and Davids.

So what we need is a baby name that is not even close to being cool yet, but will be in 25 years. The cool names of the next generation! So that when my child is in his/her 20s, everyone will just be starting to think what a cool and unique name it is!

Any ideas? Grin

OP posts:
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Thurlow · 16/08/2018 20:17

Bike - My theory is that children are often names after their great grandparents

DS is named after his great grandads!

I suspect he might accidentally end up being one if the older persons with a name that could become cool. Only could though. Has as much chance as never being cool again though Grin

DontFuckingSayIt · 16/08/2018 20:13

I know of a 10-ish yo Derek and a baby Burt (through work, not some friend-of-a-friend thing like Le-A)... there's probably loads more actually that I can't think of.
I saw an almost 20-year-old called something like Ella-Mae and had to look twice, I expected it to be a toddler. Same with a Sandra in her early 20s (expected her to be older).

YearOfYouRemember · 16/08/2018 20:11

Since my name hasn't been mentioned you should name her the same Grin.

ASliceOfArcticRoll · 16/08/2018 20:10

Not saying I like these at all or think they will ever seem cool! But names from
my parents' generation:

Barbara
Jean
Mary
Marlene
Dorothy
Derek
Peggy
Ralph
Ted
Betty
Valerie
Jacqueline
Ronald
Eric

harryhermioneronmalfoy · 16/08/2018 20:06

Why is cool your priority? Confused

mycatplotsdeath · 16/08/2018 20:06

For boys

Mark
Lee
Stephen
Robert
David
Kenneth

Girls
Sarah
Ann
Donna
Andrea
Jane
Margret

Maidsrus · 16/08/2018 20:05

OP I think you are overthinking it Grin

Each child will make their own name anyway, it’s not that important!

GreenTulips · 16/08/2018 20:02

my first name is Georgina and I’ve never been cool...

I think that's cool !! My names crap - not popular just boring

What about

Deana
Samantha
Christina
Greta
Robyn
Henrietta

CanineEnigma · 16/08/2018 20:01

If it's 70's/80's names then surely Steven/Stephen is due a comeback?

BonnieF · 16/08/2018 19:59

Clive
Gareth
Nigel
Keith
Raymond
Anthony

Sheila
Lesley
Janice
Alison
Karen
Sharon

NameChangedNow · 16/08/2018 19:57

Melissa

Glumglowworm · 16/08/2018 19:57

I know an Isabella who’s in her late thirties. Every other Isabel/Isabelle/Isabella that I know is under sixteen. Her parents were definitely ahead of the curve!

I agree that the children of the current batch of Stanley/Archie/Albert/Evie/Ava/Molly will probably all be names that are currently deeply uncool.

I think Susan is definitely due a revival. It’s objectively a nice name, but I think most of us know too many women in their 60s called Sue to use it now, but kids now won’t have that association

So on that basis if I think of other women in their 60s that I know, little Susan will be at school with Patricia, Joy (also objectively a lovely name!), Mary, Linda, Ann, Carol, Margaret, Geraldine and Judith. The boys will be Steven, David, Nigel, Derek, Michael, John, Paul and Terry

But really I wouldn’t use “future coolness” as a factor in naming a baby! Who knows what will happen? Some old fashioned names that would be contemporaries of Molly, Evelyn, Alfie etc like Doris and Enid haven’t had the same surge in popularity. Enid fits the same criteria as many popular names like Evie, Evelyn, Edith, Erin etc but I don’t know of any little Enids!

NameChangedNow · 16/08/2018 19:56

Louise
Lindsay
Helen
Julie
Judith

NoLeslie · 16/08/2018 19:56

My name was very unusual for my age, I only met one other person with it at school. 20 years later it's every other millennial's name. People expect me to be a lot younger than I am Grin

AuntieStella · 16/08/2018 19:55

Kenneth and Deborah

Paul and Donna

Colin and Lorraine

NameChangedNow · 16/08/2018 19:54

Deborah
Sandra
Tanya
Carol
Patricia
Tracy
Ruth
Marion
Angela
Christine
Valerie
Nicola
Lynn
Theresa
Anita

KavvLar · 16/08/2018 19:49

And yy to Victoria Sarah and Nicola. Can't believe I missed those. And Melanie.

KavvLar · 16/08/2018 19:47

It's going to be 70s/80s names then:

Becky
Claire
Susanne
Laura
Emma
Angela
Jane
Louise
Michelle
Lorraine
Kirsty

Mark
Paul
David
Gareth
Andrew
Craig
Toby
Anthony

James and Emily seem to have transcended that 'dated' feel but I'd have put them in there too

derekthe1adyhamster · 16/08/2018 19:47

I think Dave and Matt are going to be popular along with Christopher. Not sure about girls, maybe victoria, Sarah and nicola?

CanineEnigma · 16/08/2018 19:43

Wu-tang Dan Grin That's my next cat's name sorted.

MazDazzle · 16/08/2018 19:40

Derek & Deirdre. For twins! Grin

georgie262 · 16/08/2018 19:30

Or names that have never been particularly common or cool in the first place - my first name is Georgina and I’ve never been cool...

Trialsmum · 16/08/2018 19:25

I think it’ll be the nicknames of adults now... Dave, Steve, Mike, Andy, Paul (not a nickname obvs), Mandy, Wendy, Sarah, Vicky...

Ds has a 9 year old Dave in his class already and an Ian who was a few years above!

Original poster
NicknameMustbeBetween4and30Cha · 16/08/2018 19:19

I actually think the Victorian/20s style names you listed aren't 'cool' anymore, they're lovely but too commonplace. The really cool people I know are using 50s names like Barbara, Wendy, Peggy, Frank.

Yeah, the ones I listed are definitely past their peak. I couldn't think of what the cool ones actually are!

But anyway, that just means it's already too late for the likes of Barbara, Wendy, Peggy and Frank. I need what comes after them.

OP posts:
AnduinsGirl · 16/08/2018 19:14

I prefer these...

Staying one generation ahead of "cool"