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Baby names

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

Original poster

Is Rebecca timeless or dated?

217 replies

Candleflamingbright · 13/02/2020 21:40

Just that :-)

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grandmasterstitch · 14/02/2020 10:51

@Goldrill I always get called Rachel too and I've never understood why!
There was 4 of us in my class at school and in our village, there's 5 mums that are close and 3 of us are Becky. One of our NCT babies is Rebecca. I like my name Smile

Whatsyourflava · 14/02/2020 10:50

Sorry but you are wrong there @bruffin
Rebecca is not currently in the top 100!! The most recent data we have is 2018 and in that year it’s about to leave the top 200 names!
It’ll probably be outside the top 300 by the time 2020 data comes out !

bruffin · 14/02/2020 10:44

Whatsyourflava
But it's not dated to the 80s or the 90s, but a good 40 year span. A Rebecca nowadays will most like be anything from 10 to mid 40s and is still in the top 100. It cant be tied to a particular decade

Bluewater1 · 14/02/2020 10:31

Timeless, I love it as a name

Oliversmumsarmy · 14/02/2020 10:26

I would have thought timeless.

It is a biblical name and always thought those don’t really date you

Ariela · 14/02/2020 10:22

Rebecca is timeless, unshortened is best.

Nowayorhighway · 14/02/2020 10:19

Dated, it belongs in the 1990s. It always gets shortened to Becky or Bex which are just horrible.

12345ct · 14/02/2020 10:19

Dated sorry.

cajenchick · 14/02/2020 10:11

Rebecca is a nice name but Becky is awful

nameisnotimportant · 14/02/2020 10:11

Dated. No one wants to be Becky with the good hair !

CatteStreet · 14/02/2020 10:10

It's timeless, but its spike in popularity at a particular time may make it seem dated (although I think enough time has passed for it to be due a revival now). Rachel is similar.

SugarStealer · 14/02/2020 10:09

Love it, but then I would, I have a 25 year old oneGrin

74NewStreet · 14/02/2020 10:07

Yes, it’s always been around, with varying degrees of popularity. I know a three year old Rebecca. It’s not a name you’d do a double take at, like
Brenda or Linda.

Whatsyourflava · 14/02/2020 10:07

@bruffin that graph says all the words so we don’t have to! It’s dated. So it just depends if that bothers you or not @Candleflamingbright

redwoodmazza · 14/02/2020 10:06

Timeless - and lovely! Go for it!

bruffin · 14/02/2020 09:53

That's exactly why it's 'dated' now. It's dated to the 1980s when it was in fashion
It's not dated to the 80s though, its 70s, 80,90, at early 00s
Dd was late 90s and it was popular then

Is Rebecca timeless or dated?
lottiegarbanzo · 14/02/2020 09:43

@Whatsyourflava Not just me! Another 'pair' I've found have partially merged in my head, from being popular at the same time, are Alison and Nicola.

Also Meg and Beth (but that's probably from Little Women).

yogo · 14/02/2020 09:12

Dated

EmotionalEllie · 14/02/2020 08:21

Timeless but I wouldn't use it as I dont like Bex, Becky etc

Whatsyourflava · 14/02/2020 08:17

@Grufallosfriends completely agree
It’s the perfect example of a dated name

It would have been like a girl being called Sue in school in 1980s. Completely out of place as all the other Sue’s are 80s ‘uncool’ middle aged mums and a aunties

Whatsyourflava · 14/02/2020 08:15

@ReviewingTheSituation @lottiegarbanzo
I’ve always got Rebecca and Rachel confused in my head. And Charlotte and Caroline funnily enough. My head just merges the two names which is frustrating as I have lots of friends called Rebecca and Rachel

ballsdeep · 14/02/2020 08:12

Dated

Hoolihan · 14/02/2020 08:06

I'd put it in the same category as e.g. Stephen which is obviously a classic name which has been used for years and years but in recent times was very popular in the 80s and therefore now seems dated.

Grufallosfriends · 14/02/2020 07:53

And nowhere near as common as it used to be in the 80s when there were 5 of us in one class.

That's exactly why it's 'dated' now. It's dated to the 1980s when it was in fashion!

Nelly325 · 14/02/2020 07:45

Dated