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Baby names

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

Original poster

Names that WON'T make a comeback

423 replies

Greenandcabbagelooking · 26/07/2020 21:25

Some older names I don't think will be returning:

Ethel
Enid
Sheila
Carol

Archibald
Gary
Brian
Reginald

Any to add?

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Kasparovski · 26/07/2020 22:25

Honour

AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken · 26/07/2020 22:24

Lesley

RachelGreep87 · 26/07/2020 22:24

How hasn't Barbara been mentioned yet?

isabellerossignol · 26/07/2020 22:23

@Dita73

I think the name Maxine has had its day
My 13 year old thinks Maxine is the coolest name ever and wishes we had called her that. She says that if she ever has a daughter, that's what she'd be called. So it might make a comeback in 20 years if her peers feel the same Grin
Kasparovski · 26/07/2020 22:23

Philomena (as in Cunk)

SrMichael · 26/07/2020 22:22

Of course they’ll all be back, or virtually all! To the older generations around today, the ‘old person chic’ revived names like Bertie, Stanley, Gus, Seth, Ada, Dorothy, Edith etc are just as passé and unimaginable on a baby as Malcolm, Nigel and Keith.

Once enough time has passed Keith will stop sounding like a rotund middle-aged Rotarian in golfing jumpers and will sound like something you could imagine calling your baby.

Singinginshower · 26/07/2020 22:22

I love some of these names!

Agree with others that lots of them will be resurrected in a couple of generations.

MorbidMuch · 26/07/2020 22:22

I know a few young boys called Douglas.

I've seen Maud, Mavis, Doris, Enid, and Ethel all being seriously considered on these boards in recent times.

I quite like Sally and wouldn't be surprised if that was in the next wave of names.

I feel we won't see a surge in popularity for these names any time soon:

  • Roger
  • Derek
  • Sharon
  • Karen
  • Deirdre
  • Bertha
  • Hilda
Dita73 · 26/07/2020 22:21

I think the name Maxine has had its day

Kasparovski · 26/07/2020 22:21

Gladys

Tillygetsit · 26/07/2020 22:20

Edna.

Anoisagusaris · 26/07/2020 22:19

All names come around again. (Except something like Adolf).

When I was a child names like Mollie, Rose, Anna, Emily, Jack, Charlie, Lily, Mae etc were all considered to be old people’s names.

formerbabe · 26/07/2020 22:18

Actually I know of children called

Brian
Alan
Kevin

All from Eastern European backgrounds.

Todaywewilldobetter · 26/07/2020 22:18

@Myownname

What do people think of the name Elliott? Has that come back?
Yes! A couple in our area.
emilybrontescorsett · 26/07/2020 22:18

I don't think you can ever say a name won't make a come back. A lot of the names I considered truly awful 20 years ago seen to be popular now. I remember being at school with kids who's names people sniggered at which are names parents are really giving their kids now.

Esspee · 26/07/2020 22:18

Boris

LuluJakey1 · 26/07/2020 22:17

Tracey/Tracy
Kelly
Leanne
Angela
Julie
Marilyn
Gwenda
Valerie
Brenda

StrangeLookingParasite · 26/07/2020 22:17

Ronald

formerbabe · 26/07/2020 22:16

I know a baby Kevin

Instatwat · 26/07/2020 22:15

And I know a couple of Noras too - actually it’s a name I like myself and my daughter’s name is only one letter different.

Clariana · 26/07/2020 22:15

Ah, where we used to live someone named their little girl Isis..... it was 2006, I bet they regret it now and I can't see it being popular in the future either.

DisgruntledSnowman · 26/07/2020 22:15

@DerbyshireGirly

Definitely Keith.
Nope. I'm a midwife. I've delivered a baby Keith in the last year.
spotlovesbedtime · 26/07/2020 22:14

This is such an annoying post. All names will come back in to use. Ours are named after grandfathers......I'm sure many other people use family names in which case they keep returning.......? Names are so (unimportant?) .....I don't like a lot of names but I love the people who have them.....

isabellerossignol · 26/07/2020 22:14

I know fairly young children called Gary, Sally, Louise, Scott, Christine...I don't think many names are totally off limits. Except, as others have said, Adolf...

Instatwat · 26/07/2020 22:13

@MrsGilly1

I think Ethel, Enid will still be around as I know little girls with both!

I think names such as...

Girls...

Louise
Karen
Sally
Gillian
Pamela
Christine
Patricia
Marjorie

Boys

Keith
Paul
Eugene
Douglas

I know two babies named Douglas (both Dougie day to day). Both with Scottish parents!