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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Anyone else have a name that's way ahead of its time?

65 replies

AutumnAura · 01/11/2021 17:44

So I'm just about to turn 50. So you'd perhaps expect me to have a name such as Sarah, Lisa, Julie or Caroline. Something along those lines.

But no. I was saddled with Poppy Ava Surname.

There must be others I'm sure but I've yet to meet one my age. People sometimes do a bit of a double rake when I tell them I'm called Poppy.

Dunno what my parents were thinking but clearly ahead of their time!

Anyone else similar?

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lanbro · 03/11/2021 18:48

I don't think I was named ahead of my time as my name was inspired by a woman in her 50s at the time, and it often pop up on name threads as an uncommon suggestion, but I like having an uncommon name. I've only met 2 in my life and I'm from the Gemma/Joanne/Claire generation

sageandbasil · 03/11/2021 18:33

Had a patient called Chester today who was 50. Haven't heard it on an adult before

lucysnowe2 · 03/11/2021 18:31

@BlueFlavour

I’m 53 and my name is Zara. I hated it when I was younger

I know a 80+ Zara! she is super posh/horsey though, so it seems natural.

Capferret · 03/11/2021 17:33

When Margaret Mitchell wrote Gone with the Wind in the 30's the heroine was Poppy.
The publisher persuaded her to change the name to Scarlett.
My name is well known but only popular amongst large Catholic populations.

salcombebabe · 03/11/2021 17:23

I have a less than common name too which I love as I rarely hear anyone called the same!

stillcrazyafterall · 03/11/2021 17:05

I met a Comayne, in her 90s and my sister (mid 60s) has a completely made up name...

ChnandlerBong · 03/11/2021 16:59

yes knew a family with Isabel, Jessica and Edward - they would all be 50-55 now. they were all the only ones with their names in a sea of katherines, clares and davids!

Dramalady52 · 02/11/2021 15:05

I rarely meet anyone with my name which I love, it's never been fashionable. I was surrounded at school by Sharon's, Susan's, Tracey, lots of Jo's, Karen's etc. The boys were all Barry, Gary, Brian and Daves

RedMarauder · 02/11/2021 14:54

@Maggiesgirl

Back in the mid 70's I named DS Lee, not common name at all.

Tben 6 Million Dollar Man appeared on the TV.

Seemed every second little boy was named after Lee Majors then.

I've actually known a few Lee's in my time who were born before 1973.

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 02/11/2021 14:48

@BlameItOnTheBlackStar

I was at school with a Kylie who was born in 1978 - always felt that was ahead of the Kylie craze when Neighbours came along. Yeah

Yep I have a friend called Charlene, born several years before neighbours started on TV. It means people assume she's younger than she is.

Neurodiversitydoctor · 02/11/2021 14:43

Isabella born in 1976. Only one at school and at University, now.....

MilkywayMonarch22 · 02/11/2021 14:42

Yes and I don't get the drama with it! Mine is a very unusual name and people are often commenting things like ' I bet high school was cruel' 'oooh can I shorten it to ' '
'did you just want to be called Zoe when you were younger'

I love that I've never met another person with it. If people can't say it then they need to try harder. No, you can't change it to something that is a short English version. No I wasn't ever bullied nor was my sister who had an equally unusual name, very popular in fact.

I think a lot of the time, a person grows into a name. And it's refreshing to hear something different sometimes, IMO anyway

OldTinHat · 02/11/2021 14:41

I know a 97yr old Laura. I'm 50 and have a less than common name. In fact I've never met anyone else with the same name as me.

Alysskea · 02/11/2021 14:37

I’ve been Elsa since 1994 - the last decade hadn’t been fun lol

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 02/11/2021 14:34

@IsMaeOnTheAsmae

MrsMoastyToasty

I have a relative in her mid 70s called Sharon- about 20 years older than any other Sharon I know

My name is Sharon and im 29. I have never met anyone the same age as me with my name. Anyone ive ever met with the same name has been at least 20/30 years older than me

There's a 3 year old Sharon in the nursery class at my school, it might be a trend name to watch!!

Lottieskeeper · 02/11/2021 14:28

My name was really unusual when my mum picked it for me and I was always dissapointed that I couldn't get a tacky pen, mug, coaster, notepad etc. With my name on when I went on day trips.
When I was around 15 Disney brought out a film with a lead character with my name and it became far more popular and is to this day.

IsMaeOnTheAsmae · 02/11/2021 14:25

MrsMoastyToasty

I have a relative in her mid 70s called Sharon- about 20 years older than any other Sharon I know

My name is Sharon and im 29. I have never met anyone the same age as me with my name. Anyone ive ever met with the same name has been at least 20/30 years older than me

number87inthequeue · 02/11/2021 14:18

My name is of my parents' generation (and maybe a bit old for that). I have only met one other person with my name who is not at least 35 years older than me. There was a thread about my name as a possible baby name on here not long ago though, and loads of people said it was due a come-back, so maybe I will be trendy soon!

MrsAvocet · 02/11/2021 14:17

I had never met another person with my DD's name when we chose it in 1998, though I would have said it was timeless really. It dates back centuries and would never have seemed odd but wasn't what you'd call popular. Fast forward a few years and they were everywhere!

Marcipex · 02/11/2021 14:10

I know a 60 year old Eden. He really stood out among the Pauls, Trevors, and Andrews.

WimpoleHat · 02/11/2021 10:07

I have the opposite- a name my mother declared was timeless and would never date. It’s definitely going to be an old lady’s name in 20 years…..

BlameItOnTheBlackStar · 02/11/2021 10:03

I was at school with a Kylie who was born in 1978 - always felt that was ahead of the Kylie craze when Neighbours came along. Yeah

Krystalcastles · 02/11/2021 10:02

I work In elderly care and know a Lucy, Charlotte, and a Jennifer in their 70s-80s

TatianaBis · 02/11/2021 09:58

@Tiredofthetired

I remember reading The Twins at St Clare’s when I was about 6 (1984) and thinking that Isabel was the most absolutely elegant, unusual, beautiful name I’d ever heard of. I didn’t meet an Isabel of my age until I went to university and even then there was only one. These days so many kids are called Isabel or Isabella that it’s become a ‘nothing’ name like all the Sarahs and Joannes of the 70s abs 80s. So I guess that everyone else thought it was as beautiful and exotic as I did back then and mentally saved it up for their future children. (Ditto Evie from The House of Elliott).

I was at school with loads of Isobels/Isabelles in the 70s and 80s. It was a popular name. 2 or 3 in my class through junior and senior school.

TatianaBis · 02/11/2021 09:56

I know another 50 year old Poppy. Million times better than Sarah or Lisa.

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