Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

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?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 02/11/2021 09:53

I think my parents were ahead of the times and wanted to call me 'X Æ A-12'. but the registrar would allow it.
Consequently I'm called Two Left Socks With Holes - I'm guessing it is after a native American but I can't be sure.

Tiredofthetired · 02/11/2021 09:49

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).

NoDecentHandlesLeft · 02/11/2021 09:31

I know an Alfie in his 30s. It was uncommon in the 80s, but popular now.

ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba · 02/11/2021 09:13

oops, I meant communist Hungary
not common, although probably also true😁

ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba · 02/11/2021 09:12

My mum had a classmate called Carmen.
This was completely unheard of at the time (late 50's - early 60's) in common Hungary.
Every teacher thought it was pretentious and also breaking rank - because of the opera connection she was seen as a filthy bourgeois (not a good little party card carrying proletarian) so they made her life a living hell, openly picking on her. As if it was her fault🤬
She hated her name.

Longerthan · 02/11/2021 09:05

My middle name is Vivien which was very much a name of my parents generation. I was surprised to see that it is becoming popular again.

GreenClock · 02/11/2021 09:00

I dealt with an elderly Kylie thorough work a few months ago. I had expected “Kylie” to be aged 32ish in the UK. No idea if this customer was Aus originally because we only communicated by email.

Girl at school was named Fallon in the early 1970s (so pre-Dynasty).

My colleague (1971 born) has an old school mate her age called Ava. But Julie, Joanne, Nicola, Lisa also feature in her gang, as expected.

MysticCT · 02/11/2021 08:44

I've got the opposite, I was given a name of my parents generation. It has always been old fashioned, anybody I met with the same name was at least thirty years older and It's never been popular.
It's occasionally mentioned on here and It's considered a strong name.

IVflytrap · 02/11/2021 08:36

My cousin Jack is in his early 40s. When my auntie had him, apparently her family asked her why she'd chosen such an outdated old man name for her baby. Grin

MrsMoastyToasty · 02/11/2021 07:32

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

Maggiesgirl · 02/11/2021 07:30

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.

flippertyop · 02/11/2021 07:30

I'm 49 and Olivia was a relatively popular name at school. Maybe it was a regional thing. I also know a few Colin's in their 70s and 80s. Colin was an old persons name (someone in their 40/ ha ha) by the time I was at schools a bit like Andrew would be now

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 02/11/2021 07:25

I know an Esme in her fifties. It's allthe rage at the moment in young kids. I think according to her, it was very out there when she was a kid.

whatswithtodaytoday · 02/11/2021 07:24

I don't know if Poppy is that ahead of its time? I know two aged 40-45ish, it never struck me as an odd name when I got to know them as teens.

My name is extremely of its time and I have always disliked it because of that - there were six in my year at school 🙄

AlbusDumbledore2234 · 02/11/2021 07:21

I know of a 50 year old Arlo! Grin

PanicBuyingSprouts · 02/11/2021 06:58

Not me, my name is far too much of its time, but my DF is in her 50s abs named Olivia. When she used to introduce herself and her DD people always got mixed up and thought that her DD was Olivia.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 01/11/2021 23:41

My new granddaughter is Poppy.

I was born 1975 and went to school with an Amelia and Isabelle. I think Amelia was a year older and Isabelle was a year younger.

ThelmaMadine · 01/11/2021 22:04

I know a 96 year old Zena.

annawi · 01/11/2021 21:30

DH is called Luke which was very rare when he was named in the early 1970s - he said he was the only one at school and only one of two he knew at university. Seven years on from his birth year it started becoming very popular and has remained so - due primarily to Star Wars I think

Pumpkinsonparade · 01/11/2021 21:30

I know an 80 yo Colin. Seems odd!!
And a 90 yo Linda!!

minipie · 01/11/2021 21:27

I never met anyone with my name growing up. Then it became very fashionable when I was about 12.

Sadly it doesn’t make people think I’m 12 years younger…

BlueFlavour · 01/11/2021 21:22

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

Heartsandroses · 01/11/2021 21:22

My mate had an auntie poppy-aged 87 when I met her
My own name is either from the 1800’s or the 90’s (although it’s swung back into fashion)
My own daughter-her name wasn’t that common when she was born
Now it’s everywhere

TRFran · 01/11/2021 21:17

My 27 year-old sister is called Ivy, after our great-grandmother. Popular now but I’ve never met another 20-something with the name.

NotAnotherHelen · 01/11/2021 21:09

I’m the opposite - I am twenty years too young for my name.