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Baby names

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

Original poster

Are there any names that you don't understand why they aren't more popular?

114 replies

TheNameNerd · 06/11/2022 11:13

Which names do you think deserve more love?

I know it's very much a marmite name but I love Ambrose.

What names do you think should be used more often?

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LadyWithLapdog · 07/11/2022 06:30

Re Claudia meaning lame. Yet Amelia means without a limb and is vv popular, or was a few years ago. So I don’t think it’s purely a meaning thing. I love them both.

Teeshirt · 07/11/2022 06:28

toastofthetown · 06/11/2022 12:49

Marina. It’s such a beautiful name: classic, not overused, easy to say, easy to spell, travels well internationally.

I know several Marinas, from young children to teens to adults. Not rare at all.

Sheila. I really like this.

Bramblejoos · 07/11/2022 06:19

Linda, Yvonne, Glenda, Sheila, Janet, Janette, Jean. All the names that were popular when I was young.

Bramblejoos · 07/11/2022 06:17

KirstenBlest · 06/11/2022 13:58

Yes, but it amazes me that so many parents pick names that are very popular, and that are so similar to lots of other names

You don't know what is popular until you have a baby and mix with others or have contact with a school.

TheSilentPicnic · 07/11/2022 05:51

FourChimneys · 06/11/2022 11:26

Simon
Peter
Jonathan

Claire
Julie
Sally

I had all of these in my junior school class but you rarely see them now.

They were popular and now they are having a rest. Names go in cycles. Usually the names in the births column are very similar to those in the death notices.

The name I most wish would take a test is Finn.

dontbringthatbirdinhere · 07/11/2022 05:49

junebirthdaygirl · 06/11/2022 23:30

All my dc in their late 20s are mentioned here!! I must have picked names no one wants to use any more

I think that's the point, people your childrens' age are having children now, so don't want to call them what were popular names in the late 80s/early 90s

EdgeOfACoin · 07/11/2022 05:17

Jaminas · 06/11/2022 23:14

Claudia. It’s just so nice!

Unfortunately the meaning is not nice at all! It's derived directly from the Latin Claudus/Clauda meaning lame/crippled. That's probably why it's not more popular.

That's what put me off the name. Otherwise, I think it's lovely.

Jeelypieces20storeys · 07/11/2022 01:26

Caroline
Colette
Louise
Adam

GlassDeli · 07/11/2022 00:14

Walter and Cuthbert. I know the Beano did them no favours, but I like them. Zebedee and Dylan, yes Magic Roundabout, but I think they're good names. Torin, Cole, Samson, Edwin.

Belinda, it would make a change from Bella and Isabella. Stephanie, Penny, Natalia, Melissa, Gemma, Faith, Rebecca.

TrippyLily · 07/11/2022 00:13

MoreTeaLessCoffee · 06/11/2022 12:55

Twyla, I know one and I think it's beautiful.

Disagree on this one. Twyla is awful.

Maria.

Feysriana · 07/11/2022 00:10

Wenceslas 🙃

Parmesam · 07/11/2022 00:07

Clement/Clementine
Robert. I hear Bobby a lot but not Robert. Where are all the Roberts these days?
Ezra
Francis (like my Grandad)/Frances

DarkDarkNight · 07/11/2022 00:04

MoreTeaLessCoffee · 06/11/2022 12:55

Twyla, I know one and I think it's beautiful.

How old is the Twyla you know? I’d never heard of it until Schitt’s Creek.

apalershadeoflight · 06/11/2022 23:55

(I have insomnia!)

apalershadeoflight · 06/11/2022 23:54

Amanda
Brida
Cecily
Constance
Dorine
Donna
Edith
Elizabeth
Frances
Georgina
Gwendoline
Harriet
Irene
Judith
Karen
Katherine
Lorraine
Martha
Meredith
Miranda
Nora
Odette
Penelope
Queenie
Rebecca
Suzanne
Tamara
Una
Vivian
Wilhemina
X?
Yvonne
Yvette
Zoe

Anthony
Christian
David
Edgar
Francis
Frederick
Gregory
Harold
Ian
Jeremy
Lewis
Martin
Nathan
Paul
Richard
Simon
Timothy
Victor
Wilfred
Xavier
Z?

Dutchesss · 06/11/2022 23:36

I also like Faye.

Enko · 06/11/2022 23:35

Forgot Athena

Enko · 06/11/2022 23:34

Agree re Marina

Also
Ramona
Eloisa
Lois

Horatio
Conrad
Walter

junebirthdaygirl · 06/11/2022 23:30

All my dc in their late 20s are mentioned here!! I must have picked names no one wants to use any more

TempsPerdu · 06/11/2022 23:29

Looking at the most recent ONS name stats I’m quite surprised that many of the very classic Shakespearean girls’ names aren’t more popular - yes to Marina, but also Miranda, Juliet, Viola, Rosalind etc.

The only one that seems to be bucking the trend is Ophelia, which is my least favourite.

Agree with Emil as well.

AmandaMirandaPanda · 06/11/2022 23:16

Gillian
Fiona
Janet
Jill
Odette
Samantha (too soon?)
Susannah
Wendy

Douglas
Duncan
Efraim
Emmett
Eric
Hugh
Lionel
Malachi

Jaminas · 06/11/2022 23:14

Claudia. It’s just so nice!

Unfortunately the meaning is not nice at all! It's derived directly from the Latin Claudus/Clauda meaning lame/crippled. That's probably why it's not more popular.

Siilka · 06/11/2022 20:57

Lauren
Deborah

Christian
Tristan
Ian

pastabakeonaplate · 06/11/2022 20:34

Laura and Lauren

Luredbyapomegranate · 06/11/2022 14:32

PeekabooAtTheZoo · 06/11/2022 13:07

Laura
Hannah
Verity
Sarah
Evelyn for a boy
Henry
Robert
Andrew
All gorgeous traditional names that our generations seem to have chucked out of the window in favour of noises and common nouns.

Well there’s no shortage of Henrys.. And while Verity isn’t common I think it’s probably used more now than in the last few decades.

But other than that they’ll come round again, they were just popular 70s names so just resting for a bit.