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Baby names

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Original poster

Demise of the ‘chav’ name?

193 replies

stilllill · 11/11/2023 19:07

I’ve lived on the same council estate for years. When I was younger every girl was Keeley, Courtney, Charmaine, Chantelle, etc.
Boys were Tyler, Liam, Scott, Riley, Bailey, etc.
Knew 3+ of each in school, and these names generally made our class very obvious.

Now I’ve noticed that the children on my estate have completely different names.

Girls:
Iris, Francesca, Esme, Belle and Elizabeth

Boys:
Roy, Jasper, Anthony, Isaac, Jacob

I think these are really timeless, classic names!

I know MN is very middle class, but anyone else noticed this change?

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Original poster
stilllill · 11/11/2023 19:31

Perhaps this is more regional than I thought, I’m in the Midlands.

OP posts:
Original poster
stilllill · 11/11/2023 19:31

@SeethroughDress No, my area is poorer than it was, and my estate has become the one which the council has designated for people with ASBOs to get moved to.

OP posts:
IDoughnutKnow · 11/11/2023 19:28

I see them out and about. The boys are called things like Klaxon. Girls are, as PP say, Something-Mae.

SeethroughDress · 11/11/2023 19:28

Can people stop perpetuating fake etymologies for ‘chav’?

OP, isn’t the most likely scenario is that your area has become somewhat gentrified? The area I grew up in was a very poor area of council ex council houses and a lot of poverty in the 70s and 80s. Recently, as our parents generation has sold on, people have realised it’s close to the city centre, hospital and universities, has solidly well-built houses and big gardens, and a completely different set of people live there. Lots of academics, medics etc.

Hubblebubble · 11/11/2023 19:26

Old people names with a Welsh twist are very popular with the MC here. Think Betsi, Nansi and Mabli

lookingforMolly · 11/11/2023 19:25

When I was a child in Dorset, 'chav' meant to steal, as in "I'll chav that".

EverybodySayBigStretch · 11/11/2023 19:24

Baby Roy? Really?

Libertass · 11/11/2023 19:23

Yooneek & made-up names are definitely the new chav names. Jasminiqua, Ber-tarkus etc etc.

lookingforMolly · 11/11/2023 19:23

I didn't know that names like Liam & Scott, Keeley & Chantelle etc etc were considered chavvy names, I've known lots of them, mostly adults with normal jobs who I wouldn't say are 'chavs' (who is a chav these days anyway?).

Can't believe people are calling boys Roy, makes me think of Roy Cropper from Coronation Street. The other new names in use mentioned are nice.

KirstenBlest · 11/11/2023 19:22

"Chav" may have its origins in the Romani word "chavi", meaning "child".

MrsTerryPratchett · 11/11/2023 19:21

Read Freakonomics. He talks about names floating down social classes. Starts with the posh, then the MC wants to seem posh and so on. As soon as Tyler and Rae name their child Margot, it's done for the MC.

TheDuchessOfMN · 11/11/2023 19:19

I think I know what you mean. The names associated with a disadvantaged background have already dated?

Mirrormeback · 11/11/2023 19:19

I guess former

Council
Housed
And
Violent

Are choosing to live different lives

TwoBigNoisyBoys · 11/11/2023 19:16

Delighted that my child’s name is in your ‘chav’ category.

Shpeech · 11/11/2023 19:15

Round here's it's still Jayden, Cayden, Braydon type names, or surnames as first names, Jackson, Harper

Spirro · 11/11/2023 19:15

Hyphens are the new chav names.

Original poster
stilllill · 11/11/2023 19:14

@garlictwist I definitely hear that but more in the teen age-range I think! -mae is so much nicer than the -lee that was popular for a while.

OP posts:
garlictwist · 11/11/2023 19:10

I also grew up and live in a "chav" area (MN hates this word but most of them grew up far away from this world so get offended on others behalf!)

The kids round here all have hyphens. Usually hyphen-Mae for girls.