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

Does anyone else have a name that, when given, was way ahead of its time?

138 replies

RolyPolyBatFacedGirl · 28/12/2023 20:06

I'm in my early 50s and my parents called me Lily Grace Surname

Now I know there's loads of Lily's and Graces's going way back when , but people are genuinely surprised when I meet up with them for meetings in person after emails (work related of course!) and I'm not 19!

I was an absolute anomaly in the 70s with all my friends who were Sarah, Louise , Claire and Julie

Anyone else?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Namechangesab · 29/12/2023 02:28

14Q · 29/12/2023 00:57

My kids used to go to a school (overseas) where there were a lot of Asian kids, in particular Chinese kids. Nearly every one had an English name in addition to their Chinese name. The names sounded so dated when you first heard them but you got used to them quickly. A few I can remember were Terry, Barry and Maud.

Yeah the chosen English names of the Chinese students I knew at my university were...quite something. In my cohort there was a Gary, a Nigel, a Clive, a Doris, a Cherrycake (???) and an Angel. They all had perfectly pronounceable Chinese names so I never really understood the reasoning behind having completely random English names

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 29/12/2023 02:15

You guys are lucky, my name was popular TWENTY years before I was born. I always wanted pencil cases and lunch boxes with my name but they never had them.

My name is Toblerone, but I can't even buy chocolate bars with my name on anymore, as they've started labelling them Olivia, Jack, Lily and Harry instead Grin

I had cousins born in the early 1960s called Barbara and Ken. 😮 What were my aunt and uncle thinking?

Wow, were they brother and sister in the same family? If so, even more... interesting!

Namechangesab · 29/12/2023 02:14

I'm a Jocelyn. Up until about three years ago I had met precisely four and one of those was an elderly upper class man. I've now met multiple baby or toddler Jocelyns and it seems to be regularly suggested on this board.

At least I now no longer have people singing that fucking song (Somebody else's guy) by Jocelyn Brown at me or making 'jokes' about Jocelyne Wildenstein

Puffalicious · 29/12/2023 02:01

Temporarynamechanger65 · 28/12/2023 23:31

I had cousins born in the early 1960s called Barbara and Ken. 😮 What were my aunt and uncle thinking?

My name is Margaret, born in 1965. Already 20 years out of fashion. All my friends were Julie, Suzanne, Karen or Amanda etc. Everyone had an Auntie Margaret or Patricia or Maureen. Then Maggie Thatcher happened. 😮 It was hell.

So the opposite of you, a dated name but still with no chance of any personalised merch.

My friend's twin is Margaret born 1969, but has always gone by Meg, which I think is lovely.

Puffalicious · 29/12/2023 01:59

urrrgh46 · 28/12/2023 22:42

I named my daughter Xanthe in 2001 - it's definitely more popular now!

My friend is a Xanthe- she's 50.

BlackJumpsuit · 29/12/2023 01:54

If my youngest (now 24) had been a boy, he would have been Teddy (but actually Edward). I love that name!

Puffalicious · 29/12/2023 01:51

minicheddars87 · 28/12/2023 21:37

I'm a Juno so my name's pretty much never been popular at any time. Probably moreso in this day in age when most people associate it with a pregnant teenager now rather than the goddess.

My 21yo is an Isla though. There were no other Isla's at her school when she was there and now it's one of the most popular in the UK. Every Isla I've known has been a fair bit younger than dd.

I LOVE your name, Juno! Very cool

You're definitely right about Isla. Almost 20 yo DS would have been Isla or Iona. Both quite unusual then, now both very much in use.

Puffalicious · 29/12/2023 01:48

Mywhoopdeedoo · 28/12/2023 21:27

I know a teen Darren and a Gary in his 20’s

I teach a 12 year old Gary! He's ace.

Puffalicious · 29/12/2023 01:46

MyLeftKnee · 28/12/2023 21:14

I know a 16 year old Craig, only one I know under 30

I work in a secondary school & there's at least 4 under the age of 13. My own DNephew is 15 & a Craig. But I am in Scotland.

Interestingly, there's 2 Johns & 2 Brians all under 13 too.

Kokeshi123 · 29/12/2023 01:40

DelusionalBrilliance · 29/12/2023 01:14

I’m an Abigail, born late 80s. I know it’s a fairly common name, yet I’ve only ever met one other and she was 4, which surprised me! I thought we were all 80s babies 🤷🏼‍♀️

Abigail was "out" for a very long time as it became a slang word for a servant girl; not sure when it started to be used again, but there were a ton of them in my school (born late 70s).

Kokeshi123 · 29/12/2023 01:38

theduchessofspork · 28/12/2023 22:51

Really? I was born in the 70s and knew quite a lot of Emilys growing up. Perhaps it’s regional.

Show quote history

Several 70s-born Emilys in my area too, so I definitely think it's regional.

DelusionalBrilliance · 29/12/2023 01:14

I’m an Abigail, born late 80s. I know it’s a fairly common name, yet I’ve only ever met one other and she was 4, which surprised me! I thought we were all 80s babies 🤷🏼‍♀️

SemperIdem · 29/12/2023 00:59

MrsFezziwig · 29/12/2023 00:42

Mia Farrow (the actress) is 78, so pretty obvious where that came from.

Show quote history

All current Mia’s are inspired by her, but her given name is Maria

14Q · 29/12/2023 00:57

My kids used to go to a school (overseas) where there were a lot of Asian kids, in particular Chinese kids. Nearly every one had an English name in addition to their Chinese name. The names sounded so dated when you first heard them but you got used to them quickly. A few I can remember were Terry, Barry and Maud.

MrsFezziwig · 29/12/2023 00:42

Mywhoopdeedoo · 28/12/2023 20:27

I know a Mia in her late 40’s

Mia Farrow (the actress) is 78, so pretty obvious where that came from.

SemperIdem · 29/12/2023 00:39

Teddy would have been a nickname for Edward then, the change has been it becoming a given first name

cocoloco23 · 29/12/2023 00:36

anybloodyname · 28/12/2023 20:39

I work with a 37 year old Teddy ! He's the only one I know who's not in nappies , do love the name but now know of at least 4 from last few years

I’m nearly fifty and we had a Teddy in my class at school. Always loved the name!

Diggerdriverless · 29/12/2023 00:29

LakeTiticaca · 28/12/2023 21:18

Nancy is coming into fashion again now. I knew a little girl called Nancy about 40 years ago and it seemed really old fashioned back then.
There was a boy in my class in the 60s called Beverley 🙄

Are you in the North East?

Amybelle88 · 29/12/2023 00:21

Heard a Neil being called the other day. Must have been around 3/4.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 29/12/2023 00:02

I know a teen Stephen. He's about 40 years younger than all the other Stephens I know!

Babyholly · 28/12/2023 23:57

Hi

DietrichandDiMaggio · 28/12/2023 23:52

Riverlee · 28/12/2023 20:31

It’s funny you mention Lily and Grace. A friend name her two children this in mid -late nineties. They were considered really old and unusual names then. Ten years plus years later, ‘Granny chic’ name trend had hit.

Maybe it depends where you live, but whilst not as common as they became later, they were definitely not seen as unusual where I live. I had my babies in the nineties and Lily and Grace were on the list for my second, but we had a boy. He had a Lily in his class at school.

PastorCarrBonarra · 28/12/2023 23:51

I love the name Veronica!

I met an elderly Kylie through work about a decade ago. She wasn’t Australian, well her accent wasn’t. Must’ve been an unusual choice for a baby in the UK in 1929ish!

I know two 1970s born Desmonds at university, both Irish, both nicknamed Desi. The ones I knew in southern England were 1940s born and called Des - a few of my mates had an Uncle Des.

WetBandits · 28/12/2023 23:43

I’m 29 and had a Lesley and a Beverley in my year at school (both female), we also had an Eglantine a couple of years below (I wonder if her parents were big Bedknobs and Broomsticks fans?!)

headache · 28/12/2023 23:41

To me Grace was an old ladies name until 20 years ago.

I know toddler/primary school Raymond/Brian/Kevin and John all named after Dad. When you hear a name like that you immediately think named after Dad/family tradition

Swipe left for the next trending thread