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

Too old fashioned?

107 replies

fluffysprout · 20/04/2025 17:20

Happy Easter everyone!

Me and DH are expecting a daughter in July, and today we were asked by SIL if we had a shortlist. Silly us, as we did tell her. We got told our names are “old fashioned” and setting our daughter up to be bullied. Me and DH are both genealogists by profession, so our names do come from our family trees, anywhere from 2-5 generations ago. I can’t see her point and I think she’s being a bit dramatic so any opinions would be appreciated, a fresh set of eyes would be useful.

Here is our shortlist.

Mary,
Josephine,
Christina,
Rosina,
Elizabeth,
Alexandra,
Alice.

Mary and Josephine are our top two but we’re still fond of the others.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Moreteaandchocolate · 20/04/2025 19:02

I love Alice, Alexandra and Elizabeth.
Mary sounds surprising for this generation- I wouldn’t have thought of it but I do love it.
Josephine and Christina I find a bit old fashioned as full names but I love the nn’s Josie / Joni or Christie / Chrissie which give them a more modern feel.
Rosina I’m not too keen on.

Pemba · 20/04/2025 19:00

All the names are lovely and classic but also well known, so of course there wouldn't be any bullying happening! Your SIL sounds strange.

What are her kids called, something like Jayden and Darcy-Mae? Now THEY really would be dated names in a few years.

GeorgianaM · 20/04/2025 18:53

Your sister in law is odd! Those are all perfectly normal/lovely names.

I suppose if you live in an undesirable area where the children at school are called 'Marbella' 'Chardonnay' and 'Gucci' then they might get ribbed.🙄

Mary,
Josephine,
Christina,
Rosina,
Elizabeth,
Alexandra,
Alice.

My favourite is Josephine followed by Alexandra.

NoBiscuitsLeftInMyTin · 20/04/2025 18:49

OP - they are all lovely names and also give a large flexibility for shorter versions/nicknames etc as you wish. Ignore your SIL.

ginasevern · 20/04/2025 18:22

I think Alice is actually one of the fairly popular "old fashioned" names isn't it? Otherwise they're all lovely names and make a bloody change from Darcy or Harper which are constantly screamed across my council estate.

Snail01 · 20/04/2025 18:17

There's old fashioned and then there's Gertrude, Agnes, Enid or Mabel. Your names are perfectly fine and your daughter will not get bullied for any of them. I don't like Alice tbh I think it's a bit of a wet blanket name but I equally wouldn't blink or think 'poor child' if I met a baby Alice.

sesquipedalian · 20/04/2025 18:15

They’re all lovely names, and not old fashioned at all! Just go with the one you like best, or that you think suits your baby once she’s here.

abracabarbara · 20/04/2025 18:13

also love Rosina .
such lovely names OP

BuffaloCauliflower · 20/04/2025 18:12

I have two preschool age children so am around a lot of recently named humans and neither I nor my children would bat an eye at any of these. There’s a lot more variation now than there was even 20 years ago. Choose what you like.

abracabarbara · 20/04/2025 18:11

Mary Josephine is lovely.

I love your taste. :)

user2848502016 · 20/04/2025 18:09

Your SIL is being massively dramatic! They’re all lovely names , apart from Josephine which I’m not overly keen on. Mary is pretty though and probably due a comeback.
My favourites from your list are Elizabeth and Alice

PurBal · 20/04/2025 18:09

I LOVE Mary. Go for it.

Summertimeblahness · 20/04/2025 18:07

Mary is fantastic. I also really like Rosina.

Groundhogday2025 · 20/04/2025 17:54

I’d say these were traditional, not old fashioned! They are names everyone has heard of and they are heard in many cultures in some form as well, so travel well too.
Names come round generationally, so I’m not sure what “not modern” means exactly. There are millions of Ivys and Audreys now, 15 years ago these would have been considered “old fashioned” now they are everywhere.

CiaoMeow · 20/04/2025 17:49

Unusually, I can't see one name on the list that I dislike. I'd say you have good taste.

Clingfilm · 20/04/2025 17:43

These are lovely, I think your relatives' names list would probably be not to your taste (or mine) if they don't like any of these.
Mary, Josephine (Josie) and Alice are gorgeous.

GoldenRosebee · 20/04/2025 17:40

I love Rosina.

GoldenRosebee · 20/04/2025 17:39

fluffysprout · 20/04/2025 17:20

Happy Easter everyone!

Me and DH are expecting a daughter in July, and today we were asked by SIL if we had a shortlist. Silly us, as we did tell her. We got told our names are “old fashioned” and setting our daughter up to be bullied. Me and DH are both genealogists by profession, so our names do come from our family trees, anywhere from 2-5 generations ago. I can’t see her point and I think she’s being a bit dramatic so any opinions would be appreciated, a fresh set of eyes would be useful.

Here is our shortlist.

Mary,
Josephine,
Christina,
Rosina,
Elizabeth,
Alexandra,
Alice.

Mary and Josephine are our top two but we’re still fond of the others.

I do think your names are old fashioned, but are still lovely name. Your daughter won't be bullied, but they are definitely not modern names.

MissyB1 · 20/04/2025 17:38

All lovely names, we have a Mary and an Alice in the family 😊

Mumofgirls2017 · 20/04/2025 17:36

Love Josephine and Mary and know a little Mary but probably not quite at the comeback point yet but think will be in 10/20 years!

elizabeth and Alice are current enough, wouldn’t say old fashioned and are lovely timeless names.

Barleysugar86 · 20/04/2025 17:35

Josephine is very popular in the black communities around our way at the moment- there are two in my child's class- so I don't think it's necessarily old fashioned. From your list Alice would be my favourite though.

ICantBeDoingWithThat · 20/04/2025 17:32

Your SIL is not the law regarding the naming of your child. Tell her to jog on.

Berlinlover · 20/04/2025 17:31

I’m not a fan of Mary or Josephine but the other names are lovely.

PowderRoom · 20/04/2025 17:31

They’re all perfectly nice, deeply ordinary names.

soundsys · 20/04/2025 17:30

Alice is quite popular and I know a few little Elizabeths and Mays. All lovely classic names if you ask me (although my daughter also has an old lady name and not one of the popular ones).

if you went for Mary I’d assume you’re Catholic which you may or may not be, and which may or may not be an issue for you!