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Baby names

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

Original poster

Girls names that won’t come back…..

807 replies

Rincoe · 22/04/2026 20:06

Barbara
Gertrude
Muriel
Mildred
Majorie
Eileen
Geraldine

OP posts:
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LoudPlumDog · 24/04/2026 05:47

Beulah
Una
Minnie
Susan
Thelma
Wilma

Amiacoolorwarmcolour · 24/04/2026 05:42

I don’t think you can ever say a name won’t come back.
Lots of currently fashionable names were considered truly awful when I was a child.
Names such as Arthur, Wilfred, Olive & Nora to name just a few. Absolutely dreadful not so long ago. Now parents are happily calling their babies these names.

Rhaenys · 24/04/2026 05:16

I have to remind myself that not everyone is a name nerd, because how can anyone think that Mabel and Agnes are not popular? 😁

Lots of the names in this thread are way more popular than people seem to think.

MummyWillow1 · 24/04/2026 04:41

sauvignonplonk1 · 22/04/2026 20:35

Enid

That is my middle name. Always hated it!

MummyWillow1 · 24/04/2026 04:38

StrawberryWasp · 22/04/2026 20:24

I think Joan and Agnes will be making a comeback soon.
A return to spare simplicity feels chic after all the frilliness we've had.

I think Hilda will also come back.

Muriel and Deirdre will take longer to ever make a comeback. They have a lot of baggage to lose. They feel depressing rather than chic.

My GG will haunt anyone who uses Hilda 🤣

MummyWillow1 · 24/04/2026 04:35

My GG left the instruction to the family that no one was allowed to call their babies after her - her name was Hilda. So far no one has!

BigCheekz · 24/04/2026 03:26

Met a Peggy the other day, she was 6

BigCheekz · 24/04/2026 03:26

I met a Peggy the other day, she was six!!

thefourthbeatle · 24/04/2026 02:57

Hortense

Lalgarh · 24/04/2026 02:02

Doris

cornflakecrunchie · 24/04/2026 01:03

They'll all come back. Names are cyclical. I can cope with most of the female names, but I hastily paste a smile on & say oh, LOVELY, when people tell me of new baby Arthurs & Archies. Hideous.

soundsys · 24/04/2026 00:36

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 22/04/2026 20:41

Euphemia was a name used in my Dad's family a few generations ago. Short forms were Effie or Phemie. Those have been used since, but I can't see the long name coming back.

Has Moaning Myrtle killed that name off?

I know a 6-year-old Effie/Euphemia! My daughter - same class - has a similar era name that’s been mentioned on the thread as well.

There are definite clusters 😁

HugoElephant · 24/04/2026 00:12

SemiRetiredLoveGoddeess · 23/04/2026 22:06

Bertha
Eunice
Caitlin
Kylie
Corah
Ciara
Clara
Denise
Fanny
Petunia
Nelly
Lily
Esmerelda
Victoria
Margot
Summer
Hyacinth

RIP
😻

Clara and Margot are beautiful and timeless names.

WhitePudding · 23/04/2026 23:58

Aileen
Pauline
Trevor
Brian
Leanne
Paul

YourMagentaCat · 23/04/2026 23:37

Lalgarh · 23/04/2026 23:34

Linda and Belinda seem to have disappeared

I was served in the co-op in Pocklington by a 20-something Linda last week.

Lalgarh · 23/04/2026 23:34

Linda and Belinda seem to have disappeared

Carpaccia · 23/04/2026 23:25

SemiRetiredLoveGoddeess · 23/04/2026 22:06

Bertha
Eunice
Caitlin
Kylie
Corah
Ciara
Clara
Denise
Fanny
Petunia
Nelly
Lily
Esmerelda
Victoria
Margot
Summer
Hyacinth

RIP
😻

Margot is one of my absolute favourite names that I didn't use for DC.

Some of these are already popular again! Clara, Corah/Cora, Victoria and Lily are everywhere! I know two Esmerelda's, Esme for short.

Re: some other posts upthread, I know several Agnes's - it's a lovely name. Also know a little Daphne.

I'm amazed that posters have mentioned Florence, Tabitha and Lois - they're pretty popular as well.

I wouldn't bet against many names really: name fashions have changed dramatically in the last 60 years, and they will again.

Lalgarh · 23/04/2026 23:18

Beverley

Sootyb · 23/04/2026 23:08

TeflonMom · 22/04/2026 20:22

Gayle
Dawn
Pauline
Maureen
Doreen
Shiela
Sharon

Kathleen

pineapplecrushed · 23/04/2026 23:08

Gladys

UnctuousUnicorns · 23/04/2026 22:34

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 23/04/2026 22:27

About 2 or 3 years ago, I read an article that baby girls had been called Carol for the first time (I guess since records began). (Also Nigel for boys).

I don't follow? 😕

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 23/04/2026 22:27

About 2 or 3 years ago, I read an article that baby girls had been called Carol for the first time (I guess since records began). (Also Nigel for boys).

MaidOfSteel · 23/04/2026 22:22

Well I, for one, truly hope that Karen makes a comeback. Probably won’t be in my lifetime, but I hope it does. It’s a Danish shortened version of Katherine, another name I love that’s unfashionable just now.

TheBirdintheCave · 23/04/2026 22:21

Applecup · 22/04/2026 21:09

I can’t imagine names like Terry, Colin, Gilbert, Doreen or Mildred ever becoming popular. However a few years ago I would have said the same about Sylvie, Betty, Wilfred and Sydney. Yet these names are all coming back.

My son is a Gilbert :D I think you’re right about it staying unpopular though. We’ve only met two others out and about and both were over sixty.

Allseeingallknowing · 23/04/2026 22:18

UnctuousUnicorns · 23/04/2026 22:11

Who else is a bit pissed off that their name is included in this thread? 😤 Join me in huffy solidarity! 😅

Edited

I was , just one mention. I actually like my name!

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