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Baby names

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Original poster

Are any 1930s baby names due a comeback?

61 replies

Firebird83 · 11/08/2026 10:57

After the thread about Joan, I was wondering what people think of some of the other names that were popular in the 1930s. Names are supposed to come around in roughly 100-year cycles, and we’re nearly in the 2030s now! Do you think any of these 1930s names are ready for a comeback yet? And are there any others you’d suggest?

Jean
Margaret
Sheila
June
Mary
Irene
Sylvia
Marjorie
Rita
Joy
Valerie
Hilda
Daphne
Mavis
Gloria
Enid
Freda
Peggy

Peter
Hugh
Edwin
Philip
Lawrence
Timothy
Walter
Raymond
Douglas
Eric
Bernard
Leonard

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Pearlstillsinging · 14/08/2026 13:49

Scrubwren · 11/08/2026 13:03

Enid has been comparatively popular for donkey’ years. The rest — it’s too soon. The people naming their babies need to have no living memory of grandparents, elderly neighbours called Bernard and Marjorie.

Or they name their babies after great/grand parents

MyPeachBiscuit · 14/08/2026 13:47

I wouldn't connect of all these names to the early 20th century. I was born in the 1990s and had classmates at school named Peter (multiple), Hugh, Philip and Timothy, and I've met 1960s/70s-born Leonards, Raymonds, Valeries, Marys, Irenes etc.

Daphne is definitely already back. I think Lawrence, Joy, June and Sylvia have a lot of potential. Some of the others just need more time.

BatshitCrazyWoman · 13/08/2026 11:17

I know of an Edith who must be in her late twenties now (she is the younger sister of a classmate of my younger son, who is 31). I think it was an old family name. Her older brother was called Oliver, which was more of a usual name in the mid-90s. I remember no one was allowed to call her Edie, which I think is prettier!

The biblical names are always around - Mary, Peter etc and the others may come around. Florence did!

Triflingjelly · 13/08/2026 11:11

I adore Lydia

RustyBear · 13/08/2026 10:54

My great-nephew, who is 8, is Leonard Peter, though he is always known as Leo, which is now a top 5 name.

Firsttimebabymummy · 13/08/2026 10:40

My little girl was almost a Joy!

Have a boy on the way now and our list is Laurence, Edwin, Charles, Ernest, Maxwell and Cedric so perhaps need to look at 30's names.

suburburban · 12/08/2026 18:14

khaa2091 · 12/08/2026 17:50

I have delivered more than a thousand babies and have NEVER come across a baby with name John (anywhere, not just first name) - definitely due a revival.

I know one with it as a middle name

khaa2091 · 12/08/2026 17:50

I have delivered more than a thousand babies and have NEVER come across a baby with name John (anywhere, not just first name) - definitely due a revival.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 12/08/2026 17:46

rubywho12 · 11/08/2026 14:26

I think Peggy is going to make the comeback

I know a French Peggy in her 40s.

FullOfMomsense · 12/08/2026 17:46

I know of recently born twins Bernard and Leonard- Bernie and Lennie for short

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 12/08/2026 17:44

Gwenhwyfar · 11/08/2026 13:53

Sheila and June are names for women in their 60s or 70s for me so not 1930s names. Not yet due for a come back.

I know a child under 10 called June.

iwishihadaname · 12/08/2026 17:23

I read somewhere names come back in fashion about 90 to 100 years after their last time in fashion. If true then yes

Oliwiaa · 12/08/2026 17:10

Men's names have more timeless classics like William, George, Arthur, Henry, Charles, Thomas but Ronald, Donald, Dennis, Roy, Raymond, Norman, Leslie, Bernard, Gerald type names peaked in the 30s.

Oliwiaa · 12/08/2026 16:54

CurlewKate · 12/08/2026 07:37

A lot of those are just names, surely? Not from a particular era? There’s a solid core of names-Royal Family/Times birth announcement names-that just go on forever with outliers at either end that just come and go.

The top 10 girls names of 1934 were
Margaret, Jean, Mary, Joan, Patricia, Sheila, Barbara, Doreen, June, Shirley.
By the 1960s Margaret was a top 50 name but from the 1970s onwards it wasn't even top 100.
Even though it's a royal name it's barely used now (493rd in 2024)
Same with Jean, rarely used after 1950s, maybe 10 a year for the last 30 years.

OriginalSkang · 12/08/2026 16:41

I was shocked to hear a newborn called Richard being called at children's outpatients a year ago

DoreenCorkhill · 12/08/2026 16:39

Love Cecilia and Sydney - not as siblings though .

CurlewKate · 12/08/2026 07:37

A lot of those are just names, surely? Not from a particular era? There’s a solid core of names-Royal Family/Times birth announcement names-that just go on forever with outliers at either end that just come and go.

ProudCat · 12/08/2026 07:30

Re: Enid, that Scrubs episode, Dr Kelso's wife, and his nickname for her is Bunny. I like that.

RedToothBrush · 12/08/2026 01:40

Margaret - I think variants. Maggie is popular already

Irene - Iris instead
Sylvia - Know one
Valerie - no because of the song
Enid - already happening

Hugh - already popular
Edwin - already popular
Raymond - think this will get more popular
Eric - Simon Cowell killed this one
Bernard - nope
Leonard - Leo is top ten currently

WinterAconite · 12/08/2026 01:40

Seashor · 11/08/2026 22:56

I have taught recently- Sylvia, Mary, Agnes, Enid, Ada, Dorothy, Gertrude, Nancy, Ann, Elsie, Ivy and Margaret.
Edwin, Edmund, John, Ian, Douglas, Stephen , Albert and Michael.

What region of the country do.you teach in?

WinterAconite · 12/08/2026 01:36

Most of the women's names from your list seem quite chic to me. I like the men's ones too.

user1492757084 · 12/08/2026 01:30

John
Desmond
Paul

TiredMummma · 12/08/2026 00:55

I know two Roland’s!

LizandDerekGoals · 11/08/2026 23:10

Aidezmo · 11/08/2026 22:33

John was a popular name in the 1930s (amongst other decades) and must surely be due a revival?

I went to school with loads of john’s in the 90’s. But that was a catholic school...

JudyTeeny · 11/08/2026 23:08

I like Jean and Hazel. For boys, Peter and Lawrence.
Thinking of my own family members born in the 30s-
Ruth
Marjorie
Leslie
Douglas
Basil (!)
Minnie
Brian
Carol
Annie.

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