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Baby names

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

Original poster

Why are Albert, Stanley and Violet OK but.....

86 replies

seeker · 14/03/2009 10:55

....Brian, Kevin and Sharon aren't?

Is it that your Grandparents's names have gone round the clock and are cool again, while your parent's names have't, and the next generation will be populated by Tracys, Colins and Garys?

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Lemontart · 14/03/2009 11:39

schneebly - I love the name Alan and is a family name. My cousin?s baby is spelt Allan with the emphasis on the "llan" part and I love it. Used for several generation?s on my mum?s side and if I had boys I would use it too.

Original poster
seeker · 14/03/2009 11:38

I certainly am - I keep on wanting to say "When you're my age, you'll realize......."

OP posts:
Lemontart · 14/03/2009 11:37

My grannie was called Hannah Irene by her mother. She was so embarrassed by the name Hannah that, as a teenager, switched to using the then "cool" Irene middle name and is known by all as Irene! Apparently Hannah was terribly old fashioned then. Totally agree that names, just like all subjective and personal labelling devices (clothes, hairstyle, make up, food, interior design etc etc), are cyclical and only slightly evolutionary.

schneebly · 14/03/2009 11:37

I have a 4 year old Alan which is pretty unfashionable. Poepl always think he is called Aaron.

LackaDAISYcal · 14/03/2009 11:34

omg, am i too old for mn then?

Original poster
seeker · 14/03/2009 11:15

Daisy - I skipped a generation to match the age profile of mumsnet - the names I chose as examples are the names of my cousins and dps siblings!

OP posts:
Grumpyoldcaaaaaaaa · 14/03/2009 11:12

I was sniggering with someone the other day about calling my baby 'Barry' or 'Terry' or 'Pam' or 'Doreen'.

Obvious apologies to anyone with those names, they are just very of their time.

lljkk · 14/03/2009 11:08

I quite like Kevin, I don't like any of the other 5.

LackaDAISYcal · 14/03/2009 11:08

you're obviously much younger than me....it's my generation still that are sharon, colin and gary

and maybe not the next generation, but perhaps a couple after that...when shaniece, brooklyn, jayden and tyler are seen as just too passe.

malfoy · 14/03/2009 10:58

I suspect you are right.

pointydog · 14/03/2009 10:56

Purely the whims of fashion, nothing else