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Baby names

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1960s top names

106 replies

pandavark · 27/03/2009 11:08

i was just looking at a list of the usa's most popular girls names for the 1960's. They're really normal names and i know lots of people with these names, but I dont think anyone would give their baby those names now. I wonder will they become fashionable again. Would you use these names? do you know any babies with these names? Here's some examples:

karen
susan
kimberley
patricia
donna
michelle
cynthia
sandra
deborah
pamela
b renda
angela
barbara
sharon
teresa
denise
tina
carol
tracy
stacey
sonya
sheila

OP posts:
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Chellesgirl · 31/03/2009 00:05

Im a Michelle. Im 21. (and my middle name is tracey!)
my lil sis is a Kimberley and shes 19.
I have friends aged 21 called stacey, susan and Deborah. But thats about it.

notagrannyyet · 30/03/2009 20:41

Almost all of those names I recognise from my school days. I'm there as well it was the early 60's .More than half of us had the middle name Elizabeth.

notquitenormal · 30/03/2009 20:21

I'm a Michelle, 30 this year. Only came across perhaps 2 others throughout school (though I did go to a mainly muslim school.) Maybe four others since.

Did go to school with lots of Sarahs, Karens, Debbies and Angelas. Most of them known by their inital (e.g. Sarah J) or most obvious phycial feature; Poor old Fat Kaz and Ginger Deb. I reckon I got off lightly.

MannyMoeAndJack · 30/03/2009 19:44

In fact, Melissa was used as a boy's name in 70s America!!

hifi · 30/03/2009 19:28

michaela, melissa and samantha were considered unusual names in my day.

risingstar · 30/03/2009 18:57

I was late 60s. almost every girl in my school had the middle name of Ann, Jane or Louise!

poshsinglemum · 30/03/2009 16:38

I quite like some of the really old fashioned names such as Esme but not Esmerelda! I recently met a baby mabel which is very sweet so i think names come full circle.My mum is called pamela and she's 50 something. i quite like Karen, Cynthia and Angela. i think of cynthia nixon. my middle name is donna.

ilovesprouts · 30/03/2009 10:15

hi was born late 60s my names on the list too num 6 {grin}

PhoenixFirefly · 29/03/2009 23:07

i'm a Donna (i'm 27, born 81) my mum is a Michelle, and yes, one of my middle names is Louise

NotanOtter · 29/03/2009 21:07

leonie - i trust you mean my first list

there was a leonie a couple of years above me

ooh Heather another one

EightiesChick · 29/03/2009 18:50

Jux, I also absolutely love Cynthia. As people have said, it seems more like an older generation than 60s. My DH hates it though so no chance of using it for a daughter

I have the name that as someone said is more 70s than 60s but was very common. I was one of several in school.

I don't know of any kids being given these names now, but I'm sure it'll all come round again...

SandJsmum · 29/03/2009 18:08

I met a Barbara who was 8 the other day...I thought that was a strange name for a child. Still who am I to criticise, Im a MICHELLE!!!

BlackLetterDay · 29/03/2009 17:00

I know a 2yo Angela, and a 4yo Nigel.

MrsMattie · 29/03/2009 12:17

I like Susan. I think it'll make a comeback.

I'm a late 70s child and we are all Louise/Michelle/Emma/Sarah.

LeonieSoSleepy · 29/03/2009 12:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

KingRolo · 29/03/2009 10:35

In the last 5 years I have taught teenage
1 karen, 2 kimberleys, 2 deborahs and 3 staceys in secondary school but agree they are not so popular now.

The list seems to be quite mixed 60s and 70s IMO, I was born in 78 and my name is there, as are many of my friends names but names like Brenda, Cynthia and Sandra belong to the generation before me.

streakybacon · 29/03/2009 10:03

I'm a 48 year old Karen.

I know about half a dozen other Karen's and we're all the same age, with only a few months between us.

We clearly had highly unimaginative parents.

My sister is Kim, early 50s.

When I was at school every other girl seemed to be a Susan or Carol.

NotanOtter · 28/03/2009 23:13

donna
brenda NO
tina no

MannyMoeAndJack · 28/03/2009 23:00

All the names in this list are so resonant of being at primary school in the 70s.

Also:

Elaine
Jane/Jayne
Gay
Dawn
Diane
Mary
Marie
Lynn
Paula
Sarah
Sally
Bridget
Anne-Marie
Hayley
Janine
Julia
Belinda
Linda
Kirsty

....plus lots of others too!

singyswife · 28/03/2009 19:34

I work with a woman who's 2 yo is called Susan. When I first hear it I was

paddingtonbear1 · 28/03/2009 19:31

my name is on the list (born 68). I'm not that keen on it but I don't hate it enough to change it. My best mate has the same name as my mum had (it's on the list), despite being much younger!

Lottybot · 28/03/2009 19:16

What about Beverley and Tanya- i know lots of Mums with those names now , but certainly no babies. I was born mid 60's,name of Charlotte-I was the only one for years and years- now its been top 3 for a good few years I think.

womblingfree · 28/03/2009 17:12

Yep - I must admit I like it. Had to change my original surname by Deed Poll though - it was awful!

eandh · 28/03/2009 16:39

Lol I am 30 in a few weeks and my name is Michelle (named after the beatles song) I went to school with 3 other Michelle's in teh same class and know loads of Natalies, Nicola's, Laura's, Louise's and Jane's

willowthewispa · 28/03/2009 15:58

I really like Karen.

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