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Baby names

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

Original poster

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

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disneystar · 27/03/2009 21:38

my name is amanda jane and i was born in the 60,s
i was in tesco the other day and the cashiers name badge was mandi i said it it really amanda she said yes
amanda jane
theres loads of us............
apparantly it was going to be sally anne

yelnats · 27/03/2009 21:37

my name is in there and i was born in 84! There were loads with same name in my year at school!

sleeepless · 27/03/2009 21:30

I was born in 1970 and everyone in my class was called Joanne, Joanna, Angela, Andrea, Melanie and Lisa. What about those boys' names - will Stephen, Simon and Adrian ever return?

GColdtimer · 27/03/2009 21:08

my name is in there - early 70's baby. they may well come back but I just can't imagine my future grandchild being named after me. It would just seem strange.

MerryMarigold · 27/03/2009 21:03

What about Joanne? Is that more 70's? Loads of those in my school.

Jux · 27/03/2009 20:29

We were going to call dd Cynthia (love the name, love it love it love it), but when she was born, she really wasn't a Cynthia, we knew as soon as we looked at her. We have given her a lovely name (not on the list), which she currently hates but gasps with relief when I remind her what she could have been called

kickassangel · 27/03/2009 20:28

see, see, THIS is why my parents gave me such bad names. i arrived just months before the 60s ended, but both my names are in there & LOADS of you are saying you know people who are over 40 or 50 with those names!!!

my name is a decade too old for me, and I will never forgive my parents.

southeastastra · 27/03/2009 20:15

one of my sisters names is on there but i have 3 all born in the 60s.

FlyMeToDunoon · 27/03/2009 20:13

What about Melanie?
My best friend in primary was a Melanie and its not a name I hear a lot these days.

charitygirl · 27/03/2009 20:05

I bloody love Angela - but I'm the only person my age (30) who does, including DP, so I doubt I'll get to use it.

Bet it comes back though.

beanieb · 27/03/2009 19:57

karen - Know people in their late twenties and early thirties called Karen, and a few in their fifties
susan - Again Know people around thirty
kimberley - the only Kimberly I know is early twenties
patricia - Don't know anyone called Patricia
donna - Know one
michelle - Know people in their thirties
cynthia - the only Cynthia I know is in her sixties!
sandra - Ditto
deborah - Popular in my school so people in their late thirties
pamela - Don't know any Pamalas
b renda - Don't know any Brendas
angela - All the Angelas i know are over forty.
barbara - Only Barbara I know is my friend's mum who is over sixty
sharon - lots of Sharons in my school
teresa - Don't know any
denise - Know a couple of older ladies
tina - Know some Christinas
carol - I know no Carols apart from Christmas Carols
tracy - Same as Sharon!
stacey - Know no Stacys but know Stacy's mom
sonya - Not one person was called sonia in my school
sheila - My mum's mate is Sheila - again over 60.

Strawbezza · 27/03/2009 19:35

That's my whole class from school! Also there was Anne, Jane, Gillian, Helen & Fiona.

Flibbertyjibbet · 27/03/2009 19:18

My sisters and I were all born in the 60's and have none of those names.

In fact very few of the girls I went to school with had any of those names.

But then we were named in the UK in the 60's and your list is American.

Imo you have to wait till the generation where a name was last popular has died out, before the name becomes likeable again - ie when the name is no longer associated with old fogies but has been consigned to history!

60's girls names to me

Janet, Carol, Susan, Julie, Amanda, Barbara, Deborah, Angela, Christine, Sharon, Karen, Oh gawd I left school so long ago I can't remember the names... and it was an all girls school so there were plenty

CuppaTeaJanice · 27/03/2009 19:08

They should come back into fashion around 2040-2050. lots of people look to their grandparents names when looking for inspiration for baby names.

beanieb · 27/03/2009 19:03

I'm on the list, in the top 5! early '70s baby!

I don't know any babies or children with those names though!

ForeverOptimistic · 27/03/2009 19:01

Susan will definitely have a come back because it is a good solid name and Sukey and Susie are really cute for little ones.

LaDiDaDi · 27/03/2009 18:59

I think that these will come back:

Susan
Patricia
Pamela
Deborah
Angela

FAQinglovely · 27/03/2009 18:58

I know a Kim who's just turned 30, and a Michelle in her early 20's,

ForeverOptimistic · 27/03/2009 18:56

I would use Susan, Cynthia and Tina.

Tinker · 27/03/2009 18:55

Quite like Cynthia. And Tina is quite cool. The rest all work in Accounts

Simplysally · 27/03/2009 12:48

I haven't heard of any girls with those names under my age group and some a lot older.

Neither of my sisters (who were born in the 60s) have their names listed either.

Bucharest · 27/03/2009 12:36

They'll come back in a few generations time....just look at the Mabels and Florences now.....

Original poster
pandavark · 27/03/2009 12:30

i think jean is a nice middle name, it goes well with a lot of things.

OP posts:
tummytickler · 27/03/2009 12:08

I have a bit of a soft spot for Angela actually, just not to keen on Ang or Angie for a nn, which is what is putting me off seriosly considering it for dc5.
A pp mentioned Jean, which is a stron possiblity for dc5, in our top 3!(my no1 at the mo)

jellyhead · 27/03/2009 12:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.