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Baby names

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

Original poster

"Old Lady" names which should never see the light of day ever again

385 replies

MrsSchadenfreude · 11/03/2010 21:21

In my opinion. I give you:

Ethel
Enid
Edna
Doris
Maud(e)
Hilda
Ena
Elsie
Gladys

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emptyshell · 06/08/2010 13:20

My gran would now be hideously trendy - she was a Phoebe Isabelle... Phoebe made a rise after Friends, and there seem to be a million Isbabelle variations in every infant class in the posh bits of town these days.

JeanLouiseFinch · 05/08/2010 20:51

TCAMG ha my name!

starmucks · 05/08/2010 20:39

So glad you mentioned Queenie SPB. Although I find in both ridiculous and charming in equal measure. Surely Agapanta has to be close to the top?

usualsuspect · 05/08/2010 20:34

All of them

sarah291004 · 05/08/2010 20:32

My one year old is called Dorothy - so there!

swanandduck · 19/03/2010 12:36

I think timeless names are:

Katherine
Louise
Clare
Jennifer
Anna

tummytickler · 18/03/2010 22:29

Oh - I have had threads on here about both Bernard and Graham - I love them! I also love Rita, Glenda, Shirley, Thora, Thelma and Beryl - have had a thread about Beryl too! (I have a dd Pearl though and think Beryl and Pearl might be a bit much!)

Lizzzombie · 18/03/2010 17:19

I know a Gertrude. Her mother, a close friend of my sisters is incredibly trendy. She is known as Gertie most of the time I think, which is cute. Like Drew Barrymore in ET!

LillianGish · 18/03/2010 17:17

Interesting thread. I can't imagine Gertrude - my granny's name - ever making a comeback. I wonder what names MNetters consider to be timeless?

thecoffeelady · 18/03/2010 17:08

dd is named Edith but we call her Edie (unless she is being a pickle) and we have decided on Nancy if DC2 is a girl. I love old fashioned names and know quite a few Martha's and a little mable. I am slightly bored of

Alfie
Archie
Harry
Charlie

and for girls there are lots of
Mia
Mea
Maya
Ellie
Lily (which I loved up until the point that Kerry Katona named her spawning Lily)

I met a lady today whose twin boys were Bernard and Graham they are 3 weeks old - that seemed tragic to me

Raahh · 16/03/2010 18:47

I would agree with Doreen- it's my mum's name- and my gran's!
I think is was even a bit 'old lady' when my mum was young, though (and she is 58!).

Thankfully she has never expected me to name my children after her!!

My MIL is maureen, equally dreadful imo (but at least she has a nice middle name -Elizabeth- same as me and dd!).

minko · 16/03/2010 18:02

A friend of mine had a baby this week. She is called Rita... I think it's quite cute actually.

HelenDoula · 16/03/2010 18:00

Joan ???? thats a tough one !!!

Blu · 16/03/2010 16:28

Barbara
Veronica
Denise
Noreen
Doreen
Maureen
Pauline
Eileen
Irene
Verna
Ida
Brenda

Mo st of the names on this thread are fab!

swanandduck · 16/03/2010 16:16

Aaagh, I'm not an old lady and my name has appeared three times on here, also my best friend in school's (well, she did get a slagging about her name, but there was two other girls with my name).

I would nominate Denise, Glenda, Thora and Beryl to die a death.

I love Meg and Jane and think these should be revived.

plumymummy · 15/03/2010 14:18

Shelia, Rita, Eunice....

And my nana is called Irene and it can't see it making a come back!

My DN is called Norah Faith and her sisters are Eva grace and Frances Hope...all quite old ladyish but lovely all the same!

I do quite likely old lady names but I think that is because you don't really here the babies on soaps called them or people screaming at their kids- I've never seen a "chav" (apologies) screaming at an Iris!

hormonalmum · 15/03/2010 13:44

Dh has recently suggested Pauline if dc3 is a girl.
I could not reply for a few minutes whilst I composed my thoughts...

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 15/03/2010 11:41

Er, Lolita think that was short for Dolores. Doesn't Dolores even mean sad? Maybe just a complete change is in order, Chanel perhaps or Myfanwy

I know a Charity, edam, her parents have both been on the dole ever since they left school. (Not being judgemental about the dole god knows, I'm unemployed atm, but sometimes maybe fulfilling the virtue is as bad as the opposite...)

mathanxiety · 15/03/2010 04:43

Could you try Eily or Lola? Or spell Eileen Eibhlin (Irish) and pronounce it Ev-leen? Or maybe you're resigned to your fate...

PandaEis · 14/03/2010 09:43

I thought my name would have cropped up more often but it was only mentioned once!

To all those deliberately calling their DCs "old lady chic" names... it is highly likely that they will grow up disliking their name! I HATE my name but dont even have a middle name that i like to fall back on!

BOTH of my names are old lady! My sister likes my name though my name is Eileen Dolores! Never had a chance, me!

LouIsOnAHighwayToHell · 14/03/2010 09:00

Ooh I forgot
Prudence
Faith
Hope
Charity
Constance

LouIsOnAHighwayToHell · 14/03/2010 08:57

Gwendoline
Dorcus
Geraldine
Amelia
Jessie
Mona
Fay
Ermentrude

cory · 14/03/2010 08:28

Tryphena is a nice one

Found it when doing a bit of family history (not sure if she is actual family, though, or just a married aunt). But will definitely recommend it to dcs when the day comes, as a family name.

Pluto · 13/03/2010 18:15

Ethel
Enid
Gladys
Mavis
Beryl

ToccataAndFudge · 13/03/2010 18:11

my great aunty was a Pauline (so not dismiliar to Paula) - she was in her 80's when she passed away last year.

Gwen is a horrible teenager name - it was never cool when I was a teen...............