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

I agree that most of the names here are far nicer than the horrid made-up Kayleigh's and Jaycee's and the abundance of Mia's and Chelsea's and Leanne's.

A lot of the names are not granny names anyway - they are literary names. Plus, I am early 30s and went to primary school with a Tabitha, Betty and Florence. These names have always been around! Some people are only picking up on them now - probably because they are copying others.

If you read a lot, you will have heard of these names and considered them regardless of trends.

However, my DH's gran is Edna and she says her name will NEVER come back into fashion.

I am also considering Angie! I think it is v cool - probably because of the Rolling Stones song...

I was given my grannie's name - Bridget (aaarrghhh) I binned it as an adult.
I can't believe anyone would choose it now. I dreaded introducing myself and longed to be Kathy or Sue like half my class.

I am Winnie (not Winnifred) although that doesnt really make a difference and I am in my early thirties:(. I was given my grandma's name and one time my best friend was telling her then boyfriend that my name was Winnie, he remarked that it was such an old grannies name........thanks!!! I agree though that it is not a name that should be resurrected

At the risk of being accused of having had a sense of humour bypass, I think this thread is quite cruel.

Its all a metter of personal preference. I would much rather be a Gladys/Edna etc than have some new fangled misspelt name like "Kayleigh"

Some old names are lovely. Florence, Lilith, Rosemary etc - very pretty and feminine

I first posted on this thread way back in March to protest about my own first and middle, my sister's, my friends' names all being condemned and scorned. Now it has been revived and my DD,s (70's) names have also been ridiculed. The last straw is that DGD2's LOVELY name has also been consigned to the 'not mumsnet approved' bin.

Stop it! Please! In an attempt to be trendy and cool you are upsetting loads of people. You have transported me back to my first day at school when I had to announce my 'old fashioned' name, full of sibilants (and me with a lisp) to a class of 45 laughing strangers.

Norma and Sheila. Both are my Grandmother's names, and when I wondered if I should have their names as middle names for both my daughters they both said no!!

That's interesting Raahh - good point

Trends are funny things, though, Rosietoes.

Sometimes, no matter how popular a celeb or person in the public eye is, it doesn't always follow that their name will suddenly experience a peak in popularity.

After all, I don't remember hundred's of baby Diana's suddenly sprouting up- either at the time of her marriage, or after her death.

Miggsie you have just listed most of the girls at Ds's school!- with the exception of Grace, and maybe Ruby, all of them awful.

Rather have a class full of Florences, any day!

Julia Roberts named her daughter Hazel, but that doesn't seem to have created a new trend

I suspect our grand daughters will be adding:

Scarlett
Tiffany
Kylie
Chardonnay
Ruby
Poppy
Grace

which are so prevalent right now.

aww poor baby called nora it reminds me of the nit nurse we used to call her nitty nora

my friend called her baby mona after her late grandma i didnt like it at first still think she will get picked on at school. but it does grow on u after a while

Hilarious thread!
Nothing against any of the names on my huge list btw, just that I think they are not about to come back into fashion anytime soon!

So if you wanted to be sure of an unusual name for your baby its worth checking out these lists!

My mum remembers being sorry for a nice girl with the dreadful old-lady name Emily. Must have been c 1945.
Also there were 5 Marys and 3 Joans in her class.
Her BF was called Shirley and this was thought very pretty.

I am a grandmother and in my class there wre:

Joan
Jean
June
Jane
Maureen
Doreen
Audrey
Sybil
Evelyn
Brenda
Daphne
Pamela
Sheila

As a child, we used to laugh at our relations called Flo, Sarah, Ruby, Lily,Violet - these are all back, as will the list above - it goes round and round!

Well charliegal, glad to come across another mother of Pearl, but hope there aren't too many of us out there :)

Beryl
Doris
Velma
Maud
Quennie
Gertrude

I am a fan of Persephone books and love the knids of names you might read in their novels. I agree with a previous comment, some posters have limited cultural references

Oh MotherofPearl, I did see you on another thread and wonder if you were really one!

Lots of people commented that the name is unusual. However, I have met another baby Pearl and her mother told me that she knows a few.

I don't mind at all what people think (as long as they are not rude and tell me!) because we just LOVE the name. She is our little Pearl.

I was at school with one or two Michelles but I don't think I know any at the moment. I do work in a very male-dominated industry, though, and there are relatively few blokes named Michelle about...

how can you only know a few Michelle's?

I am Michelle and i know hundreds. Almost everyone born within 5 years of me awas called Michelle.

Mine too, charliegal. I was not happy to read on this thread that it is now considered 'ubiquitous' - I don't know any other Pearls, apart from mine. Do you? I think Mabel, Ivy, Iris, Agnes, Florence and Constance all great. :)

My dd is a Pearl! I love it (obviously). She has friends Betty, Florence, Agnes and Elsie!