Names that should come back

[CormoranStrike]

Inspired by the other thread, I was thinking today that Dawn is a name that is gentle and soothing - meaning and sound.

John, Peter and Paul - simple classic names.

I'm a fan of Martin too. And I simply don't get the antipathy to traditional, biblical names like Simon, Matthew, David, Michael, Thomas. I think they are all fine names. I'd like to see them bot being shoved at being too 1970s. That's a bit odd.

To be fair, I don’t think that Thomas have ever fallen out of fashion; I know loads of little ones. There are 3 in DD’s primary class!
I would love to meet a little Martin though. All the adult ones I know are lovely, gentle, thoughtful types so I have good associations.

@goingtotown

Susan Richard Anita Ralph Julia. Dennis Jean. Robert Lynne Raymond Sylvia Patrick Diane Paul

I know a young Ralph. He's about 10 now.

@goingtotown

Ralph is really popular at the moment! At least it is in London and the South.

I'm sure many of these names will come back because they already have long term longevity and they'll cycle back round families again.

Many of my relatives' names have been listed and some of them are in my DCs' names. I wanted traditional names that didn't have clichés attached to them, and they've ended up being relatively uncommon without being out there or very dated.

I think at some point there will be a swing back to full names rather than mainly using a shortened version 99% of the time.

John, Timothy, Mark, Simon, Philip
Rebecca, Rachael, Victoria, Catherine, Caroline

@CormoranStrike

Oh, and I agree about some modern names - I doubt they will last a generation.

DS3's name is both unique and ancient. It's Anglo-Saxon. There hasn't been anyone born in the UK with his name for 200 years. Unique doesn't always mean modern.

@Mrsfrumble

To be fair, I don’t think that Thomas have ever fallen out of fashion; I know loads of little ones. There are 3 in DD’s primary class! I would love to meet a little Martin though. All the adult ones I know are lovely, gentle, thoughtful types so I have good associations.

I know a little Martin! I think it might be spelt differently. His mum is polish so I wonder if that's why. He's a lovely little boy.

I love some of these names.

My sister in law said Gary was becoming extinct, there hadn't been a baby named Gary since early 90s, so let's bring Gary back.

Beryl

I like the name Vivien

I do wonder if some of you know any children under 16 The vast majority of these names are still out there.

Jeremy
Alan
Clive
Malcolm
Bernard

Karen
Angela
Petra
Tamsin
Pamela

Annette
Susan
Winnie

Sean

Dorcas

There was a Dorcas in my primary school back in the 70s, love it.

Jane
Helen
Susan
Angela
Ruth
Patricia
Christina
Shirley
Silvia
Joy

Julian
Jeremy
Simon
Ian
Philip
Peter
Terrence
Nigel
Kenneth
Brian

Aethelbert
Aethelwulf

If DS was born a girl, he would have been either Heather (after my Aunt) or Maggie (after my DG)

I also like Winnie. But would have have been the full band Winter. Probably might not have been brave enough to use Winter. But I think it's a lovely name

Also like:

Ambrose
Atticus
Augustus
Constantine
Jasper

Although I used to have a cat called Jasper, so probably would never have used it

Name not band*

Stephanie. You never hear of a Stephanie do you? I think it's lovely!

@Diverseopinions

I think the names which come back from sixty years ago will be understated ones, like Helen, Brenda, Jean, Vivienne, not trying to be out there, but just merging in so you kind of get used to saying the name without the surprise.

We've had the Arabella/ Georgiana/ Luciana/ and more 'a's and Georgian feel, then ever felt possible.

We've done pretty Victorian servant names : Rosie/Polly/Mollie/Daisy

Then old-lady-pretty Edwardian names: Edie/Vera/Ada/ Agatha

And now we'll be into names which are simple and graceful and not sounding like they are trying to out do others in that theme.

My two-year-old has one of the names you listed

Deborah
Rachel
Lindsay
Alison
Michael
Paul

Sarah is lovely too.

@juneybean

My sister in law said Gary was becoming extinct, there hadn't been a baby named Gary since early 90s, so let's bring Gary back.

My son has a friend called Gary, he’s 21 and was born in 2000.

I really love Caroline, Frances, and Margaret. Grown up names. Always loved Laura and Helen but don't think they ever went away. Bizarrely I heard Veronica recently and was struck by how pretty it is, even though flower names aren't really my style. So it might well come back.

We must be due a revival of John soon, also like Mark and Richard (DD1 has a friend Richard who is a lovely boy).

Clare

A very calm, pretty name and I've never met someone called Clare who I disliked.

Our DC have got quite traditional but last popular in the 70s names. It was quite amusing in the playground if we called the children as various parents would spin around thinking we were calling them. DS hasn't met another child with the same name as him but 4 of the fathers of other children in his class have the same name as him.