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Original poster

Baby names that will never make a come back

268 replies

pinkspaghetti · 26/03/2023 20:28

I think there was a thread along these lines a few months ago but I couldn't find it so I thought I'd start another one.

Here are a few of the names that my friends' parents were called when I was growing up that I can't imagine anyone ever calling a baby........

Elaine
Yvonne
Jackie
Sheila
Pat
Pauline
Tina
Joan

Mark
Paul
Ray
Nigel
Alan
Ken
Neville
Brian

I also thought about highly unlikely names for baby twins in 2023 and came up with a few....

Malcolm and Wendy
Jason and Sandra
Russell and Paula
Gary and Judith

Any others?

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 26/03/2023 23:24

Gladys
Glynis
Mavis
Doris
Sheila
Joyce
Carol
Denise
Geraldine
Linda
Norma
Edna
Hilary
Janet
Tammy
Pamela
Debbie

Herbert
Humphrey
Hubert
Clive
Norman
Neville
Nigel
Carl
Mervyn
Vernon
Darren
Wayne
Stephen
Gary
Kevin
Geoffrey
Barry

evergreen2 · 26/03/2023 23:25

pinkspaghetti · 26/03/2023 20:40

I know someone with a baby Reggie.

Reggie is really common at the moment.

IsaiditwasLighthearted · 26/03/2023 23:50

Elsie is definitely back and trendy, and I've personally met 3 of them in the last few months.

I think Mark and Luke could be coming back soon too.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
Bluekerfuffle · 26/03/2023 23:51

They may come back. Most of them seem normal, ok names to me, whereas some of the names that are now fashionable seem dreadful and are ones I would associate with ancient people. Give it a few years and they will be out again and these ones in again.

OnaBegonia · 26/03/2023 23:51

Quite a few of the boys names mentioned continue to be used in Scotland; Gordon, Alan, Ian, Malcolm(Colm).
Must say I was surprised to meet a 6 yr old Debbie lately.

IsaiditwasLighthearted · 26/03/2023 23:52

Oh and yes Reggie - 2 born recently and know of another that's about 2/3 years old.
I still think Krays instantly but it's obviously not an association for younger mums.

WitheredandOld · 26/03/2023 23:58

Mark seems like a name that will come back.

CheeseMunchies · 27/03/2023 00:03

I think most will come back eventually apart from the ones associated with something negative (Myra, Karen etc.) I teach primary and I've spotted names of recent students in this thread; Kevin, Eric, Patricia, Alan and Mark are all quite popular at my school. My school is made up of mostly eastern European students though.

maddy68 · 27/03/2023 00:18

Gary who would name their child after a party drug?

Susan
Sheila
Pamela
Julie
Deborah
Veronica

LibertyLily · 27/03/2023 00:58

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 26/03/2023 22:15

Well who's to say. 15 years ago I wouldn't have thought Arthur would have ever came back. To me there's nothing appealing about it. Its not even one of those names where I could Its so horrible that's its spilled over into adorable like Percy or Norman. I imagine how cute a baby Norman would be.😂.

I used to know someone who named her DC Arthur and Florence. This was early '90s when - to me at least - those names were still associated with grandparents. I guess she was ahead of the curve.

Also, an Edith (known as Edie) born in 2003, which again felt very old fashioned then - yet now there are loads of Ediths.

Someone in our family has a daughter with Pamela as a middle name (named after a grandmother) which is one I didn't expect to hear again.

I have a biblical name (that I hate and have always been known by my family's nickname for me which is much nicer) that you don't seem to hear much these days. My parents almost called me Fleur which I used to wish they'd chosen instead. Now I think it's not much better than what they ultimately decided on! You don't hear of many Fleurs though.

Personally, I'm not expecting Graham/Graeme, Trevor, Keith, Malcolm, Barry, Peter, Colin, Martin, Teresa, Julie, Sally, Diane, Hilda, Beryl, Anita, Tracey, Deidre or Doris to make a comeback any time soon.

NormaTheWife · 27/03/2023 01:00

Myra
Norma 😂

Beezknees · 27/03/2023 06:56

Friend is a Year 5 teacher and has taught a Pamela, an Audrey and a Carly who are about 10 years old. There is a Colin in DS's year (year 10). Sam Faiers from the only way is Essex has a son called Paul, I think named after his dad.

Names like Debbie, Tracey, Sharon, Stuart, Nigel I can't see coming back but who knows.

Beezknees · 27/03/2023 06:59

maddy68 · 27/03/2023 00:18

Gary who would name their child after a party drug?

Susan
Sheila
Pamela
Julie
Deborah
Veronica

Molly is a popular name and that's a party drug!

Meandfour · 27/03/2023 07:41

Groutyonehereagain · 26/03/2023 22:44

Gladys, Gertrude, Nelly, Petunia, Percy, Bernard, Godfrey, Malcolm.

Nelly has been popular for a few years now. I know about 6 Nellys under 10.

abandonhope · 27/03/2023 07:59

It's so true that most names reappear. The names people are listing will be back in the next generation or two.

The ones I think are awful and would never come back are now back - Arthur,
Archie, Reggie, Ernie, Nelly, Doris, Mabel for example.

Stelka1985 · 27/03/2023 08:17

pinkspaghetti · 26/03/2023 20:28

I think there was a thread along these lines a few months ago but I couldn't find it so I thought I'd start another one.

Here are a few of the names that my friends' parents were called when I was growing up that I can't imagine anyone ever calling a baby........

Elaine
Yvonne
Jackie
Sheila
Pat
Pauline
Tina
Joan

Mark
Paul
Ray
Nigel
Alan
Ken
Neville
Brian

I also thought about highly unlikely names for baby twins in 2023 and came up with a few....

Malcolm and Wendy
Jason and Sandra
Russell and Paula
Gary and Judith

Any others?

If you went into a pub full of men born 1964-1974 and shouted "Mark!" - three quarters of them would turn round!

loislovesstewie · 27/03/2023 08:35

Just for info, the name Alma became popular after the Battle of Alma during the Crimea War. I think it was unknown until then but never really gained more popularity after that. I also know a family where it's been traditional to name a son after a WW1 battle. So every generation has had a Verdun. It clearly has meaning for them. Thank goodness my dad didn't name me after any battle he took part in during WW2. I really couldn't be Tobruk or El Alemein.

Blossomtoes · 27/03/2023 08:39

My dad’s middle name was Verdun, he was born in 1916.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 27/03/2023 08:44

Winifred.
Hubert.
Cyril
Gertrude.
Though having said that, after seeing some of the ghastly names people give their poor little babies, nothing would surprise me.

SouthCountryGirl · 27/03/2023 08:47

LibertyLily · 27/03/2023 00:58

I used to know someone who named her DC Arthur and Florence. This was early '90s when - to me at least - those names were still associated with grandparents. I guess she was ahead of the curve.

Also, an Edith (known as Edie) born in 2003, which again felt very old fashioned then - yet now there are loads of Ediths.

Someone in our family has a daughter with Pamela as a middle name (named after a grandmother) which is one I didn't expect to hear again.

I have a biblical name (that I hate and have always been known by my family's nickname for me which is much nicer) that you don't seem to hear much these days. My parents almost called me Fleur which I used to wish they'd chosen instead. Now I think it's not much better than what they ultimately decided on! You don't hear of many Fleurs though.

Personally, I'm not expecting Graham/Graeme, Trevor, Keith, Malcolm, Barry, Peter, Colin, Martin, Teresa, Julie, Sally, Diane, Hilda, Beryl, Anita, Tracey, Deidre or Doris to make a comeback any time soon.

Show quote history

I have a relative called Keith. He's 3

NormaTheWife · 27/03/2023 10:28

abandonhope · 27/03/2023 07:59

It's so true that most names reappear. The names people are listing will be back in the next generation or two.

The ones I think are awful and would never come back are now back - Arthur,
Archie, Reggie, Ernie, Nelly, Doris, Mabel for example.

Arthur, Archie and Mabel are quite popular I believe.

Cherrysoup · 27/03/2023 10:39

VivaciousRadish · 26/03/2023 20:31

Brenda and Colin?

I would have said Cuthbert, but I know someone who plans to call their baby that. Cubby for short

A distant cousin called his child Cuthbert. He is Catholic.

A colleague has a 12 year old called Brian.

Sunshineandshowers42 · 27/03/2023 10:43

I know a six-year-old Jackie and a five-year-old Luke.

SecondhandMuck · 27/03/2023 10:43

Cuthbert is bloody awful. Poor little sod. That one would should definitely have been left back in the mists of time.

newnamethanks · 27/03/2023 11:55

My granny was called Fanny. Not Frances or anything more acceptable, just Fanny. May she, and her name, RIP.