What has happend to Darren, Mark and Lee?

[Eastie77Returns]

When I was at primary school (late 80s) half the boys in the school had names like Darren, Mark and Lee. They would now be men in their late 40s/early to mid 50s but I don't hear those names much anymore. I can't remember the last time I met a Darren!

I forgot Chris. The last two gardeners who've come round were called Chris. Both tall, very tanned and ran successful gardening/landscaping businesses.

The Darren’s I knew were teens in the early 80s

Has anyone mentioned Kevin? Darren and Kevin/Michael/Simon/Gary/ Mark/John/Paul are all 50 something colleagues

I remember my parents being friends
With
Brenda
June
Lorraine
Avril
Lyn
And their partners
Tony
Clive
Roy
Geoff
Alan
They will all be late 70s early 80s now.

Agreed im married to one if these hes 51

Lee is always a wrong'un if there's a character called that on TV. We used to call the wanted section of Crimewatch 'The Wall of Lees'.

Thomas, Benjamin, Robert, Roger. Born 60s and 70s at school 70s 80s 90s.

I know loads of Marks! Lee’s also. Have never met à Darren. They are married to Louise, Susan, and Sarah! Same type of names, for girls.

That’s a nice thing to say - thank you! Instead of enjoying it he started a new business which causes him loads of stress (and stops me from spending the money - boo!). He regrets it now - what a dufus 🙄

Im late 50s. Boys in my school were called Mark, Gary,Lee, Steve and Dave. At one point at work I had a team of 6 who were called Dave and Mark.
This was replaced 10 years or so ago with Matt, Josh and Ollie. It's just the way it goes

Yep, pretty much all the boys at my school (finished school 1997.)

Boys: Darren, Paul, Richard, Steven / Stephen, Phillip, Lee, Mark, Craig, Christopher, Daniel

Girls: Emma, Louise, Sarah, Joanne/Joanna, Laura, Hannah, Kate, Helen.

I live next door to a little Mark. He’s 6!

I know a Darren whose sister is Karen.
Yes we had a lot of Marks, Lees and Darrens at my Essex primary school also Scotts, Rays, Stuarts, Craigs, Gavins, Ians, Garys and Waynes.
Also popular were Andrew, David, Steven, Paul, Richard, Robert but I don't think those names have disappeared as much.

Yes! Also loads of Pauls, Ians, Martins and Neils at my school.

A Darren broke my heart! 😂

I think it is. When did you last hear of a barrister or consultant surgeon called Darren or Lee? Plenty of plumbers and estate agents though.

Some names cross the social divide and appear later in working class communities after being fashionable with the middle classes. Scarlett’s one of those. Also Noah. But Darren and Lee were very much of their time and class and have stayed that way.

I was in email comms with two Lees last week. One in Cheshire, one in Wales. And one Darren in Yorkshire. All aged 40-55, I should think.
ETA in line with comment above, the names are definitely not middle class.

There's loads not used now or very much, Nigel, Kevin, Wayne, Edward, (I knew a lad called Wayne Manly, even back then it was amusing). My child development class at school there were 9 Tracy/Traceys! Never hear of anyone calling their child Sharon or Tracy anymore or Sandra, Elaine, Denise, Kerry, all those 60/70/80's names.

I wonder if in another 20 years time they will make a comeback, much like some of the really old fashioned names of our great grandparents have done?

I was in the pub a few weeks ago with 7 Simons, all aged about 40.

Bet that was confusing!

I really like the name Lee, it should come back in fashion! We know a ridiculous amount of people called Alex.. make and female, between about 30 to 50 years old!

My daughter had a friend called Pete when they were 6. Always made me chuckle.
Pete 😊

I don't see Mark as in the same category as Lee and Darren at all. Lee and Darren were seen as made up type names of the 60s / 70s. Same group as Wayne. I know someone will come along and say they have now but, I doubt an Ancestry users are finding rich seams of Darrens and Lees before the 1960s. Mark is completely timeless and classless, it's just not been popular recently. It's a good name.

This made me laugh

Absolutely nailed it

Loads at my bog standard comp in the 80’s, also Gary, Phil and a million Paul’s. All the girls were Joanne, Claire, Helen etc

😂

Private school here too, and we had a Mark but not the other two.