baby names dating???

[macbooksticker]

DH and I are trying to create a shortlist of baby names we like for our new baby and I’ve come across threads on here where people say a name is going to date. What does that mean, I’m genuinely confused

It means that it will be popular now and then will drop off so it will be obvious the child was born in the teenies.

It just means it’s popular now but will go out of fashion... usually current celebrity names, for example

For example, anyone called Diane, Tracy or Julie is likely to have been born in the 1950s or 1960s. How often do you meet a baby Ethel or Doris? They were all born in about 1910.

It means that something is uber fashionable for a short time, then goes out of fashion never to be used again.

So you know that 99% of the women named Tracey or Sharon were born in the late 60s or early 70s.

Donna, Kelly and Joanne were born in the late 70s.

Kayleigh and Kylie were born in the late 80s.

So basically, avoid anything really trendy and which hasn't been around for ages.

It means that a name briefly gained popularity over about a 10 year period, and then rapidly dropped out of use, so if you meet someone with that name they are likely to be a certain age.

E.g. Most people you meet called Tracy or Sharon are in their forties or fifties - they're very 1970s names.

Oh okay thanks all So it’s a name which will fall out of fashion and everyone will know what decade or at least the 20 year range you were born in

But won't it be really obvious when they were born because, you know, their age?

Faddy, currently popular as opposed to classic.

Exactly, it means it’s very popular now but won’t always be popular, and so in the future it will be obvious when the child/adult was born.

Names that are currently popular that I think will soon sound 'dated' are the ultra 'cutesy' ones...

You know the type - Ava/Evie for girls, Alfie/Albie for boys

Also the awful American/celebrity-type names: Riley, Mylie, Miley, Rihanna

What’s on your shortlist OP?

They also generally have negative connotations, but not always.

@ElfridaEtAl

I deal with 100's of clients (mainly over email and phone) but they wouldn't know my age. My name would give them a ballpark of my age though.

Well we really like Margot but on another thread people were saying it will date as everyone’s using it now. Also like Honey, Lottie (with Charlotte on BC likely), Darcey, Ava, Beatrice

I am one of five. I'm quite impressed that my parents chose five ancient, classic names which are still very popular today. On paper you would never guess how old any of us are.

DH and his brothers all have names which practically pinpoint their date of birth and few babies are called Gary or Brian these days.

I think that names that will date at the moment are anything double-barrelled that ends in Mae. Some androgynous names like Taylor and Riley. The old man and old lady names will become dated (once the original old men and ladies have all died off!). Kayleigh is (lovely but) very dated. Sandra is dated. Martin is dated. Etc etc.

I'm rambling but you get the idea.

I love the name Beatrice and wish I'd have name my daughter this.

Honey is a Labrador name. Sorry.

@Crunchymum I understand that and similar situations, I just think it's a bit of a daft argument for scrapping a name you might otherwise really love.

Sansa, Arya, Theon - will all date

All names date, it’s impossible not to name your child a name that will make their decade obvious and who cares?
Isla Olivia Sophie Eva Ella are all fresh from now- just name your child what you like

@macbooksticker I think Charlotte, Beatrice and Margot are all fairly timeless tbh. Honey I just wouldn't, it's hard enough in this world as a women without inviting patronising misogyny. Darcy and Ava are fashionable but not too terrible.

All names date, it’s impossible not to name your child a name that will make their decade obvious
James, Thomas, Samuel
Elizabeth, Charlotte,Catherine/Katie
Can you pin point all of these?

Honey would be a no from me. Sounds like a dog or a stripper. It is also a term used generally for women. The other are all lovely.

I know so so many Margot's born in the last 18 months - along with Juno and Wren. I think they are the new Ava / Sophia's

I really don’t think that ‘Margot’ is the sort of name that people are talking about. Although it is a name usually for 50+ women or under 5s, it really isn’t popular enough to be lumped in with Lily, Isabel, Eve/Evie that has been massively popular for 10 ish years and will be dropped like a lead balloon in the next generation.