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

Tbh if the worse thing inflicted upon s child by a name is that someone might be able to age them to within two decades, there's nothing wrong with the name.

@DickieDonkey

DSD1 is 18 and DSD is 14. They’re the names of half of their friends Wouldn’t you say they’ve been popular since the late 90s/early 00s along with Olivia, Eva etc? Surely they’ve already dated or do I just know not enough babies!?

I take that back if it really is popular. I personally don’t know any and have four children under 12 (incidentally, the names of which are fairly neutral but have been slated on mumsnet as being everything from boring, wet, harsh etc so you can’t win! For context 2 are James and Adam, don’t want to out myself by naming the others).

If it's super fashionable then it will go out of fashion ... whereas if it's traditional it stays in the top 200 list pretty much always eg names like Elizabeth or David are always being used

Sorry Margot is popular??? All I can think of is the Good Life! I know two and they are both over 80

Yes I know 6 born in London in the last 18 months which made me avoid it

You only need to search for the name Margot on here and it's hugely popular and always suggested. Still a lovely name though so OP may not be bothered by its big spike in popularity

The name Claire seems to transcend the decades. I know Claire's that we're born in the 1950 - 1990s. It may have gone off the radar now but I'm sure it will return.

Ava is out of fashion already ( associate it with ten years ago when mylene klass had her baby) .
Beatrice, whilst a classic, is very fashionable so not sure if will date.
Margot and Darcey will date.
Honey I don’t think will. I kind of like it.

I was born in the 60's old gimmer alert and my core group of schoolfriends at the time were Pauline, Pamela, Julie, Linda, Yvonne, Wayne, Gary and Colin. I haven't heard anyone call their children those names in decades.

Margot and Honey are the only ones which won’t date as much.

Ava is extremely popular and will be very dated in 20 years.

Couldn't be arsed with the whole thing so I named my firstborn after his dad, which is a name you night associate with the 80's (and Jason Donovan's character in Neighbours) he's 6. And I named my second something that has been around for centuries, just because I thought it sounded decent. He's 4. Both names will suit men rather than just small boys and oddly, I don't think they sound particularly 'dated'

OP, I knew a really lovely Honey when I was growing up. It really suited her. It was a nickname though, her given name was Hannah. I think Hannah is a fab name too.

Julie is a gorgeous name but it was so popular I think it will be a couple of decades before it comes back. I'm always surprised I don't know any children called July but i guess people wouldn't be sure whether to say it Julie or July though.

Just choose the name(s) you love; who cares what anyone else thinks or if it's dated or not.

In a way, names that are currently popular but reasonably traditional won’t date as such. So Ava, Evie, Alfie, Archie etc. Those names may fall out of fashion but it will surely only be like the the older generation now being called Walter, Bill, Doris and Ivy. I mean, just a name that’s popular/common in a generation rather than seeming odd.
I think the more trendy or pop culture names, for example Khaleesi, Dexter and Miley will be more of a ‘dated’ name.

Personally I don't think the name Isabel will date... But one of my dd's is called Isabel so I'm biased!!! 😂 I love love love the name Beatrice, it suits a little one, has some great nn's for when a bit older and sounds suitable for a grown up. I love the name margot too. My name is a proper 80's one, there were loads of us in school but not so many little girls called it these days

There are very few names that don't date, unfortunately, eg Elizabeth, Emily, Charlotte, and I believe even they have drifted in and out of favour over the decades. Even names once considered 'classical', eg. Jane, John, Anne are currently out of fashion. You might as well give the name you like. Tbh having a name that sounds unfashionable now, eg Joanne, Nicola or Kelly isn't a terrible thing to bear. I love Margot, it's so elegant, like Margot Fonteyn (although it also reminds me of the fabulously snooty neighbour from the Good Life)!

Funnily enough OP when I saw your thread and thought of what name currently will date I immediately thought Margot. There's a spate of them just now. It's really popular.

Antonia is supposedly the most timeless name.

I'm from the 50s.

The ones you don't get now are Margaret, Brenda, Barbara, Christine, Pat, Heather, Carol, Hilary Jackie, Sharon, Gary, Laurie, Terry, Ian, Alan, Colin, Barry.

Still might have Paul, Stephen, Anne, Kathryn today.

Can't see some of them ever coming back, although might have said that about my grandmother's era - Maud, Mabel, Ivy etc

I suppose it’s the difference between a name like ‘Tracey’ and a name like ‘Emily’.

I’m not saying that everyone likes the name ‘Emily’, but it’s not a name that you can easily guess someone’s age from. I know 2 baby Emilys, one 12 year old, a couple of teenagers, several middle-aged ones and also a ninety-year old Emily!

Whereas the Traceys I know are exclusively middle-aged.

I say Honey, you say G!
That’s all I think of when I hear Honey

Margot I think of Margot Robbie - which isn’t a bad thing.

I’m very biased but I like Charlotte 😉