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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

granny name chic

94 replies

fanjodisfunction · 16/09/2012 21:21

So what other names are going to be a bit more popular

Thora
Gladys
Doris
Joan
Joyce?

So what do we reckon?
Quite like Thora.

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CremeEggThief · 19/09/2012 09:35

And 1 Joyce and 1 Joy! 3 or 4 Jacintas too!

baskingseals · 19/09/2012 09:39

i met a girl called April the other day and thought it was lovely.

DancehallDaze · 19/09/2012 10:38

I think "granny chic" is often a misused phrase. Names like Edith, Elsie, Florence, Ada, Ellen, Ivy, Lily, Mabel etc are more "great-granny" (or even great-great-granny!) They were popular a century ago. "Granny" does not equal "old lady"!

worldcitizen · 19/09/2012 10:45

Yes, Dancehall my one of my child's great-grandmother is called Edith and she was born in the early 20's.
I also assume that grandmothers of today's soon-to-be-born children have rather different names, as these names would be possibly more common in THEIR granny generation.

There was another thread and I think it asked about vintage (granny) names and there were also so many lovely name suggestions.

DancehallDaze · 19/09/2012 11:03

Definitely, worldcitizen - I doubt most people would touch real granny names with a bargepole (although being of that era myself I have no such problem with them!) :)

BikeRunSki · 19/09/2012 11:06

I know sisters, 5 and 3 called Elsie and Mabel, and several Marthas.

BikeRunSki · 19/09/2012 11:08

My DCs' grannies are called Patricia and Jennifer. I am not sure that those names are particularly chic amongst babies these days!

worldcitizen · 19/09/2012 11:21

My child's, (she's a teenager now) granny is called Helen and I love that name, but my husband didn't want that, and his middle name is Paul and I suggested Paula for her as her name or even at least middle name, but he didn't want that, he felt it was terrible Hmm

DancehallDaze · 19/09/2012 11:21

My point exactly. :)

nemno · 19/09/2012 11:30

My grannies were Murial and Gertrude, my children's grannies include a Doreen. None seem popular :)

CremeEggThief · 19/09/2012 11:31

Me again (aged 34), to say I know one Paula a year older than me, and one a couple of years younger!

worldcitizen · 19/09/2012 11:39

I also know a Paula in my generation, and I love that name, however her younger brother was called Walter Shock and he went through hell being ridiculed for his name and he hated this name as well, because in the 70's usually 40-50 year old men had that name, and his parents gave him this name in remembrance of his grandfather.

DancehallDaze · 19/09/2012 12:51

I would regard Paula as a timeless name, since I've met and heard of very few. I wouldn't be able to date a Paula from her name alone. But that might just be me. Has it ever gone through a period of being fashionable?

Bonsoir · 19/09/2012 12:53

"granny chic" doesn't have to mean your child's granny's generation. My DD's granny is called Zoë - that isn't a granny-chic name.

worldcitizen · 19/09/2012 12:56

Not sure, but I also would rate Paula as rather timeless (and not necessarily able to know which class/social standing parents identify with), also Hanna/h, Sara/h, Sophie/Sophia, Isabelle/Isabella, Anna/Anne, Catherine, Elizabeth etc.

DancehallDaze · 19/09/2012 13:03

Exactly, Bonsoir - it's a rather meaningless phrase unless you define whose grannies we are referring to. My granny's generation had different names from your granny's contemporaries.

BlazerOfGlory · 19/09/2012 13:20

It's more like great great granny chic, isn't it? The Maud's and Mabels and Ethels were Victorians, in the main.

Bonsoir · 19/09/2012 13:21

I think "granny-chic names" - names that were chic in generations who are now dead

worldcitizen · 19/09/2012 13:23

Shock no seriously bonsoir, it could be that thought indeed

BeatTheClock · 19/09/2012 13:26

I'm not sure granny names are chic if you mean the very old fashioned ones. It's starting to look like a fad that's going to date horribly because it's all so contrived.

HereBenson · 19/09/2012 13:35

My Granny and her twin were Daisy and Violet, so those to me are the ultimate Old Lady names. I read someone on Mumsnet saying Daisy was lovely for a child but not suitable for an adult! Actually what goes around comes around and we all have different ideas about names according to when we were born.

Bonsoir · 19/09/2012 13:36

Daisy and Violet are gorgeous for twins and would be fine in 2012!

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 20/09/2012 06:45

We have a Maggie and considered Esther and Iris - been told they're all granny names but I only know women my age (late 20's) with them as names. I also have 3 friends called Nora

Probably depends what your own grannies were called, doesn't it? Mine were Audrey and Elsie (Elsie changed her name to Rae when she turned 18), DH's are Joy and June

Winnie is the ultimate grannie name!!

herhonesty · 20/09/2012 07:55

Winifred is dd's middle name, love it and sometimes wish we'd used it as first name.

MaBaya · 20/09/2012 10:52

Granny names I have heard babies being named recently:

Nora
Ethel
Ada