Ruby

[Scroobius]

Hi,
This is one of our top names atm (we're ignoring the Kaiser Chiefs song) but can you tell me impressions of it please? Is it chavvy, is it too popular etc? I know it was very popular a few years ago but not sure amongst babies born recently.
Thanks

I don't see it as a girly name either. I think partly because the sounds "oo" and "b" are quite serious somehow, and partly because it's a complete name not a nickname (unlike Milly, Tilly, Emmy etc).

Other "working class game old bird" names I can think of:
Pearl
Rita
Gloria
Joan
Daphne
Sadie
Polly (though you may see this as a nickname; not sure myself)

Ruby is lovely though. If you don't mind the popularity thing, go for it.

DD has 5 friends named Ruby, although it is nice enough it would just be far too popular for me. It is now in the same vein as the 'Lisa, Tracey, Stacey, Lynsey' names of the eighties i.e. there are sodding loads of them.

I agree with GoldenHandShake it's this generation's Tracey/Lisa/Karen.

I love the name Ruby and I don't care if it's too popular! If I ever have a DD this will be a top contender!

It's very popular where I live. Loads of them.

I don't like it personally.

Gulp as a new mums netter I can see no-one spares any punches here! I hope you don't pre judge my daughter Ruby who is lovely and not incidentally working class.....if I had snobbish ideas and attached class values to names then I don't think I would broadcast it on a help forum in case I offended someone with that name! Cripes!

I think people are looking for the kind of honesty that people don't offer in real life. Some people go to far I agree, but what's the point in asking for opinions if people are just going to say 'Very nice dear'.

Fragglewump, names have connotations and associations - be it of time and place, class, use in fiction or a dozen other things. No point pretending they don't. They will also vary from person to person, of course.

But I think you might be slightly confused. I think the OP (and everybody else for that matter) was saying she likes those connotation of working class/game bird about the name? The whole point is we are all thinking of the strong characters and the fierce old great aunties we've known who've had that name or similar ones. These are good qualities, no?

So I'm not sure who the snob is supposed to be here...

Ruby was never an aristocratic name and there isn't anything wrong with that!

It was a servants name- but most people were servants!

And some people could only dream about being servants!

Ruby = Tracey
Lily = Michelle
Eve = Sarah
Ella/Ellie = Claire/Rachel

The 1970s/2000 generational equivalents IMO.

It's a lovely name. I've only met one Ruby, she was an awesome woman who has sadly passed away now. I actually like the Kaiser Chiefs song, and I like Ruby Tuesday by the Rolling Stones too :-)

Ruby, along with all the other cutesy names (Lily, Evie, Ellie, Poppy, etc) have become so trendy and faddy that they are going to sound dated as soon as they fall out of favour. I also expect them to be the Tracy/Sharon etc of the 2010s.

There are SO many lovely, beautiful, classic, underused girls' names out there (have a look on the ONS lists, outside the top 100s) - would be a shame to use a name that is, imo, quite overused already (and a little dull imo).

Hope you're looking for honest answers .

Yeah, definitely looking for honest answers! This is what I thought about Ruby tbh, it's another reason I like the name Ella/Eve etc but don't want to use them, and it's why I posted in here.
I do still love it for the Ruby Tuesday song though and have always liked it for this but my name is one of the ones on kerala's list from the 70s/in my case 80s and, as much as it is a nice name, I don't want her to be one of many like I was.

OP my advice if you like the type of names usually associated with older generations, but do not want your child to be one of 4 in her class, is to pick something that is of that fashion, but not immenseley popular. Think back to your grandparents, look at your family tree, names I'd suggest are:

Valerie
Maureen
Edith/Edie
Mary
Polly
Connie/Constance
Mabel
Effie

One third of the girls in DDs class (aged 5) are called Eve. Am friends with their mothers who are as none had realised how popular it was and wouldnt have chosen it had they known so good you doing your research now!

Ruby/Evie/Poppy/Ellie and similar trendy cutesy names already feel a little 'dated' and overused to my ears. They will age poorly imo.

Am liking some of Golden's suggestion especially Valerie and Constance!