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Original poster

Most retro/dated name you've heard recently

463 replies

atthewelles · 09/01/2013 11:26

I heard a woman in the park calling her little girl Madge. I haven't heard that name in years and years. I also know of a little toddler called Sheila.

Just wondering if any of you know any children with names that you thought had died out completely.

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2wwmadness · 09/01/2013 18:57

Otis. Love it!

CaptChaos · 09/01/2013 18:59

In the last few years

Alfred
George
Richard
Donald
Julian
Tristan

Imogen
Ruby
Lily
Phyllis
Diane

I think it's rather lovely. Both my DS's have got quite 'grown up' names, and if we had had a DD I was determined to call her Margaret Mary for my 2 favourite relatives.

pud1 · 09/01/2013 19:05

when I was pg with Dd1 my oh told friend and family we were going to call it cliff if it was a boy. 2 months after my dd was born our friend had a boy and when they told oh they have called him Shane he laughed and asked what they were really calling him.

eilonwy · 09/01/2013 19:11

Hi, my friend calls 11 yr old daughter Madge, full name Madison (daughter hates it,lol). My sister's middle name is same as your nickname (unusual).

eilonwy · 09/01/2013 19:15

Ignore that last comment. Lol. It goes with another post...confused.com

StellaNova · 09/01/2013 19:20

I was wondering only yesterday if there were any baby Sarahs nowadays. It was such a common name when I was young that I was blinded to how pretty it is, but actually it has a very pretty sound and meaning, and I would consider it for any future dd -as long as I didn't think she would find it too much of a mum/aunty name, equivalent to me being called Lorraine or Lesley (no offence, they are just very much "generation above me" names).

LynetteScavo · 09/01/2013 19:22

DD has Erik and Neil in her class.

I know several Stanleys, Hectors, an Oswald, a Pete, a Peter, and there was an Ernie shopping in TKMaxx....

2gorgeousboys · 09/01/2013 19:23

I know a 5 year old Brian and a 4 year old Richard.

Also know babies called
Rita
Stanley
Ernest

LynetteScavo · 09/01/2013 19:25

I will know we've come full circle when I meet a baby Irene.

eilonwy · 09/01/2013 19:28

Where we live now "old fashioned names" seem run of the mill. We have Flora's and Florrie's, Arthur, Alfie, George, William, Lulu, Deedee, Gabriel, Spencer, Beatrice, loads of Lily's, Ella's and Millie's...

SomersetONeil · 09/01/2013 19:29

DS, nearly 4, has a very retro name - has been mentioned on this thread. He's named after DH's uncle, but is universally known by a diminutive version.

Two good things about it...

  • he's absolutely the only one we know and will be the only one in all his classes
  • by the time he hits his prime, his 20s/30s, the name will probably have come full circle and be the height of cool

This happened to me. My name was dreadfully old-fashioned when I was given it - named after my grandmother and it was too soon for it to be back in. Now, you can't move for little girls with the name.

The idea is to choose a name from the era just one generation above you, the parent, and two above the child. By the time they're an adult, it will be back in. And while all their peers have boring Joanne/Karen/Claire/Mark/Darren-type name (our gen's names), they'll have a refreshing, current name. That's my theory, anyway. Wink

TheSecondComing · 09/01/2013 19:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TaffyandTeenyTaffy · 09/01/2013 19:31

My friend has a very lovely toddler Seth.... who is nothing like the former Emmerdale character that always springs to mind.

LynetteScavo · 09/01/2013 19:34

Lots of Seths around here, aged 10 and under. Can't stand the name myself

loobywench · 09/01/2013 19:44

I have a young neice called Rose - lovely name I think!

ThedementedPenguin · 09/01/2013 19:44

bearface I've only had one nasty reaction to my sons name. Everyone else has been lovely. I was very nervous but I'm just waiting for the poor sucker that says something nasty as I have vowed to say something even if its only who the hell asked your opinion. :)

Thankfully I haven't needed too.

1944girl · 09/01/2013 19:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

anewyear · 09/01/2013 19:51

Impy - Amanda or the shortened version in AWESOME!!!!!

But why would anyone want to call their child after their MIL or Beryl!! I really dont know!!

WafflesandWhippedCream · 09/01/2013 19:52

We're not in the UK - DD's classmates include Simon, David, Nicholas, Laura, Sarah and Louise - all names of kids that I had in my class 30 years ago!
I don't think they are considered retro here though.

marriedinwhite · 09/01/2013 19:52

Joyce, Pat, Pam, Beryl and Linda will be back soon then.

When I was a little girl I never thought anyone would call their child by my gran's name because it was so old fashioned - Alice Wink

anewyear · 09/01/2013 19:52

Gonna have to NC now I guess, as I have quite possibly outed myself in RL.

louisianablue2000 · 09/01/2013 19:53

I know a toddler Matthew. And a five year old Annabel which makes me think of very horsy women in their late 40s/early 50s wearing pearls and silk scarves.

The Victorian servant name trend has been going on for ages, that's not retro, it's mainstream.

nannyof3 · 09/01/2013 19:55

Frank and Harry (Brothers)

CremeEggThief · 09/01/2013 19:56

Stella, Sarah is a popular name for girls in Ireland; I know of a few babies named Sarah born over the last few years. Funnily enough, in my generation, there were only a handful. I am 34, and I grew up with more Janets, Gwens, Janices and Brendas than Sarahs. (Although these were not as popular as Michelle, Lisa, Karen and Joanne etc.)

SecretNutellaFix · 09/01/2013 19:56

I know a Ronnie fairly well, also a Florence

I have also heard from different customers; Darren and Keith, Maisie and Agnes