Old lady names

[Gimmeechocolate]

I really love old lady names and already have 2 DDs with old names.

I have fallen in love with the name Ethel. Everybody I know hates it and laughs at it.

I guess what I am asking is what are your associations with it as a name other than 'old lady'?

Reminds me Ethel in Eastenders.

Sorry but I think it's an awful name to saddle a kid with, can you imagine when she's 14 with her mates or out clubbing when she's in her 20's. Seems a bit cruel tbh.

Jemima
Lillian
Patsy
Wilhelmina (Willa)
Geraldine

Beatrice (Beattie)
Ursula
Celia
Frances
Prudence
Harriet

I also think of Just William's glamourous older sister when I hear the name Ethel, too. A pretty red-head aged somewhere between 17 and 21 who had the local youths falling at her feet.

I actually don't think it's a bad name and I'm starting to hear it more and more. I think you might be ahead of the curve on this one.

I was given a desperately old-fashioned, old lady name in the 70s, which everyone else was positively eschewing. It's Isobel.

Ethel will have its time again. :)

Flora
Miriam
Clotilde
Beulah
Clementine
Daphne
Elenora
Meredith
Phillippa
Susan
Mary

On God, Pearl...

It's so subjective, naming people, isn't it? I wouldn't thank you for calling me Pearl. Ethel is far preferable IMO.

Elsa is nice.

Or what about Roberta? Bobbie for short.

have it as a second name, but baby Ethel... sorry, no

love Esther or Edith, Esme, Elsie are nice too

I adore Verity with the nn Ettie, but too similar to Hetty.

My new favourite is Vera. My great-aunt's name, so reminds me of a fabulous woman.

Gwendoline
Enid
Vera
Eunice
Bertha
Evelyn
Morag
Delores
Daphne
Agnes
Doris
Judith

Dont like Ethal to harsh sounding.Love Millicent great name and would go great with your other kids names.Hetty is fabulous

Nancy?

I worked in a nursing home and all of the names except a few are back. Nancy, Mary, Norah, Greta..

So now 'old lady names' for me would have to be people in their 70s, not late 80s.

Don't know if it's been suggested- Dorothy nn Dottiw. Has the same 'th' sound to it

nn Dot or Dottie

Our dd is Bess Violet - I absolutely adore 'old' names and we get so many comments about how nice her name is

Clemency ?
Think Gladys, Rita, and Dolores are a step too far.
What about Eithne ( pronounced Eth na)?
Love Elsie too. Actually Ethel not too bad- sounds nicer than it looks.

Agnes?

How about the regal names that have stood the test of time - Victoria,Elizabeth etc?

Careful what you say, naughtynaughtynamechange. I had an aunty named Ethel and she was my favourite aunt. I can remember her teaching me how to cross the road using traffic lights in about 1953 when I was six years old.

She actually lived in Eccles, Manchester, so she was Ethel from Eccles!

Isn't this just about the craziest thread you've ever read?

What about Lettice - a true and well respected Victorian name?