Sharon / Tracy

[whyno]

A couple of times recently I've people on threads mentioning that popular names will end up being the Sharon or Tracy of this generation. (Isobel and Isla have both been suggested that I've seen in past few weeks).

But I thought Sharon and Tracy became unpopular because of the cliches they portrayed onTV's Birds of a Feather? Nothing to do with popularity. So why will popular names become the Sharon/Tracy or have I missed something?

Also, do you think either of those names will ever get a comeback?!

I think the point is that Sharon and Tracy were kind of 'made up' names as opposed to traditional names (albeit they might have been surnames, or of another heritage as opposed to totally invented). So no, I don't think the Isobels and Emilys will suffer the same fate, even though they are two a penny, because those are still classic names that have been around for ever. The names I think WILL date and seem hugely popular among the teenage girls I teach are Shannon and Lauren, which are very 'of their time' and wouldn't have been popular before now. I also can't stand Bethany, possibly because the only ones I have ever taught have been utterly odious, but that's a different issue...

I once went riding in the Arizona desert with a handsome, blonde, black denim-clad cowboy. He shook my hand and said 'Hi, Tracy'. I almost said 'No, sorry, it's Sparrowfart actually', but the penny dropped just in time.

In the 60's and previous generations, the top ten names counted for a larger proportion of the people than they do now.

This means there were more people called Darren and Kevin than there are called ruby and Olivia now.

The hyphenated names will account for such a large group of girls that it will be identifiable as of this generation. I wonder if it will have class connotations?

Fraxinus Maybe so, but nowadays there are more variations and "cre8tiv" spellings. Also more common for short forms to be registered rather than used as nns (eg Charles, Charlie). The name figures are actually quite misleading

Names (usually made up but not always) that become overly popular very quickly, usually within the working classes in the past but nowadays the working class and Jeremy Kyle types ie Jayden Kayden and sadly Ellie, Lily etc all tacked onto Mai or May will become the future Sharon's and Traceys. Ebony, Chantelle, etc.

Charlene and Hayley are very 80s names to me! The kind that date badly as opposed to the more common ones like Sarah and Louise.

Isabel and variations of is in the Sarah camp in that its extremely popular (in one brownie pack we have 4 with various spellings), but I don't think it will date in the same way as Sharon and Tracey. I think the kre8ive spellings of any name will be the badly dated names of this generation ( not the alternative spellings for different countries/cultures/preferences like Isabelle, Isobel etc but the bizarre like Elliezahbeff (really good there isn't a child called that!)

I'm really glad this wasnt a naming thread for twin girls btw!!!