Names that aren't making a comeback

[steppemum]

Erasmus

came across this today, Charles Darwin's grandfather. Just thought, you aren't likely to see that one on a baby names thread.

reminds me of a Lord Peter Whimsy novel where the characters in the village are called Obediah, Jeremiah, Hepzibah and so on.

I don't think anyone's mentioned Lesley/Leslie. I can't imagine that making a comeback!

Alan
You don't see any baby Alans these days

Ooh I like Erik

Grip

I always read these posts to see how many posts in it gets before somebody says DPs name (12 this time!) as he's got an "old mans" name despite only being mid-20s

Reginald?

Keith - I actually quite like the name Keith, but it just has connotations of a middle aged balding pot-bellied gasman.

I think Hayley, Josie, Elsie and Eleanor are quite common round our way. And Ethel seems to be gaining popularity.....heard a dad calling for 'Mabel' the other day, which gave me a pause.

My contributions:
Deirdre
Charmaine
Janet
Kenneth
Tracey
Gaylord
Brian
Aloysiois

I have a secret love of the name Jedediah...

I know of a Bruce (aged about 6) and a baby Ian. Wasn't Norbert from Norbert Lightowel in The Fib.

A few more less popular ones:

Edna (the youngest one I can think of is the one on the Simpsons!)
Wanda
Morris
Ronald

I heard a mum calling "Rita" today. Rita was about 2!

My daughter is 13 and she wants Valerie for her daughter which I didn't like to start with but do now,so teenagers are starting to like 70's names.

I think Nigel is a fabulous name but that's probably because the one I know is mega-cool.

I know a baby Vincent and a toddler Oswald. I also know 4 year olds Ian and Owen; 5 year olds Christina, Joanna, Carl and Jim; a Wendy who's 5 or 6; two Lees who are about ten and three Stephanies, aged 11-12.

Judy
Marian/Marion
Sharon
Michelle
Carol
Julie
Pauline
Debbie
Wayne
Barry
Bernie (both male and female)
Colin
Trevor
Keith
Roger
Alan
Norman

I can't see these coming back for a while.

My 8 year old likes

Stephanie
Tracey
Eleanor

Stephanie is a big favourite with my seven year old. I think it's awful!

Joanne
Carol
Susan
Lisa
Val
Annette
Debbie
Eileen
Elaine
Donna
Gillian
Myra
Patricia

Brian
Marvin
Graham

Most names go in and out of fashion, and I don't think you can definitely say whether they will come in or out of fashion. Most of them probably will at some time in the future. The only ones that you can almost certainly say won't come back are names like Fanny etc, and that's because of associations attached to them that are new since the name was popular. But slang shifts and changes over time too. At one time apparently you wouldn't think of using 'Molly' because of the slang meaning of a 'Moll' meaning a 'loose woman' as in 'gangster's moll' but now no one thinks about that and Molly is popular again. So maybe in 50 or 100 years there could be loads of little Fannys!

met an 11 yo Cyril yesterday. I cringed inwardly, and then had to introduce him to other 11 yo. I was expecting the others to go Cyril??? But they didn't blink an eye.

It reminded me again that the connotations I have with a name are unique to me or my generation. Our kids don't have the same associations, for them it is just another name.

DP name - well I suspect it won't be coming round for another 50-100 years

Terrence/Terry, Tracey, Sharon, Trisha, Gary, Kerry, Donna, Ian,

Gary
Joanne
Pauline
Patricia
Scott
Lee
Geoff
Leslie
Lindsay

Apart from Fanny and Willy, most of the names on here will definitely become popular again. Lots of lovely names that our generation have come to associate with our parents - our kids, on the other hand will find them refreshing and beautiful!

Agree that kids couldn't care less if their mates are called Kevin, Cyril or Calvin. They're simply the names of their friends and therefore normal.

I agree that apart from ones like Fanny they will all be back, following the 80-100 yr rule. I know children now called many of the names quoted as 'never coming back'.

Are you sure Nigel will make a comeback? It's DH middle name and I giggle whenever I hear it. His uni friends all call him Nige as a result!!

I had a good chuckle along to this thread last night. Just passed my 20 wk scan and trying to think of names. We have one ds who's name I love but one of those traditional ones that never dates. Looking for something less popular for ds 2.

Bound to. My father's name is so dreadful that I wouldn't use it as a second name for my DS 30 yrs ago,but it is coming back- now following the 80-100 yr rule as my father would now be 90yrs.

I know of a small boy called Keith. He must be about six or seven now. His mother is not from the UK but lives there.