Is Jessica considered a classic?!

[stopitcaroline]

I was reading through the thread on the most common girls names and someone mentioned Jessica as a classic. This blows my mind, but I am trying to keep in mind that I'm American and here Jessica is dated, like Brittany and Tiffany. I realize Jessica was invented by Shakespeare, but to me it seems less classic than even borderline classic names like those everybody was fighting about on the thread (Sophia, Isabella, Lily, etc.) And of course it has nothing at all on true (to me) classics like Elizabeth, Katherine, Jane, Anne, Caroline, Sarah, and Margaret.

So, wdyt? Is Jessica a classic name?

re: hand-wringing.

Well, that's pretty much what this message board is all about, right? We take "just names" and discuss our associations with them. I don't see how this case is any different from the hundreds of other threads on this board.

I have a Jessica. It was top 10 when she was born and is still top 10 now. But I don't seem to meet many others. There's only one other in the school at the moment. It's strange.

I don't think it's especially classic but I love it anyway. I group it with names like Amy and Chloe. Just normal, always around kind of names.

The baby name board is to name babies. I guess within that context there is discussion of the history and perception of the names but just trying to arbitrarily classify a name on a subjective definition is a little ... esoteric.

That said, I think the difference between US and UK perceptions of names is interesting. I used to recruit a lot of US college interns and I was always bemused by the number of Brians.

Trevor is currently popular in America,

Trevor.

The baby in that recent Steve Carell movie with the very long name is called Trevor!

Mind you DS1 is called something that most right thinking Americans would recoil at as a wizened old man's name.

Wizened old man is a damn sight better than spotty teenager from 1984.

It's my name, and I don't think it's a classic. I am in my forties, and it was very unusual when I was at school, and became hugely popular when I was in my twenties. I think that the sudden huge rise in popularity means that it is very much of its time and is getting dated.

Trevor is #235 in the US

I share your opinion on the category Jessica belongs in in the US (with Jennifer and Amanda).

A lot of the Jessicas I know have sisters named Samantha and/or Amber. A lot of the Jennifers have sisters named Lauren. Two Amandas I know have sisters named Lindsey. The Heathers I know have sisters named Samantha and Megan, and the Megans have sisters named Michaela...

If a Jessica managed to go to college she would join a sorority.

I think it's one of those names where you can predict what her siblings are called.

Brittany and Tiffany are trailer park names.
Amber and Heather occupy a similar niche.

I think Jessica is in a different category in the UK.

You mentioned my name Mathanxiety. I wonder if my US colleagues associate me with trailer parks?

I don't associate those names exclusively with trailer parks, and I don't associate Heather with a trailer park at all. I associate it more with the 80s and the mall.

Most Jessicas I know have sisters named Hannah, Sarah, Rebecca, or Rachel, but there are also less traditional sets with Laurens and Lindsays and Ashleys.

Sorry, Tondelayo
Maybe you have managed to give the name a whole new image? [hopeful]

All the Sarahs I know bar one have sisters named Rachel. I know a Rachel and Rebecca combo too. The Hannahs have sisters Miriam and Caroline.

Growing up, the families I knew with Rachels had Carolines, Miriams, and Lauras as sisters.

Me, I always wanted to be called Jessica. I had several (ex)boyfriends who also said they find it the most attractive female name - I guess as feminine, energetic without being twee or tacky.

it’s SO far removed from Tiffanie or Brittany…erruugh!!

I know a few older Jessica’s (all pretty, bubbly bright and popular…grrrrrrr!!) who have sisters called: Ava, Poppy, Nancy and Olivia so very varied.
Def more classic than trailer trash.

No
A nice name but not a classic