What names which were popular in the past haven’t yet made a comeback?

[Urbanbeetler]

Susan was a name which you often heard in the 60s. And I went to school with a number of girls called Donna, Jacqueline, Nicola and Marie. And boys called Graham, Colin and Barry.

Will these names ever come back in fashion again, or are there a subset of historical names which miss revivals and will forever be consigned to a particular patch or 30 or so years other than the odd naming here and there?

I’m a late 70s baby and we had 3 Rachel’s and 2 Joannas in my class .

Joanna is a very pretty name, actually. Amanda, too.

Think it's too early for some of these names.
It's often your grandparents names that make the come back - so two generations ago. So can't imagine 50s/60s names making their come back til DD's generation are having children - she's currently 16 so hopefully a little while yet. Then 70s names when their children have children, and so on.

Some just never come back at all.

Barbara - I've taught a 7y Kevin a couple of years back. Though it wasn't his 'real' name. He was from another country and he and his siblings took on British names in arriving here.

I also know a 4y Paul but his family are not British so maybe it's more common where they are from.

I know under 10s who are Graham and Colin.

There are still a lot of men who insist that their firstborn sons have their exact names.

Itd be hugely interesting to see a future thread about names say 30 years into the future. Names like Isla Ava and Sofia will probably be seen as dated and names like
Susan and Sharon will be on the rise.

Kevin is a fab name.

I’ve taught several Chinese heritage Kevins and a couple of French heritage Kevins.

Joan
Shelley
Erica
Cindy
Greg
Jason
Jamie
Connie
Ricky
Maxine
Christine
Paul
Shane
Terry

I know a couple of young Leonards actually, so maybe that's one that may creep back in.

I also know a couple of young Catherines, but even though it is still in use I doubt we'll see a return to 1/4 of every class being named Catherine/Katherine/Katharine/Kathryn as was the case in my school (the rest were called Lindsey/Lindsay/Lynsey or Claire/Clare)!

Sandra. Which is strange because it’s actually quite a nice name.

Roger. A very old name, but not coming back into fashion any time soon.

Gary and Nigel, as well as Sharon and Tracy, can't imagine a re-run of them!

I think Rachel as a name got killed off by Friends! THough funnily enough Phoebe survived.

I think it is sad that some of the beautiful semi precious stone names like Coral, Beryl,Pearl, have gone by the board whereas others survived like Ruby,Emerald,Jade , Amber and have even become a bit tired.

DaanSaaf

80's names like Michelle, Kelly and Dean.

'Michelle's was popular in the late 60's and through to the 70's, probably as a result of the Beatles song.

I think that fewer people follow 'fashion' for their name choices these days. When I was at school it was common to have several children in the class with the same name - out of the 31 in my primary class, there were several Julie's, Deborah's, Michael's, Stephen's. In fact, there were probably only about 10 actual names, spread among the 31 of us. That doesn't happen now. People are more likely to choose a name for reasons other than it being currently popular. So I wouldnt rule out anything coming back. Not even Trevor. 😁

I know someone who just had a baby Rachel.

These ones haven’t come back: Edna, Gertrude, Mildred, Myrtle, Gladys, Bertha, Marjorie, Phyllis, Blanche, Muriel, Hilda, Clarence, Herbert, Harold, Horace, Arnold, Cyril, Cecil, Gerald, Humphrey, Eugene etc.

I think it’s too early for names like Sharon, Deborah, Lisa, Michelle, Gary, Colin and Graham.

I know an adult Dorcas. I quite like it.

The celeb with a little girl called Barbara is Victoria Coren-Mitchell. I quite like Barbara too. It makes a change from all the overpopular names.

Names that were popular in the 60s-80s will come back into fashion (give or take) once those people are old enough to be grandparents/great grandparents with grandchildren old enough to reproduce as many people do still honour family members in reusing names and will look to use uncommon (for their generation) names. 10 years ago Mabel was unusual, now there's plenty and is regularly offered up as a suggestion on here.

But, over the past three years I have met a:-

Baby Brenda, baby Lindsey and a primary aged Barry and a handful of Sylvia/Sylvies (which honestly makes me go as I swear all my mum friends are called Sylvia so it's a very fusty name to me).

Victoria is still a top 100 name.

Gary?

I really like Gloria :)

Names I can recall from when I was young:

Pamela
Barbara
Susan
Patricia
Jean
Doreen
Janet
Joan
Dorothy
Linda
Deborah
Sheila
Elaine
Maureen

Brian
Roy
Colin
Barry
Geoffrey
Daniel
Graham
Philip
Norman

I bet a lot of these will never come back into popularity (with any luck)

Clive, basil,
Pearl, Angela, Jennifer, Mavis, Fiona, Augustine, Gillian

Pearl is very popular around here.

And I taught a 16 year old Dorcas a couple of years ago. Isn't it another name for Tabitha in the Bible?

Darren, Sharon, Wayne, Rita.

Yes I know a baby Pearl at the baby group I go to!

I can't imagine Susan never coming back. It's a nice name, along with Susie. I'm less keen on Sue.
Clare I think will come back at some point
I like it along with Sarah and Mary. I like the "air" sound

Beryl
Joyce
Veronica
Andrea
Beverley
Linda
Gillian
Irene