Staying one generation ahead of "cool"

[NicknameMustbeBetween4and30Cha]

So, we all know the current wave of trendy vintage "cool" names being revived (Ada, Vera, Beatrice, Wilfred, Stanley, Albert, etc), but the problem is that kids don't appreciate how cool their names are! It's just their name to them! And by the time they're in their 20s and 30s and old enough to appreciate it, these names will all be done to death and boring. The new Clares and Emilys and Johns and Davids.

So what we need is a baby name that is not even close to being cool yet, but will be in 25 years. The cool names of the next generation! So that when my child is in his/her 20s, everyone will just be starting to think what a cool and unique name it is!

Any ideas?

Louise
Lindsay
Helen
Julie
Judith

I know an Isabella who’s in her late thirties. Every other Isabel/Isabelle/Isabella that I know is under sixteen. Her parents were definitely ahead of the curve!

I agree that the children of the current batch of Stanley/Archie/Albert/Evie/Ava/Molly will probably all be names that are currently deeply uncool.

I think Susan is definitely due a revival. It’s objectively a nice name, but I think most of us know too many women in their 60s called Sue to use it now, but kids now won’t have that association

So on that basis if I think of other women in their 60s that I know, little Susan will be at school with Patricia, Joy (also objectively a lovely name!), Mary, Linda, Ann, Carol, Margaret, Geraldine and Judith. The boys will be Steven, David, Nigel, Derek, Michael, John, Paul and Terry

But really I wouldn’t use “future coolness” as a factor in naming a baby! Who knows what will happen? Some old fashioned names that would be contemporaries of Molly, Evelyn, Alfie etc like Doris and Enid haven’t had the same surge in popularity. Enid fits the same criteria as many popular names like Evie, Evelyn, Edith, Erin etc but I don’t know of any little Enids!

Melissa

Clive
Gareth
Nigel
Keith
Raymond
Anthony

Sheila
Lesley
Janice
Alison
Karen
Sharon

If it's 70's/80's names then surely Steven/Stephen is due a comeback?

my first name is Georgina and I’ve never been cool...

I think that's cool !! My names crap - not popular just boring

What about

Deana
Samantha
Christina
Greta
Robyn
Henrietta

OP I think you are overthinking it

Each child will make their own name anyway, it’s not that important!

For boys

Mark
Lee
Stephen
Robert
David
Kenneth

Girls
Sarah
Ann
Donna
Andrea
Jane
Margret

Why is cool your priority?

Not saying I like these at all or think they will ever seem cool! But names from
my parents' generation:

Barbara
Jean
Mary
Marlene
Dorothy
Derek
Peggy
Ralph
Ted
Betty
Valerie
Jacqueline
Ronald
Eric

Since my name hasn't been mentioned you should name her the same .

I know of a 10-ish yo Derek and a baby Burt (through work, not some friend-of-a-friend thing like Le-A)... there's probably loads more actually that I can't think of.
I saw an almost 20-year-old called something like Ella-Mae and had to look twice, I expected it to be a toddler. Same with a Sandra in her early 20s (expected her to be older).

Bike - My theory is that children are often names after their great grandparents

DS is named after his great grandads!

I suspect he might accidentally end up being one if the older persons with a name that could become cool. Only could though. Has as much chance as never being cool again though

My 1 year old is a Leonard - is that cool?

When you look objectively at 60’s/70’s names, some are very beautiful, it’s just we don’t think of them like that. If saw Elaine, Julie or Lisa for first time I think they’d strike you as really pretty names.

My 1 year old is a Leonard - is that cool?

It's quite cool now but it won't be in 25 years. Sorry. I'm sure he'll forgive you though!

If saw Elaine, Julie or Lisa for first time I think they’d strike you as really pretty names.

Agreed. It's funny how much meaning gets attached to names. I think Lisa is great. It fits with current styles too (short, ends in a).

70s names I still like:
Deborah
Julie
Amanda
Clare
Paul’s
Jason
Simon
Paul
Nicholas

Sorry not Paul’s but Paula

Sarah, Jennifer, Kimberly, Rebecca, Holly, Abigail, Hayley, Marie, Amy, Rachael... go full 90s

Don’t do this though! My name came into fashion when I was about 30 (I’m 42 now) and there are loads of under 10s with my name.

But when I was a child no one knew it! I hated it and longed to be called Louise or Karen

Pick a name you love, whether it’s popular or not. It’s not cool to use your child’s name as a vehicle for scoring cool points.

Pick a name you love, whether it’s popular or not. It’s not cool to use your child’s name as a vehicle for scoring cool points.

Eh, in the long term the name is (assuming you go for a name name and not something like “squirrel riverdance the third”) is one of the more insignificant parenting choices you get to make. Better to use that to score cool points than discipline methodologies or food choices.

Obviously it’s utterly naff to care about being “cool” in the first place, but if you must then via names is hardly the worst.

Gary.

But when I was a child no one knew it! I hated it and longed to be called Louise or Karen

Yeah but NOW you're in the prime of your life with the trendiest name in town. All the Susans and Sarahs are probably thinking you're the coolest person they know.