The next baby name wave?

[miyajima90]

I'm interested in how to spot where names are going to go next out of curiosity and thinking ahead a little bit. I hated having an old fashioned name when I was at school. Equally I felt sorry for the kids for whom there were loads of others in the year group (Hannah, Laura, Gemma were abundant when I was a kid).

I like the idea of finding a name that is ahead of the wave, as it always makes the adult seem quite young and cool even when they're not haha! Eg I know a 30 year old Alfie, and about six 2 year old Alfie's! So many parents I know complain that their child's name became popular as soon as they were born.

Obviously turn of the century / wartime/granny / grandad names like Evie, Iris, Ivy, Albert, Archie are super popular right now, but what will be the next trend? Does it follow that 60's and 60's names will be the next thing? Susan, Barbara, Mike anyone??!

If I was naming a boy and a girl now (assuming no family honouring of relatives) I'd go with:

David or Peter or Max

Catherine or Caroline or Jane

Have I gone bang on trend without realising it?

Statistically challenged - haha you're not a sad case. I'm such a name nerd too and when I showed my DH your analysis he said 'there's someone out there as geeky with names as you!!'
I find them fascinating. I am interested in why some names peak and trough and others remain classics. Like Florence for example, it was number 2 in 1904 beaten only by Mary but then it falls into complete obscurity after presumably becoming overused which will now happen again.
And Doris, I really can't imagine that coming back but it was so popular for a while! And that was before Doris Day became famous. I just can't imagine a baby Doris yet.

I'm fascinated by names and think that thighofrelief's suggestions are great.
I don't like most of the names on Baby names - the girls' names seem to be frilly and impractical or twee and samey, and the boy's names tend to be ones that will date.
I think it's great-grandparents' names rather than grandparents' names is probably the cycle. Some names are Elsie, Nancy, Albert, Eric, Frank, Vera.

I know a 13 yr old Tracy. I can see Sharon coming back as it's actually a nice sound. So much depends on the accent, I think. The way Ray Liotta said Karen in Goodfellas always made it sound much nicer than in does with a Cockney or Burnley accent.

Choosing and MUM I'm a nerd too. When naming my DSs (many years ago now) I brooked no nonsense from DH - I had very clear ideas.

I can't bear frilly or "of the moment" names. For girls I imagine a 50 year old Doctor and whilst Katy is very sweet Catherine gives the adult more options.

I think boys should be timeless and solid like Joseph or Matthew.

If you look at my list though - have I inadvertently gone on trend? I suspect I have.

Some names are just plain hideous and should never see the light of day again. whatever the trend. Mildred being one.

You'd have to hate your baby to call it Mildred - Mildew.

When I was pregnant with ds1 back in 2004 I (hormonally?) had the name Enid on my list for a girl. I’ve seen it mentioned quite a few times in threads lately, but I’m actually secretly pleased he was a boy as I think it would have got a few cats bum faces back then

I would say, go for the formal name on BC, but I didn't. I wanted to use Kate but didn't want Catherine or Katharine, so DD1 is just Kate.

Enid is a very old Welsh name and is pronounced ENNid. Outside Welsh-speaking circles you'd hear Ee-nid. I like the welsh version.
You aren't on trend thigh but those names will be back before long.

I'd be curious to know what the trends on Baby names are over time.

I love Kate a lot but i would have to go with Katherine or Catherine (i actually prefer the C) on the bc. That said I have a Max and I very much wanted Maximilian on the bc but it's just too much. I slightly regret it, i really love the full name. Imagine shouting that when a child is naughty, fabulous!

Thigh - I would say all those named are more classic than trendy.
David is a strange one as I think of it as classic but it became so popular for so long that everyone knows a man or 5 named Dave aged between 30 and 70.
In that sense it just feels a bit dated.

Names not named

What’s wrong with dawn??

Sharon sounds awful in my accent.

I'm a 33 year old Claire and I just can't imagine it coming back into fashion anytime soon. Calling a baby "Claire" just seems wrong!

But you were a baby once!

I think Clare is very pretty and feminine.

@statisticallychallenged
Me and my dog are both on your list - I'm going to be cool!!! (having had the world's most old fashioned name for my whole life - and I'm 42)

I think @StatisticallyChallenged has it right. They're good lists and kudos for doing the research.

Claire is quite popular in the US now (number 49 in 2018). It never had the massive popularity in the 70s/80s there that it did over here, so I suppose it sounds fresher to them.

I really don't see this obsession with having a unique name that no one else has 🤔
I picked a name that was popular at the time. I liked it. Dd doesn't have to explain its spelling to anyone and it's a beautiful name. She is the only one in her class surprisingly but I imagine that will change at secondary.

Sorry I work in children services and see a lot of awful names 🙈

There are lots of typically male names being used for girls these days, for example James and Noa(h)

I’m a childminder and I have a little girl called Noa. I’m also starting to see lots of surnames used as first names, Cooper, Jackson, Grayson.

Grandparent names still going strong. Lots of Mabel’s, Iris, Albert, Martha, Edith.

I can’t stand a lot of the 60/ 70s names, Barbara, Susan, Tracey, Audrey, Jacqueline...but in about 10yrs they will probably be all the rage

Noa is a female Hebrew name but Noah is just so popular in the UK for boys that it's one of those names which will result in the girl eye rolling when she ends up in the boys list at school etc.

I rather like Jacqueline, that's pretty, but a baby Jacqui/Jackie would be surprising.

I remember someone telling me many, many years ago that the French were only allowed to use saints' names. I don't know if that was the law or true but i thought it a good system.

@thighofrelief101 quite a few countries have a requirement to use a name off an official list. I think Iceland, Italy, Portugal and Germany as well as France have this. They often have derogation if the parents are foreign but some countries are stricter than others and the lists tend to be rather large.

I'm hoping that Sharon and Tracy don't make a comeback, nor Brian and Kevin. Those names still make me think of Ford Escorts, mullets and white socks with slip ons.

I'm always puzzled by comments like these. How many people with those names actually have or have ever had mullets and Ford Escorts? Lazy stereotyping.

I'd like to challenge you all to think of the coolest, most loveable Traceys, Sharons, Brians and Kevins you know just for a reality check and a change 😁