Names in your class vs now

[Wambsgans]

I was in secondary school in the mid-90s. I was thinking about the names of kids in my class/year and whether I know any children born now (i.e. 5 or under, thereabouts) with the same names. Interesting little exercise when you're bored! Boys were called eg Adam, Mark, Ian, Jonathan, Andrew, Tim, etc. Girls were all Katherine, Emma, Anna, Vicky, Lucy, Kim, Claire, Karen etc.

So the only overlaps I have between boys in my year and boys of friends born recently are
Ben
Daniel
Tom
Peter
Edward
Nicholas

Girls I can only think of Katherine and Rea.

I guess boys' names tend to stay more 'classic' and girls' names are more changeable. I now feel quite old!

[paperdreams16]

Pressed send too soon.

Am a teacher now and names I have encountered recently that I also mentioned from my own class are Charlotte, Amy, Holly, Olivia, Katie, Sophie and Jessica.

[paperdreams16]

Secondary from 2005-10.

Common names off the top of my head were Emma, Charlotte, Hannah, Megan, Amy, Holly, Olivia, Katie, Laura, Sophie, Anna, Victoria, Jessica, Emily. No boys at school!

[Flappingflamingo]

I was born in 84 so in school from 90'sish
Names I remember from primary school onwards but haven't heard recently
Stuart
Craig
Paul
David
Martin
Christopher
Richard
Robert
Lewis
Bobby
Michael

Amy
Gemma
Claire
Sarah/sara
Amanda
Stacey
Donna
Rebecca
Nicola

I'm sure there's a lot more but those are the ones that come to mind first

[lowlandLucky]

Pauline, Tracey, Debbie, Audrey and Barbara
Gordon, Steven, David, Andrew and Kevin

[LovelyBranches]

Overlaps from my class to children I know now

Alex
Hannah
Thomas
Tim
Elizabeth
Emma
Rhys

[MinnieJackson]

Can only think of a few cross overs
Ben
Billy
Amy but spelt Aimee
Poppy
Isobel

[ClaraPlum]

names in common (I was born in the early 90s): Olivia, Sophie, Jessica, Charlotte, Jack and James. Maybe even Jade (I know a few little girls who have Jade as a middle name)

I’m not even exaggerating when I say that just under half of DS’s classmates are either an Olivia or Alfie! They’re such popular names where we live and I hate having to interact with them in groups as I have to refer to them by surnames (eg Alfie H or Olivia S), but when I mentioned this to my mum she reminded me that probably half of the kids in my class were either named Jack or Rebecca and she had to do the same 😆

[user1477391263]

The names that have lasted are Abigail, Rachel, Jessica, Hannah, Lucy, Elizabeth, Eleanor, Charlotte, Alice and maybe Rebecca.

I feel like there is less crossover with the boys' names, actually. Absolutely no little Stevens, Martins, Marks, Andrews, Matthews, Richards etc. James, Thomas and Daniel are the only ones that seem to be used much right now.

[bluechameleon]

Names in common:
James, Edward, Jack, Russell, Oliver, Ben.
Ella, Hannah, Eleanor.
Funnily enough, I was just talking about this with 5yo DS1 the other day. We were reading a book written in the early 80s and he commented on the name Samantha as being strange- I said there were 2 in my class at school.

[goldpendant]

And definite non crossovers,

Claire, Rachel, Joanna, Naomi, Ruth, Sarah, Leah, Tori, Danielle.

Michael, David, Richard, Craig, Matthew, Antony.

[Marcipex]

Stephenx3 Trevor Andrew Paul Ian Marcus John Troy

Jayne Claire Tina Elaine Beverley Valerie Gwyneth Christine

[ButterflyRuns]

I don't have any DC yet but I'm an early 80s baby so here's some I remember:

Girls: Becky, Louise, Kate, Claire, Laura, Rachel, Sarah, Gemma
Boys: Matthew, David, Steven, William, Chris

[goldpendant]

Oh if we are doing across the whole school then/now, not just my year/kids years;

Girls; Eleanor, Sophie, Charlotte, Katie, Olivia, Laura, Louise, Alice.

Boys; James, Liam, Max, Nathan, Ben, Jack, George, Andrew, Matthew, Oliver, Joseph, Edward, Sebastian, Marcus, Thomas, Angus, Adam, Toby, Alex.

[goldpendant]

Crossovers;

Girls - none!
Boys - Daniel, George, Joshua

I'd agree, boys names tend to be more classic!

[123Dancewithme]

I had an Arthur in my year at school and people used to laugh at how old fashioned his name was!

[Wambsgans]

ifigoup Jackson and Caspar were ahead of their time!
I forgot I do know a young Elizabeth so that's another one spanning both generations. Surprised to hear of modern 'Rebecca's, not because it's not a nice name but I've never heard one in all my baby groups etc.

SisterAgatha I know a reception-age Erica!

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

Overlaps from the 80s to under-tens now:
James
Robert (making a bit of a come-back)
Alexander
Rebecca
Elizabeth

My school was awash with kids called Gary, Richard, Simon, Michael, Darren, Karen, Claire, Cathy, Emma, Sarah and Nicola.

[SugarHour]

I was at school in the 90s. Names of people I was at school with and know under 5s called...
Sophie, Emily, Katie, Olivia, Hannah, Rachel, Anna, Eleanor
Jonathan, Thomas, James, Oliver, Alexander, Ben

[Gorygloria]

Lisa Kerry Sarah Denise Tracy Mandy Tina Debbie Karen Vicky Paul Darren Mark James Ian Alex. Though I had dalliances with a Clint and a Myles.

My son's cohort are Max Cameron Ethan Aiden Ben Tom Ollie Mya Ellie Beatrice Evie Sophie Libby Hannah

[JacquelineLadyBugg]

Don't people say that people tend to dislike the names popular in their parents' generation, but they like the names popular in their grandparents' generation? Makes sense!

I did once tell my friend at school in the nineties, how I loved the name Henry and she laughed her ass off! It was considered a really bonkers name for some reason.

[emilybrontescorsett]

Interestingly and rather strangely some of the boys names have made a comeback , and it's the names that were considered 'old fashioned' at the time.
Charles, Charlie, Arthur, Fred, Thomas.
None of the girls names have made a comeback.

[JacquelineLadyBugg]

I went to an all girls school!

We had a lot of Lauras, we had a Megan, a Heather, Rebecca, Alison, Claire, Jenny...Lindsey / Linzi / Lindsay, Louise, Erin, Rachel, Gemma, Jenna, Emma, Emily, Susan, Suzanne.

I do hear Megan and Erin quite a lot. I know a little Rachel, a little Jenny, a little Rebecca and a couple of little Emmas... Really not that many!

Among boys growing up, we had lots of Jamies / James, loads of Pauls, Neill, Peter, Charlie, Ross, Chris, Matt, David.

I know a few little James, loads of Charlies, a little Matthew and a little Ross. Again not that many the same actually.

[rosy71]

I think Daniel is the only crossover name I can think of.

[CatkinToadflax]

Crossover names from secondary in the early to mid 90s:
Lucy
Katie
Polly
Jessica
Ellie/Eleanor
Louisa
Heidi
Amy
Ben
James
Oliver
Sam
Josh
Andrew
Alex
Tom
William

Non-crossover names include Karen, Angela, Stephanie, Samantha, Susan/Suzanne, Claire, Rachel, Caroline, Mark, Dane, Ian, Shaun, Philip, Graham, Craig, Kevin.