It's finally happened...70s and 80s names, are they back...?

[Freetodowhatiwant]

The people I was at school with in the 80s are making a come back! I have just heard of a couple (East London based and both quite arty/trendy) who are friends of friends and they have called their baby girl... Lisa.

There were several Lisas in my school so it was really popular (Lisa Marie Presley probably had something to do with that).

Now I think about it I guess it is quite a nice name; short, not too cutesy with its A ending rather than an IE or Y... What names have you heard recently that have surprised you?

I know a baby Jeff!

Gary, Barry, Darren, Wayne, Nigel...

I wonder why the thought of babies with 70s and 80s boys’ names amuses me more than the thought of baby girls with names like Sharon and Tracy.

There's a Keith at my DC's school. It sounds like a middle aged man to me, not a 10 yr old boy.

I know twin toddlers called Alan and Bruce. Makes me smile every time I say their names.
Dd has a friend called Samantha, on her, the name seems very cool.

@PickwickThePlockingDodo

Oh please no, Claires, Kirstys, Joannes or Helens noooooo.

rude

I also know two primary aged Samanthas. Sam is a great name for a girl.
I really like Louise and Louisa.

Bring back Donna!

It has only just occurred to me that Isla is an anagram of Lisa and not that different to the ear.

I think people might be choosing the wrong decade with the boys' names mentioned here?

I was a 70s baby and the most popular boys' names in my school year were Robert, Stephen, Mark, David, Andrew and John. The likes of Brian, Nigel and Bruce were more my Dad's era - so 50s?

Some of the names from that era are lovely. I like Angela, Caroline, Emma, Jane, Laura, Sarah, Rachel and Michelle. And also Christopher, John, Richard, Robert and Nicholas. I’m less sure about Annette, Kim, Janet, Sally, Wendy, Adrian, Martin, Darren, Wayne, Ian and Gavin.

I know a 16 year old Simon. And our neighbour has children in their early 20s called Anita and Clive.

I know a 7 year old Carla and a 2 year old Helen

Not uncommon names but they really stand out in their peer groups

Does that mean all the proper old granny names are going to die off again? Thank god.

I think Lisa is a beautiful name!

I also like Caroline and...Linda

I think a complete change from recent trends might be consonanty European names which you have to think about how to pronounce: Antoinette, Angelique, Monique, Sabine, Marie-Pierre. And Northern European: Britte, Dagmar, Yolande, Bergitte.
We've had a lot lately which trip off the tongue: Ava, Ivy, Ada, and we're due a change.

Gloria is nice.

I don't think Sarah has ever been out. We know lots and a beautiful name.

Oh wow I love Monique and Sabine!

Who said Caroline? Beautiful too.

I love Sam for both sexes too!

My friend just had a baby and called her Marian.

I also know a baby Frank and met a toddler called Alan today.

Hmm. I think it depends on where you lived as well as what era. I went to school with a disproportionately high number of girls called Nicola, Rachel, Victoria and Lauren. Boys were Tom, Anthony, Mark, Paul. But the most common factor was middle names - a huge number of girls had either Louise or Ann. Boys was John.

I’ve met babies called Louise and Sarah in the last couple of years.

I must be the only person who likes Kevin (apart from a friend who has a 1 year old Kevin). I also really like Keith, thought it was so cool when I was young!

MinnieMousse I nearly called DD3 Pamela! Love it. My 7 year old LOVES the name Linda. She asked me if she could change her name once.

Before lockdown, we met kids called
Dean (age 3)
Alan 5
Louisa 3
Heidi 3
Emma 8
Sean (junior school)
Catherine teen and junior
Rachel junior
Marcus junior
Janet infant
Verity infant
Sarah junior
Frank 5
And suzie. I think junior age

Just looking back on pps post, I adore Joanne and Samantha!!!

I know 2 baby Kevins. And a baby Agnes - I think she was named after the little girl in Despicable Me

All names go round and round in popularity.

In my job I come across a lot of old and very old people and it is quite predictable how long names have to have been out of fashion to come in to fashion again.
There was a time when I only knew 90+ year old Rubys and it has now been a popular girl's name again for a few years.

Interesting, I don't think of Lisa as of any particular era, maybe because Clarissa, Elise, Eliza etc are similar but timeless.

Maybe also Simpsons!

I love Alan as a toddler name! So cute. I know of a baby Stanley but I think that’s one of the ‘old man’ names that has become a lot more popular.

I was born 86 and my peers were Becky, Nicola, Emma, Jenny, Vicky, and Katie/Katy. And a few Jodies. There was one girl at my school called Tara and her name seemed really unusual. Boys were Liam, Jordan, Matthew, James, Christopher, and Andrew and lots of Bens and Toms.

MIL has a very ‘of her age’ name - Jean. She’s in her 70s and hates it, and said it’s always felt old fashioned.