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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Timeless Classics

48 replies

Chimchimminee · 06/11/2020 15:45

Please list as many as you can think of. Plus- let me know if there are any that you'd currently suggest avoiding, any you can't stand, any you absolutely love?

Girls names only.
Tia.

OP posts:
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tiptoptoupee · 06/11/2020 15:55

Anna
Alice
Charlotte
Elizabeth
Eleanor
Lucy
Jane
Louisa
Emma
Catherine
Victoria
Sophie

IMO:

**I would avoid Eleanor as names such as Elsie, Ella, Eliza, Ellie, Eloise etc are very popular atm.

**Jane would make a really sweet first name. Less keen on it as a middle name (similar to Rose)

LittleRa · 06/11/2020 15:57

I forgot “Tia” means “thanks in advance” and I was about to say “Tia isn’t very classic or timeless” Grin

TheDetectiveBadge · 06/11/2020 16:02

Elizabeth - lovely name
Vivienne - absolutely love
Catherine- very pretty
Rebecca - personally don't like
Jane - quite dated

TeenPlusTwenties · 06/11/2020 16:05

Elizabeth
Victoria
Anne
Mary
Jane
Charlotte
Catherine

micc · 06/11/2020 16:09

I would say
Elizabeth,
Victoria,
Louise,
Alexandra,
Jane,
Margaret,
Annabelle,
Isabella,
Charlotte,
Alice,
I would look to the royal family, as their names are all classic and timeless.
I personally prefer names like Victoria and Margaret as they are well known but not as common now a days.
Names like Isabella and variations of that name are very common currently.

RuthTopp · 06/11/2020 16:14

Caroline
Sylvia
Rebecca
Mary
Charlotte
Katherine

Fivemoreminutes1 · 06/11/2020 16:15

Rose
Harriet
Florence
Grace
Beatrice
Jessica
Genevieve
Violet
Imogen
Ruby
Martha
Matilda

bluecheesebaguette · 06/11/2020 16:26

Anne
Alexandra
Mary
Margaret
Jane

I'm not drawn to most of the "classics". Many come off as old lady, drab and bland, sleepy nondescript names suited to straight-laced ladies who attend church every Sunday in head to toe black with pursed lips......Or an office worker with a tedious computer job, she gets home at 7pm every night to a microwave meal eaten in silence with a husband she feels no passion for.

There are some classics(?) that do have a bit more charm and life (to my ears) such as Katie, Nellie, Alice, Lucy, Rosa.

Lottieskeeper · 06/11/2020 16:28

My DD is Charlotte and it's a perfect name for her.
Its common enough for everyone to know how to pronounce/spell it.
But not so common that she is one of several in her class.

I would say look to the royal family for inspiration of timeless and classic.

CanSomeoneElsePickMyName · 06/11/2020 18:12

You could use Katherine and have Katie if it's too formal for you.

ReggaetonLente · 06/11/2020 18:14

Elizabeth is the ultimate for me. Could be 2 or 102, royalty or working class. I love it.

Eliphanbee · 06/11/2020 18:16

Alice is beautiful, love phoebe too

Whenwillow · 06/11/2020 18:18

I like: Elizabeth, Alice, Victoria, Sarah, Charlotte, Lucy, Rebecca, Emily, Rose, Kate/Katherine
I'd love to see some of the classics come back!

CaptivatingGonads · 06/11/2020 18:20

Alice 🌻

BusySittingDown · 06/11/2020 18:20

@ReggaetonLente

Elizabeth is the ultimate for me. Could be 2 or 102, royalty or working class. I love it.
Yes, I like Elizabeth also for all the nicknames it lends itself to: Liz Lizzie Beth Eliza Betty

Same with Isabel/le and Charlotte.

I love classic names.

ISeeTheLight · 06/11/2020 18:23

Victoria
Catherine
Charlotte
Elizabeth
Emma
Anna
Hannah
Ruth
Claire
Sophie
Helena
Eleanor
Philippa
Sarah
Maria / Marie / Mary
Josephine
Theodore
Matilda
Jane
Marianne
Julie / Julia
Christine
Agnes

CaptivatingGonads · 06/11/2020 18:24

Are names like Jessica and Jennifer considered classics? Love those. Very underused atm too so it seems. Love Holly.

ANoTail · 06/11/2020 18:26

Alice Alexandra Anna Anne Jane Joan Eleanor Ellen Sarah Maria Ruth Charlotte Elizabeth Emma Suzanne

dolphinpose · 06/11/2020 18:29

Alice
Amanda
Amelia
Anna
Beatrice
Charlotte
Clara
Clarissa
Daisy
Elizabeth
Emily
Emilia
Emma
Georgia
Georgina
Georgiana
Grace
Hannah
Imogen
Isabelle
Isabella
Jasmine
Jessica
Josephine
Justine
Katherine
Louisa
Lucy
Lucia
Margaret
Matilda
Meredith
Rachel
Rebecca
Rose
Sarah
Sophia
Susannah
Victoria

Iwonder777 · 06/11/2020 18:29

Emily

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 06/11/2020 18:41

The only true timeless classic for girls is Elizabeth - it's stayed in the top 100 girls names for the last 100 years or more (usually in the top 50). Surprisingly though Maria comes very close (usually in the lower end of top 100 over the past 100 years or so). Also while Catherine and especially Sarah had a peak of popularity in the 70's and 80's, they have only left the Top 100 in the last 10/20 years or so - before that they were very well used.

To me a true timeless, classic name is one has a long history of use, and that you can't guess the age of the person just from seeing/hearing the name. So while Elizabeth and Maria (and to a lesser extent Catherine and Sarah because of past popularity) fulfil that, so would any well- known historic name that has always stayed relatively unpopular - think Antonia, Claudia, Helena etc.

FangsForTheMemory · 06/11/2020 19:53

Alice
Anna
Charlotte
Cecily
Eloise
Louise
Matilda
Petronella
Phoebe
Philippa
Rhodanthe
Sabine
Thalia

BoobsOnTheMoon · 06/11/2020 19:55

Anna
Charlotte
Alice
Rose
Emily
Elizabeth
Rebecca
Louise

RickOShay · 06/11/2020 20:00

Susannah

May

Frances

Penelope

Josephine

KateF · 06/11/2020 20:01

It's the feel I went for with my girls. I have Isabella (much more popular now than 21 years ago), Susannah and Philippa. Their middle names are combinations of Sophie, Lucy, Mary, Elizabeth and Jane.

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