Will these girls names come back into fashion?

[annacondom]

Was just thinking about people I went to school with, or worked with in the '80s. I like some of these, and they seemed so normal at the time. But does anyone call their Dd these nowadays?
Gillian
Gail
Hayley
Alison
Dawn
Donna
Monica
Lynne/Linda
Janice/Janet
Jean/Joan
Julie
Angela
Barbara

I like Eileen and Maureen, and think on someone younger they are quirky in a nice way.
Barbara is a bit like that too.

I like Gail as a nn for Abigail, although Abi/Abby/Abbey is more usual.

Those names are a refreshing change from the Lily/Lila/Lola or Ellie/Evie/Ava type names.

Julie, Hayley and Monica are very popular here.

I love the name Julie and think it suits from little toddlers up to grown ups. I know loads my age (born in late 70s) and have always just thought it was a lovely name!

I had a conversation about this recently with my daughter and wondered if names like Pamela, Michelle, Erica etc were due a comeback by the time she has kids!

35 weeks pregnant with my Hailey! I think it's a lovely underused name which suits a more modern spelling but of course I am biased!

I don't miss any of them.

Nor Jackie, Cheryl, Paula, Sharon, Tracey, Trish, Fay

I know a Jean (12) and a Joan (9) - they're adorable names..

I like Alison and Linda but don’t like the others. Donna just means woman in Italian so has always struck me as a weird choice for a name.
Victoria Coren Mitchell & David Mitchell’s daughter is called Barbara.

I’ve always found the name Donna so harsh and unappealing

I agree and it’s not helped by the fact that I’ve worked with three Donnas and two of them were really unfriendly and difficult to work with.

I love the name Donna.
All the ones I know are talented and lovely

I know a 5 year old Monica and a few Hayley’s under 10. Definitely think Alison will make a comeback and I know 2 little Juliette’s, so maybe Julie will too.

I have one of these names, and you have basically listed the names of most of my school friends.
I genuinely don't understand why my name dropped out of fashion. I never thought I would be the Auntie Edna of my generation!

I hope not

I know an 11 Yr old Maggie and Hayley, and a few young Paulinas, they're mainly from Eastern European families.

David Mitchell and his wife have a daughter called Barbara. I was amazed when I heard that. But I know two baby Maggies (not Margarets as far as I know) and a baby Dorothy.

@ozzyfroggy

I've got a soft spot for Barbara...

I'm due in a few weeks and she'll be Gloria!

I love Elaine, Jane and Margaret too.

Gloria is a fantastic name!

Its strange because I actually like the way some of those names sound - Gillian and Alison in particular - but I can't get my head past the association of older women with those names.
Having said that - if I met a baby or a toddler with one of those names I'm sure it would adjust my mindset and I would see the name in a whole new light (grow to like it).

Just before covid hit I was in a church and was looking at the cradle roll and there was an ‘Elaine Susan’ amid multiple ‘Eva’s’, ‘Alfie’s’ and the rest of the top ten names. I thought it was absolutely lovely.

I like Alison, Gillian, Angela, Pamela
Also think Amanda should make a comeback.
I don’t think Donna is in the same kind of league, and it’s more 70s whereas the others are 50s/60s as well.

@MadisonAvenue

I’ve always found the name Donna so harsh and unappealing

I agree and it’s not helped by the fact that I’ve worked with three Donnas and two of them were really unfriendly and difficult to work with.

I was about to say the same 😬

Maybe Donna is more likely to be an older woman's name in America because the Ritchie Valens song came out in the 50s and the Donna in question would have been a teen then.

Ella is today's Donna equivalent. Or maybe Mia.

Mary or Marie has always been in our family.
My nan my mam my sister my niece and my gran niece.
James was my ggf my gf my dad my brother my nephew and my grand nephew.

Gillian - I know one under 20
Gail - hopefully not
Hayley - like Haley spelling but dont think it'll come back yet
Alison - nope
Dawn - yep
Donna - nope
Monica - probably
Lynne/Linda - Lynne maybe, Linda nope
Janice/Janet - nope
Jean/Joan - Jean yes, Joan no
Julie - no. Juliet yes.
Angela - yes
Barbara - David Mitchell and Victoria Coren Mitchell have one under 5yo

@ozzyfroggy

I've got a soft spot for Barbara...

I'm due in a few weeks and she'll be Gloria!

I love Elaine, Jane and Margaret too.

How fabulous- I love the name Gloria - I frequently suggest it on these threads.

Ella is today's Donna equivalent. Or maybe Mia.

I think these names are much more universal than Donna - Princess Anne’s granddaughter is a Mia, can’t imagine a royal Donna.
Though in defence of Donna I have worked with a lovely one!