Traditional names that used to be normal but couldn't be used now!

[CoalCraft]

So I was thinking of that old film Meet the Parents and was inspired to look for first names that historically were seen as normal or classic but absolutely could not be used today... At least not without raising many eyebrows!!

Of course the Meet the Parents example is Gaylord... A real name of Norman origin meaning "joyful" (yes I googled it nerd ), but one that wouldn't be top of many parents' shortlists today

Anyone have other examples?

My dad's name is Randolph, not known as Randy though, always Randolph.

@PetalIceCreeam

Mary is a beautiful name.

Karen and Becky (Rebecca) are names I wouldn't recommend anyone using atm. Karen = white woman acting unpleasantly. Becky = white woman who sleeps with non white men, or something. I do feel awful for all of the Karens and Beckys out there... :/

Although not English or traditional Chad is another I'd not use

So Karen and Becky are misogynist terms for a) assertive middle aged women and b) white women who choose who they sleep with? In that case we should be reclaiming the names, not abandoning them to misogynist and racists.

Sounds like I'm very much behind the curve re all the little Freds/Freddies, then!

I read some time ago that Charles and Camilla refer to each other as Fred and Gladys as their little in-joke/pet names. I wonder what his mum, Brenda, thinks of that?

I think the whole becky thing comes from the Beyoncé song where she sings about a becky cheating with her husband "Becky with the good hair"..I'm 25 so it could just be my age but I've definitely heard it a few times to mean like a yuppie blonde who is materialistic and only goes out with black men. p.s i think the name Rebecca is lovely and people would be free to love/sleep (consenting adults)with who they want.

@GreyhoundG1rl no Birdie like a bird 🦉🦅

I've heard of Becky as a name for a "basic bitch" - basically a dumb blonde who likes whatever's popular at the time and has no opinions. I wasn't aware of the 'only dates black men' thing.

I don't think it's prevalent enough a connotation to avoid using "Rebecca" though.

[quote GameSetMatch]@GreyhoundG1rl no Birdie like a bird 🦉🦅[/quote]
Oh, wow! It's awful! 😂

@TatianaBis

I think most people think Boris Johnson is a dick though.

Boris Todger would be better, really. Clearer.

@CoalCraft

Isis is a good one. Such a nice name

That's what I came on to say. I also knew a little boy called Jihad once

I’ve heard Mary for vulva, but more often people around here use ‘fairy’

Herod probably won’t make a comeback.
And I always think Job and Lot won’t either.

I have an old school story featuring a Hubertine.

My tennis coach is called Fanny. She is in my phone as "Fanny tennis". A new sport perhaps?

@Frenchfancy

My tennis coach is called Fanny. She is in my phone as "Fanny tennis". A new sport perhaps?

Wow. It takes some front to call yourself Fanny these days. I wonder why she does it? She must spend her life watching people do double takes.

Isis

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

What's wrong with Kermit? It's one of my absolute favourite names. I know you'd get intensely irritated by everybody thinking they're quite the first to think of calling you Kermit the Frog (although much better that than alluding to a serial killer).

It's a popular name in the USA, though In the UK, we only think of the famous frog, but to Americans, it's just a normal name - the equivalent of calling the character James or Daniel the Frog, just because he needed a name.

Kermit is not a normal name in America. I never met one and I was born and raised in America. This data Kermit popularity seems to suggest that very few babies, if any, were named Kermit after the mid 1970s. Most likely cos they'd associate the name with the Muppet.

It’s a nickname for Bridget originally.

@BikeRunSki

Elona

Distinct lack of younger Margarets in my Forbes-mining-community part of the world.

We inadvertently called DD2 after the only two female prime ministers we've had, and my Labour supporting DH was HORRIFIED when he worked out what that implied 😂

@CrouchEndTiger12

Randy

Americans still use that I think

An American colleague of my husband's was called Randy Katz.

I worked with a Gurmit.

My real estate agent said to me a few weeks ago,
"don't call my Randolph, I'm known as Randy"
I really struggled to keep a straight face.

@Angel2702

It’s a nickname for Bridget originally.

God, so it is... I'd only ever heard Bridie as a shortening.

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g that is an amazing name 😂

I knew a very handsome, sweet Osama..he now goes by O. Osama and Isis are lovely names but nooo way would I use them today

I know a 9 year old Margaret and also a Job

Isis

I knew a very handsome, sweet Osama..he now goes by O.

Poor nice Osama :( Surprised he didn't go with Sam as the nickname