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I feel asif the name emily is too dated to the 2000s now? Opinions

45 replies

Thatgirl1990 · 14/12/2021 14:59

I see some people count the name emily as a classic and it confuses me because it only gained popularity in 90s/2000s and was very popular in America. To me it was just a naming fad and the only Emily’s I know are teenagers. It was practically a unique name till then? Can someone please tell me why they think it’s anywhere near in the same bracket as Elizabeth,Hannah,Sarah?

OP posts:
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Skeumorph · 14/12/2021 15:01

Nonsense.

Haus1234 · 14/12/2021 15:03

How many threads about this do you need?

DontKnowWhatToThink7 · 14/12/2021 15:05

Emily is definitely a classic. My Great Gradmother was called Emily.

Thegreencup · 14/12/2021 15:06

Have you never heard of Emily Bronte then?!

Hbh17 · 14/12/2021 15:06

Heard of Emily Bronte?
Emily Dickinson?

Very popular 19th & 20th century name (and earlier).

Volterra · 14/12/2021 15:07

I’ve seen a fair few on various family trees going back some way and knew a few at school in the 70’s and 80’s. Where are you getting your info from ?

Thatgirl1990 · 14/12/2021 15:11

Ok I didn’t know about them two Emily’s before a posted this but the reason why I think this is because my niece had a conversation to me about how in her generation there’s a joke and the name Emily is the equivalent of “karen” in her generation because it’s so common and it just got me thinking about how her generation won’t be calling their kids that because of the reputation it had. And the name will probably stop being used that’s all I mean by dated.

OP posts:
Purplepalmer · 14/12/2021 15:12

What’s your obsession with this, why so many threads?

Strangevipers · 14/12/2021 15:13

Online states Emily become popular in the UK in the 18th century

Quick have a google search

DontKnowWhatToThink7 · 14/12/2021 15:13

@Thatgirl1990

Ok I didn’t know about them two Emily’s before a posted this but the reason why I think this is because my niece had a conversation to me about how in her generation there’s a joke and the name Emily is the equivalent of “karen” in her generation because it’s so common and it just got me thinking about how her generation won’t be calling their kids that because of the reputation it had. And the name will probably stop being used that’s all I mean by dated.
🙄
time2tork · 14/12/2021 15:14

I'm about to call my daughter Harriet Emily surname...

DontKnowWhatToThink7 · 14/12/2021 15:14

@Purplepalmer

What’s your obsession with this, why so many threads?
I know, they seem to be very passionate about it.
NotAshamedToFancyTheGrinch · 14/12/2021 15:15

How many threads are you going to start about this? Hmm

DontKnowWhatToThink7 · 14/12/2021 15:16

Emily is the equivalent of “karen” in her generation because it’s so common and it just got me thinking about how her generation won’t be calling their kids that because of the reputation it had.

What reputation? Your Niece says because its a common name it has a bad reputation? What a load of bollocks

NotAshamedToFancyTheGrinch · 14/12/2021 15:17

I’m sensing either your school bully or your evil stepmother was called Emily.

CSJobseeker · 14/12/2021 15:18

it only gained popularity in 90s/2000s

Eh? Nonsense. I'm an 80s child and there were several Emilys in my year at school.

woodhill · 14/12/2021 15:19

Emily is a lovely name and I don't think it is dated

Scarby9 · 14/12/2021 15:20

It seems to be holding up okay.
www.ukbabynames.com/girls/emily

CSJobseeker · 14/12/2021 15:23

I didn’t know about them two Emily’s before a posted this

And yet your command of written English suggests that you are so well-read!

Babyvenusplant · 14/12/2021 15:26

It's definitely not an equivalent to Karen lol its a very traditional classic name

scottishnames · 14/12/2021 15:49

As I said on the other thread:

Emily appears in Chaucer (14th cent, with spelling to match). And it has origins in Ancient Rome.

Interesting short article here www.britishbabynames.com/blog/2014/08/emily.html

As strangevipers says, it became popular in England in the 18th cent. The above article explains why.

scottishnames · 14/12/2021 16:34

Elizabeth is based on a Biblical name.
Emily is based on a Roman name.

They both go back for over 2000 years.

What's worrying you?

Cornflowerdream · 14/12/2021 17:46

My daughter is called Emily. She was named after her grandmother. You sound like an idiot Xmas Hmm

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 14/12/2021 19:33

Agree Emily is not dated statistically (at least in England and Wales) it's been top 100 now for at least 50 years to the current day, plus was also top 100 until the 1930's too, so you will get a fair number of babies, middle aged women and Great-grandma's called Emily as well as lots of 90's born women.

Emily is a bit like Sarah in that regard - which was super popular in the 70's/80's, but has also been so well used historically in other decades, you'll find ones of all ages. Unlike retro/vintage names like Ava, Ivy, Mabel, Ada etc - they are likely either your Great-grandma or under 20.

ThirdElephant · 14/12/2021 19:37

Ok I didn’t know about them two Emily’s before a posted this

Here you go, OP. A few other famous Emilys, along with dates of birth.

playback.fm/people/first-name/emily

Swipe left for the next trending thread