'Dated' names

[ConstanceL]

I often see on threads that people say don't use such and such name as it won't date well. But does it really matter if names are of their time? My (real) name was popular in the 80s, but not any more. But when I was little it was a popular name for little girls, and now I am heading towards middle age it is a name that many late 30s women have.

We are thinking about names for our next DC and I really like the name Aurelia, but I searched threads and a few people said 'it won't date well'. So I guess my question is, does that really matter? I've never had a problem with my 'dated' name - has anyone else?

@schoolsoutforever

Not what you asked but I love Aurelie more than Aurelia, seems more friendly/soft/ pleasant somehow. I imagine Aurelia as a posh, spoilt Heiress in Agatha Christie books but Aurelie as a French-style ingenue (is that how to spell it?) which definitely seems cooler to me.

As we are neither French or cool I don’t think we could get away with Aurélie, where as I think Aurelia has more of an international feel, and a spoilt heiress from an Agatha Christie novel is a pretty good vibe as far as I’m concerned 😂 Also Aurélie sounds like “orally” in a british accent to me.

As someone with a name that was most popular 30 years before I arrived, I definitely agree that it’s better to have a dated name that at least places you in the decade when you were born. I’ve always hated my name and felt embarrassed by how middle-aged it sounded when I was young, and how elderly it sounds now I’m middle-aged. I’d love to be a Clare, Jenny or Sarah instead, even though it would place me firmly in my 40s (where I belong!)

I live in London now, and I think the huge amount diversity means that names are less likely to be tied to a particular decade. I know a Lisa, Brian and Roy - all under 7 - and their parents are all from overseas.

@Spanglemum

I am in my 50s and remember thinking that the boy at school that changed his name/used his middle name from Charlie to Ian was very sensible. I couldn't imagine that name on a 10 yr old. We do live in more diverse societies now so there are more names to chose from.

Charlie is tons better than Ian as a name! My friend has a 12 year old Charlie but you wouldn't call a child Ian. It is also the name of my ex so I wouldn't call a snail Ian.

@BorderlineHappy

I know an Eileen in her 30s. That's definitely worse than having a name that's of its time.

My name is not popular for my age group.
Claire was very popular something to do with Gilbert O Sullivan and his song.

I quite like my name.
Martina.

Martina was the other name my parents were thinking of calling me. I thinks it sounds of cool and European. My actual name is neither of those things

@germsandcoffee

I think my name was boring when my parents named me and boring now almost 50 years later 🤣 Lisa

Lisa, I see your name and raise you a Ruth... I like your name. We're the same age & yours seems glamorous and exciting compared to mine! It's got 2 syllables! My sisters all got lovely Welsh names and middle names & I was the last of 6 so I think they ran out of ideas or just couldn't be arsed! Can't see there being a mad rush for my name coming back in fashion.

Aurelia is a classic.

People say all kinds of shit when they don't like something, it doesn't mean anything.

Names that date are names that are super popular at a certain point and then go out of fashion. Aurelia certainly is not that.

@TatianaBis

Aurelia is a classic.

People say all kinds of shit when they don't like something, it doesn't mean anything.

Names that date are names that are super popular at a certain point and then go out of fashion. Aurelia certainly is not that.

Classic doesn’t = timeless

@TatianaBis

Aurelia is a classic.

People say all kinds of shit when they don't like something, it doesn't mean anything.

Names that date are names that are super popular at a certain point and then go out of fashion. Aurelia certainly is not that.

But looking at Aurelia’s rankings through time, it is rapidly gaining popularity. For me around the top 200 is at least moderately popular, and the problem with picking a name on an upswing in popularity is that you have no idea how far it will rise. Also, Aurelia has the vowel heavy, soft consonant sound which is one of the biggest trends in girls names at the moment, so it fits in with wider trends and sounds like a current name, even if the name stops rising in popularity next year. Personally I do like the name Aurelia, but that doesn’t mean that I just disregard the fact that it is vastly more popular now than it was a generation ago, and the likelihood is that it will peak and drop back down when the current trend is over.

names.darkgreener.com/#aurelia

Classic doesn’t = timeless

It sort of does. It’s a Roman name.

@toastofthetown

So what though? Classic names have peaks and troughs, but they always continue - see also Alexandra, Sophia, Claudia, Victoria etc.

[quote TatianaBis]@toastofthetown

So what though? Classic names have peaks and troughs, but they always continue - see also Alexandra, Sophia, Claudia, Victoria etc.[/quote]
If it doesn't bother you (like it doesn't bother me) then nothing I suppose. A name potentially dating is just a value neutral observation for me. But it matters to some people, and in a conversation about dating it makes no sense to pretend that dating doesn't exist, or that names being classic or old stops them from dating.

Dated is a shorthand way of saying that it's tied to a specific generation. Jason is an ancient name. It's dated. Margaret is a classic, royal name. It's dated. In the same way, classic names which are popular now, but weren't last generation will likely fall out of favour and will therefore signpost which generation you are from. Aurora is a an example of this. The name of a roman goddess, but has had such a sudden rise in popularity that you'd probably assume an Aurora was under 10. Again, not necessarily a bad thing, but it is a thing.

My name is so bloody 80s it is ridiculous, I have my lovely dad to blame for that.

I think most names belong to an 'era' to be honest regardless of what you choose so just go with what you like.

I chose DD1s name because I loved it and at the time I thought it to be fairly unique, it wasn't in the top 100 at the time - but there are 3 girls with the same name in DDs small village primary school and I suspect her name will be very 2010's in a few years!

I don't get all this names I can't see ever being used again business.
Let me tell you when I was a young child I knew an Arthur and a Walter. Both named after relatives. They hated their names and never referred to themselves by those names. They were I suppose the Nigels of that generation. Now I hear parents calling their sons Arthur and Walter and others on here saying how classic and timeless those names are. Well obviously not. It's all subjective. Who cares? Chose a name you like. Stop trying to be unique. People acquire their own nick names quite often as a result of their surname. Think carefully about which surname you give your child, I think that's often overlooked.

@toastofthetown

No-one is pretending anything, they’re just not agreeing with you. If anything you’re pretending your view is a neutral observation when it’s merely a personal opinion both subjective and questionable.

I don’t think Aurelia is popular enough to date, and I don’t think classic names generally date in the way you believe they do.

It’s also not possible to tell which names will go out of fashion so despite earnest claims speculation on that front is meaningless.

Although Margaret is not currently used much one can’t really say it’s “tied to a particular generation” because it’s been popular throughout history, for 100s of generations. My objection to Margaret is not that is dated but that it’s clumsy and rather unattractive, I dislike Eleanor for the same reason.