What generation of names to we think will come back in fashion next?

[Rose825]

I'm thinking names such as:
David, Peter, Christopher, Ian, Kenneth
Shirley, Barbara, Pamela, Janet, Susan

I guess they're names from the 1940s/50s

Names like David, John, Sarah, Laura etc might feel less common now because they have had huge peaks historically where they were very, very popular, but technically they never really dated imo - David has never left the top 100 boys names at all as far as I know and Sarah only just fell out in the last few years (and John and Laura in the last decade or so). All count as fairly timeless classics to me.

Imo next names to come back will be the names that had big peaks mid century but have really faded since so don't feel as classic - names like Sandra, Linda, Alan, Brian etc . I think as they become the names of babies Great - grandparents, they will therefore sound "fresh" again to parents the way names like Evelyn, Mabel, Alfred etc do to some now.

I live in a US city where it's VERY common to give your DC a family name. My DS goes to school with a lot of Robert's, Patrick's and John's. For girls, I'd say Mary, Caroline and Catherine are popular but he goes to an all boys school so I don't know as many girls!

Actually I do know quite a few teenage Sarah's too!

Definitely not only you, although given the family rows we've recently had to name an inanimate new addition, blood may be spilt in the effort to get the chance to pick any new cat's name.

As someone in their mid 20's who is looking to have a child within the next 1-5 years and friends with children. Bohemian names are really in right now, I think generationally our favourite names are the ones that were 'cool' when we were little for me that is sarah, naomi, emily, rachel, gemma, julia, suzie, christopher, nicholas, adam, connor charlie

I have a cat named after my grandma! She's called Ivy.

My grandad is Kenneth. But called Ken. He's nearly 90 and couldn't believe it when I said a young lad was 'Ken/Kenny' he never thought that was ever going to be used again

Ivy, Edith, mavis , Audrey, Molly, Jean, they've already come back from old lady names to adorable newborn names which no one could have predicted, so no name is gone there's a new phase coming

I also have a list of cat names. Norma, Malcolm, Kenneth, Deirdre etc.

We rescued our cat and the rescue lady asked us to keep her name which suited her so we didn't change it. I'm sure DCat is delighted not to be called Mavis!

I can see Peter, Patrick, Lawrence, Christopher, Nicholas, David and Michael coming back for boys.

Girls harder to say as people seem to be more adventurous with girls names. Susannah and Suzanne perhaps? I can see names like Jane and Mary coming back, and Regency names like Marianne, Caroline and Louisa.

Yes, I guess my parent's generation's name when my kids gen start having kids:

Yvonne, Susan, Joanne, Caroline, Deborah, Louise

Peter, David, Richard

I don't think Barry, Wayne or Tracy will make a comeback though

Peter, Patrick and Nicholas are pretty popular among my ds peers. He is 3.

I'd love to see some of the 60s names like Jacqueline, Bernadette, Jill. I don't think we are there yet though maybe Jane and Mary will come around soon.

I've met a few baby Margarets lately, now there's a name I didn't think would return.

I think names for holy texts never really go out of fashion! There are still little Elizabeths, Sarahs, Davids, Matthews around (for example). Do names become popular again when the generation they are associated with are the oldest, if that makes sense? I remember my mil talking about a great aunt of hers called Ruby and how funny they always thought that was...

Another yes for Peter

I notice Vivien mentioned on here a lot. That is very much a 40s name. Loads in my mums generation.

Brian
Keith

Linda

Sheila

I think it’s the generation who are currently grandparents as they tend to come back in cycle. So Maureen, Anthony, Richard, Lindsay, Ian, Jacqueline, Patricia, Pauline, Joan, Anita, Claire, Sarah, anthea, maybe even Gary will come back!

I love the name Vivien as well.

I don't think names like Gary and Ian will be back for a while, I'm 52 and I know people my age called Gary and Ian.

They used to say that names came around every 90 years but I think with people living longer it's more like 100 now. It takes the death of those wilburs and Idas and Veras and Hubies to make the names seem fresh again.

I know Lindas who are ''only'' 50 but the oldest lindas are probably 65?

I like Linda will come back. It's a pretty sound, and it's a sound that has a good meaning, it manages to be pretty and not too 'weak' sounding or frilly so it may be the exception, it may come back again before the older lindas are all gone.

I think Marjorie is a really pretty name due a comeback!

Film star name

Marilyn is also similar for those born then perhaps

I still think Elaine is actually quite a pretty name and one day will come back! Maybe not yet though.

i think maybe some popular 80s/90s names like Natasha, gemma, Nicola, Natalie, Amy might come back.

Lisa, Sarah, Laura, Rachel, Rebecca, would be unusual on a baby now but are lovely names.

Ds is Christopher ( Chris) . He is 6 years old . I never thought of it being old fashioned, but I think he is the only in his year group .

Not old fashioned, it's a lovely name but unusual now amongst the Alfies, Charles, Harry's etc..

I absolutely love the name Sylvia (70s?). There’s also Cynthia, Brenda, Carol, Abigail, Sandra, Leonie, Deborah…

Boys include, Robert, Peter, Paul, Kevin, Gary, Barry, Brian and Kenneth. I quite like Robert and Kenneth. They sound very Scottish and strong.