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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

Is this name abit dated now??

51 replies

Bsaunders4231 · 22/05/2022 17:28

i have a girl due in august and me and me and my husband can’t agree on a name, even though it’s very common right now I love the name Olivia I just think it’s a and can suit any age timeless classic. My husband likes the name Emily and I’m not into it. I’m from the US I moved here 3 years ago and the name Emily in The US is classed as a bit of a 90s/2000s name because it rose up the charts so fast and was number 1 from 1996-2007, I think it was at it got mega popular around the same time in this country aswell but I it’s starting to date badly in the US because I’ve noticed normally the once “number 1” names always tend to date a lot worse. obviously lI know that the naming trends may be a little different over here. I’m living in UK now so it obviously isn’t a big issue but I’m just curious as to what peoples thoughts of on the name Emily in UK?? Is it dated now? As I said my husband does really like Emily but Olivia just has more of a mature sound to me, Emily always sounds abit juvenile. Thoughts?

OP posts:

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babyjellyfish · 23/05/2022 12:49

They are both classic names and I see them as completely equivalent.

But if you're not into Emily, that's a good enough reason not to use it.

Sniffypete · 23/05/2022 16:13

Not dated, but extremely popular. I'd avoid for that reason as i would prefer a more unique name.

TabithaTittlemouse · 23/05/2022 16:16

They are both lovely. Would you use whatever one you don’t use as the first name as the middle name?
If so Emily Olivia gets my vote!

Lindy2 · 23/05/2022 16:19

I quite like Olivia but there are so many of them.

I really like both Emma and Emily. Both are classic, pretty names which aren't overused.

Alternatively combine Olivia and Emily and go with Emilia as an alternative!

DuneFan · 23/05/2022 16:24

I know a bazillion Emilys yet I still called my dd Emily because I absolutely love the name. Popularity didn't matter to us. It's currently in the top 5 in the UK.

Olivia feels a little less timeless in the UK (popular mid 90s onwards compared to Emily 70s onwards) but still a nice name.

Sounds like you aren't really sold on either name so maybe keep looking.

Pettypettypatty · 23/05/2022 16:28

Both boring and over used...very meh names..

nearlyspringyay · 23/05/2022 16:36

Thanks everyone for insulting my name :)) I used to get so pissed off as a kid that when we went anywhere that had named souveniers, my name was never there, and my sister cold have her pick!

Now I am turning my head around in the playpark as I hear my name being shouted at kids.

Names come and go, just chose what you like.

What about Emma?

Firebird83 · 23/05/2022 17:14

It’s in the current top 5 in the UK, so not dated.

NohoHank · 23/05/2022 17:40

nearlyspringyay · 23/05/2022 16:36

Thanks everyone for insulting my name :)) I used to get so pissed off as a kid that when we went anywhere that had named souveniers, my name was never there, and my sister cold have her pick!

Now I am turning my head around in the playpark as I hear my name being shouted at kids.

Names come and go, just chose what you like.

What about Emma?

I'm an Olivia too. Born in the 80's so no souvenirs for me either. Used to get told how beautiful and unusual by name was. Now hear it'soverused, 'dull as dishwater' and 'not that nice anyway'. I don't know a single other Olivia born in the last 20 years, regardless of how popular it is.

Op, I think Emily is lovely and not dated at all, but you don't like it, so you don't need to use it.

Herejustforthisone · 23/05/2022 20:05

Emily doesn’t date. It just doesn’t. Olivia is very, very common.

Luredbyapomegranate · 23/05/2022 23:33

They are both very popular, Olivia more so right now. Neither is dated as such - they are both pretty classic, but yes she will be one of many.

Emma or Livia are less overused. Or Emmeline is very of the moment, but not overused (yet).

peaceinourtime · 24/05/2022 00:15

Emily's ageless as a name much better then Olivia which is far to overused. Consider Olive which is nice over Olivia.

Cloud16 · 24/05/2022 00:32

They're both really popular names. I find them both a bit lacking just because I've heard them so much. But you can't really go wrong with either, Emily edges it for me if I had to pick.

user1477391263 · 24/05/2022 01:03

I would go for Olivia but... they are both inoffensive names but so, so boring!

TrashyPanda · 24/05/2022 10:34

I think they are both lovely names

merryhouse · 24/05/2022 11:03

Herejustforthisone · 23/05/2022 20:05

Emily doesn’t date. It just doesn’t. Olivia is very, very common.

Oh it will, believe me.

In 1983 I bought a doll at a jumble sale. She had a white frilly-collar blouse and long velvet skirt so a distinctly Edwardian air, and I decided she needed an old-fashioned name.

I called her Emily.

Olivia, Ivy and Violet would probably have been under consideration too.

(At the time we were all called Claire, Helen, Karen, Julie, Susan, Tracy, Mandy, Cathy, Jenny, Alison, Sharon, Rachel, Vicky, Donna, Liz, Joanne, Lisa...)

In forty years Emily will be a middle-aged name. However, so will Olivia. And you know what? It doesn't matter.

merryhouse · 24/05/2022 11:08

Oh and it's not just me.

I used to own a YA book published in the early 90s, with a lead character called Emily Grey who hated her name because it was really old-fashioned and made her sound like a Bronte character. She was delighted when a new acquaintance mis-heard it as Emma-Leigh

KirstenBlest · 24/05/2022 11:26

Emily was old fashioned when I was young, and Olivia was 'posh', both unusual.

They are now so popular that there will be several in a workplace. I've worked at places where there were several Karens and Sues, but now we're seeing the Olivias and Evies starting to appear.

Sorry, but Olivia and Emily are nice names made boring by overpopularity

SallyWD · 24/05/2022 12:04

They're both classic and timeless manes and I don't think either are dated. I think here in the UK Emily has always been popular. Olivia has had a surge in popularity in recent years. It's much more popular now than 20 years ago. However, it's still what I see as a timeless name.

Delinathe · 24/05/2022 12:43

They have always been popular so won't date as much as names that come in. and out over about five year.

@merryhouse I remember that book - the main character wrote a novel called 'Daughter of The Desert' and she meets some aliens and writes about them too but then she gets her memory wiped and thinks she made the whole thing up and wrote it down and then forgot 😄

boysmuminherts · 24/05/2022 12:48

They are both popular and classic names.
I would only choose a name for your child that you love though - I adore my children's names and know of people who have regretted their name choices.

Herejustforthisone · 24/05/2022 13:01

merryhouse · 24/05/2022 11:03

Oh it will, believe me.

In 1983 I bought a doll at a jumble sale. She had a white frilly-collar blouse and long velvet skirt so a distinctly Edwardian air, and I decided she needed an old-fashioned name.

I called her Emily.

Olivia, Ivy and Violet would probably have been under consideration too.

(At the time we were all called Claire, Helen, Karen, Julie, Susan, Tracy, Mandy, Cathy, Jenny, Alison, Sharon, Rachel, Vicky, Donna, Liz, Joanne, Lisa...)

In forty years Emily will be a middle-aged name. However, so will Olivia. And you know what? It doesn't matter.

Show quote history

It doesn’t matter. You’re right. My grandmother was called Emily. My aunt is called Emily. One of my good friends is called Emily. And I know a nearly-newborn Emily. It suits them all and their ages span nearly a century. I think it’s a lovely name.

I was bullied by a girl called Olivia, so I’m utterly sided against the name, but it is very common. All the traditional names used historically by wealthy, ‘proper’ families, are popular now. My son’s nursery is awash with Arabellas, Amelias, Olivias and Freyas.

1Wanda1 · 24/05/2022 13:36

Who cares whether a name is "dated" or "in"? Surely the only relevant question is whether or not YOU like the name?

Heckythump1 · 24/05/2022 13:51

Much prefer Emily and don't think it's anywhere near as common as Olivia - I know about ninety-billion Olivia's but only a handful of Emily's!

GlitteryGreen · 24/05/2022 15:52

I think the difference between them is that Emily is a classic, well-used name that I honestly don't feel is/will become dated. It will probably remain perennially popular as it's so classic and usage will remain at a steady level. Similarly to Charlotte, Lucy, Sophie etc etc.

Olivia is a lovely name too, but it's very 'of the moment' currently and there are sooo many little girls with this name.

For me, there will always have been a steady flow of Emilys but Olivia - much like Amelia, Mia, Evie etc - has skyrocketed from nowhere in the past 10 years so might have the potential to seem more dated in the future.

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