Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

What names will totally date someone in 2050

83 replies

Arbesque · 08/08/2022 08:59

If I hear of someone called Jackie or Michelle I assume they're probably in their 50s or 60s as those names were massively popular for about 20 years in the 60s/70s and then sort of disappeared.
Likewise a Wendy signifies an elderly woman, a Gemma is usually in their 30s or early 40s.

On the other hand an Alice, Lucy, Elizabeth or Catherine could be any age.

In 2050 I suspect the names Sophie, Ella and Ava will immediately conjure up a middle aged woman, while Jessica, Amy and Becky will be elderly grandmothers.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Original poster
Arbesque · 09/08/2022 11:09

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 09/08/2022 10:22

people have always named their children after celebrities. it's not a new thing.

I meant celebs calling their children daft names and creating a new fashion for names like Jet, Dexter, Neveah etc

OP posts:
DancingUnderTheLights · 09/08/2022 14:15

AllPlayedOut · 08/08/2022 12:19

If I hear of someone called Jackie or Michelle I assume they're probably in their 50s or 60s

Michelle was very popular in the '80s. That's the era I associate it with. Perhaps because I was born then.

I was just going to say the same thing about Michelle. In my school, there were 3 Michelles in my year and I was born mid-eighties. It was the most popular girls' name. To me, I would guess a Michelle will likely have been born in the 70s/80s. It might depend on where you live though. I know in France it's a much more dated name. Though the point does still stand that it's a name that is attached to a time period and hasn't been popular for a few decades.

DancingUnderTheLights · 09/08/2022 14:22

I wonder with the increase in diversity of names if it will be as obvious in the future. I guess Olivia is decreasing in popularity and so if it dies away then it will be associated with a time period though maybe it will continue on in the top 50 for quite some time, making it less associated with an age group. I think these things are hard to call.

KateRusby · 09/08/2022 14:24

Arbesque · 08/08/2022 08:59

If I hear of someone called Jackie or Michelle I assume they're probably in their 50s or 60s as those names were massively popular for about 20 years in the 60s/70s and then sort of disappeared.
Likewise a Wendy signifies an elderly woman, a Gemma is usually in their 30s or early 40s.

On the other hand an Alice, Lucy, Elizabeth or Catherine could be any age.

In 2050 I suspect the names Sophie, Ella and Ava will immediately conjure up a middle aged woman, while Jessica, Amy and Becky will be elderly grandmothers.

Sophie's been popular for the past 20 years and pretty popular for a good few years before that so don't think it'll be closely associated with a specific age.

Maireas · 09/08/2022 14:26

Isabella will have a daughter called Linda and a son called Kevin 😉

Louise0701 · 09/08/2022 14:29

Agree with all the ones @Mumofgirls2017 said except Ruby. Really old timeless name; my great grandmother who would now be 108 was called Ruby.

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 09/08/2022 14:31

Ruby isn't timeless. People called Ruby are generally either under 15 or over 90. But for many decades it was a name in complete hibernation.

AndStand · 09/08/2022 14:41

My MIL is a Jackie, and she's nearly 90!

ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 09/08/2022 14:43

One of my best friends is Lily Ann, and she's 41. Another is Mary and she's 37.

Maireas · 09/08/2022 17:15

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 09/08/2022 14:31

Ruby isn't timeless. People called Ruby are generally either under 15 or over 90. But for many decades it was a name in complete hibernation.

I agree. For a long time it was very old fashioned and not commonly used.

Original poster
Arbesque · 09/08/2022 17:27

I didn't know any Rubys growing up. It was a name most people associated with the not very bright maid in Upstairs Downstairs, set in the 1930s.
It didn't start to make a comeback until the mid to late 90s.

OP posts:
Maireas · 09/08/2022 17:31

Arbesque · 09/08/2022 17:27

I didn't know any Rubys growing up. It was a name most people associated with the not very bright maid in Upstairs Downstairs, set in the 1930s.
It didn't start to make a comeback until the mid to late 90s.

You're absolutely right - my friend named her daughter Ruby in 1998, and people were horrified! Old lady name, like Elsie or Mabel (which have also come back!)

OppsUpsSide · 09/08/2022 17:37

I think Olivia, Amelia, Evie and Emily will date.
Also, Jack, Oliver, Oscar, Teddy, Freddie, Archie

Maireas · 09/08/2022 17:40

OppsUpsSide · 09/08/2022 17:37

I think Olivia, Amelia, Evie and Emily will date.
Also, Jack, Oliver, Oscar, Teddy, Freddie, Archie

Definitely, and the whole Isabella, Isabelle and Isobel fashion as well.

wherearebeefandonioncrisps · 09/08/2022 17:43

Joshua , Jayden, Theo, Alfie, Harrison , Ollie

Millie, Amy, Charlotte , Kayleigh, Maisie , Lilly

Wouldloveanother · 09/08/2022 17:44

Yawn yes we get it, the only acceptable names are Charlotte and Catherine

wherearebeefandonioncrisps · 09/08/2022 17:45

Also , any names ending in '...den' or '...don'

Maireas · 09/08/2022 17:46

Mia, Grace, Lydia, Olivia
Charlie, Oscar, Albie, Oliver

Maireas · 09/08/2022 17:48

I agree with you, @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g - I'm 62 and those names were very common when I was at school. There was a Liz in every class! Also at least 2 Catherines.

Wouldloveanother · 09/08/2022 17:50

I’m an early 90s baby and every single girl was Hannah, Katie (Katherine), Emma, Emily, Sophie or Izzy. Boys were usually Tom, Ryan, Dan, Chris.

To me either a name sounds nice or it doesn’t - Ella, Lily, Mia etc might all be popular now but I don’t think they’ll ever sound ugly even when they go out of fashion. However I think Margot, Agnes, Ethel will. Generally girls names ending in -ee or -a sounds always sound light and pretty, the consonant heavy names are clunky.

wherearebeefandonioncrisps · 09/08/2022 17:52

Think it's time we brought back ...
Lorraine, Tracey Karen ( possibly not yet owing to the awful slurs against it) Sharon Jane.

Also...
Nigel, Neil Keith David Paul Steven Michael Peter

Good solid and reliable names.

Maireas · 09/08/2022 17:53

But when I was at school in the 70s, we would have thought Ella and Lily were old lady names.
Fashions change.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 09/08/2022 18:01

I knew very few Graces growing up, and the ones I did know of were at least as old as my Mum, so born in the 1930s or earlier. I was surprised when a colleague mentioned nearly 20 years ago now that his wife was called Grace (she's probably be in her early 50s now). I wonder what age people assume she is just from her name!

Original poster
Arbesque · 09/08/2022 21:58

I think in 2050 names like Peter, Susan, Janet and Jill will sound vintage and different.

Names like Lorraine, Yvonne, Jackie and Steve will be elderly 'nursing home' type names.

Chloe, Lauren, Josh and Adam will be mumsy and 'dad' type names and,

Ava, Lilly, Alfie and Noah will be young parents names quickly drifting out of fashion.

OP posts:
mogwa · 10/08/2022 12:17

Honestly, ANY name that's popular now is likely to be a "dated" name in the future. Except for a handful of truly "timeless" names like James and Elizabeth (unless they too go out of fashion in the near future).