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Baby names

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

Are there any names that you just can't imagine on a baby?

212 replies

TheNameNerd · 22/08/2022 12:13

Each to their own but I just can't picture a baby Frank. It seems such a harsh sounding adult name for a baby especially a newborn yet there have obviously been a lot of baby Franks but somehow I have a mental block when picturing it.

Does anyone else feel this way about a name?

OP posts:
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MumofSpud · 23/08/2022 10:30

@dontcallmelen I know a lot of boys called Dennis - including a brother/sister Denis & Denise - all Romanian - v popular there!

MumofSpud · 23/08/2022 10:35

Trevor
Keith
Kevin
Alan
Martin
Paul
Colin
Barry
Gary
Raymond
Neil

Anne
Deirdre
Barbara
Linda
Pamela

All strange for babies but great for pets!
But they will make a comeback at some point!
Maybe the grandchildren of the current crop of Jaydens and Lexi-Mays will be Trevor and Barbara!

MumofSpud · 23/08/2022 10:36

And Geoffrey/ Geoff
Jeffrey / Jeff

EdithGrantham · 23/08/2022 10:54

Some of the names mentioned here are very popular with eastern European families, in our reception class intake this year we'll have two Alans and a David and had a Colin a couple of years back.

waterlego · 23/08/2022 10:56

Has anyone mentioned Roger yet? You couldn’t do that to a baby, could you?

Dinoteeth · 23/08/2022 12:16

Baby Rodger 😂
OMG along with his sister Agnes 🤣

JellyDeels · 23/08/2022 12:53

Gertrude.

halfsiesonapotnoodle · 23/08/2022 13:18

MumofSpud · 23/08/2022 10:35

Trevor
Keith
Kevin
Alan
Martin
Paul
Colin
Barry
Gary
Raymond
Neil

Anne
Deirdre
Barbara
Linda
Pamela

All strange for babies but great for pets!
But they will make a comeback at some point!
Maybe the grandchildren of the current crop of Jaydens and Lexi-Mays will be Trevor and Barbara!

Neil, The Baby! (Gavin and Stacey)

TigerRag · 23/08/2022 15:02

Blanche. I did used to know a child with this name. Always makes me think of the Coronation Street character!

jalu47 · 23/08/2022 15:17

@caitlinn that's my OH name and spelt like that too, he'll be thrilled it's being kept alive 😂

Dinoteeth · 23/08/2022 16:08

TigerRag · 23/08/2022 15:02

Blanche. I did used to know a child with this name. Always makes me think of the Coronation Street character!

I also knew a girl called Blanche.

For some reason it makes me think of Bleach. 🤭

salharg · 23/08/2022 18:31

I must be in the minority but Frank is one of my favourite boy names along with Francis

ThomasinaGallico · 23/08/2022 23:57

puddlesofmothers · 22/08/2022 21:42

Adolf

<snort> Yes I think Adolf is somewhat, er, tainted now.

The girls’ names are making me think of the Beautiful South’s Song for Whoever: Jennifer, Alison, Philippa, Sue, Deborah, Annabel too. I think the ones in Mambo No 5 are pretty unfashionable too. 😂(Although I do know an Erica in my uni-age DD’s year).

ScruffMuffin · 24/08/2022 00:05

Barry, Nigel, Godfrey (what would he get called for short? God?), Sheila, Tracey, Lesley. They are all parent and grandparent names though, so were clearly used for babies once upon a time.

I know brothers (one primary school age, the other a toddler) called Antony and Ian, and slightly older sisters Nora and Agnes. Some of those names sound very old-fashioned to my ears, but it's only a matter of time before they all come round again. I also know a little Mary, which makes a refreshing change from all the Bea, Bella, Ella, Emily, Amelie, Amelia, Evie kind of names.

When my DD was a baby (she's now a teenager), another mum at a baby group introduced her newborn DD as Ada. I thought it sounded SO frumpy at the time, but actually it does seem to fit in with the similar Evas and Avas, as well as the other 'granny' names like Agatha and Edith which have come back into fashion.

mathanxiety · 24/08/2022 00:11

Neville, Richard, Dennis.

Marcipex · 24/08/2022 00:31

@ScruffMuffin my sister teaches a God.

ScruffMuffin · 24/08/2022 00:45

Marcipex · 24/08/2022 00:31

@ScruffMuffin my sister teaches a God.

I love the way that phrase works!

Toosadtocomprehend · 24/08/2022 00:52

So basically this thread is about slagging off peoples choice of names or the choice of their parents !!
oh well crack on and enjoy!

ScruffMuffin · 24/08/2022 00:59

Toosadtocomprehend · 24/08/2022 00:52

So basically this thread is about slagging off peoples choice of names or the choice of their parents !!
oh well crack on and enjoy!

Nope. Just mentioning names that we can't imagine on little babies, and discussing the cyclical nature of fashions.

FWIW, we chose a name that didn't suit a baby girl overly well, but she is going to be an adult far longer than she was a baby, and we named her with that in mind. I'm not into the grandparent names or surname names trends personally, but I'm so glad that others are. Life would be very monotonous if we all liked the same things.

ScruffMuffin · 24/08/2022 01:07

It's a short name with a similar vibe to
Anna
Lucy
Beth
Faye
etc.

Slightly less common and maybe a bit cooler. Didn't suit a baby amazingly, but from preschool age onwards she has totally owned it. I've only ever met one other child with it since having her.

WandaWomblesaurus · 24/08/2022 01:20

It/Them/Zim

DFOD · 24/08/2022 07:30

Roy

DFOD · 24/08/2022 07:31

Mavis

Sandra

Sonia

Tonia

Gerald

Vincent

wellingtonsandwaffles · 24/08/2022 07:36

Graham
Alison
Barry
Linda
Nigel

DFOD · 24/08/2022 22:40

Eugene