Barbara

[user2468101214]

Due little girl April 2024

Always had a soft spot for the name.

I understand it's following the 'old granny' comeback trend.

(I may be thinking too deeply but can see this name becoming more popular soon due to new Barbie film)

Thoughts please? TIA

@SidekickSylvia · Do the Coren Mitchell's also have a Betsy, or have I imagined that? You imagined it.

I absolutely adore it. Strong, cool, feisty, international.

Go for it! I don't think Barbie will make it popular, it isn't quite time for the Barbara, Maureen, Linda, Pamela, Brenda, Pauline type names to cycle round again but they will. I think they're all fab.

Babs for a nickname!

I love it! A baby Barbara today would be totally refreshing!

It’s the sort of name I can imagine a teenager saying ‘what the fuck did you make me that for?’

*name, not make. Stupid auto correct 🙄

That would be very rude of them. I would just say "I liked the name".

Teenagers can be rude in their stroppier moments. And it’s the sort of thing they’ll be stroppy about.

My aunt is Margaret and can’t stand her name.

No. Personally don’t like it at all.

Could be shortened to BeBe I guess.

Margaret is a lovely name.

It’s not my favourite name but all the Barbaras I know are lovely women. Go for it if you like it.

I think pp are absolutely right that it’s an example of the sort of mid-century name that will become very popular in about 10-15 years’ time, although we perhaps aren’t quite there yet.

I don’t mind the full name but I can’t think of a diminutive for Barbara that isn’t awful.

It might get a boost from the popularity of the Barbie film.

Nooo it’s bad.

I do think the time will come when 1960s names will make a comeback to replace Elsie, Mabel, Ivy, Violet etc. (Not keen on them myself either.)

Thinking about it, I was born in the ‘60s and don’t know any Barbaras so maybe it’s more my mother’s generation.

You’ll be ahead of the curve, I reckon all these 1950s/1960s names will be due their turn in about 10 years time…

Barbara (sorry)
Pamela
Helen
Susan
Deborah
Julie
Anne
Tina
Vivienne
Tracey
Joanne
Hilary
Marie
Dawn
Kelly
Catherine
Emma
Jane

I think that Barbara is quite nice, and more memorable than the frilly princessy names, and the vowelly L and V names (Lily, Evie, Ellie etc)

I know someone who gave their DD Barbara as a middle name. DD more or less said exactly that!

1940s names weren't the best.

OP I rather like Barbara. (And also Varvara - the Greek/Eastern European version. But it's also the Russian version, which perhaps makes it unusable in these sad times.)
How do you feel about Beryl? Such a beautiful stone, but perhaps a name too far...
On another baby names thread today, a poster suggested Cynthia which I think could be fabulous.

Cynthia is great! So elegant.

Ugh no

Why not Beryl? Ruby is quite popular.

Beryl is a beautiful stone and name, it just hasn't been revived yet

Beryl is incredibly ugly.

Beryl is even more horrific than Barbara 😂

I know a lot names come back into fashion, but not all. I think if Beryl was going to have a resurgence it would have happened when Ruby and Pearl bounced back. But it just doesn't have the pizazz of those names. It seems frumpy. Same as boys' names like Cyril and Percy, they just don't seem to chime with modern ears in the way that Arthur and Stanley do.

It's not "horrific". It's just a name. Not to your taste. Lexi- Mae isn't to my taste. It's all subjective.