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Baby names

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

Next generation ‘trendy’ names

42 replies

ZinniaB · 13/12/2023 09:24

Is it just me or do others think that names like Christopher, Timothy, Philip and Peter are starting so sound really fresh and also quite adorable for our boys? The next generation of popular names for say in 10 years time? Will Timothy replace Theodore?

Only problem is I don’t like their shortenings: Chris, Tim, Phil etc, which is likely what they would be - just a little premature to start using these for my tastes.

I LOVE Philippe but would this be really inappropriate for a boy without French heritage (there is German, Dutch and Danish but Phillip/Philip tends to be used).

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ab03 · 13/12/2023 10:09

I think you're right, and when they are used people might use different nicknames - I've heard of Kit for Christopher and Pip for Philip so maybe there will be more along those lines!

SkaneTos · 13/12/2023 11:01

Perhaps you are right!
I agree that Timothy and Christopher and the other names you mentioned are great names. And I don't mind the nicknames.

(In my home country the nickname for Christopher/Kristoffer is "Stoffe", but that might not work so well in the UK.)

WildCherryBlossom · 13/12/2023 11:25

I know a little Timothy. So cute. It's not shortened.

Whataretheodds · 13/12/2023 11:27

Christopher nicknames - also Kiefer, Kiffer, Keir

Newsenmum · 13/12/2023 11:42

well I think of boomer men their 60s and they’re not especially cute! But once they get to 80s/90s I suppose they will be cute old man names where you don’t have the association of the annoying uncle or grumpy misogynistic man at work.

CoalCraft · 13/12/2023 11:51

I love all these names, especially Peter. Don't think I've seen any on little boys recently though.

PickledScrump · 13/12/2023 13:24

I think Christopher is already started to reappear, with the nicknames Kit or Topher rather than Chris. Also heard of Philip being shortened to Flip or Pip, also know of a Timothy that goes by Timo (said as Tee-mo). So they could well come back with fresher shortenings.

SquigglePigs · 13/12/2023 13:49

Christopher was on our short list for a boy so I agree. DD had a little friend at school called Peter and whilst it took me by surprise when she first mentioned him, it really suited him.

Names like Matthew (Matt/Matty) and Daniel (Dan/Danny) would fit your list too.

Jellycats4life · 13/12/2023 13:55

I think old lady/old man names will persist, but the decades will inevitably get more recent. Names like Albert, Ivy etc. will become less popular in favour of names from the 40s and 50s

theduchessofspork · 13/12/2023 23:44

I think it’ll be mid century names like Janet, Susan, Patricia, Pamela, Peter, Lionel, John , Geoffrey

Imagine baby Geoff and toddler Pam 😁

But that will include some names that survived into the later 20th C like Timothy and Jane I am sure

LoreleiG · 13/12/2023 23:55

I love the idea of all these names coming back, it makes me nostalgic for the old days where everyone’s dad was called something like Bob or Barry.

Jessie278 · 14/12/2023 00:07

I think there awful names. So boring sounding.

Prettyinred · 14/12/2023 08:13

Nope, don’t think any are coming back. Just because you hear the name doesn’t mean it’s trendy or coming back.

MargotBamborough · 14/12/2023 10:17

I love Peter.

fruitbrewhaha · 14/12/2023 10:27

I love Pamela. Im looking forward to it coming back.

CountTo10 · 14/12/2023 10:32

I must admit I did laugh when I saw the top 100 baby names lists that came out recently. Several names even make the top 10/20 that I think some try hard parents thought would be 'different' such as Arlo, Luca, Luna etc.

My son's name was top 10 some 25 years ago and is now in the 40's and my other son's name has never appeared in the top 100 in 20 years despite being a name you will all have heard. Being called John or Jane these days is pretty unique.

Riverlee · 14/12/2023 10:36

I think people will delve further back into ‘Granny’ names, rather than using names that were popular in the 60/70/80s.

Essie274 · 15/12/2023 22:04

Christopher, Philip, John, Peter, were on my long list for both DS1 and DS2, and yet both of my children have more currently "trendy" names in the end - so you may be right!

DS1 is almost 4 now and has friends at nursery named Kit and Pip - Pip I believe is just Pip, but Kit is short for Christopher.

Applerumleandcustard · 15/12/2023 22:11

I like the traditional names , and they can have different nicknames
I know of a Topher ( Christopher ) and a friend of a friend has a grandson known as Mot ( Timothy )

GingerSquid · 15/12/2023 22:13

I have met two young Peters, so I think it’s making a small comeback and it actually felt fresher than Alfie, Archie, Teddy, Freddie and all. Ditto a girl in my son’s class called Christina … it’s actually a really pretty name and stands out amongst a sea of Evie, Isla, Ava etc

Spendonsend · 15/12/2023 22:31

I think we will start with Linda, jennifer, patricia, valerie, jean, janet, susan styles soon and michael, david, stephen, peter for the boys. I think we will still have williams, james etc as i dont think boys names vary as much as girls.

Angrymum22 · 15/12/2023 23:18

DS has one of the OPs listed names. He was the only one at school when he started, when he left there were at least 2 others in lower years, coincidentally they all played rugby for first or second teams so frequently were mentioned in sports which is how I came to know.
DS was named after his DG so not because it was unusual.
It has always been shortened. I liked the name, it was popular in my generation and I know several who were all so laid back and had lovely characters. DS is also laid back and lovely.
All the names shorten well. David was the most popular from my generation. There were 5 David’s on one floor in my halls of residence at Uni which in a mixed hall of only 112 so 55 men was a lot of Daves.

Spaghettieis · 15/12/2023 23:28

PickledScrump · 13/12/2023 13:24

I think Christopher is already started to reappear, with the nicknames Kit or Topher rather than Chris. Also heard of Philip being shortened to Flip or Pip, also know of a Timothy that goes by Timo (said as Tee-mo). So they could well come back with fresher shortenings.

Timo is a popular shortening in German-speaking countries. It’s more of a 90s name there I would say.

I really love the name Nicholas and I’m surprised it isn’t used more (only 300-odd babies in 2021) so maybe that will come back. My 2yo nephew is called John which I still find surprising every time I look at his little face and don’t see a middle aged man!

DuchessOfSausage · 15/12/2023 23:35

They won't come back for about 15-20 years but they are starting to sound fresh.
Some names don't really go away but what form of the name is popular changes. John/Jon/Jack, Alex/Xander, Chris/Kit etc

I thought Nico was quite popular

Previousreligion · 16/12/2023 00:02

I heard name fashion repeats on approx a 100 year cycle so 1930s names will be next in line. A while before 50s/60s names come back although I personally love them.

In the 30s Donald was nr 7 apparently though and I can't see that being popular any time soon!

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/these-were-the-most-popular-baby-names-in-the-1930s_n_5ac24be0e4b0a47437acaae8

These Were The Most Popular Baby Names In The 1930s

How the times have changed.

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/these-were-the-most-popular-baby-names-in-the-1930s_n_5ac24be0e4b0a47437acaae8