Does anyone else have a name that, when given, was way ahead of its time?

[RolyPolyBatFacedGirl]

I'm in my early 50s and my parents called me Lily Grace Surname

Now I know there's loads of Lily's and Graces's going way back when , but people are genuinely surprised when I meet up with them for meetings in person after emails (work related of course!) and I'm not 19!

I was an absolute anomaly in the 70s with all my friends who were Sarah, Louise , Claire and Julie

Anyone else?

My neighbour has a toddler Colin

I know a ten year old Craig. Quite unusual.
I have a late 70's name (think Louise, Emma, Sarah, Claire) but my parents thought it was very original at the time. DH's sisters, he has 3, all have the most popular names of the time.

My mum maintains to this day that my name was extremely unique and groundbreaking for its time.

About 2 years after I was born in the 80s 2 major pop stars had a combo of my names.

I've always hated my name. I wish I'd been a bog standard boring name.

I know a teen Darren and a Gary in his 20’s

Name changed but I'm a Bethany born early 80s. People used to comment that it was unusual and mix it up with Stephanie! And I could never get anything with my name on but in the 90s suddenly there was a fair few born.

I know a Gina in her 30s and Jeffrey in his 30s.

I used to know a Jessica who’d be well into her fifties by now.

I'm a Juno so my name's pretty much never been popular at any time. Probably moreso in this day in age when most people associate it with a pregnant teenager now rather than the goddess.

My 21yo is an Isla though. There were no other Isla's at her school when she was there and now it's one of the most popular in the UK. Every Isla I've known has been a fair bit younger than dd.

I know a 25yo Poppy. I thought unusual?

I know a Grace who's almost 90.

I knew a Norma about ten years ago who was in her 30s. Poor woman.

I knew a Thelma in the late 1960s. She loathed the name and used her middle name, Frances.
My father was born in 1894 and was called Brian. I have never met one from the same era - I think most are from the 1930s to the 60s.

You guys are lucky, my name was popular TWENTY years before I was born. I always wanted pencil cases and lunch boxes with my name but they never had them. In the middle of Winchester Cathedral I had a strop with my parents, I said look you gave me a dated name, I could get a tea towel with my name! Or a hot water bottle cover.

It's funny as so many of the names that are popular now were friends of my gran who would have been over 100 now.

Bella was her next door neighbour and nearly every other woman in her (Scottish) village was Isobel, Isabel or Isabella, shortened to Belle, Bella or Isa.

Rose
Ivy
Ava/Eva/Ada/Ida
Phoebe
May and Mae
June
Evelyn and Evie
Florence
Molly
Annie
Peggy
Dottie
Eleanor
Isla
Violet
Iris
Josie
Lily

etc were all very common back then but could easily be the names of nursery or infant children now.

Archie
Alfie
Harry
Jack
Teddy
Arthur
Finlay
Lachlan
Rory
Wilfrid
Joseph

Were men in the village whose names would also not be out of place now amongst children.

Gran lived into her mid 90s and thought my friends name choices were "very old fashioned" when their babies started arriving. She was horrified at the name Phoebe-Mae (two amongst my friendship group) as she couldn't understand why "you'd cry a wee baby such an awd granny name!".

I was in school with a ted, Olivia and Alfie, which was really unusual back then but definitely not now. Also had a Spike and a Blue (male), never met another of either

I once knew a Michelle, she would have been in her eighties now.
I was actually given a name from the the 1930's but I was born in the seventies.
It has never been popular and I absolutely hate it. I have never met another one of a similar age to me and could never buy anything personalised.
I really wish I had changed it when I was younger.

I went to school with a girl called Cassandra but I suspect that's not what you mean ...

I knew a woman named Grace, she must be in her early 70’s now.

My orthodontist in the 00’s was called Isla, she was probably in her 30’s then so in her 50’s now.

Both names seemed unusual at the time.

@SoOutingWhoCares

My grandmother (mid 80’s now) was astonished when names like Lily started become popular, they were the “old lady names” when she was a child.

Me too (have also name changed!)
As an Emily in 1970s I stood out from all my friends who were Sara/Sarah/ Nicola /Joanne
I was really jealous that they could get personalised pencils / stationery etc in shops and I could never find an Emily!

I know a Kylie who was born in the early 1970s (UK).

Up until her mid-teens she had a really cool, unique, beautiful name.

And then Neighbours happened...

Born 70s: Veronica Rose Gay... I mean what do you do with names like those (apart from deed poll at 16)

Yep, I just checked, my name entered the top 100 (in 95th place) in 1996. Has risen steadily and now top 3. I was born late 80s so my mum was clearly way ahead of her time. Regularly hear my name shouted in the park and turn round and see a 3 year old also responding 😂

Ds1 (born late 2000's) had a girl in his class called Susan.

Ds4 (born early 2010's) knows 4 Ediths which I think is probably because of downtown Abbey

My name was rare when I was born (early 80's) then became popular in about 1995 I think and has been popular ever since.

I know one of these too, she was born 73 I reckon

Realise I was "never" ahead of the game... unless Veronica is going to make a come back after many years (please no on behalf of any small children out there) and Gay is a lovely name if you're born between 1900 and 1910