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

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

138 replies

RolyPolyBatFacedGirl · 28/12/2023 20:06

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?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
ChanelNo19EDT · 28/12/2023 22:21

Young susans are often Chinese because it sounds like one of their popular names. Same with Henry..

Phopet · 28/12/2023 22:26

Me! I’m nearly 40 and I’m Phoebe- I was the only one at school and I never met another one my age. My parents considered themselves brave ha. Now there’s hundreds of little girls called Phoebe, I hear it everywhere we go it’s so strange!

MoreSnakePlantBabiesArgh · 28/12/2023 22:28

I'm a Samantha. I don't think it's ever been popular (gratefully!) But go by Sam/Sammy.
Late 80s baby (Samantha Fox was on the scene then, I think?)
I get a little excited when I meet another one. One girl in my year at school and another one at a hobby group I joined as an adult are the only others I've met... I'm assuming it's quite rare these days?

Not sure if it will become a trendy name but like pp, I know of a baby Colin and toddler Norma so who knows!

Crispynoodle · 28/12/2023 22:31

I know a Brenda in her mid 30s, I'm a Penelope and I'm 56

NoTeaNoShade · 28/12/2023 22:32

My 55 year old cousin is called Isla, never knew anybody else with this name until recently.

Goldbar · 28/12/2023 22:32

I used to work with a Noah (would now be mid-40s) and that was quite unusual amongst the sea of Marks, Matthews, Pauls and Andys. I imagine this would be reversed in a lot of nursery/primary school classes nowadays.

urrrgh46 · 28/12/2023 22:42

I named my daughter Xanthe in 2001 - it's definitely more popular now!

Starrydream · 28/12/2023 22:44

My late DGM was born about 1914 and was called Lily May Surname.

She was often told that she had a pretty name when she was elderly, and as Lily May has been a popular combination in recent years it seems her parents were ahead of their time perhaps. Her sisters also had names that are still in use today.

SilverSimca · 28/12/2023 22:49

1970sname · 28/12/2023 22:13

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!

Show quote history

I was born in the 70s and while there were no Emilys at my school there were quite a few at university and I know about six Emilys who are around my age, so I have never thought it unusual for my generation. It’s a beautiful name.

theduchessofspork · 28/12/2023 22:51

EmilyRose1970s · 28/12/2023 20:16

Name changed for this thread as no way do I want anyone figuring me out from previous posts. But I was born in the ,1970s and my name is Emily Rose Surname. Extremely common in recent years but caused a lot of teasing when people found out my middle name at primary school. I was the only Emily in my year at High school of around 300. There were multiple Claires, Louises, Emma's etc

Really? I was born in the 70s and knew quite a lot of Emilys growing up. Perhaps it’s regional.

salamithumbs · 28/12/2023 23:05

Not me but I know a Freya who's in her early sixties! Always struck me as a much younger name. There was another Freya a few years ahead of me in school and an Ava, they'd both be in their thirties now.
The Barbara mentions made me realise I know three Barbaras in their twenties- think they're 21, 28 and 29- in Dublin though so maybe different trends here!

Carsarelife · 28/12/2023 23:23

Yes my name was unusual when born in 1970's. I used to feel a bit embarrassed saying it for some reason in 1980's. It's not super common now and never met another one but people don't seem so aghast or question how to spell it now.
There is one semi-famous person with the name although unsure if it's her true name.

I've given my 2 DD's an old fashioned common name

Temporarynamechanger65 · 28/12/2023 23:31

I had cousins born in the early 1960s called Barbara and Ken. 😮 What were my aunt and uncle thinking?

My name is Margaret, born in 1965. Already 20 years out of fashion. All my friends were Julie, Suzanne, Karen or Amanda etc. Everyone had an Auntie Margaret or Patricia or Maureen. Then Maggie Thatcher happened. 😮 It was hell.

So the opposite of you, a dated name but still with no chance of any personalised merch.

headache · 28/12/2023 23:41

To me Grace was an old ladies name until 20 years ago.

I know toddler/primary school Raymond/Brian/Kevin and John all named after Dad. When you hear a name like that you immediately think named after Dad/family tradition

WetBandits · 28/12/2023 23:43

I’m 29 and had a Lesley and a Beverley in my year at school (both female), we also had an Eglantine a couple of years below (I wonder if her parents were big Bedknobs and Broomsticks fans?!)

PastorCarrBonarra · 28/12/2023 23:51

I love the name Veronica!

I met an elderly Kylie through work about a decade ago. She wasn’t Australian, well her accent wasn’t. Must’ve been an unusual choice for a baby in the UK in 1929ish!

I know two 1970s born Desmonds at university, both Irish, both nicknamed Desi. The ones I knew in southern England were 1940s born and called Des - a few of my mates had an Uncle Des.

DietrichandDiMaggio · 28/12/2023 23:52

Riverlee · 28/12/2023 20:31

It’s funny you mention Lily and Grace. A friend name her two children this in mid -late nineties. They were considered really old and unusual names then. Ten years plus years later, ‘Granny chic’ name trend had hit.

Maybe it depends where you live, but whilst not as common as they became later, they were definitely not seen as unusual where I live. I had my babies in the nineties and Lily and Grace were on the list for my second, but we had a boy. He had a Lily in his class at school.

Babyholly · 28/12/2023 23:57

Hi

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 29/12/2023 00:02

I know a teen Stephen. He's about 40 years younger than all the other Stephens I know!

Amybelle88 · 29/12/2023 00:21

Heard a Neil being called the other day. Must have been around 3/4.

Diggerdriverless · 29/12/2023 00:29

LakeTiticaca · 28/12/2023 21:18

Nancy is coming into fashion again now. I knew a little girl called Nancy about 40 years ago and it seemed really old fashioned back then.
There was a boy in my class in the 60s called Beverley 🙄

Are you in the North East?

cocoloco23 · 29/12/2023 00:36

anybloodyname · 28/12/2023 20:39

I work with a 37 year old Teddy ! He's the only one I know who's not in nappies , do love the name but now know of at least 4 from last few years

I’m nearly fifty and we had a Teddy in my class at school. Always loved the name!

SemperIdem · 29/12/2023 00:39

Teddy would have been a nickname for Edward then, the change has been it becoming a given first name

MrsFezziwig · 29/12/2023 00:42

Mywhoopdeedoo · 28/12/2023 20:27

I know a Mia in her late 40’s

Mia Farrow (the actress) is 78, so pretty obvious where that came from.

14Q · 29/12/2023 00:57

My kids used to go to a school (overseas) where there were a lot of Asian kids, in particular Chinese kids. Nearly every one had an English name in addition to their Chinese name. The names sounded so dated when you first heard them but you got used to them quickly. A few I can remember were Terry, Barry and Maud.