Kimberley, Michelle or Deborah

[herewegoroundtheblueberrybush]

Which of these do you prefer for a baby girl?

Other options are Wendy or Amanda.

Sarah

I think Amandine is lovely, so what if it’s French? Kimberley is AWFUL, isn’t it a brand of bog roll or something?

Amanda is OK and I know several Albanian girls called Wendy as its pretty popular there. I think Wendy is sweet.

Fine if you’re cos-playing ‘Eighties Secondary School’ or time-travelling.

Kimberley or Amanda

How about Tracey or Sharon?

These are very dated and not in a fashionable way, like the current crop of granny/grandfather names.

They are names that make me picture someone in their fifties or mid forties from a lower middle class background. (That generations Sharon/Karen)

Can you maybe move towards the Charlotte, Annabelle, Elizabeth, Louisa group of names from the early 80’s? Classic and vintage but without the baggage.

I think Deborah or Michelle are lovely. They are recognisable names that people will be able to spell but really unusual for that age group so probably the only one in their peer group.
Deborah is a biblical name so I don’t see why it would be “dated” any more than any other biblical name and Michelle just has a really pretty sound.

Wendy was a top pick for me due to loving the book Peter Pan when younger. I thought it was romantic but unfussy. But DH had a very negative association and I think it's not confined to him sadly.

Deborah is lovely, so is Debbie. Yes it was popular mid century but that means most people can think of a strong, intelligent and/or lovely woman they have known with the name.

They're not bad names at all. Just not currently popular.

I did teach a Deborah a few years ago. She'll be 16 now. Before that, there was one 2 years below me at school which seemed really dated then (around 1998/1999 she would have been 12ish). All the others I know are in their 50s and 60s.

I knew lots of Kimberly/Kimberleys at school (1980s babies). Never met one since but I think it's pretty. Exactly the same with Michelle - still know lots but they're all in their late 30s - early 60s. Less keen on it but that's because I don't like it shortened to Shell or Shelly. But I really like all the Michelles I know which warms me to the name.

I've only ever known one Wendy. She'll be in her early 60s now. I don't like it but I think that's because I was afraid of this woman as a child.

Weirdly. I've never met an Amanda. Definitely think of it as a 60s-80s name though.

As a list, they aren't my favourite names from that era at all. But Kimberly is my favourite, I think it's pretty.

I like:
Amy, Caroline, Emma, Hayley, Joanna, Jennifer, Jodie, Kate, Laura, Lauren, Melissa, Melanie, Natasha, Natalie, Nicole, Nicola, Rebecca, Rachel, Ruth, Sarah, Samantha, Stephanie, Tanya

I don't mind Deborah and I love Laura.

I am afraid that Kimberly reminds me of a Victoria Wood sketch and I am really not keen.

And the Wendy I knew was always known as Windy Wendy and would be blamed for every fart going. Gosh, kids are cruel. (Not me)

If you absolutely have to inflict any of them on your little baby then Michelle is the best of a truly awful lot. Please don’t call the poor child Wendy or Kimberley. Hopefully this is a wind up.

Amanda is my favourite. I used to want to be called Amanda myself.

I have heard of little girls called Wendy so maybe it is making a comeback .

Deborah is a very old and biblical name. It's a classic but I guess it gets a bad rep due to being shortened to Debs? Kimberley is 1980's footballer's wife territory and Michelle (although an old French name) isn't far behind.

I quite like Deborah (but not so much Debbie) and Amanda (but not so much Mandy), and I really like Laura.

I don't particularly like Wendy, but I thought the use of it to describe a particular form of unkind behaviour was unique to this site.

On the offchance that this is a spoof and we're just discussing slightly dated names in general, how about Julie? I actually quite like Julie and Joanne (and I like Julia and Joanna too, but I think they suit different personality types better - I'd expect Julie and Joanne to be more outgoing, Julia and Joanna more reserved, somehow, That might be influenced by individual people I have known.

I'm 49 and in possession of one of those names. It's too soon OP.

I was a child of the 60s, so have known many people with these names. In the main, Amandas have never been shortened to Mandy and it has always seemed to me an elegant name.
I have also known various Deborah/Debras. By contrast, these have invariably been shortened to Debbie, Debs or Deb.
Personally not so keen on Kimberly, but that's probably down to the people I've known.
Laura is indeed lovely, as is Rachel, Louise and Julia.
Michelle is pretty and could be shortened to Mimi.
I think any of these names would make a welcome addition to the current canon. And you would be a trendsetter to boot.

Deborah, Deb or Debs but never, ever Debbie, which is grim.