Names so old it’s cute again

[Artsybaby]

Personally I like elegant names like Genevieve, also Mary, that never stopped being popular.

Does anyone know any names that used to be considered “old lady names” but are coming back.

my husband is French and he likes Monette after his grandmother

...it's a great name for a poodle though...

its funny how things change. I remember in 2007 or so talking to someone who said she felt so sorry for her friend who had been named Dorothy Mabel and how both names were so awful. Now nobody would bat an eyelid but she was born in 1984 so it didn’t fit with what other girls were called.

I like: Ada, Edith/Edie, Ethel, Iris, Connie, Audrey, Hilary, Pearl, Prudence, Agnes, Christine, Susanna and Sharon.

I met a 2 year old Shirley at soft play recently

Marianne is lovely too. As is Miriam. And Rosalind.

I bet there are at least 5 Ada’s in her year at school. It’s very popular.

Love Monette OP, really nice name. Also love Ophelie.

Agatha, Enid, Ethel, Ada = 😖
Cicely, Cecilia, Judith =👍

My new god-daughter is called Samantha Jacqueline. To me it sounds very 'swinging 60s'. Not exactly old lady territory, but certainly vintage.

If I'm introduced to a Deborah I always think 'it never suited ya'

I have no idea what a “hipster-ugly vibe” is and why it was used to describe some quite beautiful names.

Anyway, my favourite ‘old’ names for a baby are Nora and Joanna.

Winnie
Agatha
Emmaline (Emmy)
Imogen (Emmy)
Daphne
Ruby
Pearl

The softer names have had a long run very recently. All the very girly names that end in -a and -ie - e.g. Millie, Tilly, Mia, Ava, Ellie, Sophie. I for one was more than ready to hear some other names.

I'm staying with my Mum at the moment and she watches Bargain Hunt at lunchtime. There was a very young auctioneer on today, can't be any more than early 20s, and her name is Mary. I was delighted.

Winnie is awful reminds me of horses

Yes Nora and Joanna are lovely. Also like Georgina and Georgiana. And Anna/Anne.

Majorie, Daphne, Gwendoline etc are just so unattractive to my ears. I will of course disagree about Deborah, I don’t see that as frumpy at all as I doubt anyone would visualise frumpy with that name (Debbie Harry, Debbie Ash, Debbie Reynolds, Debbie Gibson) none of whom have ever given off frumpy vibes. It’s a biblical name too so goes back a lot further than the 1970s. Deborah/Debra/Debbie is a pretty name.

Mary is a good name.

I know of babies and toddlers named Olive, Dolly, Dorothy, Susie, Otto ×2, Walter (a 12 year old one too). All very different to the names I grew up with. I also quite like Deborah and Paula, which i haven't heard yet

Re French names - my DM knew a Lucienne, which i thought was lovely

Agatha and Ethel are hideous. As are Edna and Edith.

I know an Ava, Ida, Ethel, Miriam, Lilian, Christine, all under 8. I think they're lovely.

I’m sorry to tell you this but I have no idea who any of those Debbie’s are… I don’t think I’ve ever heard their names so I don’t think anyone around my age is picturing them. We think about Aunt Deb or Debbie the neighbour.

Yes vintage. Certainly not old lady. A Samantha Jacqueline of the 60s would be wearing a mini skirt, white boots and back combed hair. She’d look like Julie Christie 😁

For the Love of Ada, for anyone born pre 70s. 😄

My DN is at nursery with a Samantha. I also like classics like Victoria and Jennifer, which aren’t too common these days.

All good names. Names can be classic and solid without being ugly or frumpy. I really have never got the love for frumpy names.

I didn’t think you would know them because you said you were much younger than me. My point was that Deborah has never been associated with frumpiness. The name is not popular anymore (which is part of what this thread is about) but it is still a nice name.