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

Agatha is the best of that bunch (not that is saying much). Those names should only be for your cat or dog in an ironic way.

I knew a Rosalind. She hated her name.

She could shorten it to Rose or Rosie.

I like Edith, Mary and Marianne. From the 60s I like Alison and Michelle.

I really like the French name Colette but apparently that is considered an old frumpy name there. I guess all countries have their ugly, frumpy names.

She might do. I haven’t seen her for years. I liked the name so was surprised she hated it.

I don’t think names like Elsie, Maud, Ethel, Edith, Doris, or Ada can ever be cute!

Edith
mabel
Joy
elsie
Ivy
Hazel
Iris
Agnes
Pearl
Audrey
Winnie
May

I love the name Edith!

I love:

Maude
Joanie
Barbara
Polly
Jane
Vera
Josephine

Love the name Marigold after watching Downton.

I run baby and toddler groups and "old lady" names are definitely getting popular. Florence, Iris, Ivy, Peggy, Hazel, Agnes...they all seem to be making a comeback.

Elsie is back as is Mabel. Both gorgeous.

I'd definitely stick with Monette. It's a lovely name and will be extremely unusual (in a good way) in the UK. It also has a personal connection to her great grandmother. There will be thousands of Ediths, Elsies, Mauds, Pearls, Mabels and Olives etc.

Never heard any Blondie songs? This is Debbie Harry, their lead singer, in her prime. The other famous Deborah I think of is the actress Deborah Kerr, also pictured. It's a good name.

Lesley
Christine/Christina
Jayne/Janet
Janice
Maria/Marie
Fiona
Jennifer
Pauline/Paulina
Dawn
Rosemary/Roseanna/Rosalind/Rosamund
Sally
Sheila
Sarah
Frances

I don't think Margaret has ever been considered an old lady name in some Anglophone countries. Meg, Maggie, or the full name: what is not to like? A world apart from Pearl and Daisy and Edna and Ivy and Cicely and Agatha.

If you are after French retro names I went to school in the 80s with two sisters (mum was French) called Stephanie and Celine. The mum was called Beatrice.

Marie (and Ann-Marie) was also very popular name around that time. My sister was friends with a French girl called Juliette. Actually she also had an English friend called Jeanette and went she went to France people pulled faces at it and eventually someone told her it was the equivalent of being called Beryl or Doris in France.

I'll try and think of some more.

Some of the old lady names suggested on here are awful to my ears but I think it's partly the association and I could "unlearn" that for some of them. My kids have friends called Lillian, Sybil, Arthur and Cyril but I've got used to them after a while.

I really can't bear Maud though, it sounds like a combination of mould and fraud.

Agree. Margaret is not remotely in the same category as Edna, Gladys or Elsie. It's always been considered a classy/classic and rather timeless name.

Probably. But considering she was already 50 when I was born nobody having / naming babies now will be thinking of her when they hear the name Deborah.

We know a 6 week old Margaret.

We like the name Oriane. She's a french climber

There’s 3 sisters at my son’s school and I love their names. Iris, Dotty and Betsy

Love Vera, Ethel and Mavis 🥰 Shame they didn’t go with our surname/were rising too quickly in popularity.

I’ve delivered a few thousand babies and have never ever delivered a John (even as a middle name).

I once mentioned to somebody that whilst Ruby is a lovely name, they should probably know that this would be my 5th in the same weekend. They reconsidered.

I am surprised people are surprised: I’ve been going to toddler groups and nursery drop offs for the best part of five years crammed with Iris’, Elsies, Mabels and Ediths. They definitely make me think of under five’s rather than over eighties now!

Rosalind is OK, but the natural shortening is Roz, which must be the ugliest name. I don’t like Elizabeth for the same reason (Liz.)