Is the baby name Judith becoming popular again in the UK?

[NigellaDelia]

I have seen the name Judith suggested quite a few times recently which has really surprised me as the only Judith's I know are over the age of 50 and two are in their 70's.

Is this name beginning to trend? I have a DF called Judy (not Judith!) and she hoped the name would come back when the film about Judy Garland was released in 2019 but this didn't happen

I'm just intrigued as to why this name is so often suggested as, in the past, there have been some quite negative things said about this name choice

I love the name but hate Judy.

Judy is quite pretty. I like Judith less; it's very school ma'am.

Jude is quite popular for boys at the moment, and can easily be used as nickname for Judith. Perhaps you're seeing Judith being suggested more as a result?

According to the stats, Judith was ranked at 2115 in England & Wales in 2024 (13 girls total), so any increase on naming threads doesn't appear to be translating into reality just yet.

I don't mind Judith and Jude, but not so keen on Judy.

One of the grumpiest older women I have ever is a Judith. It deserves a comeback!
It's a nice name. Jude is unisex

Maybe because Edith is quite popular again now? I have never met a little Judith in real life.

It was our girl name of choice when I was pregnant with DS. My mother was not happy as she didn't like 'old woman' names. I still like it, but the only Judith's I know are over 70 and call themselves Judy.

I have a female friend named Jude, but it's not a shortening. Her parents named he Jude because they had struggled with infertility and they prayed to St Jude as he's somehow associated with fertility troubles.

I love the name Judith.

I had a little friend called Judith when I was about 4 or 5, but then her family sadly moved away. (I am indeed over 50...)

Many thanks for all your replies ~ it's really interesting to read your comments and stories. It's particularly interesting that some of you like Judith but not Judy and vice versa. Perhaps that's why it doesn't get used much, because most parents only choose a name if they like both the long and shortened versions

I have a much older sister and there were several Judith's in her year at school as well as Valerie's, Rosemary's, Janet's and Margaret's. It will be interesting to see which of these will get commonly used soon ~ my money would be on Margaret

Thanks again for all your replies

I quite like Judy/Judi. Judith might become more popular due to the granny name trend, names containing 'th' (Theo, Thea, Athena, etc) being popular, and because Jude is so popular for boys.

Not sure if the situation in the Middle East would put a lot of people off though.

That's an interesting point ~ I hadn't thought of that!

I remember reading a while ago on another thread that Judith in the Bible wasn't a very good role model - I can't remember what she did but parents generally like 'good vibes' for the name they have chosen!

I like Jude for a boy. Can’t stand Judith, it seems really dull. But then I don’t like Edith either.

When I was a child, we met another family while on holiday. Their daughters, about my age (so born in the late 1970s, early 1980s), were called Judith, Hilary, and Hester. While the girls were lovely, I remember feeling that I had never heard such hideously awful names. I remember it to this day.
Now I find them, maybe, a little less awful. I can almost imagine that, in a year or two, I might think they were quite nice.

I only know one Judith - she's in her 60s and an absolute twat

I am in the ''dislike' camp for Judith and Judy.

But yes like others- I know 2 Judiths. Both are in their 80s and quite unpleasant so RL connotations are affecting my response.

Nope

I love the name Judy, I’m sure I used to get a comic called that when I was a kid. I have a good friend called Jodi which is similar.

Judy!

Similar sound, yes, but somehow that seems a completely different sort of name to me, more like Stacy or Sadie. Judith is more similar to Edith and Meredith. I like it, and the women I know with that name. Jude is a much better short version than Judy.

Love the name Judith. It's such a strong name. I also like Judy for short. I really don't see it in the same category as "old lady names" like Ethel or whatever.

Ha ha. I know one of those too.

I really like Dame Judi Dench ~ such a wonderful actress. Her full name is Judith Olivia which, as you mentioned, is really strong.

I always group Judith with names like Sylvia & Valerie rather than the very old lady names like Ethel, Maud & Winifred

Judith is frumpy to me

Meredith is horrible. It's a surname.

Meredith has been used as a given name for a long time, mostly for boys to begin with and now almost always for girls.

It's still horrible. The original version ( Meredydd or Maredudd) is a boy's name and really pleasant.