Girls names that won’t come back…..

[Rincoe]

Barbara
Gertrude
Muriel
Mildred
Majorie
Eileen
Geraldine

Don't hear Pamela or Fiona much nowadays amongst children. Nice names too.

I had a great Aunt Atlanta (born in 1887), who went by Ettie, or Et.

Whenever i see Nigel Planer (which is often, cos my son loves The Young Ones), i think of the occasion when someone Tweeted Ade Edmonson and said he should play Prince Harry (in some fictional comedy).
Nigel chimed in, and said ‘Ok, fine. I’ll play Meghan. Why do i always have to play the pretty one?’.

Brenda.

I really like Bridie, but was taken to task by another poster who said it was most dated Irish name she could think of.

I still like it though.

I know a 10 year old Maggie, which I quite like.

I don’t know if she’s officially a Margaret.

How about Breda !

Bridie would be seen as an old woman name in Ireland alright. It would often be used as a reference to an old woman even if you don't know that old woman ie if you're stuck behind a slow driving old woman you could be thinking along the lines of "give it some welly Bridie".

I've heard a young girl called Breda in recent months. My lovely 82 year old neighbour is Breda.

I had a Great Aunty Bridie!

And my paternal grandmother was Margaret known as Peggy. Do I feel old now!
Has anyone mentioned Anne?

I love the name, 'Anne', or 'Ann', and think it due a comeback. It's simple and classic, like Jane or Claire.

I generally prefer names that can be shortened, I think that is friendly (and I have a one syllable name so it wasn't possible), but the names mentioned above I love.

Never liked 'Joan', that always seemed cold and hard - and people often had auntie Joans or their mums were called Joan. Eileen was another one like that and always makes me think of somebody behind a shop counter.

Yes!

There have been some suggestions of classic, royal names like Anne and Jane which is mind boggling. Those sorts of names always come back (are we suggesting that thousands of years of use of the name just stops.. now?) and frankly I wouldn’t be suprised to meet a baby Anne or Jane now anyway.

Then there are the names which are very popular. Someone actually suggested Florence. I would imagine Florence isn’t as popular as it was 10 years ago but high schools are full of Florences.

Someone also suggested my DD’s name which is not a Top 100 name but is more popular now than it was in in the 3 + generations going off the ONS data.

All of this isn’t to say that I believe all names come back. They don’t. It’s the 60s-70s names for me that seem to have popped up out of nowhere and become popular for a decade or two - there’s no reason they will become long term classics. Just as Neveah (although I’ve never actually met one and consider it more an urban legend at this point!) and cutesy double barrelled names from the 2010s don’t need to necessarily be used again in 90 years.

I knew a pub landlady called Breda.

I haven’t thought about her in 30 years!

I had some good times in that boozer. I hope she’s doing ok, bless her.

😂 ‘Give it some welly, Bridie’ has just entered the chat.

That’s excellent!

At my school, we have three Ethels just in one Y1 class alone!

Sheila

Tbh I think the name Jane went out of fashion because of the horrible phrase 'Plain Jane'.

Rhonda
Sheree
Deborah
Tina
Jennifer
Joanne
Sandra
Vera
Mandy
Jackie

Lynne

True.

Lynn/ Lynne makes me think Alan Partridge .

Or Lynne Parsons

Who despite AP's mockery runs the whole show and no doubt looks down her nose at the buffoon! 😅

Gillian