Girls names that won’t come back…..

[Rincoe]

Barbara
Gertrude
Muriel
Mildred
Majorie
Eileen
Geraldine

Diane I wonder about. It’s obviously from Diana, of Greek mythology, so Diana won’t disappear because biblical / royal / mythology names don’t tend to.

There are so many Diane/ Dianes in my parents’ generation (mainly women in their 60s - early 70s) - I think I know about 7 of them - that it clearly had a HUGE moment in the late 50s and 60s. Was Diane just the alternative for Diana? In which case, I can see it not coming back (and Diana will) - it’s like Jayne instead of Jane, Jaxon instead of Jackson etc.

Roman mythology rather!

I think most names will come back if you give them enough time. Barbara for example has already made a comeback in some countries like Poland and Irene is a contemporary name in Italy etc.

The main exception would be names that have become attached with certain associations e.g. Fanny, Gay.

Mona
Rhona
Morag

A girl's name I have never heard much is 'Polly'. It seemed oddly absent from the glut of 19th century names which were so popular in the 90s/00s, what some people snootily call 'parlourmaid names'. I quite like it, though I think for people of my generation (GenX) it was associated with Fawlty Towers and parrots.

I know a baby Polly.

A name I would have added to the list would be Renee - but seems someone loves it!

Doreen was my grandma's name. I can't imagine anyone thinking it was pretty.....though I suppose it's no worse than Maureen which I also can't see coming back.

Peggy is cute and didn't David Mitchell and Victoria Coren-Mitchell call their baby Barbara?

Eunice is another one I can't see coming back but you never know. At uni my friend liked the name Lily and everyone thought it was an awful old lady name. 30 years later it's so common aming little girls as to be boring.

I know a 4 year old Winnie

Yes I had two Ediths in the same class a few years,ago

I think that's maybe why I chose Lillian over Lily for one of my DC.

My daughter has a Lily in her class and 2 more in her year (Y8). I had a Great Auntie Lily.

Diane is the French version of Diana, but they pronounce it like 'Dee-ahn,' I believe, not 'Dye-Ann'. I suppose French forms of names were quite a trend in the sixties, that's why we got Julie instead of Julia, Louise instead of Louisa, Marie instead of Mary or Maria, Claire instead of Clare/Clara, Christine instead of Christina, Suzanne as an alternative to Susan. Also in the sixties Michelle was very popular as in the Beatles song (although Michaela was never that popular).
So Diane is not made up and I suppose it might return one day, but I think the English pronunciation is not nice really. But it's not like Jayne or especially Jaxon.

It always surprised me that Diana, Princess of Wales was so
popular but it didn’t translate into Diana becoming a popular name.

I've got a university friend called Lily. She was the only one in the year and the only Lily I knew. She was named after her great grandmother and had no idea it would be popular years later.

I think the Die sound is quite harsh and that's what the nickname would be

Dawn, also very popular back in the day, hardly ever hear a young girl called that now.

Dolores
Linda
Antoinette
Jeanette
Lynette
Agnes
Diane
Janet
Pamela
Glenda
Brenda
Deidre
Thelma

Most of the names that aren't used now will return eventually, in a couple of generations or so.

Me too

I know a baby Joanie and a toddler Bernice. Both lovely names

I don't mind it either.

Has anyone said Maureen?

Oh yes, I just posted Maureen too. Doreen is arguably even less likely to make a comeback.

Yes. the Mitchells did call their DD Barbara: it's an unusual choice though not really a horrible sounding name, just very dated.

Eunice is most unpleasant - too reminiscent of eunuch!

It's pretty, but maybe being used for parrots has suppressed its resurgence somewhat? The whole "Polly wants a cracker" thing. But I still like it.

Cheryl

I love the name Agnes, although I'd never use it because so many people think its ugly and old fashioned and I'd be worried she's be teased.