Dated names

[swanandduck]

DH's cousin has just has a baby girl and called her Pamela. The family are divided between those who think it's very dated, and those who think it's a nice change from all the elaborate and unusual names a lot of new babies are called nowadays. I'm with the former group, by the way.

Just wondering what other people think? I also know a new baby called Belinda which I think of as a very adult name.

I like Pamela, not so keen on Belinda though. Seems too old for a baby.

Older or more traditional names seem to be coming back in I fancy. I know quite a few Lilys and Graces. The same for boys, Charlie, Alfie and Arthurs.

I think the problem with Pamela and Belinda is that they're not old enough for vintage chic. They're just middle aged. Maybe in another twenty years they'll be considered really cute and different.

I like Pamela alot.

I think Pamela is quite cute. like swanandduck said, its not old fashioned enough for vintage chic but I prefer it to the endless Floras, Graces and Evies

Not so keen on Pamela, but I like Belinda and don't think it is too old for a little girl. All the Belinda's I've ever known were known as Bee, which is quite a nice nn for a child.

Pamela is awful imo-just an old lady name.
Belinda is lovely.

I love Belinda. It seems quite cool. I had a funny feeling that Stella McCartney would call one of her daughters Belinda. (I was wrong!!).

Pamela is ok. It sounds a bit bland to me, but it might sound really pretty and unusual to her own generation. The baby who has just been named Pamela I mean.

I like Jillian, Melanie & Lindsay which are all dated.

I'm not fond, makes me think of Gavin and Stacey - Pam-laaaaaar!

Dated

There's a whole load of them - Patricia (my mum's name) Pamela (her sister), Christine, Wendy. I was at university in the 90s with 2 girls called Barbara and that seemed strange among the Lauras, Emmas and Rachels. Last pregnancy, my DH actually suggested Yvonne, with absolutely no hint of irony.

See I think esme is dated along with Henry, Rebecca is back beyond the first publication of the bible and Ruby is really 1920's name

Agree that Pam is around the 1950's along with Margaret and Michelle is 1970's but Sharon is pure 1960's dated and overused. tracey is dated in the 1960 aswell.

I do like the name Pam though

gavin, Emma, Stephen, Allan, Chris were all firends of mine at school int he 70's so again really dates now

I don't think it is quite there for old lady chic yet. It is middle-aged-school-secretary chic which is a bit different I think.

I know someone who had a baby and called it Angela. I thought that was odd as well - actually a very pretty name in itself but just with connotations of middle aged barmaids in soaps.

Lol at Lulu's DH suggesting Yvonne!

DD's father actually suggested Gill, the daft sod.

Pamela, nah.

I quite like both Pamela and Belinda.

I don't think names usually sound right second time around until the original generation are all dead. Names such as Emily, Amy, Harry, Archie, Rose etc are popular now but were aslo the popular names in my grandparents generation who are all gone now.

I think there's something in that onebadbaby. Imagine then, the generation that becomes 'Grandma Kylie'..

I don't think you can ever appreciate names of your own generation, that's the problem. Pamela, Claire, Dawn, Joanne...where are they now?

As for being an "adult name", presumably the baby will be a baby for 2 years, a child for 10 years, a teenager for 6 years and an adult for 60 years with the same name, so that's hardly a reasonable objection. And by then people will think that "Millie" is a terribly grown up and boring name.

Can hardly object to Pamela BTW, is SIL's name!

But just about all names are 'dated' - they were/are all in or out of fashion at a particular time. I can't think of any exceptions.

I always think about the names of people I've worked with in offices - can you imagine anyone calling their baby Geoffrey or Janet for e.g.?

i feel really sorry for her. my mother named me after one of her friends - hence i have a name that normally people of 80 have. i hate it and so probably will she. though at least she can short it to ela maybe

How can a name be 'too old for a baby'? Even men called Gerald were babies called Gerald once.

Sharon, Tracy, Gary, Janine. All the names which seemed so modern at the time. I have to confess I don't like the 'old person' name fad at the moment. Lots of twee Ediths and Winnies, poor little Stanleys and Archibalds. I'd even prefer the Jaydens and Kais as they are at least representative of their era, not harking back to another age. But that's just me...

Would anyone class Freya as dated?
I love Emily aswell.

I like names that haven't gone out of fashion for a few hundred years. Like Tom and Elizabeth. And Beowulf.

Pamela is very 1950s . I agree it is a bit too soon to recycle it. Pams are Grannies now, along with Christine, Janet, Susan, et al.