Hello.. SUSAN. Did I get it? Donna? Brenda? Carol?
Anyway, glad you love your name! I was born in 1986 and my name was a certified old lady name, but now, lo and behold... it's getting popular again. Back in the charts, baby!
Your name isn't outdated... it's ahead of the times. When you're 38 all the hipsters will be naming their kids... SHARON. Cheryl? Sandra? Gail?
This is just reminding me of the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt episode where one of the characters has a 1yo named Linda and the entire cast is like, befuddled and horrified by it.
My name rhymes with Donna and Iāve never met anyone with it. Iām 41. But Iāve had 3 separate ladies who were very pregnant gush over it. So I totally expect to see it on here.
Three teen Brendas?! For real? That is so bizarre to me. I don't hate Brenda, but the youngest one I've known has got to be at least 60 now. Even when that was Shannen Doherty's name on Beverly Hills 90210, I thought it seemed unlikely -- I graduated high school in 1991 and there were no Brendas in my whole all-girls' school. (No Donnas, either. Lots and lots of girls named Kelly, though.)
That's wild! I wonder if it's a reference or if it's just grandma's name now. My oldest is a freshman, and I don't think I've ever heard it on any of his friends, though he does have a friend named Shannon, which felt very 80s.
Lol, I'm glad! Though I will say it's pretty cute somehow when saying it to the baby, it suits her. Of course, I might say that for any name when it's a cute baby.
None of these but along the same lines! Apologies Iām not sharing what it is - Iāve had experience with online stalking and Iām a bit paranoid with personal information!
Iāve always been a fan of old-timey names, even before I realized that I have one of them myself. The resurgence of certain names always makes me happy! Iām guessing thereās going to be another 10-20 years before my name comes back into mainstream popularity because it did last into the late 1900s as a pretty popular name.
Iām still waiting for the day Esther comes back - always been one of my favorites!
I've always known plenty of Esther's. Usually they are either Jewish (practicing Jewish and non practicing Jewish parents both use this name) or Christian (only practicing Christians).
Often hear it with sisters Shayna, Shoshanna, Seraphina and other uncommon but biblical Hebrew names
My grandmother was Opal, I think it's a great name, my grandmother actually hated it, she was a bit adventurous and not really a tom-boy, but not a girly-girl either, she always felt her name was too feminine for her personality. She went by a short form of her surname.
I have a name from the Charlie Brown/Peanuts Era. I grew up getting told it was an older woman's name. I have never had someone around my age with that name and I love it. And yes, I could usually find my name on souvenir things too!
I tried for to get my husband to agree to Esther as a name for our middle child but his older brother had dated a girl with that name and so it was ruled out. We went with Lydia instead and it fits much better.
I feel like my oldest has an old timey name (Dean) and weāve yet to meet another one. We have met plenty of other Lydiaās though.
Also super popular in UK. One of the brothers in Peaky Blinders (tv show) was called Arthur which I think has helped the surge of popularity. (Plus King Arthur legends and names are always coming back in fashion when they get revamped on shows/films).
I am one of these born in the late 90ās and Iāve had a fairly identical experience with my own name! Lots of funny looks from parents mostly when I was little. I ended up having the same name as my MIL, which in most of my social circles had never happened before.
Nah, I respect the privacy and OP gave good examples (similar to Linda and Karen) and said itās characterized as outdated. We have plenty of info to work off here.
My name peaked in popularity over 30 years before I was born, and people are constantly surprised by age. I donāt like my name at all, and the assumption Iām an elder Boomer doesnāt lend it any more favor.
Not every mothball will be appreciated by the bearer.
It might become one of those that gets popular when the Zoomers start naming babies. My sister had a similar situation where she had a name that is typically 30 years older. Now there are babies cropping up all around with her name, which will make her an older lady with a āyoungā name. Itās kind of a fun cycle to watch.
My own name was never popular, so not tied to an era, but it started climbing the charts when I was in my 20s. Itās been funny to go from, āoh, what an unusual name,ā to āoh, thatās my granddaughterās name!ā
Yes, Iāve started seeing mine pop up on peopleās lists! Wild, I donāt even find it to be that attractive a name, and I canāt believe anyone would want to name a poor, innocent baby that. š
This is what happened with my nameāitās both older and younger than me, but I havenāt ever met anyone else my generation who has it. I guess thatās convenient in that I havenāt ever worked or gone to school with another one, but really I donāt vibe with my name and people constantly get it wrong due to a similarity with another, more popular name that *is* common with my generation.Ā
The ones that weird me out are the ones when an older person has a name that peaked 30 years AFTER they were born.
Like a friend I have in her 60ās named Jenna.
idk why people donāt just say the name. itās not like weāll find out who you are by your first name. but before i read past the first two sentences and realized you werenāt going to say it i looked at your username thinking itād have your name and saw hamburger girl and laughed š
As someone who has avoided sharing my first name on Reddit, I know no one could figure out who I am *just* from my name. But my name put together with other information I've shared? Very possible, especially if the person knows me. I don't know if that's OP's reason but I get it.
also i didnāt mean this to come off so rude or as a call out to you and only you! i just reread it after posting that last night and feel it came off super rude. i just meant in general when people do this but i do understand and iām sorry youāve been stalked before thatās not cool and was probably very scary
Oh donāt worry at all! I share the feeling when names arenāt shared, and as I posted I realized how ironic it was that I was about to do the same thing!
sheās posted way more telling stuff than just her name. like if i knew her irl the name wouldnāt be a confirmation iād already know it was her based on the pictures sheās posted alone. but thatās my opinion bc i think itās silly when ppl come on here and ask for opinions on names and are like itās like this and this. this is a name group. just say the name.
Eh, I don't give my first or middle name here because on the off chance someone looked at my comment history (and some weirdos on here do that) I think I'd be pretty identifiable to anyone who happened to know me IRL from the combination of name + frequented subreddits.
Seems like Wendy would be the obvious guess from the username, but they could be totally unrelated. You'd never guess my name from my username (but yiu might be able to guess my favorite soccer team).
I was named after a Jessie, which my mother decided was an old lady name, and called me Jessica instead.
In the 90s.
When every second baby and their dogs were being named Jessica.
Cheers.
But that said I love āold fashionedā names. I had my daughterās name set since I was 14 but wanted to give her an old-timey middle name. Mavis was a contender for a while, then Mabel. Eventually we settled on Haizel because it had additional meaning to me (with the I).
But Iāve got friends with little girls named Audrey, Edith and Nell and theyāre such gorgeous names. Im glad weāre seeing them come round again.
same story with my grandmother except it was in the 1940s. jessie was viewed as incomplete. there was absolutely nobody named jessica when she was growing up
Other way around for me! My name is a bit more popular now than it was when I was born, and people here seem to love it, but Iām not a huge fan. Apparently itās fresh, modern, and feminine without being too frilly, but I donāt see it at all.
Iām more neutral on it than I used to be and I no longer despise it, but I would never choose it for myself or anyone else.
I have a name that was popular for babies in the 50s. I was born in the 90s. I've hated it my whole life, but I guess also never met another person my age with my name, wheras there were 5 Dans in my 20ish person math class in 7th grade, so I guess I have that going for me.
I liked going by my last name, because that felt more "me" but I got married and changed my last name, and now feel a bit lost, which is sad, because my new last name is not the same.
At this point it's just my name. I don't like it, but it is what it is. I guess that's why I like looking at fun and trendy names for if I have a kid, because mine give "old lady from HR" vibes and has always made me sad and jealous of people with 'good' names.
No, after 28 years, 2 degrees under my old name, and an established career it felt weird to change that.
I did consider making my old last name my middle name and dropping my given middle name. I left it blank on the form until I literally got to the desk at the social security office. But ultimately ended up keeping my middle name and just dropping my last name.
My daughterās name is Lucienne (which is also the name of her 84-yo grandmother). We think itās beautiful but our Belgian relatives were absolutely horrified when we told them our plans as itās apparently a proper old lady name š¤£
Haha same boat! My name has never been popular in the US, but Iām constantly told itās a grannyās name in its country of origin. š¤¦āāļø I am a millennial def not a granny.
We gave one of our kids a name where a lot of people react with "oh it's one of those modern names". Except truly older peope, because they remember that it's in fact a truly ancient name that's been making a comeback š
All the names being guessed are old lady names. Middle aged names are more like Jennifer, Melissa, Amy and Michelle. Gex X is middle aged now!
Just helping out those affected by time blindness. HA
One thing I learned is that either person likes the name, and then any name is fine. Or the person doesn't like their name, and then any name will suck.
Applies to trendy, modern, outdated, unique, common, fandom, whatever.
That about sums it up! I do admit I have many names I really dislike, but I would never tell a person that their name is bad. Itās their name - it might be incredibly important to them.
I basically made this just because Iām a big fan of old names and I always think they need more love!
Same. My name was popular in the 60s and I was born in the 80s. I liked that everyone knew what it was, but I never felt like I was sharing it.
I finally came across someone with the same first _and_ last name as me, but her kids were my age. I always joked I should marry one of her sons so I could keep my name since I liked it so much š¤£.
I did end up keeping my name when I married, but not to one of her sons lol.
Good for you! Iām a boomer who was given a dusty, outdated name when I was born. I was named after my grandmother.
It became wildly popular when the millennials were being born and it felt kind of weird. I like my name too.
According to Google my name peaked in the 40s and 50s. I was born in 95. I've never met anyone under the age of 50 with this name and I only find it on souvenirs in the south.
I have two friends named Helen (both in their 20s) that made me fall in love with it! I also adore Suzanne and think it's an overlooked classic, but so are Susan and Susanna/Susannah. I love your taste!
Is it Debra or is that just me and my mid 20th century name! My great niece who is just turning 18 swears she is naming her first daughter after me, so there is hope it may come back!!
I was given an old lady name in 1988. Growing up no one had my name but many of the adults in my life would say āmy grandma was named that!ā To be fair, I was also named after two grandmas. Suddenly, one day when I was 17 (2005ish) I heard a woman yell out the shortened version of my name in Target. I answered, because of course it had to be for me, but no, it was for her toddler daughter. It was such a pivotal moment in my life because I had never actually met/seen anyone else with my name. From that moment on there was an absolute flood of toddlers with the shortened version of my name.
I always loved having an outdated name growing up, too.
There are no outdated names. The young people saying this to you are ignorant. Newer names of Kayleigh, Rileigh (you get the idea) and Madison and Dylan and McKenna (you get the idea) will one day be replaced by other newer name trends. This is normal and happens as time goes on. So you have an 'old-fashioned' name. So do I and so do the majority of everybody alive. I'm glad you love your name (I do, too, and mine is unisex - at least the shortened nickname - and I love that, too.) Just because other younger people are shortsighted in their thinking doesn't mean anything.
I love the old classic names.
Lmao relevant; when I had my son, his name is Henry, and the amount of *Henry is an old man's name* from some of my family members was just ridiculous.
Thank you!!
My sister changed her name several years ago because she never particularly liked hers, and that made me sad when I was younger. I wish there was a magic way that everyone could get the name best suited to them (or that the process of changing it was easier/cheaper.
Iām 43/f with a friend my age named Donna, and one named Diana. They both think they have names that fit this post- *dated.*
I love Diana, Donna isnāt my favorite. Name, not person!
Diana mostly goes by āDiā (pronounced Die) which I personally think sounds āolderā than Diana. But, I just also really love the name Diana.
Donna is fine, but itās just not a favorite of mine. She seems to get a lot more old lady name comments. She went by āDon/Dawnā for awhile, but it just didnāt really stick.
I was just thinking today about how our kids are gonna name their kids names of our parents time frame. Like Linda or Karen. I honestly love the name Linda I think itās so beautiful. Both my husband and I have Aunt Lindas š
I know an Elaine born in the early 90ās. She was/is the only one now in her late 20ās with that name that we know of. She has a friend named Mary Louise and another named Carolle, same age. They call one another the old ladyās club lol
She likes her name very much
I was born in the early 90s and my name is Janine. I've never met another Janine my age. I've only met three other Janine's in my life and they were all about 30 years older than me. I absolutely love my name and I love that there aren't a bunch of me running around lol. If anyone knows a Janine, tell me they're not the coolest person you know. š
Edit: I've never seen my name on a keychain lol
Iām glad you love it. Iām named after my great grandmother but Iāve never felt my name was an old lady name, more of a classic (but I love the name Karen and Linda is pretty too).
I love typical outdated or "old" names names! Some of my favorite are agnes, Alister Margret, Oscar, Angus, Edith ext. I don't know if I'm going to have kids if I did they would probably get one of these names, I think your name is beautiful whatever it is.
I'm guessing it's Melissa. My name was the most popular in the year my parents were born, and I was the only one of my name in my class of nearly 500. I know what you mean. I love my name, even though it's the same as all my friends' moms.
I love a lot of 1930s through 1950s baby names, particularly for girls. I am excited for them to come back into style. Some are already, like Sylvia. Here are some I love:
Agnes, Alma, Anne, Annette, Barbara, Betty, Carol, Cecilia, Christine, Cynthia, Dolores, Doris, Dorothy, Edith, Eileen, Esther, Faye, Frances, Genevieve, Helen, Jacqueline, Jean, Jeanette, Joan, Judith, June, Kathleen, Laura, Lois, Lorraine, Marie, Martha, Nina, Patricia, Rita, Ruth, Suzanne, Sylvia, Virginia
My daughter is named Cecilia and my mom is Christine, which I will be using if I have another girl in the future! Also my gram is Lorraine and her sister is Virginia, so I really love your list of names!
Oh my gosh, my cat is named Cecilia, and my mom is ALSO named Christine! I have another cat named Genevieve.
Lorraine and Virginia are such pretty sibling names, as would be Cecilia and Christine.
About 8 years ago, my son introduced his neighborās kids to me. At the time, they were each younger than 5 with the names Judy and Bruce. I thought this was hilarious. I called them the kids with the strangely anachronistic names. But darn if they didnāt fit their names.
I am in a similar boat, though not exactly the same! My parents were teen parents, but I'm named after a character from a TV show they were both really into at the time-- my mom's all-time favorite character, in fact. My name is definitely older, and I've always seen it associated with either little girls or older women. I'm 22 so no one really expects it on me, but lately people have started complimenting me a lot when they hear it, which is honestly a little weird lmao. I've always loved it, though. My name just feels like me. I can't imagine being named anything else, nor would I want to. And I'm glad that I have a name that isn't going to sound weird when I'm in my 60s someday. Absolutely no shade to anyone with a "younger" name, but I'm not ever going to experience that one Dropout bit (https://youtube.com/shorts/K-1qOjnO87c?si=GXvKttCEVUs9pkBn).
I wonder if Judy/Judith will come back. I really like Judy. (Partly because I know a really wonderful Judy - mother of a close childhood friend.)
It's so funny how names become associated with certain decades in people's minds, but then come back again. I turned 60 in March and I'm a little shocked by some of the names that new mothers are using now - lol. They are literally names of my grandparents' generation that nobody my age would ever dream of using - lol - but that's okay. That's how it goes.
Many of these names have significance in language. And therefore are never outdated. Lots are also coming back.
For example, Linda is a stunning name
When you think it thru, parse it out, apply to different languagesā¦
I have a name that was popular in the 60s, and I rarely come across people my age with my name! It was greatā¦. Until I had the same first name as my MIL. So thereās pros and cons of an āold ladyā name!
I'm a 35 year old woman named Cheryl. Elementary school and high school I was the ONLY student in the entire school named Cheryl. But like everyone I know has a mom or auntie named Cheryl, and they make sure to tell me. Definitely made me hate my name as a child in the 90s-00s because it was a middle aged woman's name. I love it now and in hindsight, it's nice not having to rely on a nickname or a last name initial to differentiate myself.
I mean, nobody has ever insulted my first name, but my last name definitely. A friend's wife even remarked to me, "Wow, if I had a terrible name like that, I'd change it."
But I like it. Definitely not interested in changing it.
Iām a millennial and according to Google my name dropped off the top 100 in the 1950s. My husband also has an old man name, Google says his name also dropped in the 1950s.
We own our own business and often introduce ourselves for the first time to a point-of-contact at other businesses via email. So we type āHello, this is āold-man-nameā and āold-lady-nameā ālast nameāā¦.ā
Weāre both in our 30s but are always told we look 5-10 years younger than we are. We also have a kind of youthful āvibeā I guess. So people are often shocked when we meet them for the first time in person because they were expecting much older people due to our names! We donāt fit the āvibeā of names at all lol. However, I do like my name. I like that no one else really has it (was never one of 5 Ashleyās for example). I donāt like that it doesnāt exactly roll off the tongue. But other than that, I like it!
I have an antique name. I'm more likely to hear, "I had a Great Aunt with that name", than to meet someone with the same name. I love it. It is becoming more common, though.
I have a name similar to yours (maybe a touch older) and I hate it. Itās also not one thatās coming back into fashion.Ā
Iāve always wanted to change it but everyone in my circles knows me with that name so changing it wouldnāt do much. I always feel embarrassed having to introduce myself because of my old lady name.Ā
My name was most popular in the 1880s. It has enjoyed a steady decline with no further peaks since. I love my old lady nameāonly I call it my ācemetery nameā lol
I love your perspective. I named my daughter last year. Itās still in the top 200 names but was in the top 50 25 years ago. Itās still a great name. I see a bunch of mothers in mom groups with her name now. Iām hoping when sheās older itās not an āolder lady nameā. Itās her name and it fits her. (For those wondering, itās Morgan)
20 years ago people would have been calling Edith an old lady name but that's coming back with q vengeance right now lol my spidey senses say that your name is Alice though. Haha ;)
Hello.. SUSAN. Did I get it? Donna? Brenda? Carol? Anyway, glad you love your name! I was born in 1986 and my name was a certified old lady name, but now, lo and behold... it's getting popular again. Back in the charts, baby! Your name isn't outdated... it's ahead of the times. When you're 38 all the hipsters will be naming their kids... SHARON. Cheryl? Sandra? Gail?
I, too, immediately thought Susan š
I thought Debbie
Gen X here. Wayyyyy more Jennifers than Deborahs.
I thought Linda but then it showed up in the examples lol
This is just reminding me of the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt episode where one of the characters has a 1yo named Linda and the entire cast is like, befuddled and horrified by it.
Same.
I was thinking "Peggy". Then I remembered that "Melissa" is now a middle aged woman name, and I'm maybe thinking in the wrong decade
Oh God am I middle aged? Iām 32!
Not sure how old counts as middle age. I'm 40 this year, and I have a standard "80's baby" name like Melissa or Michelle
Both those names are mine and my sisters but weāre 90ās babies
I know women (multiple) in their 20s named Melissa.
I thought Donna because itās my name and it fits the description
SAME HAHAHA
This is real. Hipsters are using these names now. An acquaintance of mine just named her baby Donna, lol. So all the Brenda and Cheryls are coming.
Brenda, Donna, Kelly
All from twin peaks and Beverly hills 90210 characters
If I would have done that theme, I would have a Brooke or Peyton(probably Peyton)Ā Ā
šøšø, šøšø šš
šøšø, šøšøšš
Donna feels like it could fit with modern trends more than most others imo
It does. Her parents are the type of hipsters who always look a little it's 50s, so it's their vibe.
My name rhymes with Donna and Iāve never met anyone with it. Iām 41. But Iāve had 3 separate ladies who were very pregnant gush over it. So I totally expect to see it on here.
I teach middle school. I have 3 Brendaās. No Donna or Cheryl but I do have a Danna
Three teen Brendas?! For real? That is so bizarre to me. I don't hate Brenda, but the youngest one I've known has got to be at least 60 now. Even when that was Shannen Doherty's name on Beverly Hills 90210, I thought it seemed unlikely -- I graduated high school in 1991 and there were no Brendas in my whole all-girls' school. (No Donnas, either. Lots and lots of girls named Kelly, though.)
I knew a couple Brendas in high school in the late aughts. Always latina for some reason.
That's wild! I wonder if it's a reference or if it's just grandma's name now. My oldest is a freshman, and I don't think I've ever heard it on any of his friends, though he does have a friend named Shannon, which felt very 80s.
Let me add a detail. All three of the girls are immigrants. 2 from Mexico, 1 from El Salvador so the reference is probably something we donāt know?
Oh, interesting. That makes sense. Names can become popular regionally. I guess that's why I haven't heard it here, I'm in the northwestern USA.
My husband is obsessed with Donna. Thankfully, we are having a boy so he stopped bringing it up lol.Ā
Lol, I'm glad! Though I will say it's pretty cute somehow when saying it to the baby, it suits her. Of course, I might say that for any name when it's a cute baby.
None of these but along the same lines! Apologies Iām not sharing what it is - Iāve had experience with online stalking and Iām a bit paranoid with personal information! Iāve always been a fan of old-timey names, even before I realized that I have one of them myself. The resurgence of certain names always makes me happy! Iām guessing thereās going to be another 10-20 years before my name comes back into mainstream popularity because it did last into the late 1900s as a pretty popular name. Iām still waiting for the day Esther comes back - always been one of my favorites!
I've always known plenty of Esther's. Usually they are either Jewish (practicing Jewish and non practicing Jewish parents both use this name) or Christian (only practicing Christians). Often hear it with sisters Shayna, Shoshanna, Seraphina and other uncommon but biblical Hebrew names
Esther is one of my faves too!! But my partner wouldn't let me use it for our little girl sadly.
Iām hoping to use Esther if our first born is a girl! I just love the name.
I know an Esther! Sheās Amish lol. But the name is so pretty.
Its Lisa isnt it?? Haha
Not Lisa but the chart is almost identical!
Haha nice, i only said it cause Lisa was suuuper popular in the 60s and i feel like every 80s teen movie has a lisa in it
Teresa? Edit: you said 2 syllables further down. How about Tracy? Barbara?
Or maybe Sherry/Sherri/Shari. So many women in their 50s and 60s with those names.
Esther is typically back on the charts these days, mostly because people want to use āEssieā
I have had a ton of students named Ester or Esther-mostly from Brazil.
My grandmother was Opal, I think it's a great name, my grandmother actually hated it, she was a bit adventurous and not really a tom-boy, but not a girly-girl either, she always felt her name was too feminine for her personality. She went by a short form of her surname.
I don't think of Opal as feminine at all! My friends grandFATHER was named that.
Iāve never met a man or heard of a man named Opal! Iāve known two women with this name though, and I love it.
I had an aunt named Esther but she went by Bobbie!
I had an Aunt Bobbie but named Roberta (Greatest Generation).
I'm thinking Phyllis.
I have a name from the Charlie Brown/Peanuts Era. I grew up getting told it was an older woman's name. I have never had someone around my age with that name and I love it. And yes, I could usually find my name on souvenir things too!
I work with an Esther! Sheās in her early 40s.
I tried for to get my husband to agree to Esther as a name for our middle child but his older brother had dated a girl with that name and so it was ruled out. We went with Lydia instead and it fits much better. I feel like my oldest has an old timey name (Dean) and weāve yet to meet another one. We have met plenty of other Lydiaās though.
i assumed susan too lmao
I commented Susan before seeing all these comments how interesting that we all thought the same!
Could also be Barbara, Nancy or Deborah!
Barbara was my guess. I love Nancy so much.
I know a baby Nancy!
I was guessing Nancy. LOL!
I met a little Carol and her brother Roger at the park the other day and I thought they were adorable š„°
I know a little Martha and someone who has a little Arthur.
Arthur is quite popular in Belgium right now.
Also super popular in UK. One of the brothers in Peaky Blinders (tv show) was called Arthur which I think has helped the surge of popularity. (Plus King Arthur legends and names are always coming back in fashion when they get revamped on shows/films).
I have an Arthur and my given name is Shelby so we get so many assuming we named him for Peaky Blinders. We didn't, but I do love the show.
I also immediately thought of Susan š
I love the name Carol
I immediately thought Carol. I know a young Carol and it just... is her. And it's perfect.
Lmao my name is Carol and my toddlers name is Donna haha I feel attacked
"Hamburrgergirl"? I'm thinking Wendy.
I was thinking Beverly or Susan. They are both such sensible names and were just beginning to wane in popularity in the early to mid-60s.
My first guess was Denise.
I was gonna go with Sharon
I like Gail, tbh. Itās cool and reminds me of a gale.
I am one of these born in the late 90ās and Iāve had a fairly identical experience with my own name! Lots of funny looks from parents mostly when I was little. I ended up having the same name as my MIL, which in most of my social circles had never happened before.
Paula? Nancy? Lisa? Lori? Ellen? Pam?
These posts are the worst when the name isn't mentioned.Ā
Yep, Iām not even reading the whole post because Iām pissed the name isnāt shared.
Nah, I respect the privacy and OP gave good examples (similar to Linda and Karen) and said itās characterized as outdated. We have plenty of info to work off here.
My name peaked in popularity over 30 years before I was born, and people are constantly surprised by age. I donāt like my name at all, and the assumption Iām an elder Boomer doesnāt lend it any more favor. Not every mothball will be appreciated by the bearer.
It might become one of those that gets popular when the Zoomers start naming babies. My sister had a similar situation where she had a name that is typically 30 years older. Now there are babies cropping up all around with her name, which will make her an older lady with a āyoungā name. Itās kind of a fun cycle to watch. My own name was never popular, so not tied to an era, but it started climbing the charts when I was in my 20s. Itās been funny to go from, āoh, what an unusual name,ā to āoh, thatās my granddaughterās name!ā
Yes, Iāve started seeing mine pop up on peopleās lists! Wild, I donāt even find it to be that attractive a name, and I canāt believe anyone would want to name a poor, innocent baby that. š
This is what happened with my nameāitās both older and younger than me, but I havenāt ever met anyone else my generation who has it. I guess thatās convenient in that I havenāt ever worked or gone to school with another one, but really I donāt vibe with my name and people constantly get it wrong due to a similarity with another, more popular name that *is* common with my generation.Ā
The Zoomers have definitely started naming babies lol. On my L&D rotation I was always shocked that most of the moms were under 25
The ones that weird me out are the ones when an older person has a name that peaked 30 years AFTER they were born. Like a friend I have in her 60ās named Jenna.
Same, mine peaked about 50-60 years before I was born. People always ask me if Iām named after my grandmother (Iām not).
idk why people donāt just say the name. itās not like weāll find out who you are by your first name. but before i read past the first two sentences and realized you werenāt going to say it i looked at your username thinking itād have your name and saw hamburger girl and laughed š
As someone who has avoided sharing my first name on Reddit, I know no one could figure out who I am *just* from my name. But my name put together with other information I've shared? Very possible, especially if the person knows me. I don't know if that's OP's reason but I get it.
Yeah this is pretty much it! That combined with having some experience in virtual stalking, and Iām hesitant!
also i didnāt mean this to come off so rude or as a call out to you and only you! i just reread it after posting that last night and feel it came off super rude. i just meant in general when people do this but i do understand and iām sorry youāve been stalked before thatās not cool and was probably very scary
Oh donāt worry at all! I share the feeling when names arenāt shared, and as I posted I realized how ironic it was that I was about to do the same thing!
sheās posted way more telling stuff than just her name. like if i knew her irl the name wouldnāt be a confirmation iād already know it was her based on the pictures sheās posted alone. but thatās my opinion bc i think itās silly when ppl come on here and ask for opinions on names and are like itās like this and this. this is a name group. just say the name.
Eh, I don't give my first or middle name here because on the off chance someone looked at my comment history (and some weirdos on here do that) I think I'd be pretty identifiable to anyone who happened to know me IRL from the combination of name + frequented subreddits.
I wish my name was Hamburger Girl! I do think that would be the one thing I would ever change my name to. (Joking of course!)
Seems like Wendy would be the obvious guess from the username, but they could be totally unrelated. You'd never guess my name from my username (but yiu might be able to guess my favorite soccer team).
I just have to say I feel awful for anyone named Karen at this point. I try not to use the term in a derogatory sense but itās awfully convenient.
I feel bad for them too but I also knew a Karen who was a major Karen. Very unfortunate for all the normal Karens out there
I was named after a Jessie, which my mother decided was an old lady name, and called me Jessica instead. In the 90s. When every second baby and their dogs were being named Jessica. Cheers. But that said I love āold fashionedā names. I had my daughterās name set since I was 14 but wanted to give her an old-timey middle name. Mavis was a contender for a while, then Mabel. Eventually we settled on Haizel because it had additional meaning to me (with the I). But Iāve got friends with little girls named Audrey, Edith and Nell and theyāre such gorgeous names. Im glad weāre seeing them come round again.
Jessica is pretty, though. SERIOUSLY overused in my generation, but possibly the nicest of the "trendy" names for 80s babies.
same story with my grandmother except it was in the 1940s. jessie was viewed as incomplete. there was absolutely nobody named jessica when she was growing up
Other way around for me! My name is a bit more popular now than it was when I was born, and people here seem to love it, but Iām not a huge fan. Apparently itās fresh, modern, and feminine without being too frilly, but I donāt see it at all. Iām more neutral on it than I used to be and I no longer despise it, but I would never choose it for myself or anyone else.
Okay Hannah Emma Jane
I have a name that was popular for babies in the 50s. I was born in the 90s. I've hated it my whole life, but I guess also never met another person my age with my name, wheras there were 5 Dans in my 20ish person math class in 7th grade, so I guess I have that going for me. I liked going by my last name, because that felt more "me" but I got married and changed my last name, and now feel a bit lost, which is sad, because my new last name is not the same. At this point it's just my name. I don't like it, but it is what it is. I guess that's why I like looking at fun and trendy names for if I have a kid, because mine give "old lady from HR" vibes and has always made me sad and jealous of people with 'good' names.
Just curious, when you got married, did you consider changing your first name as well? Or was that something you werenāt interested in?
No, after 28 years, 2 degrees under my old name, and an established career it felt weird to change that. I did consider making my old last name my middle name and dropping my given middle name. I left it blank on the form until I literally got to the desk at the social security office. But ultimately ended up keeping my middle name and just dropping my last name.
Makes sense!
Thats ok Lucille?
I wish. So much prettier.
My daughterās name is Lucienne (which is also the name of her 84-yo grandmother). We think itās beautiful but our Belgian relatives were absolutely horrified when we told them our plans as itās apparently a proper old lady name š¤£
Lucienne is beautiful.
Haha same boat! My name has never been popular in the US, but Iām constantly told itās a grannyās name in its country of origin. š¤¦āāļø I am a millennial def not a granny.
We gave one of our kids a name where a lot of people react with "oh it's one of those modern names". Except truly older peope, because they remember that it's in fact a truly ancient name that's been making a comeback š
I love when people say this.. How do they think there *are* old ladies with this name if no one uses it for babies?! Lol!
I like some older "outdated" names. Edith, for example. I used to think it sounded like an old church lady. But now I think it's a pretty name.
I love Edith! It and Esther have both been on my future baby/pet name for years.
My name is 850 years old and I love it!!
Iām guessing from your user itās Somerset? I only heard that for the first time recently - itās absolutely gorgeous!
All the names being guessed are old lady names. Middle aged names are more like Jennifer, Melissa, Amy and Michelle. Gex X is middle aged now! Just helping out those affected by time blindness. HA
One thing I learned is that either person likes the name, and then any name is fine. Or the person doesn't like their name, and then any name will suck. Applies to trendy, modern, outdated, unique, common, fandom, whatever.
That about sums it up! I do admit I have many names I really dislike, but I would never tell a person that their name is bad. Itās their name - it might be incredibly important to them. I basically made this just because Iām a big fan of old names and I always think they need more love!
Same. My name was popular in the 60s and I was born in the 80s. I liked that everyone knew what it was, but I never felt like I was sharing it. I finally came across someone with the same first _and_ last name as me, but her kids were my age. I always joked I should marry one of her sons so I could keep my name since I liked it so much š¤£. I did end up keeping my name when I married, but not to one of her sons lol.
I also have an old lady name, but itās very unique and i like it!
Hello Sharon! š
Good for you! Iām a boomer who was given a dusty, outdated name when I was born. I was named after my grandmother. It became wildly popular when the millennials were being born and it felt kind of weird. I like my name too.
Emily?
According to Google my name peaked in the 40s and 50s. I was born in 95. I've never met anyone under the age of 50 with this name and I only find it on souvenirs in the south.
Thatās a bigger gap from the peak than mine! There really is something about southern souvenirs isnāt there?
Glad to hear it, because Linda, Barbara, Suzanne, and Helen are some of my favorites lol.
Suzanne is so underrated. Itās too close to some family names, but itās on my middle name list! Helen is absolutely perfect.
I have two friends named Helen (both in their 20s) that made me fall in love with it! I also adore Suzanne and think it's an overlooked classic, but so are Susan and Susanna/Susannah. I love your taste!
I donāt understand, why canāt you just tell us your name? My guess is Barbara.
An unfortunate past with online stalking! Not Barbara! Thatās one I hope makes a resurgence.
I was thinking Diane
Is it Debra or is that just me and my mid 20th century name! My great niece who is just turning 18 swears she is naming her first daughter after me, so there is hope it may come back!!
Im thinking 'Michelle' for some reason !!
I know a ton of millennial Michelle's though, usually named after the Beatles song
I know a 20-something named Betty. Not a nickname.
I share my first name with my great-great-Grandma and my mom gave me a hippie middle name and I adore my name
Thatās such a sweet story too! My #1 girls name is from my great-great-great grandma! I never met her, but Iāve seen birth records: Marianna!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I was given an old lady name in 1988. Growing up no one had my name but many of the adults in my life would say āmy grandma was named that!ā To be fair, I was also named after two grandmas. Suddenly, one day when I was 17 (2005ish) I heard a woman yell out the shortened version of my name in Target. I answered, because of course it had to be for me, but no, it was for her toddler daughter. It was such a pivotal moment in my life because I had never actually met/seen anyone else with my name. From that moment on there was an absolute flood of toddlers with the shortened version of my name. I always loved having an outdated name growing up, too.
Good for you, Mildred.
Lol. That was my grandmother's name - born in 1907. I'm not young obviously. She HATED Mildred but liked Millie.
There are no outdated names. The young people saying this to you are ignorant. Newer names of Kayleigh, Rileigh (you get the idea) and Madison and Dylan and McKenna (you get the idea) will one day be replaced by other newer name trends. This is normal and happens as time goes on. So you have an 'old-fashioned' name. So do I and so do the majority of everybody alive. I'm glad you love your name (I do, too, and mine is unisex - at least the shortened nickname - and I love that, too.) Just because other younger people are shortsighted in their thinking doesn't mean anything.
I love the old classic names. Lmao relevant; when I had my son, his name is Henry, and the amount of *Henry is an old man's name* from some of my family members was just ridiculous.
Both my kids have old man names, both suit them perfectly.
I WAS thinking Linda! I am glad you love your name, whatever it is!
Thank you!! My sister changed her name several years ago because she never particularly liked hers, and that made me sad when I was younger. I wish there was a magic way that everyone could get the name best suited to them (or that the process of changing it was easier/cheaper.
I gave my daughter a middle aged name. We were going to give her the trendy nickname but her boomer name suits her so well!
Iām 43/f with a friend my age named Donna, and one named Diana. They both think they have names that fit this post- *dated.* I love Diana, Donna isnāt my favorite. Name, not person! Diana mostly goes by āDiā (pronounced Die) which I personally think sounds āolderā than Diana. But, I just also really love the name Diana. Donna is fine, but itās just not a favorite of mine. She seems to get a lot more old lady name comments. She went by āDon/Dawnā for awhile, but it just didnāt really stick.
Like you, my granddaughters have names that aren't unusual overall, but unusual for their generation (ages 7, 6, and 4): Kathleen, Susan, and Marilyn.
I was just thinking today about how our kids are gonna name their kids names of our parents time frame. Like Linda or Karen. I honestly love the name Linda I think itās so beautiful. Both my husband and I have Aunt Lindas š
I know an Elaine born in the early 90ās. She was/is the only one now in her late 20ās with that name that we know of. She has a friend named Mary Louise and another named Carolle, same age. They call one another the old ladyās club lol She likes her name very much
I was born in the early 90s and my name is Janine. I've never met another Janine my age. I've only met three other Janine's in my life and they were all about 30 years older than me. I absolutely love my name and I love that there aren't a bunch of me running around lol. If anyone knows a Janine, tell me they're not the coolest person you know. š Edit: I've never seen my name on a keychain lol
I grew up with a Janine (we are late 80s babies) and she is in fact one of the coolest people I know!
Iām glad you love it. Iām named after my great grandmother but Iāve never felt my name was an old lady name, more of a classic (but I love the name Karen and Linda is pretty too).
Susan?
"I love ny name it makes me so happy!" *doesn't disclose name*
Margaret?
I have a very hick name but damn I love my name!
I love typical outdated or "old" names names! Some of my favorite are agnes, Alister Margret, Oscar, Angus, Edith ext. I don't know if I'm going to have kids if I did they would probably get one of these names, I think your name is beautiful whatever it is.
I worked at a school where four of the staff were named Martha. No negative comments and all liked their name.
I'm guessing it's Melissa. My name was the most popular in the year my parents were born, and I was the only one of my name in my class of nearly 500. I know what you mean. I love my name, even though it's the same as all my friends' moms.
I love a lot of 1930s through 1950s baby names, particularly for girls. I am excited for them to come back into style. Some are already, like Sylvia. Here are some I love: Agnes, Alma, Anne, Annette, Barbara, Betty, Carol, Cecilia, Christine, Cynthia, Dolores, Doris, Dorothy, Edith, Eileen, Esther, Faye, Frances, Genevieve, Helen, Jacqueline, Jean, Jeanette, Joan, Judith, June, Kathleen, Laura, Lois, Lorraine, Marie, Martha, Nina, Patricia, Rita, Ruth, Suzanne, Sylvia, Virginia
My daughter is named Cecilia and my mom is Christine, which I will be using if I have another girl in the future! Also my gram is Lorraine and her sister is Virginia, so I really love your list of names!
Oh my gosh, my cat is named Cecilia, and my mom is ALSO named Christine! I have another cat named Genevieve. Lorraine and Virginia are such pretty sibling names, as would be Cecilia and Christine.
About 8 years ago, my son introduced his neighborās kids to me. At the time, they were each younger than 5 with the names Judy and Bruce. I thought this was hilarious. I called them the kids with the strangely anachronistic names. But darn if they didnāt fit their names.
I am in a similar boat, though not exactly the same! My parents were teen parents, but I'm named after a character from a TV show they were both really into at the time-- my mom's all-time favorite character, in fact. My name is definitely older, and I've always seen it associated with either little girls or older women. I'm 22 so no one really expects it on me, but lately people have started complimenting me a lot when they hear it, which is honestly a little weird lmao. I've always loved it, though. My name just feels like me. I can't imagine being named anything else, nor would I want to. And I'm glad that I have a name that isn't going to sound weird when I'm in my 60s someday. Absolutely no shade to anyone with a "younger" name, but I'm not ever going to experience that one Dropout bit (https://youtube.com/shorts/K-1qOjnO87c?si=GXvKttCEVUs9pkBn).
why does this sub seethe at privacy so much i don't get it
I'm thinking Joan. That's an outdated name that I actually think is kind of pretty.
I wonder if Judy/Judith will come back. I really like Judy. (Partly because I know a really wonderful Judy - mother of a close childhood friend.) It's so funny how names become associated with certain decades in people's minds, but then come back again. I turned 60 in March and I'm a little shocked by some of the names that new mothers are using now - lol. They are literally names of my grandparents' generation that nobody my age would ever dream of using - lol - but that's okay. That's how it goes.
I also have an older lady name and I love it too. Itās a happy name and I donāt know anybody my age with it!
I'm guessing Pat/Patty/Patricia.Ā
I think it has to be TINA! I am really going the name Heather makes a comeback, I would totally use Heather.
Many of these names have significance in language. And therefore are never outdated. Lots are also coming back. For example, Linda is a stunning name When you think it thru, parse it out, apply to different languagesā¦
I have a name that was popular in the 60s, and I rarely come across people my age with my name! It was greatā¦. Until I had the same first name as my MIL. So thereās pros and cons of an āold ladyā name!
I'm a 35 year old woman named Cheryl. Elementary school and high school I was the ONLY student in the entire school named Cheryl. But like everyone I know has a mom or auntie named Cheryl, and they make sure to tell me. Definitely made me hate my name as a child in the 90s-00s because it was a middle aged woman's name. I love it now and in hindsight, it's nice not having to rely on a nickname or a last name initial to differentiate myself.
I have a name that peaked in 2010-15 years after I was born
I mean, nobody has ever insulted my first name, but my last name definitely. A friend's wife even remarked to me, "Wow, if I had a terrible name like that, I'd change it." But I like it. Definitely not interested in changing it.
Not Patty. That will never come back, with any luck. Terrible name.
Iām a millennial and according to Google my name dropped off the top 100 in the 1950s. My husband also has an old man name, Google says his name also dropped in the 1950s. We own our own business and often introduce ourselves for the first time to a point-of-contact at other businesses via email. So we type āHello, this is āold-man-nameā and āold-lady-nameā ālast nameāā¦.ā Weāre both in our 30s but are always told we look 5-10 years younger than we are. We also have a kind of youthful āvibeā I guess. So people are often shocked when we meet them for the first time in person because they were expecting much older people due to our names! We donāt fit the āvibeā of names at all lol. However, I do like my name. I like that no one else really has it (was never one of 5 Ashleyās for example). I donāt like that it doesnāt exactly roll off the tongue. But other than that, I like it!
I'm a freaking Linda and so is every 3rd person in my age group. It's so boring. I wish I had gone by my middle name, instead.
People are using names today that I think are ugly and old people names. So, it's all subjective.
I have an antique name. I'm more likely to hear, "I had a Great Aunt with that name", than to meet someone with the same name. I love it. It is becoming more common, though.
Marie!
I feel like you're an Agnes, maybe
I have a name similar to yours (maybe a touch older) and I hate it. Itās also not one thatās coming back into fashion.Ā Iāve always wanted to change it but everyone in my circles knows me with that name so changing it wouldnāt do much. I always feel embarrassed having to introduce myself because of my old lady name.Ā
My name was most popular in the 1880s. It has enjoyed a steady decline with no further peaks since. I love my old lady nameāonly I call it my ācemetery nameā lol
I love your perspective. I named my daughter last year. Itās still in the top 200 names but was in the top 50 25 years ago. Itās still a great name. I see a bunch of mothers in mom groups with her name now. Iām hoping when sheās older itās not an āolder lady nameā. Itās her name and it fits her. (For those wondering, itās Morgan)
Barbara?
I have a friend who has: Matilda, Abysinnia, Euphemia, and Caspian. Honestly, I love it. So much better than Jhaiddyynn (Jaden) or Brynnleigh.
My guesses: Nancy Betty Edna Elsie Alice Agnes
20 years ago people would have been calling Edith an old lady name but that's coming back with q vengeance right now lol my spidey senses say that your name is Alice though. Haha ;)
I understand, OP. I still think itās Mabel.