New Post
Search
HelpDated names
Do you think using a dated name is always best avoided? All names (except for true classics) will be dated at some point, and sometimes names come back in style (like Walter and Emma). Who's to say that, for example, Gladys or Harvey won't do the same thing?
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
I don't like dated names and the only way I would consider one is if I were naming the baby after someone and there was a good nickname I could use.
1
No I think after a while dated names become fresh again. Right now names that were popular from around 1905 - 1925 are seeing a revival. That's basically my grandparents era since they were born in 1919, 1922, 1927, and 1928. About 20 years ago names popular when my great-grandparents were born in the 1880's and 1890's were seeing a revival. It seems that around 100 years needs to pass for most dated names to become fresh again.
I want to add that very few boy's names become dated compared to girl's names, more boy's names have stayed popular.
---------
I want to add that very few boy's names become dated compared to girl's names, more boy's names have stayed popular.
---------
This message was edited 10/17/2017, 4:34 AM
1
Well Harvey is quite popular here now..
I used 3 dated names for my daughter.. one of which is probably described as the most hideous old dated name of all time (Hilda). I love it, and I would have used it as her first name if my grandmother (Hilda) hadn't hated her name so much.
Names come in cycles, whats dated now might be back in 20 years. You can't pick it.
My great-great-aunts name was Isobel and my younger cousin was named Isabella, my grandmother thought it was such an old dated name.. now theres like 4 in her year at high school!
My vote is go with what you like because you never know what will happen.
I used 3 dated names for my daughter.. one of which is probably described as the most hideous old dated name of all time (Hilda). I love it, and I would have used it as her first name if my grandmother (Hilda) hadn't hated her name so much.
Names come in cycles, whats dated now might be back in 20 years. You can't pick it.
My great-great-aunts name was Isobel and my younger cousin was named Isabella, my grandmother thought it was such an old dated name.. now theres like 4 in her year at high school!
My vote is go with what you like because you never know what will happen.
1
I don't think your daughter's names are dated at all, at least not here in the US.
1
My impression of Norwegian name trends right now is that it is quite popular to choose names that actually are quite dated. I know young children named Inga, Lars, Olaf (he is a bit older than Frozen), Håvard (almost like Howard in English), Amund, Sigrid, and the list can go on. Some choose to name after a relative in their family tree, and others just likes the good, old Norwegian names. But I feel that the trend is blooming more and more, choosing names from our grandparents and great grandparents for our children instead of some fancy names from outside of Scandinavia.
1
Not *all* dated names are bad. Going from your OP, I actually quite like Gladys (not a big fan of Harvey, though), and could see it returning - along with a lot of the other names we associate with the 1920s and 30s: Joan, Dorothy, Irene... heck, Evelyn and Lillian have already made huge comebacks! (I also think "datedness" affects feminine names more than masculine ones, since the latter appear less given to popularity trends - more boys might be named after relatives than girls.)
The main era to avoid, I believe, is the baby's grandparents' era. For instance, I wouldn't name my daughter Terri (my mom's name), Cheryl (my aunt's name), Jennifer (my aunt's name - but also common in my generation), Cynthia "Cindy" (my godmother's name), Nancy (no matter how much I love Nancy Drew), Donna, Sharon, Patricia... If I have a daughter, these names are going to be considered "old" when she's born, and I wouldn't want to do that to her.
Names from the parents' generation are also iffy. My personal big no-noes would be Ashley, Brittany, Jessica, Nicole, Stephanie, and Tiffany (do you know how many girls at school had those names?!?!). But sometimes they're still used - maybe to honor, maybe because the parents just like it - which is how names trend downward rather than dropping off the map entirely (and is also probably how Jennifer stuck around for so long - it *is* a nice name, there are just too many Jennifers).
Great-grandparents' generation, though, are where I think names start getting "safer." My own great-grandmothers were Rose, Theresa, Ida "Virginia" (went by her middle name), and Ethel. I can see all of those names coming back in the next decade or two.
The main era to avoid, I believe, is the baby's grandparents' era. For instance, I wouldn't name my daughter Terri (my mom's name), Cheryl (my aunt's name), Jennifer (my aunt's name - but also common in my generation), Cynthia "Cindy" (my godmother's name), Nancy (no matter how much I love Nancy Drew), Donna, Sharon, Patricia... If I have a daughter, these names are going to be considered "old" when she's born, and I wouldn't want to do that to her.
Names from the parents' generation are also iffy. My personal big no-noes would be Ashley, Brittany, Jessica, Nicole, Stephanie, and Tiffany (do you know how many girls at school had those names?!?!). But sometimes they're still used - maybe to honor, maybe because the parents just like it - which is how names trend downward rather than dropping off the map entirely (and is also probably how Jennifer stuck around for so long - it *is* a nice name, there are just too many Jennifers).
Great-grandparents' generation, though, are where I think names start getting "safer." My own great-grandmothers were Rose, Theresa, Ida "Virginia" (went by her middle name), and Ethel. I can see all of those names coming back in the next decade or two.
1
It depends on when your grandparents were born. I'm 30 years old but my grandparents were born in 1919, 1922, 1927, and 1928. I was the 1st grandchild to my maternal grandparents and I was the 2nd grandchild to my paternal grandparents. My mom was born in 1952 and my dad in 1955. My great grandparents were born in the 1880's, 1890's, and early 1900's. But as you were saying names from the 1920's are becoming popular again so in my case names from my grandparents era are no longer as dated and are "useable" again. Which might be what you were trying to say, I wasn't quite certain since you said babies great-grandparents but also said your great-grandparents and my future babies great-grandparents are my grandparents.
-----------
-----------
This message was edited 10/17/2017, 4:34 AM
1
I say if you like a name enough, it's safe to use. It might be good to give your kid name that's recognized as an average sounding name that wouldn't be overly common amongst their peers.
1
I don't think datedness by itself is a good reason to avoid using a name you like, any more so than the fact that a name is currently stylish isn't by itself a good reason to use it.
Even some classic names fall out of fashion. Mary is doing that now.
Even some classic names fall out of fashion. Mary is doing that now.
1
Agreed, and the case of Mary is really interesting because it's been consistently popular for over 2,000 years. All things must come to an end, it seems (but I hope it comes back in style again).
1
I think a dated name should be avoided, yes. Unlike most people here, I have a very dated name myself. What happens when you have a dated name is that people don't like it simply because it's dated. And I know why. I can't judge my own name, but I've had the "I don't like it" reaction to other dated names myself, without being able to come up with any concrete reason other than it's dated. It doesn't bother me because my name fits my age group, but I wouldn't want a teenage or young adult child of mine to get the same reaction to his or her name.
I always say avoid a popular name too, lol. The trick is to find a name that is neither dated nor popular. I tried to do that when I named my daughter. Tried and rather failed, because the name I chose was just beginning a rise to popularity, unbeknownst to me. But at least I tried.
I always say avoid a popular name too, lol. The trick is to find a name that is neither dated nor popular. I tried to do that when I named my daughter. Tried and rather failed, because the name I chose was just beginning a rise to popularity, unbeknownst to me. But at least I tried.
1
Odd thing is in my country my generation, and little bit before that, has for some odd reason collectively decided old names (dated for +40 years) are fine to use again. Names like Mees or Pleun were hardly ever heard of when I was a kid, but have suddenly been popping up all over the place again.
I agree on the second part. It's what I tried to do (and time will tell if I failed ;P). My mother had the same as you had. My brother, Stijn, had an uncommon name when he was born, but it rose fast in popularity after he was born and is still popular (#29). My mother never minded though, bc it wasn't that popular at the time of his birth. It would've bothered me, but she's fine with it. (I don't think he actually cares much either)
I agree on the second part. It's what I tried to do (and time will tell if I failed ;P). My mother had the same as you had. My brother, Stijn, had an uncommon name when he was born, but it rose fast in popularity after he was born and is still popular (#29). My mother never minded though, bc it wasn't that popular at the time of his birth. It would've bothered me, but she's fine with it. (I don't think he actually cares much either)
1
From what I've heard from other Dutch people, the trend seems less to be reviving names from 40 years ago than simply choosing short, "no-nonsense" names. One person told me that a lot of Frisian names are actually trending all throughout the Netherlands because they tend to be "short and sweet." Is this largely the sentiment?
1
Yup
We kinda followed the same trend. Dutch people tend to give short names of only one or two syllables long. Frisian names are indeed on the rise, but mainly the short Frisian names. It's also the nicknames of old that are used today. While it used to be Bartholomeus "Mees", the nickname/diminutive Mees is typically used as a full name nowadays.
Just look at the top 10 names for the first half of 2017:
Daan, Noah, Bram, Finn, Sem, Levi, Jesse, Milan, Luuk, Lucas
Emma, Tess, Julia, Sophie, Anna, Mila, Eva, Zoë, Evi, Sara
In both sexes combined only Julia has over two syllables, 6 names have only 1 syllable
Just compare it to US top 10 last year:
Noah, Liam, William, Mason, James, Benjamin, Jacob, Michael, Elijah, Ethan
Emma, Olivia, Ava, Sophia, Isabella, Mia, Charlotte, Abigail, Emily, Harper
8 names have 3 syllables, and only James has just 1.
I blame it on the down-to-earth-no-nonsense attitude of a lot of Dutch people. We typically don't bother with unnecessary frills.
We kinda followed the same trend. Dutch people tend to give short names of only one or two syllables long. Frisian names are indeed on the rise, but mainly the short Frisian names. It's also the nicknames of old that are used today. While it used to be Bartholomeus "Mees", the nickname/diminutive Mees is typically used as a full name nowadays.
Just look at the top 10 names for the first half of 2017:
Daan, Noah, Bram, Finn, Sem, Levi, Jesse, Milan, Luuk, Lucas
Emma, Tess, Julia, Sophie, Anna, Mila, Eva, Zoë, Evi, Sara
In both sexes combined only Julia has over two syllables, 6 names have only 1 syllable
Just compare it to US top 10 last year:
Noah, Liam, William, Mason, James, Benjamin, Jacob, Michael, Elijah, Ethan
Emma, Olivia, Ava, Sophia, Isabella, Mia, Charlotte, Abigail, Emily, Harper
8 names have 3 syllables, and only James has just 1.
I blame it on the down-to-earth-no-nonsense attitude of a lot of Dutch people. We typically don't bother with unnecessary frills.
This message was edited 10/16/2017, 11:52 AM
1
I like this philosophy. Short, sweet, and to the point. I wish it would become more popular here.
1
I get where you're coming from, people's attitudes can be ageist, especially when it comes to names. My name is also very dated, and it doesn't really bother me, but I can still see how some might not like it.
Picking an unpopular (but not dated) name, by the way, doesn't always avoid what you describe. My name wasn't very popular when I was born (late 80s). Five years *later* it became a huge trend, and stayed trendy for about 20 years. In 60 years it will be like Mildred or Ethel --old and fusty. I still love it because, well, it's mine, and it has meaning to me. And in 60 years I'll be old and fusty too.
The safest way to avoid the stigma of "dated" is to pick a classic. Names like Elizabeth, Stephen, Katherine, and Robert aren't going away any time soon.
Picking an unpopular (but not dated) name, by the way, doesn't always avoid what you describe. My name wasn't very popular when I was born (late 80s). Five years *later* it became a huge trend, and stayed trendy for about 20 years. In 60 years it will be like Mildred or Ethel --old and fusty. I still love it because, well, it's mine, and it has meaning to me. And in 60 years I'll be old and fusty too.
The safest way to avoid the stigma of "dated" is to pick a classic. Names like Elizabeth, Stephen, Katherine, and Robert aren't going away any time soon.
This message was edited 4/23/2018, 10:04 PM
1
Yes, that's what happened with my daughter's name. It wasn't all that popular when she was born, and hadn't been for the previous twenty years, and had only a minor vogue in the 1950s. It had never, at the time she was born, been a top 50 name in the US. But as I said, it was just beginning a rise to popularity the year she was born.
Regarding your statement about classic names, I thought her name, Victoria, was a classic that would never really go out of style, but then that was when it had not really ever been in style.
Regarding your statement about classic names, I thought her name, Victoria, was a classic that would never really go out of style, but then that was when it had not really ever been in style.
1
Victoria's been holding pretty steady for the past 30 years. It'll likely go out of style eventually, but I can't see it happening anytime soon.
1
Yeah, you followed the right strategy, but it just didn't work out for rareness. Victoria is still a beautiful name and honestly deserves to be popular. And it's been popular for long enough that it never will be truly "dated," even if it's less used in the future.
My name is Cayden, which really *was* rare for the year I was born (just outside the top 1,000). It, and similar sounding names, became a big trend in the 90s. I still like it and wouldn't change it, but it definitely is "dated" and will become an "old person's name" in 40 years or so. At least I'll be an old person then.
You can't predict future trends, and unfortunately that rare, beautiful name might not stay rare.
My name is Cayden, which really *was* rare for the year I was born (just outside the top 1,000). It, and similar sounding names, became a big trend in the 90s. I still like it and wouldn't change it, but it definitely is "dated" and will become an "old person's name" in 40 years or so. At least I'll be an old person then.
You can't predict future trends, and unfortunately that rare, beautiful name might not stay rare.
This message was edited 10/15/2017, 12:30 PM
1
I think Gladys and Harvey are usable.
I think the only times I'd avoid a name because of datedness are:
- when it's dated as a trendy-name from the 3 decades before the birth of a girl, and has fallen quite far out of style and doesn't look likely to come back soon. Like, I think this would be a bad year to name a girl Shelby, Crystal, Casey, Kelsey, Chelsea, Caitlin, or Breanna. Wait another 30 or 40 years.
- when it became unfashionable in conjunction with being associated with something felt to be suggestive, ridiculous, ugly etc, at least to the generation doing the naming (Dick, Fanny, Adolf, Gaylord, Dorcas ... maybe even names like Ronald, Bertha, Kermit, Patsy)
I think the only times I'd avoid a name because of datedness are:
- when it's dated as a trendy-name from the 3 decades before the birth of a girl, and has fallen quite far out of style and doesn't look likely to come back soon. Like, I think this would be a bad year to name a girl Shelby, Crystal, Casey, Kelsey, Chelsea, Caitlin, or Breanna. Wait another 30 or 40 years.
- when it became unfashionable in conjunction with being associated with something felt to be suggestive, ridiculous, ugly etc, at least to the generation doing the naming (Dick, Fanny, Adolf, Gaylord, Dorcas ... maybe even names like Ronald, Bertha, Kermit, Patsy)
This message was edited 10/15/2017, 12:18 AM
1
I'd agree with this for the most part. Some names (from the same time period), however, are more "dated" than others. I was born in the late 80s and grew up with several girls named Emma and Grace, even though these names were considered out of fashion then. They never fell out of the top 1000.
Beulah, on the other hand, would have stood out. So would Linda and Cheryl.
Beulah, on the other hand, would have stood out. So would Linda and Cheryl.
1