How do you define being Common !!!

What about names such as Sharon, Tracey. Wayne, Darren ?

That has reminded me. When my children were at school, one of them was friends with Stacey. Her siblings were Tracey, Jason and Nathan. It always made me smile

I remember when I was at school in the fifties, I had a friend whose name was Anastasia, she was usually called Stacey! Another was named Titania! Called Tania!
Thinking back must have been a weird school! Also a Jaquetta?

Yes, definitely a weird school, jenie! All my classmates in the 50s were called Margaret, Jean or Susan! (We did have a Rosemary - that was considered very exotic! )

Sorry, that should have been jeni without the e!

Mind you, that was the primary school. At Grammar school there was a greater variety of names, we had a Shelley, Thelma, Linsey, an Avril and even a Roxanne! Perhaps that was a social aspiration thing as well....?

Oh dear, now I definitely know that I`m (or I was) really common, because I was one of those women out shopping with rollers in my hair and a headscarf covering them! But it was a very "common" sight back then, I wasn`t the only one.
In my grandma`s opinion, women and girls using coloured nail varnish were no better than they should be, and as for varnished TOEnails, well!!

My daughter has several tattoos Ninnynanny, she is a good mother, an accomplished singer and a published author. I can assure you there is nothing common about her.

My DH and I have an infallible test - when eating, if you hold your knife like a pencil, sorry, but you're common as muck!

Thats put the cat amongst the pigeons!

When middle DD ws an Art student, she got a nose ring(stud) I was horrified when I heard, but then I thought, she was a beautiful and kind girl and simply the same as before she had it done!And of course when I saw it, it was very discreet. Duh! Oh course that was 16 years ago and she has long since abandoned it and the hole has healed up but it made me confront my prejudices.
I think we all have an idea of what constitutes "common" in the abstract, but attach it to a person you like and respect? DOES IT MATTER?

My mother was a terrible snob. She told me that my father was a white collar worker and the neighbours were only blue collar workers. She hated the fact that we lived on an estate. She was a lovely lady, but resented that my dad refused to buy her a house, even though he could afford it. My best friend would not eat in the street. She would buy crisps and place them in her pocket and eat them discretely. Table manners in our house were a minefield. i.e. you had to take the nearest cake from the cakestand, even if it was one you didn't like. I once announced to our guests "elbows off the table" as I thought their manners left a lot to be desired!

If one of us had an elbow on the table, our mum would lift her arm and bump the offending elbow on the table. Oh, and I agree about the way one holds a knife, but that is a minefield.

People who let their children in around retaurants, pubs etc are either common ,or too middle class to discipline their children

Calling other people common is common. The aristocracy don't do it.

Holding a knife like a pencil reminds me - how about holding a pencil as though it is a knife and you are about to stab it downwards into someone? How on earth is anyone allowed to learn to write like that? No fine control at all, the whole arm has to pivot from the shoulder to move the pencil. (Try it)

My Gran in the fifties said that I shouldn't be friends with anyone from the council estate as they weren't like us she was an awful snob.

putting anything over the i or j except a dot - circles, loops, hearts, teardrops, crosses... all common.
wearing a lot of make-up.
large ear-rings.
putting on make-up in public. particularly common are women who refresh their lipstick at the dining table.
speaking loudly in a public place.
drawing attention to yourself.
asking questions of someone of a higher social rank than yourself.
making personal remarks inappropriately - for example, an adult may say to a child 'you look lovely' but a child may not say that to an adult. it would be 'common' because it would display a lack of understanding of good manners.
anyone who phones in the evening. some say after nine - i say after 7 30.

Asking questions of a higher social rank than yourself, granbunny???

OMG! I redo my lippy in restaurants but I don't hold my knife like a pencil - help! Another thing - my Mum said only common girls had their ears pierced so I was 32 before I dared do it. My granddaughter had her ears pierced at 7 years old - I have had to bite my tongue!

A girl at my grammar school was expelled for eating a lollipop in the street whilst wearing her school uniform. This was about 1962 and it made headline news in one of the red tops. Fings ain't wot they used to be.

I think we are on a different planet or in a different century, Granbunny or are you taking the p***? I can't say I'd object if a child told me I looked lovely, though I might suggest an eye test. Nor do I admit to being of a lower or higher 'social rank' than anyone else. I am also glad to receive phone calls in the evening, though I do not like cold callers at the door at any time but particularly after 8pm.

Grannybunny Anyone of a higher social rank than yourself ? so what do I call my NCO DS1,do I call him son or Sir ! or my doctor nephew do I now not call him Phillip and as for telephone calls what if an emergency with my family or when one of my boys are working in a differant time zone ? do I tell my beautiful DGS not to tell me I look nice ? There is no one on a lower or higher "social rank " than anyone else every one goes and comes from the same place.annobel I think I shall now have a 2nd glass of that lol.

The social ranking thing IS an issue in non-English speaking countries that have a different word for 'you' depending on whether you are family, friends or not.(eg 'you' or 'thou') It has to be the more 'important' or the older person who suggests switching to 'thou' ie the 'you' for people you are familiar with. It can be a minefield. I was horrified about 10 years ago when a young student used 'thou' (ie German 'du') to a lecturer at university, but he was a young bloke and quite OK with it.

Our language is a great leveler, when you think about it!

As for what I see as common: foul language in public! Other words don't bother me - toilet or lav, lounge or settee etc are just a matter of where you were brought up.

Common to me is starting a meal before everyone has their dinner in front of them.

Also talking about money, for example "this is our new .... and it cost ££££" I am not interested in how much you paid, nor do I want to be questioned on how much I may have spent. Very rude.

General appearance and speech/accents do not offend me BUT good manners are everything and cost nothing.

When the kids comment on my (teacher) daughter's clothes/hairstyle, whether complimentary or otherwise , I think that is beyond the pale.

But they are mostly typically middle class common. (the worst kind in my opinion)

I meant pupils there, of course. Not her kids!