Fashionable names

My neighbors recently called their daughter Lyra -after the girl in the Phillip Pullman books - my other half thought they have called her Lycra - he isn't a reader of fantasy!

A pal of mine has called his daughter Clara. Outside of Bewitched associations I do quite like the name.

When my grandson was born (in Toronto) 19 years ago I struggled with his name. Stanley. But at secondary school, college and now university it is considered cool.

Aligrias1. My husband and I are David and Barbara. He gets Dave, unless I’m annoyed with him apparently and I get Babs most of the time!!

I always wanted to be called Susan - named my doll Susan.

Having taught classes with several (confusing) David's, James', Alex', etc I wanted to call my sons something unusual - having only ever, in 13 years teaching and thousands of children, only ever taught two Ben's, one a Benedict and one a Benjamin, I called him Benjamin - it turned out to be the most popular boys name that year!

A friend’s gs who is now 18 is called Arthur, not my business but I couldn’t understand why they would choose that name all that time ago, it was unheard of then, but it’s more commonly used now together with Stanley’s and other such ‘old man’ names. After a while we get used to them and you will do the same. Enjoy your little Arthur.

My 10 month old grandson is Arthur. I really don't like the name and I'm still struggling to get used to it. I know it's irrational and I never say anything, but to me it's still such an old man's name and I just hate the sound of it. I love my grandson though, more than I could have imagined.

I love the name Grace

My name is not unusual yet I’m often asked to spell it if I’m calling an office. It’s not a name that can be shortened or lengthened. It’s a traditional British name. It’s important a name is given with traditional or at least not silly spelling. It may be trendy now but the child could live 2 score years and 10. Imagine a lady of 70 being called Buti (Beauty). The Bible has always been a safe bet for names Abel, Ruth, Martha, Luke, Jessie, Jerome, etc. Although some don’t follow that discipline their are some great names there and worth a look.

inishowen

My daughter was born in the seventies and she is called Susan. It was a name I'd loved since childhood and I felt no other name would do. I love the way names come and go. I've heard of a Stanley recently. Alfie, Arthur and Charlie came and went again. Will Gladys ever come back?

I know about 3 or 4 Susans, now in their 40s and it was popular in the early 1970s. I wonder if there was a film or TV programme starring a Susan?

I love all the old fashioned names that babies are now being called .... Ivy, Edie, violet, lily, daisy, , Arthur, Archie, Ted, Charlie, Sidney. So sweet!
Can’t stand names that are made up.

My two youngest are called Ted and Daisy, Gingster. They’re in their 30s though.

Bewitched
Dull and dated to whom
A birth announcement in my local paper read To x and x on sunday 25th April the birth of a daughter, Ethel. .

Like te name Grace but every Grace I've know have been so clumbsy

I imagine we like or dislike names based on people we have known. I prefer Suzie to Susan, I know a lovely Suzie! I don’t like the trend for names which sound like the downstairs staff in Downton Abbey. Fortunately I like all our GCs names.

Susan is a great name. You don't get many Lindas now either. How about Sharon?

My granddaughter has been named Evelyn but is to be called Effy
Wasn’t sure at first but love it now?

Someone I recently worked with called her daughter La-a. Pronounced Ladasha...

Susan is one of my favourites, also Beryl and Lily.

Barbara. It was my mother's name and I remember my DD and her friends always called her Babs. She was born in the twenties and the 'anyone for tennis!' sound of it so suited her.

My Mum loved the name of her brothers girlfriend Michelle, and was going to name me Michelle but she dumped him a month before I was born and he said I couldn’t be called Michelle. As she loved a french name she heard the name Andrea and called me that ( its not French origin!) but I was called Andi by my brother. When I started school my Mum cut my hair very short and when other children found out my name was Andi they kept asking if I was a boy. I got so upset my Mum asked for me to be called by my middle name, something I later regretted.
My Mum was called Mae, and was much loved by people that I have lots of relatives called Mae or have Mae as second name. My daughter and granddaughter have Mae as second names but my daughter used to get cross that it was fashionable to use Mae or May as a second name. My granddaughters first name is Ivy after my grandmother, I love that name.

Margaret or even Maggie, but then I'm biased. I also like Isabelle. Lily is my middle name and its been used a few times recently. Gary is a nice name that appears to be neglected recently. David is a good name. I also like Nicholas.

I have wanted to be named Susan for as long as I can remember so much so I called all my dolls Susan. Do not like my name, Sheila!
Also like Grace, Alice and Iris.

I think that following the about-to-be-televised The Pursuit of Love, there'll be a revival of the name Linda.

My daughter laughs at me because of my dislike for anything 1950s, the decade I was born in. Design, music, furniture, names, food, fashion, make-up. (But I love old British 50s b/w films.) Eventually she'll get fed up with the 1980s.

Maybe Adolf will make a come back