Fashionable names

Frank and Francesca

When I was in primary school over 50 years ago, my best friend was called Vivienne, I always said if I had a daughter I would call her by that name. I had a son first then when my daughter was born 2 years later I had gone off it!??

I have come across a couple of Doris’ in Europe and it sounds quite different, and much nicer, when they say it.

I don’t think anyone will be naming their baby with my name Karen any time soon as it is being used as a pejorative to describe a middle aged white woman doing all sorts of bad things, yet it was really popular in my time. I think that Alexa is one to avoid as well, which is a shame as it is a nice name.
So beware as any name can be chosen to be the in the latest name shaming trends.

I like the name Valerie. I had two friends when I was in my teens, both called Valerie. My own name is very old fashioned now and I've never come across another person with it in my life, except a singer from the fifties and once or twice in American films. I like my name though.

Genghis ??????

I should have been Eleanor but as older sister had been named after maternal GM my paternal GM just went about telling all I was named after her. DM hadn't the heart to tell her otherwise so I was stuck with Mary. I don't go for the made up names, kind of a bit of one and a bit of another or all the different spelling of basic names. I also don't go for naming children after their relatives - they are not that person so why give them their name (hang up from GM probably).

I go for versatile names - I gave my daughters middles names of Katherine ( she could be Kathy, or Kate if she preferred) and the other DD is Elizabeth (she could be Beth, Liz, Lizzie, but so far they have kept their 1st names.
I always hated my names - Gwenda Enid, I would have preferred Rachael, or Lorraine!!

I love the name Ivy, ended up calling my dog it.

Someone in our family has just had an Elsie , and I've heard lots of older names making a comeback which I think is lovely.

I love the name Josephine but DD hates being one and goes by the boring name Jo.

My Dad was Arthur. When it came to naming our son in 1995 it was so unfashionable. Now it is very trendy!

I love Margot, Dorothy and Daphne

Maybe Adolf will make a come back

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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