Popular names when you went to school

Jane, Helen, Fiona, Catherine/Katherine, Sarah, Joanne, Karen, Julie, Nicola, Cla(i)re, Caroline, Alison, Deborah, Elizabeth, Rosemary, Gollian, Susan/Suzanne/Susannah, Sharon and Trac(e)y for girls.
Andrew (five in my primary school class), David, Paul, Mark, Jonathan, Ian, Alan, Philip, Simon, Stephen, Stuart for boys. These names are absolutely typical for people born in the mid-sixties and at school in the seventies. Sadly, the names of the fifties and sixties are totally out of fashion now and babies are being given names that were popular for our grandparents, unless they have made up names. Maybe in another fifty years' time there will be babies named Linda, Jane, Susan, Karen, Gillian and Fiona once again.

Caroline, Hilary, Lesley, Ann, Alison.

Boys were John, Gary, Dave, Andy, Pete.

I was born in 1964. Lots of Susans, Debbie’s Paulas and Janets ( my name and I hate it)Oh yes there was a lot of Bernadettes it was a catholic school.

Beryl Janice Valerie Maureen Pat Rita Margaret Maureen Anne Janet

Ann, Margaret, Elizabeth, Wendy, Barabara, Jean.

In primary school (1960s):-
Susan (most popular)
Christine
Lynne
Amanda
Judith
Helen
Yvonne
Hilary
Margaret
Anne
Janet
Linda
Angela
Wendy
John (most popular)
Ian
Graham
David
Arthur (old-fashioned then!)
Brian
Barry
Stephen
Philip
Paul
Howard
Michael

kittylester

My name hasn't been popular since 17th century - if it was then.

I'm intrigued

Nel? Marion? Cecilia? Ursula?

Jane - three in my class, Susan, likewise three, Carol and Joan were also popular, so was Alison.

I went to girls' schools and didn't know any boys. Amongst schoolfriends who had younger brothers, Tommy and Billy were popular names.

I’m a Susan; there were six Susans in my primary class and one had the same surname, spelled very slightly differently but pronounced the same.
I once was sent to the head for throwing gravy over a dinner lady (not me) and was sent to the school hall for a hearing test; was told that my mum was waiting there and she wasn’t. It was the other mum. Understandable I guess, we were two little very blonde girls with ponytails.

All the names nowadays are unusual or foreign and I find it very hard to remember them.

My youngest sister was called Peta, but I remember quite a few Yvonnes in my school, Margaret, Martha, Valerie and Marylin and Maureen. Boys names I remember were Freddie , Peter, George John Paul . If you dont like your name, chose another one. If you refuse to answer to the one you dont like you will probably get people to call you what you prefer. As I moved about quite a bit, there was always the chance to announce that your name was X when you moved and by the time your parents heard people calling ou by the new name it was a fait accompli!!

Grannmarie

Christine, Brenda, Kathleen, Ellen, Dorothy, Marion, Elizabeth, Moira, Margaret...
In fact, lots of Margarets, it was very popular name here in Scotland and it's the name of our patron saint. Last week at our Coffee morning there were four Margarets at our table of eight.

The boys were Brian, John, Kevin, William, Andrew, James, Stephen, Joseph, David and Peter.

There's a girl at The Wee Boy's primary school called Khaleesi.

There were loads of Margarets in my class at primary school in the 1950s. Two were called Margaret Rose after Princess Margaret as that was her full name. My paternal grandmother was called Margaret and my father wanted to name me after her, but she had objected telling him that there were too many of that name. Also my mother's friend had had a daughter just before I was born, she had called her Margaret so my mother thought that would be copying her friend!
There were four Carols in my class, all born around Christmas time, also a couple of Christines who were also Christmas babies

In addition to all the popular ones already mentioned here, we had Verity, Veronica, Hugh, Hugo and Guy.
Girls and boys grammar schools, a stones-throw from Windsor Castle.

Forgot - Carolyns and Jeanettes, and Ians and Grahams.

Tbh I know some names go round on a loop but I can't see the names Ian and Graham coming back. Or Derek for that matter.

Ah yes, Gloria!

She had the most glorious red hair.

I’m surprised so many of you remember the names of school friends from ages ago. Maybe because my childhood is best forgotten, I have blanked a lot of it.

At one time my best friend was called Sadie, not many of them around (she taught me the facts of life. I was horrified).
Later on, Gloria, and I always wanted to be called Dawn for some reason. If I had been a man, Florian!

Apparently Susie was voted the sexiest name at one time😁
DS had a narrow escape with Rupert…

Oh and Carol, Caroline and Karen!

Linda
Lynn
Alison
Claire (or Clare or Claire)
Anne

Kevin
Steven (or Steve or Stephen)
Christopher
David
John

School years 1964-1975. Susan, Diane, Karen, Lorraine, Kay, Julie and Jane. At seniors, out of the 7 boys in my class 3 were called Paul.

Early 70s. Helens, Patricias, loads of Julies, Claires, Debbies, Lisa, Marias, Diane. But now my same age friends are all Janets. Jans and Janes !
Boys were Kevins, Johns, Stephens, Michaels, Seans, Brians, Jeremys and Lees.

escaped

Quite a few biblical, old testament, names appearing from that era :
Ruth, Deborah, Hannah, Sarah, Judith etc.
Perhaps parents were more religious then or happier to show it?

Or just less adventurous? Parents seem quite happy to go down the road less travelled when choosing names now.

Quite a few biblical, old testament, names appearing from that era :
Ruth, Deborah, Hannah, Sarah, Judith etc.
Perhaps parents were more religious then or happier to show it?

Kitty 🤣😂

In a family quiz during Lockdown, my nephew's question was what were the 100 top boy's names in 1973.
It was surprising and we were all gradually knocked out as we guessed wrong ones.

My DC thought William and Harry would be there but ofcourse they became popular after the Royals.

There was Garry, Kevin, Barry, Dean, Keith and names you never hear now.

Your name definitely dates you.
My DGD have unusual names or so I thought. It turns out there are others in their classes at school.

Sue was very popular; my friend was Sue and there were the four Sue's in the form above.
there were also quite a few Claire's Teresa's and Jane's.
boys were Carl. Craig, Lawrence/Laurence, Martin and Marks

At school in the sixties, I remember Lynne, Judith, Mia, Elaine, Susan, June, Ruth, Anne, Helen.
Boys were Keith, Kevin, Vincent, Robert, John, Michael, Terry.