Human names gone out of fashion

[Karen]

I just got an email that mentioned a dog named Gladys, and it reminded me of my beloved Great Aunt Gladys, and that's one of those names you never hear any more.

Other of my Great Aunts with lovely names were Evelyn, Edith, Miriam, Adrian, Belle, Flora and Floride (different sides of the family) ....

Some names have gone out of style, like Bertha, Ethel, Betty as a nickname for Elizabeth and others, that I understand, but some of the prior ones I think are too pretty to have faded out!

What names do you wish would get a revival? Or miss?

[pomtzu]

I can't say that there's any that I miss or would like revived, but I do think of a lot of old names that you don't hear a lot of anymore: Esther, Lillian, Myrtle, Amalia, Adeline, Cora, Evelyn - all names in my family. And of course I wouldn't mind if mine was retired forever, since I hate it - Eleanor. Other old ones come to mind: Beatrice, Winnifred, Estelle, Gloria, Inez, Lucinda - and the "gemmy" names like Opal, Pearl, Ruby, Sapphire. I could go on and on - but you get the idea.

[Karen]

Pomtzu, I know of an Eleanor who is younger than you - but no one knows that's her given name, as she has always gone by Ellie! I do think Eleanor is a lovely name. Another is Isabel, but Isabella - the variation is currently ultra-trendy thanks to Twilight books!

Neighborhood names - girls I grew up with - Alena, Alanna, Aleda - sometime appear without the "a" and I have met/heard of more than one Lenore - like Eleanor without the E!

[Taz_Zoee]

A girl I went to highschool with named her daughter Ruby. A co-worker named her children all with old-fashion names. Wesley, Morris and Mary. Although Wesley is actually his middle name. And Morris and Mary are family names.
When I was younger I never heard of anyone younger than myself named Cindy. Now my niece has a friend named Cynthia (she doesn't go by Cindy).
My grandmothers names were Martha and Loreta (not Loretta, it's pronounced Low-reeta).
There are a lot of names that I like that you never hear anymore in the younger generations. Rhonda, Linda, Barbara, Rose, I could go on and on....................

Now people want to name their children with different and unique names. So the traditional names are disappearing.

[Freedom]

Pomzu, for shame! My Mum's name was Eleanor, and she was SO proud of it! She was named after Eleanor of Aquitaine!

I guess it is a sign of age, many of the names folks are listing . . . I knew lots of other children with them, growing up. But all are correct, not used today much at all.

[pomtzu]

Pomzu, for shame! My Mum's name was Eleanor, and she was SO proud of it! She was named after Eleanor of Aquitaine!

Awww - I'm sorry (hanging head in shame) - nothing against your Mum of course!

I personally would have preferred something simple like Linda or Carol or Pat, but I had no say in the matter! I don't view my name quite so badly now that my married name is so short, but with my long Italian maiden name, paired with a highly unusual and unheard of middle name - well it was quite a mouthful for any little kid to have to spit out!

And my family NEVER called me Ellie, and still don't to this day - just my friends do. However, both my brothers were always called by the common nickname of their given name. Now how unfair is that????? A case of a woman being discriminated against again.

[phesina]

Florence was my mother's name and my grandmother's (her mother). You don't see that around much now. Well, there's Flo, the spokesperson for Progressive Insurance.

My mother NEVER got called Flo! Florrie, sometimes.

Pat (Patricia)

[prechrswife]

There are a lot of names that I like that you never hear anymore in the younger generations. Rhonda, Linda, Barbara, Rose, I could go on and on....................

Now people want to name their children with different and unique names. So the traditional names are disappearing.

My middle child's first name is Barbara. She goes by her middle name, though. (Typed this before I read the comment about middle names, but two of my kids are called by their middle names. I know some people don't like that, but it works for us.)

I will also say that all of my kids have names that would be considered "Old Fashioned" by some. We wanted them to have names that would grow with them, and at least part of all of their names are family names.

[Grace]

My name is Gretchen – no middle name. I was so upset by that as a child. My mother (Edna) said when I got married I could use my maiden name as my middle name – which I do. But what if I hadn’t gotten married? I think she was a bit wary – she hated her middle name (Hildegard) and figured since my name was unusual, they wouldn’t compound a possible problem. BTW, I’ve only met about 25 other women named Gretchen in my lifetime.

My brother is James Andrew – always went by his middle name, as his first (James) was the same as our father and grandfather.

My mother’s mother was Gerda – born in Sweden. My Aunt was Bertha; and my Uncle was Lester. My father’s mother was Emma Catherine.

I have a son, Michael. His father’s middle name – but I have always liked it. He goes by Mike these days, but I still call him Michael. My grandsons are Andrew and Evan.

If I had a daughter today, I would name her Savannah. I really like that name.

[phesina]

I can't say that there's any that I miss or would like revived, but I do think of a lot of old names that you don't hear a lot of anymore: Esther, Lillian, Myrtle, Amalia, Adeline, Cora, Evelyn - all names in my family. And of course I wouldn't mind if mine was retired forever, since I hate it - Eleanor. Other old ones come to mind: Beatrice, Winnifred, Estelle, Gloria, Inez, Lucinda - and the "gemmy" names like Opal, Pearl, Ruby, Sapphire. I could go on and on - but you get the idea.

I love the name Eleanor!