I am currently compiling a list of timeless classics and am wondering if these qualify as timeless:
[name_f]Adelaide[/name_f]
[name_f]Dorothy[/name_f]
[name_f]Flora[/name_f]
[name_f]Florence[/name_f]
[name_f]Harriet[/name_f]
[name_f]Paula[/name_f]
1 Like
Hmm, I think [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f], [name_f]Florence[/name_f] and [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] are more vintage than timeless. [name_f]Flora[/name_f] and [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] are timeless, and [name_f]Paula[/name_f] is middle aged to me.
I would categorize most of the these as vintage but ready for (or already making!) a comeback–[name_f]Adelaide[/name_f], [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f], [name_f]Flora[/name_f], [name_f]Florence[/name_f], [name_f]Harriet[/name_f]. I agree with @tallemaja that [name_f]Paula[/name_f] is more middle-aged. Also agree that [name_f]Flora[/name_f] and [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] are the most timeless among them. This all depends on where you are, though–I’m looking at the usage statistics for the U.S., where I live, and combining that with my general impression of the names!
2 Likes
Flora: timeless
[name_f]Harriet[/name_f], [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f], [name_f]Florence[/name_f]: vintage making a revival, sort of timeless
[name_f]Dorothy[/name_f]: Vintage
[name_f]Paula[/name_f]: Dated
2 Likes
Adelaide - yes, as well as [name_f]Adela[/name_f], [name_f]Adele[/name_f]… Good, strong classic [name_u]French[/name_u] names
[name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] - absolutely! [name_f]Dorothea[/name_f] & [name_f]Theodora[/name_f] as well.
[name_f]Flora[/name_f] - yes, as well as [name_f]Florence[/name_f], [name_u]Florentine[/name_u], [name_f]Florentina[/name_f]
[name_f]Harriet[/name_f] - yes!
[name_f]Paula[/name_f] - I suppose… I feel like [name_f]Pauline[/name_f] is far more classic and timeless
1 Like
I’m pretty much on board with the other posters. For me it’s:
[name_f]Flora[/name_f] & [name_f]Florence[/name_f] = Timeless
[name_f]Dorothy[/name_f], [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f], [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] = vintage
[name_f]Paula[/name_f] = dated, not quite ready for revival. I agree that [name_f]Pauline[/name_f] would fit a bit better!
1 Like
I consider classic names as names that have been common but not popular for a while, like [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] and [name_f]Rose[/name_f]. [name_f]Flora[/name_f], [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] and [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f] seem timeless, [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] and [name_f]Florence[/name_f] seem vintage, and [name_f]Paula[/name_f] seems a tiny bit dated to me.
Mmm…I wouldn’t call any of them timeless. Timelessness is the quality attributed to names that really can’t be attached to one particular era or decade. Most of these feel very Victorian.
I would call [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f], [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f], and [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] classics, but not quite timeless; [name_f]Flora[/name_f] and [name_f]Florence[/name_f] would be vintage. And [name_f]Paula[/name_f]? [name_f]Paula[/name_f] feels a little dated. It peaked in 1954, ranked at #38, so I would call [name_f]Paula[/name_f] more retro – at least, in the US.
Timeless names would include those classics that are evergreen – they never go out of style. It would not be surprising to meet a grandmother, a mom, a teen, or a new baby with one of them because their popularity does not drastically rise and fall over time. They just seem like they’ve always been there and always will be, if that makes sense. 
Examples of timeless girl names: [name_f]Anna[/name_f], [name_f]Caroline[/name_f], [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], [name_f]Julia[/name_f], [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], [name_f]Lydia[/name_f], [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], etc.
1 Like
Adelaide: Vintage
[name_f]Dorothy[/name_f]: Vintage
[name_f]Flora[/name_f]: probably timeless
[name_f]Florence[/name_f]: timeless
[name_f]Harriet[/name_f]: timeless but I’m not a fan
[name_f]Paula[/name_f]: definitely not, very dated
Honestly, no. I don’t think any of them are timeless. To me, timeless is limited to names like [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], [name_f]Victoria[/name_f], etc. where I would genuinely have no idea how old the person wearing them is. For the first 5 names, I’d be certain the bearer was either an elderly woman or a young child. For [name_f]Paula[/name_f], I’d predict the bearer was between 40-60.
Harriet is the only one that strikes me as timeless, the others are more vintage or slightly dated ([name_f]Paula[/name_f])
I’d classify [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f], [name_f]Flora[/name_f], [name_f]Florence[/name_f], and [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] as “timeless”. [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] is currently poised for a comeback, but [name_f]Paula[/name_f] still seems dated to me. However, [name_f]Pauline[/name_f] and [name_f]Paulette[/name_f] have potential.
May I recommend [name_f]Polina[/name_f] instead of [name_f]Pauline[/name_f] and [name_f]Paula[/name_f]?
Flora & [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] are vintage to me
[name_f]Adelaide[/name_f]/Adel- names are quite everywhere right now
[name_f]Florence[/name_f] is big in [name_u]Britain[/name_u], as well as [name_f]Harriet[/name_f]
[name_f]Paula[/name_f] is dated.
[name_f]Paula[/name_f] doesn’t feel timeless. [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] is on the edge for me. The rest should be good! Other timeless names (imo!)
[name_f]Anna[/name_f]
[name_f]Victoria[/name_f]
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Caroline[/name_f]
[name_f]Lillian[/name_f]
[name_f]Jane[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f]
[name_f]Sarah[/name_f]
[name_f]Elise[/name_f]
[name_f]Rose[/name_f]
Dorothy is the only one that really strikes me as timeless, as I know or knew Dorothys born between 1910 and 1980, so I feel like it’s harder to pinpoint? The rest feel wonderfully vintage revival, but not timeless.
All are timeless except [name_f]Paula[/name_f].
Adelaide: Yes
[name_f]Dorothy[/name_f]: No
[name_f]Flora[/name_f]: No
[name_f]Florence[/name_f]: Yes
[name_f]Harriet[/name_f]: No
[name_f]Paula[/name_f]: No
Explanation: [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f] and [name_f]Florence[/name_f], besides their vintage appeal and consistent use (but not overuse), are of course also place names— most place names feel timeless to me (there are a few exceptions). The others to me all feel rooted in a particular era, or haven’t quite had / aren’t ready for (in my opinion) a comeback.
I don’t see any of those as timeless. I do love several of them though - [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f], [name_f]Flora[/name_f], [name_f]Florence[/name_f], [name_f]Harriet[/name_f]. [name_u]Truly[/name_u] timeless names are very rare eg [name_f]Anna[/name_f], [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f].
Paula was 1940s - 50s, and hasn’t come back. [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] was used in [name_m]Tudor[/name_m] times, then came back strongly in late Victorian through to mid C20th. Most of the others were Georgian or Edwardian names that then went right out, and are now right back in.
1 Like