So, we all know that countries tend to ‘borrow’ or latch on to name trends in other countries when their own favourites start to look dated.
So, your challenge is to dust of some of the dated, or newly-dated, names in your country (1950-1990s) that don’t appear to have taken off in other places (there will be some overlaps), but you think could appeal to other countries looking for fresh alternatives.
[name]Feel[/name] free to give us some background info on the names
Off the top of my head for [name]Britain[/name]:
[name]Nicola[/name] – ("[name]NIK[/name]-uh-la", like [name]Nicholas[/name] without the ‘s’) Huge in the 70s/80s here (most people know at least one [name]Nicola[/name] somehow) but has dropped right down below #250 now. [name]Gemma[/name] – This reigned in the top 5 throughout the 80s. [name]Helen[/name] – Surprisingly popular here from the 60s-80s [name]Kirsty[/name] – This hit the top 50 in the 70s and hit its peak in the early 90s.
From the U.S., I offer [name]Danielle[/name], [name]Stephanie[/name], [name]Ariel[/name], I guess [name]Brittany[/name] would be too funny for the U.K… [name]Amanda[/name], [name]Alexis[/name], [name]Samantha[/name], [name]Lisa[/name] and [name]Megan[/name].
Also for boys, [name]Kyle[/name], [name]Brian[/name], [name]Mark[/name], [name]Travis[/name], [name]Zachary[/name], [name]Kevin[/name], and [name]Eric[/name].
All these names were popular in or before the 70s, or in the 80s and early 90s and really lost a lot of steam quickly.
From SoCal which can sometimes be like a different planet, I offer:
SoCal style dated names:
Girls:
[name]Amber[/name]
[name]Babe[/name] - I actually knew a girl in high school named [name]Babe[/name]!
[name]Casey[/name]
[name]China[/name]
[name]Dawn[/name]
[name]Gidget[/name]
[name]Golden[/name]
[name]Flower[/name]
[name]Sunshine[/name]
Girls :
[name]Sharon[/name]
[name]Deirdre[/name]
[name]Barbara[/name]
[name]Freda[/name]
[name]Pauline[/name] (but I’m reminded of Ballet Shoes, which I adore)
[name]Susan[/name] (most popular in 1954) - I think this could be quite refreshing on a little girl, in the same way [name]Mary[/name] and [name]Jane[/name] are
[name]Kimberley[/name]
[name]Tina[/name]
[name]Lisa[/name] (top 5 in 1974)
[name]Laura[/name] (top 5 in 1984) - I’m can’t decide if this is dated or not
[name]Doris[/name] (top 5 in 1914, doubt this will come back)
[name]Kathleen[/name] (top 5 in 1924)
[name]Joyce[/name] (top 5 in 1924)
[name]Patricia[/name] (top 5 in 1934)
[name]Linda[/name] (top 5 in 1954)
[name]Christine[/name] (top 5 in 1944 and '54)
[name]Janet[/name] (top 5 in 1954)
[name]Justine[/name].
Boys :
[name]Brian[/name]
[name]Gary[/name]
[name]Larry[/name]
[name]Frank[/name].
