“Dated” names you could see being popular today

General Name Discussion
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Names trends come and they go, and names cycle in and out of style. Obviously, vintage names such as [name_f]Violet[/name_f], [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f], [name_u]Henry[/name_u], and [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] are experiencing a resurgence right now. For other names, whether they’re older like [name_f]Patricia[/name_f] and [name_m]Gerald[/name_m] or even newer like [name_f]Kaitlyn[/name_f] and [name_m]Jared[/name_m], they are still more tied to a specific generation and don’t feel quite fresh to our ears yet.

What names you feel are currently “dated” but if they weren’t popular back in another era, would currently be popular now?

I feel like [name_f]Gladys[/name_f] would be popular now if it didn’t sound so old to our ears. It has a really unique look and sound, and it looks really cool with the rare -dys ending. Plus, it sounds so happy - “glad” is right there in the name. I think it fits in with modern, different-sounding names.

I also think [name_u]Darren[/name_u] could potentially be popular now if it didn’t peak in the 60s. It has a kind of western, [name_f]Americana[/name_f] feel to it that vibes with other currently popular names like [name_u]Brooks[/name_u], [name_u]Wesley[/name_u], etc. I can definitely see it being used - if it wasn’t already used in the past - as an updated version of [name_m]Aaron[/name_m]. So many popular boy names are short names that end in -n, such as [name_u]Logan[/name_u], [name_u]Aidan[/name_u], [name_u]Jackson[/name_u], [name_u]Mason[/name_u], [name_u]Owen[/name_u], etc. and [name_u]Darren[/name_u] fits right into that trend as well.

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Hmm maybe [name_u]Beverly[/name_u] and Heather…

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I could see [name_u]Joyce[/name_u], [name_f]Ethel[/name_f], [name_f]Agatha[/name_f] and [name_f]Nancy[/name_f]

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yes i love heather!! it fits right in with the trends for vintage names, nature names, names ending in -er… so due for a hipster revival

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[name_u]Beverly[/name_u] for sure. It’s [name_u]Everly[/name_u] with a vintage twist. I think it will probably come back around in the next decade or so.

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[name_f]Lois[/name_f]! Short and sweet with lyrical, soft sounds, the S ending, and that cool strong O vowel – it would fit right in with [name_f]Chloe[/name_f] and [name_f]Luna[/name_f] and the like!

Plus [name_f]Marlene[/name_f] – [name_u]Marley[/name_u] / [name_f]Marlee[/name_f] / [name_f]Marleigh[/name_f] and [name_u]Marlowe[/name_u] are rising, [name_f]Marlene[/name_f] fits right in!

And also I want to second [name_u]Beverly[/name_u]! That -ly ending and it’s literally just the trendy [name_u]Everly[/name_u] with a B in front! Same with other “dated” -ley and -lyn names like [name_u]Shirley[/name_u] and [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f].

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Great question! And that’s a good point about [name_f]Gladys[/name_f] - ‘Glad’ right there and the ‘ys’ of [name_f]Carys[/name_f]! Maybe I’ll have to think on it more

I’m thinking maybe:

[name_f]Edna[/name_f] - similar in look or sound to [name_f]Elsa[/name_f], [name_f]Edith[/name_f], [name_u]Erin[/name_u], [name_f]Anna[/name_f], [name_f]Anya[/name_f] - and gives the cute unisex nn possibility of [name_u]Eddie[/name_u]

[name_f]Mavis[/name_f] - ‘Maeve’ is right there and the -is of [name_f]Iris[/name_f]!

[name_f]Tammy[/name_f] - nickname-y and sort of fun and sweet, like [name_f]Emmy[/name_f], [name_f]Callie[/name_f], [name_f]Tilly[/name_f]

[name_f]Tiffany[/name_f] - this has such a lively and bright sound to me; it’s got history and zippiness

[name_f]Pamela[/name_f] - it’s got a gentle sound and sweet meaning - plus nn [name_f]Pammy[/name_f], [name_u]Mel[/name_u], [name_f]Mela[/name_f], [name_u]Pip[/name_u], or [name_f]Honey[/name_f] are cute

[name_m]Raymond[/name_m] - in line with the recent interest in Edmond/Edward, with the ‘Ray’ sound of [name_u]Grayson[/name_u], [name_u]Raiden[/name_u] etc.

[name_m]Roger[/name_m] - tbh, I’m just putting this here because it’s on my mind (probably thanks to a resurgence of a childhood interest :person_shrugging:) and no one else seems to like it :grin: It gives me similar vibes/sounds to [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], [name_m]Oscar[/name_m], [name_u]Robin[/name_u], [name_m]Roman[/name_m], [name_u]Ronnie[/name_u] and [name_u]Reggie[/name_u]

[name_u]Leslie[/name_u] - love this for a boy and I feel like it fits in with ‘gentler’, more unisex boys names like [name_u]Ezra[/name_u], [name_m]Otto[/name_m], [name_u]Elliott[/name_u], [name_u]Laurie[/name_u] etc

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I am not from an [name_f]English[/name_f] speaking country, so I never heard about a [name_f]Gladys[/name_f]. It is more unfamiliar to me. The first time I read it was in “Pollyanna” when I was eleven. I loved the name. I still like it now and find it vintage yet modern, and not old at all.

Where I live, [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] is considered an old name. But I don’t find it to be that bad. It is actually quiet cool and I would love to hear it on young girls. Same for [name_m]Oscar[/name_m] and [name_m]Ivan[/name_m] and [name_f]Ines[/name_f] and [name_m]Mario[/name_m]. So popular (where I live) once, so rare now, but they would be so refreshing.

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[name_f]Gladys[/name_f] is great!!

Definitely adding my voice to the call to bring back [name_u]Beverly[/name_u]!

I think [name_f]Phyllis[/name_f] and [name_f]Phyllida[/name_f] could come back. They were traditionally names given to the imaginary love interests in Renaissance poetry, which is a gorgeous literary connection imho, and they’ve got that trendy Y. I guess people are put off by the idea of a girl named Phil?! But you could go with [name_f]Lissie[/name_f] or Liddy instead.

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I heard myself say Janet the other day and suddenly - against my instincts (or maybe pure instincts) - I kind of liked the name. Made me think that makes like Janet, Susan, Alison, Lauren, Justine, Mary & Claire missed out on being part of the latest wave of the currently loved tailored names, like Harriet, Celeste, Delphine, Maren, Maeve, Frances, Cosette, Fern, Olive, Seren etc. I’m guessing we’re still in love with the 1880-1930 period, and we’ll soon enough be sharing and fawning over Boomer to Gen X names…

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Personally I love [name_u]Clifford[/name_u] and [name_m]Roger[/name_m]. They both feel like they could fit with the current trends, especially with the nickname [name_m]Ford[/name_m] for [name_u]Clifford[/name_u].

I also think [name_f]Meryl[/name_f], Bess/Bessie, [name_f]Theresa[/name_f], and [name_f]Bianca[/name_f] could see a rise in popularity

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I can also see [name_u]Janis[/name_u] (specifically this spelling) being popular nowadays! It has a really cool retro 60s appeal.

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I’m surprised Louise/Louisa and [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] aren’t trending (yet) and are still ranking pretty consistently low. They were popular in the 19th century, like many of the current vintage-chic names, but they’re not having the resurgence of some of their “peers”. They also have a lot of sound-alike names (Eloise and [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] vs. [name_f]Emma[/name_f] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] or even Caroline) that are/have been very popular. I am actually predicting that [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] is going to trend up in the near future, but I could be wrong.

Also, with the rising popularity of vintage nickname names like [name_f]Winnie[/name_f], [name_f]Millie[/name_f], [name_f]Sadie[/name_f], [name_f]Elsie[/name_f], etc, I could definitely see [name_f]Minnie[/name_f] coming back (unless it’s too Mouse). Also [name_f]Betty[/name_f] and [name_f]Betsy[/name_f]!

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I think [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] is about to break through again, giving the interest in the nickname [name_f]Barbie[/name_f] recently. I will piggyback on Beverly-- it was my grandmother’s name! [name_f]Wendy[/name_f] is another name that has all the sounds people seem to like so I would not be surprised if that gets a resurgence soon. Recently, a colleague had a baby [name_f]Edith[/name_f] and I feel like I am hearing that and [name_f]Estelle[/name_f] more often too. Personally, I would like to see [name_f]Dorothea[/name_f] come back because I think it is so sweet with lots of nn options.

For boys, I would like to see [name_m]Randall[/name_m], [name_u]Douglas[/name_u], [name_m]Frederick[/name_m], and [name_m]Gregory[/name_m] have a comeback. I think they are strong and versatile names with lots of nickname potential. I agree with your thoughts on [name_u]Darren[/name_u]!

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[name_f]Amy[/name_f] - Although dated (in the US to the ~1970s) there are probably some Amelias who are using this as a nickname.

[name_f]Nancy[/name_f] - with exposure to the [name_f]Fancy[/name_f] [name_f]Nancy[/name_f] series, and that this name has come back in the UK, I could see this one coming back in the US as well when the current generation of kids starts having their own.

[name_f]Susan[/name_f] - another “mid-century” name that I could see coming back when the crop of Lilys, etc. are looking for a subtler honor name (same with the related forms like Susanna(h), etc. - from the Hebrew for “lily”).

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I think [name_f]Lacey[/name_f] feels pretty 90s, but I think it fits in with names like [name_u]Everly[/name_u], [name_f]Kinsley[/name_f], [name_f]Macy[/name_f], [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], etc.! Maybe [name_m]Ralph[/name_m] for a boy? It is sometimes said like [name_u]Rafe[/name_u] which is very in… and fits with a lot of names like [name_m]Calvin[/name_m], [name_u]Arthur[/name_u], [name_u]Walter[/name_u], [name_m]Harvey[/name_m], etc. [name_f]My[/name_f] sisters are in love with the idea of a little [name_m]Ralphie[/name_m] (not me, haha, but they are!).

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[name_f]Lacey[/name_f] is an excellent one! It would totally be up there right now if it didn’t have a 90s ring to it. I can see [name_m]Ralph[/name_m] being popular now too especially because if reminds me of [name_m]Raphael[/name_m], but o also went to elementary school with a [name_m]Ralph[/name_m] so it sounds pretty normal to me.

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I’ve always thought [name_f]Megan[/name_f] would be much more popular now if it wouldn’t have peaked in the 90s.

I’ll also make a case for:

Alan/Allen – two syllable, ends with -n, slightly cowboy
[name_m]Jason[/name_m] – Greek mythology, long a sound, two-syllable, ends with -n
[name_m]Brent[/name_m], [name_u]Brett[/name_u] – [name_u]Brooks[/name_u] is the new version of these, but I think they’d be more popular if they weren’t so 70-80s
[name_m]Grover[/name_m] – I think [name_f]Sesame[/name_f] [name_f]Street[/name_f] really killed this one, but the sounds are similar to [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] and it has a nature connection, too

[name_u]Lisa[/name_u], [name_f]Sandra[/name_f] – work in multiple languages with connection to classics (Elizabeth, Alexandra)
[name_f]Elaine[/name_f], [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] – to go along with all of the other [name_f]El[/name_f]- names
[name_f]Cynthia[/name_f] – liquid-y sounds + nickname [name_f]Thea[/name_f]!
Karen/Sharon – maybe controversial, but I’ve met quite a few young Marens!
[name_f]Valerie[/name_f] – snappy v sound and a song namesake
[name_f]Yvonne[/name_f], [name_f]Yvette[/name_f] – nickname [name_f]Evie[/name_f] and a fun first letter
[name_f]Miranda[/name_f] – Shakespearean!
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] – butterflies!
[name_f]Dawn[/name_f], [name_u]Holly[/name_u], [name_u]Robin[/name_u], [name_f]Amber[/name_f] – nature names are really having a moment right now
[name_u]Shelby[/name_u] – reminds me of [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] + that popular ‘el’ sound again

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I can also see [name_f]Mona[/name_f] being a popular name today in the vein of [name_f]Luna[/name_f], [name_f]Nora[/name_f], [name_f]Mila[/name_f], etc.

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I totally agree about almost all of these. I was going to post [name_f]Cynthia[/name_f] too but I forgot about it! I can also see [name_m]Brant[/name_m] / [name_m]Brandt[/name_m] fitting in with [name_m]Brent[/name_m], [name_u]Brett[/name_u], [name_u]Brooks[/name_u], etc. All of those have a really American [name_u]South[/name_u] sound to me which seems to be “in” right now. I actually see [name_f]Elaine[/name_f], [name_u]Holly[/name_u], and [name_u]Robin[/name_u] (more so on boys but also on girls) making an actual comeback very soon.

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