[name]Do[/name] you think any of these would actually work for a baby? I could see [name]Shirley[/name], [name]Myrna[/name], [name]Mehitabel[/name], [name]Joyce[/name], [name]Irma[/name] (I actually know a few Irmas, granted they’re Bosnian so maybe it’s cooler over there), [name]Griselda[/name], [name]Ethel[/name], and [name]Doris[/name] making a comeback.
Although I don’t personally like [name]Ethel[/name], I know she’s been making a comeback in some circles like Nameberry, especially since [name]Lily[/name] [name]Allen[/name] used it, so I don’t think it belongs here.
I also disagree with [name]Myrna[/name], which I actually think is quite pretty, and [name]Joyce[/name], which I think makes a nice “connector” middle name, even though she may not be ready for primetime again as a first name yet.
I could also potentially see [name]Doris[/name], [name]Eunice[/name] and [name]Shirley[/name] coming back in the future. The others, I basically agree with (although I have a soft spot for [name]Ortensia[/name], the Latinate form of [name]Hortense[/name], which I think removes a lot of the negative qualities about that name).
I know a very lively teenage [name]Doris[/name], so I completely disagree with that one. I could see [name]Edna[/name], [name]Ethel[/name], [name]Joyce[/name], and [name]Shirley[/name] coming back in another generation or so. [name]Mehitabel[/name] is iffy; I want to say yes because of all the -bel/-belle names that are popular right now, but it is awfully clunky.
[name]Ernestine[/name], [name]Joyce[/name], [name]Myrna[/name], and [name]Shirley[/name] could make a comeback in my mind. Maybe I just think [name]Shirley[/name] could since I have a friend by that name and she’s beautiful and vivacious… she is indeed “cool enough” to carry the name.
I don’t like any of the names. They remind me of names my dad used to call the car when it was not running so well…‘Come on [name]Doris[/name]…[name]Bertha[/name] behave’!
[name]Joyce[/name] seems perfectly all right to me, and I don’t mind [name]Griselda[/name] either because of the nickname [name]Zelda[/name]. Other than that, this list is pretty dead to me.
[name]Gertrude[/name]?! Seriously? When was this list made? I know a few little Gertrudes – that one is definitely coming back. I can also see [name]Myrna[/name] and [name]Ethel[/name] definitely making a comeback. They seem along the lines of [name]Hazel[/name], [name]Gertrude[/name], etc. And I actually quite like [name]Elberta[/name]. I can see what people don’t like about it, but I think it has a really nice and unique sound. I’d say that one’s a definite maybe.
I love [name]Joyce[/name] as it is my nan’s name and I would love to use it as a mn if we ever have any more . I don’t personally think it should be on that list, it’s pretty and has a gorgeous meaning plus it is already in the UK top 1000 .
[name]Bertha[/name]–Maybe
[name]Beulah[/name]–No
[name]Brunhilda[/name]–Heh, I think it’s cute
[name]Doris[/name]–No
[name]Edna[/name]–Another cute one
[name]Elberta[/name]–Hmm, an alternative to [name]Elberta[/name]?
[name]Ernestine[/name]–[name]Love[/name] it!
[name]Ethel[/name]–Yup, cute!
[name]Eunice[/name]–[name]Don[/name]'t care for the sound
[name]Fulvia[/name]–I think of a part of female anatomy, so no.
[name]Gay[/name]–No because of the possible negative connotations
[name]Gertrude[/name]–I love the nn [name]Gertie[/name]!
[name]Griselda[/name]–nn [name]Zelda[/name]/[name]Selda[/name] is cute!
[name]Helga[/name]–Meh, okay.
[name]Hildegarde[/name]–Maybe
[name]Hortense[/name]–makes me think of warts
[name]Irma[/name]–cute
[name]Joyce[/name]–prefer [name]Joy[/name]
[name]Mehitabel[/name]–not sure WHAT to think, lol.
[name]Myrna[/name]–adorabable!
[name]Phyllis[/name]–Not a fan.
[name]Shirley[/name]–to boyish for me.
[name]Vigdis[/name]–again, sounds boyish.
[name]Yetta[/name]–Reminds me of Yeti.
I don’t see any coming back honestly they are so nanaish and I know as well my mum would hate them she calls [name]Alice[/name] and [name]Harriet[/name] old lady names and constantly tells me “At least those names are better then [name]Freda[/name]”. Maybe at a stretch [name]Shirley[/name] after great grandmas and [name]Giselda[/name] because of the nickname [name]Zelda[/name] which is spunky and cool.
My cousin, bless her heart, is using [name]Bertha[/name] as a middle name for her new baby.
And I have a friend who’s mom is named [name]Gay[/name] [name]Ann[/name], but she typically goes by [name]Gay[/name]. And she is one of the coolest women I know.
But from this list, I think [name]Ethel[/name], [name]Gertrude[/name] (I [name]LOVE[/name] the nickname [name]Trudy[/name]) and [name]Griselda[/name] (also love [name]Zelda[/name]) could work. Possibly [name]Joyce[/name], [name]Myrna[/name] and [name]Shirley[/name] too.
[name]Hildegarde[/name] was on my list for a while. I quite like the nickname [name]Hilda[/name], but don’t care for [name]Brunhilda[/name].
I also like [name]Irma[/name] and [name]Gertrude[/name], although probably only as middles. [name]Ethel[/name] and [name]Edna[/name] I could see making comebacks.
I agree with the list. The title suggests more of a warning than a hard and fast rule. “No girl may be cool enough” for these names, which means some girls could pull it off, but it’s a gamble. I think that’s a fair description.
I can see [name]Mehitabel[/name] as [name]Mehitabelle[/name] coming into style, with the emphasis placed on the last syllable like [name]Isabelle[/name] instead of [name]Mabel[/name]. It can also give the nickname [name]Mia[/name] or [name]Tabby[/name] which makes it more modern. I also think [name]Hilda[/name] is spunky, but not entirely sure about long forms [name]Brunhilda[/name] or [name]Hildegarde[/name].
I do prefer [name]Joy[/name] over [name]Joyce[/name], but the latter has some nice namesakes and will probably be used in a generation or so as a middle.
I have a soft spot for [name]Edna[/name] and [name]Ethel[/name], and a guilty pleasure is Ethil (Lithe spelled backwards). [name]Yetta[/name] has a pretty sound, except I can only see a Yeti when I think of it.
I had a great aunt named [name]Hildegarde[/name], my friend and I were talking the other day about how [name]Hildegarde[/name] is too far out, but [name]Hilde[/name] ([name]HILL[/name]-[name]DEE[/name] - as my aunt was called) is super cute and in the same vein as [name]Hattie[/name] or [name]Heidi[/name].
