Doris: opinions, other 'old lady' names

Girl Names
1

Hi everyone,

so I’ve recently realized I really like the name Doris. It’s one of those names that you’re familiar with but never really think about until you suddenly do. I also like Dorothy but somehow I find Doris more exciting.

What is your opinion on Doris? I checked baby name stats and in the UK in 2020 it was only given to 9 girls, which isn’t a lot. But so many ‘old-fashioned’ names are increasing in popularity, these are all in the top 130 in the UK: Eloise, Darcy, Martha, Beatrice, Annabelle, Felicity, Olive, Edith, Margot, Mabel, Nancy, Harriet, Eleanor, Bonnie, Florence, and obviously the timeless Elizabeth, Alice, Evelyn & Charlotte.

Do you think Doris is deserving of a comeback, like so many other classics?

What are your favourite ‘old lady names’? I’ve realized that they’re probably my style :joy:

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I’ve never given Doris much through, but honestly I think she’s really cute! I have this imagery of an young, somewhat nervous but excited girl getting ready for her first school dance in the 50s or 60s

Also Dory is an adorable nickname!

Edit: completely forgot about adding other ‘old lady’ names!

Martha
Bertha
Winifred
Marilyn
Meryl
Beryl
Dolores
Annette
Blanche
Wendy

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I love [name_f]Doris[/name_f]! It’s definitely deserving of a comeback, but I don’t see that happening very soon; I think it is still very connected to the “old lady” image. Maybe in 10 years or so we’ll see it start to gain in popularity!

Other old lady names I like:
[name_f]Judith[/name_f]
[name_f]Irene[/name_f]
[name_f]Wilma[/name_f]
[name_f]Dora[/name_f]
[name_f]Marjorie[/name_f]

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I definitely could see Doris following in Dorothy’s footsteps and making a comeback in the future, but I think it may be a couple of decades yet. I don’t foresee it ever being extremely popular, but I could see it getting more positive attention and more use if it follows the 100-year rule. Since Doris peaked at #6 in 1929, that’s coming soon! So maybe by the 2030s and '40s it will begin to garner more notice as an alternative to the current old-fashioned picks that will be in the Top 100 by then. :slight_smile:

Anita
Betsy
Constance
Cornelia
Dorothy
Elaine
Helen
Judy
Kathleen
Lavinia
Marianne
Marie
Maud
Millicent
Nell/Nellie
Opal
Sybil
Wendy

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5

Ohh I forgot about [name_f]Winifred[/name_f]! I also like [name_f]Dolores[/name_f] but I’d be a little apprehensive because of the meaning.

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I love [name_f]Wilma[/name_f]!

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Maud(e) is cool, it gives me a sort of calm feeling. And [name_f]Opal[/name_f] too.

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Doris feels a bit too old lady for me personally. I think the sounds are just a bit too… stark? I hope that makes sense. That said, I think almost any name can be revived and I would be pleasantly surprised to meet a little Doris! My personal favorites:

Marie
Marianne
June
Joy
Constance
Gertrude
Prudence
Winifred
Irene
Annette
Elaine
Vera

And a few that people find dated:
Amy
Laura
Carrie

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This is actually something I’ve been thinking a lot about recently! I like [name_f]Doris[/name_f] and I think that in time, she might start to creep up the UK popularity charts. The big new one in the Top 100 for 2020 was [name_f]Olive[/name_f]. If my calculations are correct, she re-entered the Top 100 for the first time in eighty-six years and it’s possible that [name_f]Doris[/name_f] might well be one of the new ‘Olive’s’ of the future Top 100’s. In 2019, [name_f]Mabel[/name_f] re-entered the Top 100 after ninety-five years and [name_f]Doris[/name_f] gives off the same vintage, sweet ‘old lady’ charm vibes that [name_f]Mabel[/name_f] and [name_f]Olive[/name_f] have. I’ve actually been doing a database of all the names that were in [name_u]England[/name_u] & Wales’s Top 100 since 1840 (which is as far back as I can find data from) and analysing which names entered, re-entered and left the Top 100 during which decade and year. I’m hoping that in future years, a lot of the ‘old lady’ names that we still associate with the 1920’s and 1930’s will re-enter with longevity at some point and they will no longer be considered ‘old lady.’ I’m not entirely convinced that [name_f]Doris[/name_f] will be as popular as she once was. Although, [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] is more popular now at #6 in 2020 than she was in 1914 where she ranked #16, the highest she had ever ranked before leaving after 1944. So anything is possible!

(the data I have collected comes from every new decade starting from 1840-1900. ie: 1840, 1850, 1860 etc. Then it goes up in every new decade starting from 1904-1994. ie: 1904, 1914, 1924 etc. Finally, after missing out 1995, it goes up in every year from 1996- 2020. Because a number of years are missing throughout, what I have calculated with my findings won’t be entirely accurate. I just gave my answer based on the data I collected on what was available! I hope you found it interesting even if you probably didn’t need it haha :joy:)

In terms of my favourite ‘old lady’ names, the one that I’ve been crushing on recently has been [name_f]Enid[/name_f]! I honestly think she has serious comeback potential! Other wonderful ‘Old Lady’ names with great comeback potential that aren’t in the current Top 100 include…

[name_f]Diane[/name_f]
[name_f]Irene[/name_f]
[name_f]Joanne[/name_f] (don’t think she is totally ‘old lady.’ I know a lot of people born in the 80s who are named [name_f]Joanne[/name_f]. I do however maintain that she’d make great comeback appeal)
[name_f]Judith[/name_f]
[name_u]June[/name_u]
[name_f]Susan[/name_f]
[name_f]Sylvie[/name_f]
[name_f]Winifred[/name_f]

PS: I really enjoyed this thread :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

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10

[name_f]Doris[/name_f] pretty cute and cuddly while also still having strength.

[name_u]David[/name_u] Tennant’s youngest daughter is called [name_f]Doris[/name_f] which is where I saw it used first on a little girl :slight_smile:

Some of my favourite “old lady” names:

[name_f]Mary[/name_f]
[name_f]Mabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Mavis[/name_f]
[name_f]Lois[/name_f]
[name_f]Margot[/name_f]
[name_f]Clarice[/name_f]
[name_f]Betsy[/name_f]
[name_f]Freda[/name_f]

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Wow, all this is so intriguing, I’d be interested how it all turns out!

It’s interesting about [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] because I thought until recently that it was a fairly new/modern name. Then I was watching Call the Midwife and was super surprised that someone named their baby [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] :joy:

[name_f]Joanne[/name_f] doesn’t give me old lady vibes but it reminded me of [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] which is a very important family name that (if I ever have a daughter) will definitely be a middle name :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

And [name_u]June[/name_u] is one of those modern, warm old fashioned names.

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Yes, [name_u]David[/name_u] Tennant is where I got the name from! I think all of his kids have great names :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

From your list I love: [name_f]Mabel[/name_f], [name_f]Mavis[/name_f], [name_f]Margot[/name_f] and [name_f]Freda[/name_f] but prefer [name_f]Frida[/name_f]

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[name_f]Beautiful[/name_f] meaning and is like a mix of [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] and [name_f]Iris[/name_f]. I think it’s sweet :blush:

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I’m getting through it slowly but surely :joy: It’s actually really interesting to see how names in the Top 100 progressed over the years. The current Top 100 isn’t dissimilar to the Top 100 in the 1840’s. Both 1840 and 2020 share the names, Abigail, Ada, Alice, Amelia, Anna, Charlotte, Clara, Edith, Eleanor, Eliza, Elizabeth, Emily, Emma, Grace, Hannah, Harriet, Isabella, Maria, Matilda, Nancy, Phoebe, Rose & Sophia. 1840 also had names that we might associate as being more 70s, 80s and 90s names like Amy, Bridget, Catherine, Deborah, Diana, Georgina, Helen, Joanna, Julia, Kate, Laura, Rachael, Rachel, Rebecca, Ruth, Sarah & Victoria.
So it basically takes one hundred and eighty years for names to feel more modern again :joy: Through my research, I’ve begun to have so much more appreciation for names that I once thought were very modern. It turns out that the ever so popular Emily, Grace, Isabella & Sophia are actually vintage in disguise!

I adore Joanna and she is a name that is at the top of my list if I ever have children :two_hearts:

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This is fascinating.

I love names that are timeless or ones that feel like you absolutely can’t go wrong if you picked them, so from the top 100 current/1840s that you mentioned I love [name_f]Ada[/name_f], [name_f]Alice[/name_f], [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_f]Edith[/name_f], [name_f]Eliza[/name_f], [name_f]Emma[/name_f], [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] (wow this is so surprising, would never expect [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] to be popular in the 1840s!). I like [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] because of the great namesakes in history but probably wouldn’t use it.

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[name_f]Doris[/name_f] could work and is due for a comeback! And agree with the other poster that [name_u]Dory[/name_u] is an adorable nickname!

I’m guilty of loving these type names too… [name_f]Mabel[/name_f] is by far my fav :heart_eyes:, I also like [name_f]Opal[/name_f], Maud(e), [name_f]Alice[/name_f], [name_f]Iris[/name_f], and [name_f]Eliza[/name_f].

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doris is one of my favorite names right now. i think it sounds adorable! :cherry_blossom:

i’m working soo hard to find the perfect middle. do you have any ideas? :blush:

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For something a little unexpected/nature-themed I like:

Doris Clementine
Doris Marigold
Doris Magnolia
Doris Pandora
Doris Wisteria

For something a bit more classic I like:

Doris Charlotte
Doris Francesca
Doris Josephine
Doris James

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It’s not one I can see making a comeback anytime soon, but maybe in the next 20 or so years.
Some other old lady names I like are:
[name_f]Ada[/name_f]
[name_f]Agnes[/name_f]
[name_f]Caroline[/name_f]
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f]
[name_f]Edwina[/name_f]
[name_f]Esther[/name_f]
[name_f]Ida[/name_f]
[name_f]Julia[/name_f]
[name_f]Josephine[/name_f]
[name_f]Lillian[/name_f]
[name_f]Marilyn[/name_f]
[name_f]Maureen[/name_f]
[name_f]Marianne[/name_f]
[name_f]Philippa[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosalind[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosaline[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosamund[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosemary[/name_f]
[name_f]Thora[/name_f]
[name_f]Verity[/name_f]

On an unrelated note, how do you find out the exact number of babies given a certain name?

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doris james is perfection! :sparkles: