Middle-Aged Names?

Girl Names
1

I’ve noticed that nameberry frequently dismisses names, particularly female names, as sounding “middle-aged.”

When I saw those comments, I always just thought, “Well, shoot, I like that name anyway.”

However it hit me today (when I saw that comment written about the name [name_f]Belva[/name_f]) that I have some questions.

What is wrong with a name sounding middle-aged? We certainly spend more of our lives (hopefully) in our middle years than we do in our childhood.

Is it so bad to have a name that suits a competent and capable woman in her 30’s–60’s? (In the US, we tend to have an optimistic age range for middle-age!). :slight_smile:

And might it not be better to have a name that ages well than a name that might sound a bit fey on an adult ([name_f]Taffeta[/name_f], [name_f]Cricket[/name_f], [name_f]Daisy[/name_f], [name_f]Heidi[/name_f], [name_f]Liesel[/name_f], [name_f]Honey[/name_f])? (Though I love all those names besides [name_f]Honey[/name_f])

Is it so bad to be middle-aged? I’m in my middle years and having a lovely life, and am certainly more confident and sure of myself than I was as a girl, teen, or even young woman.

And finally, I actually think when the “it sounds too middle-aged” comment is made it is actually a euphemism for “it sounds too old lady”, except it’s not PC to note that, hence the middle-age comments.

2

It’s not horrible. I grew up with an old lady name. I just didn’t like people getting my name wrong… I’d say [name_f]Betty[/name_f] And they’d call me [name_f]Becky[/name_f], [name_f]Betsy[/name_f], [name_f]Debbie[/name_f]…beth

[name_f]Betty[/name_f] boop …[name_f]Betty[/name_f] spaghetti,

3

I like [name_f]Betty[/name_f]. I think of the dessert [name_f]Apple[/name_f] [name_m]Brown[/name_m] [name_f]Betty[/name_f] and [name_f]Betty[/name_f] Crocker and other baked goods. :slight_smile:

And it certainly wouldn’t confuse me and make me call you [name_f]Becky[/name_f] or whatever.

I’ve found that people will mangle any but the most common names.

4

One other thing that strikes me is that when people dismiss a female name as “too middle-aged” they do not seem to be talking about current middle-aged women’s names. I’m 52 and my peers are named [name_u]Lisa[/name_u], [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f], [name_f]Paula[/name_f], [name_u]Lynn[/name_u], [name_f]Trina[/name_f], [name_f]Suzanne[/name_f], [name_f]Tina[/name_f], [name_u]Kelly[/name_u], [name_f]Debra[/name_f], [name_f]Melissa[/name_f], [name_f]Cindy[/name_f], [name_f]Karen[/name_f], and the like.

NOT my favorite era of names, but they tend to be termed “dated” as opposed to “middle-aged”.

I suspect that these “middle-aged” names are from an earlier era, from the women who were middle-aged when I was a girl, the uncool names from a 50 year old’s aunts or great-aunts.

[name_m]Just[/name_m] a thought.

5

I am nearly 31 years old, and I really am drawn to names like [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f], [name_f]Judith[/name_f], [name_u]Kelley[/name_u], [name_f]Theresa[/name_f], [name_f]Therese[/name_f], [name_f]Mallory[/name_f], and many others that most people in my generation were not named. I find tese names refreshing.
[name_f]Paula[/name_f], [name_f]Polly[/name_f], [name_f]Valerie[/name_f], and [name_f]Irene[/name_f] have been growing on me as well.
[name_f]Beverly[/name_f] too.

1 Like
6

If I had to rename myself I would chose a 80’s / 90’s name or a middle aged name. My name is unqiue classic but always misspelled and mispronounced. I would love to be [name_f]Angela[/name_f], [name_f]Regina[/name_f], [name_f]April[/name_f], [name_f]Stephanie[/name_f], [name_u]Robin[/name_u], [name_f]Susan[/name_f], [name_f]Nina[/name_f], [name_f]Maxine[/name_f], [name_f]Monica[/name_f], [name_u]Tracy[/name_u], or [name_f]Michelle[/name_f]

Middle Age Names I love are:
[name_f]Angela[/name_f], [name_f]Susan[/name_f], [name_f]Ellen[/name_f], [name_f]Helen[/name_f], [name_f]Karen[/name_f], [name_f]Carol[/name_f], [name_f]Denise[/name_f], [name_f]Sandra[/name_f], [name_f]Diana[/name_f], [name_f]Melanie[/name_f], [name_u]Julie[/name_u], [name_u]Robin[/name_u], [name_f]Nina[/name_f], [name_f]Daisy[/name_f], [name_u]Ruby[/name_u], [name_f]Maggie[/name_f], [name_u]Lisa[/name_u], [name_f]Nicole[/name_f], [name_f]Patricia[/name_f], [name_f]Pamela[/name_f], [name_f]Maureen[/name_f], and [name_f]Priscilla[/name_f]

7

I think every generation has a prejudice against the names of their mother’s/grandmother’s circle.

[name_m]Just[/name_m] like I’m not fond of gold because my mom always wore it so it seems “old” to me and yet teenagers are loving gold as the 90’s love for silver falls out of vogue.

I think it really depends on the name though. There are some names that are really hard to bring back around. Not impossible, but more challenging than more classic names.

1915: [name_f]Dorcas[/name_f], [name_f]Bertha[/name_f], [name_f]Helga[/name_f], [name_f]Thelma[/name_f] will be harder to revive than [name_f]Louise[/name_f], [name_f]Edith[/name_f], [name_f]Ruth[/name_f], and [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f].

1950: In the same way [name_f]Linda[/name_f], [name_f]Sandra[/name_f], [name_f]Carol[/name_f], [name_f]Brenda[/name_f], and [name_f]Janet[/name_f] sound dated to me. While [name_f]Susan[/name_f], [name_f]Diane[/name_f], [name_f]Gail[/name_f] and [name_f]Alice[/name_f] already feel fresh again.

1975: [name_f]Angela[/name_f], [name_f]Karen[/name_f], [name_f]Tammy[/name_f], [name_f]Michelle[/name_f], and [name_f]Tanya[/name_f] seem dated. While [name_f]Laura[/name_f], [name_f]Jill[/name_f], [name_f]Erin[/name_f], [name_u]Robin[/name_u], and [name_f]Holly[/name_f] I think still sound pretty fresh.

It’s that special magic of popularity, familiarity, and continual use that makes some names fresh and others stale. And of course that feeling is subjective :slight_smile: