When it comes to names aging ponder this…
60 years ago names like [name]Linda[/name], [name]Deborah[/name], [name]Brenda[/name], [name]Pamela[/name] and [name]Janet[/name] were the trend. They were seen as popular names for newborn, but would have been considered outrageous on an adult. However to us those names seem like “older people” names because the generation with those names is getting older so that is our association of the names. I can’t even imagine the weird looks someone today would get for naming their daughter born in 2012 something like [name]Linda[/name], it just seems off to most people.
Names for our generation will be the same. Today’s most popular names, like [name]Kaylee[/name], [name]Addison[/name], [name]Bella[/name] and [name]Kennedy[/name], seem outrageous to us as adults names now. But in 30+ years when all those children are adults it would the the “normal thing” to have a name like that.
Name styles are similar to clothing styles, they are fads that come and go from generation to generation, but that is one thing that helps us define generations. Many of today’s names seem outlandish on adults, but in the future that wont be the case. Like clothing very few styles are timeless and will fit in well with every decade. So unless you are planning on picking a name like [name]Abigail[/name] or [name]Elizabeth[/name] that is undeniably timeless, don’t worry about it. Pick a name you love and stick with it, regardless of if you think it ages well, because in 10 years, or 20 years you will feel differently about how most names age.
[name]Love[/name] this post! Couldn’t agree more. I think of names like [name]Jacob[/name], [name]John[/name] nn [name]Johnny[/name], [name]Michael[/name], [name]Jessica[/name], [name]Jennifer[/name], [name]Elizabeth[/name], [name]Claire[/name], [name]Marie[/name], [name]Anna[/name]…those are like the blue jeans. [name]Blue[/name] jeans will always be around.
I think I agree and disagree. Sure, names cycle in and out of use: My mom could DIE that I am considering [name]Ivy[/name], [name]Lillian[/name], [name]Rosemary[/name], and other such “old-fashioned” names that she feels remind her of her mother’s generation. Similarly, she doesn’t hear what’s dated about '80s names.
But “will this name age well” isn’t just “is it in style?” it’s also “does it sound like a whole name?” Because yeah, the Boomer names have been and gone, yeah, the Deborahs/Cynthias/Pamelas/Janets.
My mom is herself one of those. But what was also the trend was [name]Randi[/name], [name]Cindy[/name], [name]Debbie[/name], [name]Jan[/name], and [name]Susie[/name] as legal names. [name]Just[/name] mined my mom’s yearbook for names, lol.
I feel like (and maybe this is just me and I’m pulling it out of my butt - totally possible) that whereas [name]Deborah[/name] and [name]Pamela[/name] feel dated, a 60 year old woman stuck being [name]Bunny[/name] or [name]Cindy[/name] forever with no ability to bust out a “grown-up” name is at more of a disadvantage. [name]Even[/name] though not particularly many baby Bunnys and Cindys are being born at this time.
I could be biased. Nobody’s been allowed to call my mom by her 1950s candy-coloured nickname for decades now.
Well…yes and no. It’s true that most popular names will be the new mom names someday, I’m not disputing that. However, there are some names that legitimately sound childish in my mind no matter what the person’s age is who has the name.
To use your examples of [name]Bella[/name] and [name]Kaylee[/name]: [name]Bella[/name], in my mind, is very Italian and quite mature-sounding (certainly not outrageous on an adult). [name]Kaylee[/name] does not sound like it will grow up. Frankly, I think this of most (not all) one or two syllable names ending in an “ee” sound like [name]Daisy[/name], [name]Maisie[/name], [name]Carly[/name], [name]Casey[/name], [name]Amy[/name], and [name]Jessie[/name]. [name]May[/name]/[name]Mae[/name] likewise sounds fairly young despite the fact that many are probably older.
If I really loved a name, would I let this stop me from using it? No, but I’d have to weigh that fact in when I consider a name.
I also agree with what stripedsocks said about names sounding like whole names. Most nicknamey names are going to sound perpetually young.
To be quite honest, I don’t think certain names you’ve mentioned have aged well. [name]Janet[/name], for example, is very dated and not many people consider it for babies nowadays. “Dated” isn’t well-aged in my opinion; it means the name has aged too much. And I’ve met adults named [name]Janie[/name] and [name]Missy[/name], and it seems a little strange to me. Ideally, I like names that are classic, that won’t ever sound young or dated or trendy.
I think I disagree. [name]One[/name] question I always pose to myself is what would a name sound like on a grandfather or grandmother and if it sounds ridiculous then the name is out and that’s the biggest reason why I’d probably never use the name [name]Maddox[/name], Grandpa [name]Maddox[/name], seriously?!
[name]Maddox[/name] isn’t even the worst possibility it’s when you see made up or creative names such as [name]Raleigh[/name], [name]Makayla[/name], [name]Neveah[/name], [name]Sydney[/name], [name]Kylan[/name], [name]Raylan[/name] etc. I mean seriously, I feel sorry for children who grow up with these names because in actual fact they probably won’t grow up too well.
To me I think it is most important to have a name that is suitable, a generally normal spelling and one that will see the child through life.
[name]Bella[/name] to a degree is fine, but [name]Kaylee[/name] is not to me. [name]Kaylee[/name] has far too many spellings and to many similar names such as [name]Baylee[/name], Raylee, Maylee, [name]Miley[/name], [name]Rylee[/name] etc. Therefore it falls into the trendy/creative names to me! I do agree with the previous post the it does tend to be a lot of names that end in the ‘ee’ sound quite childish but that’s not to put all names under that category if they are legitimate, normal names and spellings.
As daisy451 said, ‘dated’ isn’t well aged, and any trendy name will fall into that category. While it may not sound weird to have [name]Nana[/name] [name]Kaylee[/name] or Grandpa [name]Jayden[/name] in another 40 years or so, I still don’t think that means [name]Kaylee[/name] or [name]Jayden[/name] aged well as a name.
Plus, there’s also the difference if you give a child a name that doesn’t age well simply because its not a very good name for an adult (I think [name]Rosie[/name] or [name]Freddie[/name] are a good example of this, adorable on a child, sounds a bit silly on an adult–or course, there are much more obvious offenders, like [name]Queenie[/name])
I think people have different ideas about what a name “aging well” means. Just something I’ve noticed.
I totally agree with you though OP. I’m sure there were plenty of people in the 80s that just “couldn’t picture” the name Jennifer on an adult. Or maybe Amanda, Amber, Heather, other popular names of the time. Well, here we all are, adults. Sure, there may be a stamp on my forehead that says I was born in the 80s, but the name isn’t an eternal “little girl’s name”.
I see where people come from with the argument though. The way I see it, it isn’t as much about “aging well” as it is about being too “cutesy” or just a bad name. One example I have is Graciella. It’s super cutesy and though it’s totally NMS, I could see it being cute on a little girl. Maybe not so much on a 30 year old professional. Graciella Smith, CEO. Odd to me. But it isn’t because the name won’t grow with her and be normal to others her age. To me it’s because it’s smooshing together cutesy names.
I guess it’s hard to explain. I tend to have the opposite problem. There are names I kinda like for an adult, but I could never picture on a cute little baby. It’s hard for me to picture a cute little George, Hector, Gertrude, Esther, etc (not names I like, just examples).
ETA - I’ve noticed it’s more about what we’re used to. Using my name as an example again, when I was a kid I’m sure Jennifer was a cutesy little girl’s name. Now it’s a “normal” adult name. In 40 years, my grandkids will be saying it’s an “old lady” name. It’s all about the cycles. Look at the names coming back. Eleanor for example. I’m sure in the early 1900’s, it was seen as a kid’s name. Then it was a “normal” adult name in the 50s. In the 80s-90s it was a “grandma” name. Now, it’s back to becoming a little girl’s name. A lot of names do this. How we feel about the name depends a lot on our own age and where in the cycle we are for that particular name.
I met an adult [name]Grace[/name] recently. Actually I had seen her at church for over a year and finally got around to introducing myself. I couldn’t believe how well it suited an adult. I put [name]Grace[/name] back on the list — even though it’s really common right now. I couldn’t believe how well it suited an adult.
To me a name that doesn’t age well is one that sounds childish or cutesy or nicknamey. It’s fine when a kid is young but not when they’re older
I worked at a nursing home with residents whose names were [name]Willie[/name], [name]Chrissy[/name], [name]Charlie[/name], [name]Freddie[/name], [name]Jessie[/name], [name]Patty[/name], [name]Sammy[/name] etc.
I’ve had classmates named [name]Bunny[/name], [name]Peaches[/name], and [name]Bambi[/name]. They thought their names sounded like strippers
I had a professor named [name]Mickey[/name]. He hated his name and went by [name]Mick[/name] or [name]Mike[/name]
Once I spoke to an older man named [name]Happy[/name]. He was not happy with his name
I like “old people” names on kids because once they do get older it will fit. While they’re young they can us nn. [name]Georgia[/name] might be too much for a tot but she can be [name]Gia[/name] or [name]Georgie[/name] or even Peach while she’s little.
[name]Both[/name] of my parents have names that I can’t even fathom on a child and even when they were young their names were considered “heavy” for children. But as adults they sound perfectly normal. While they were young they had cutesy nicknames
[name]Janet[/name] makes me think of [name]Janet[/name] [name]Jackson[/name] so I would NEVER consider [name]Janet[/name] as a possibly for me. BUT, that said, [name]Janet[/name] [name]Jackson[/name] was once a baby…though with a very weird family. Is [name]Tito[/name] really is given name?
That’s your opinion; many names like the ones you mention are creative. Today we lack the creative genius that create people who can problem solve, resolve conflict, and those that contribute to productive society. [name]Remember[/name] at one time your name was made up. I’m highly educated and my daughter name is [name]Raylan[/name], it not your name that defines you it’s what you contribute to society.
Hmm, we should probably be careful not to conflate two issues: whether the name itself ages well and whether the name ages well with the child. For me, the first issue is about datedness, and I agree that it is hard to avoid the name you choose becoming dated (although I do think there are degrees of datedness; [name]Rachel[/name] is not as dated as [name]Jennifer[/name], in my mind). We are all caught up in the naming style of our own generation, and there are very few true classics.
However, the second issue is much more avoidable: it is about whether the name you choose is solid enough for an adult and not too cutesy. When I ask myself if a name ages well, I’m asking if it suits a professional woman (I usually use high court judge, doctor, CEO or politician as examples) as well as an adorable toddler. I don’t think a [name]Kaylee[/name] or a [name]Bella[/name] ages well, just as I don’t think [name]Cyndi[/name], [name]Kitty[/name], [name]Queenie[/name], Bunty or [name]Staci[/name] aged well for previous generations.
Of course your name doesn’t define you - but a name should grow with a person. I’m sorry, but [name]Kayleigh[/name] is never going to look anything other than silly on a professional adult. It has a lot of “cutesy” sounds and an over the top, ridiculous spelling. I majored in HR, I cannot imagine sitting down and interviewing these kids and taking them seriously. [name]Deborah[/name] may have been “trendy” back then, but it’s a name with a long history of usage and not a lot in the way “cutesy” sounds in it. Names these days have no substance and all sound absolutely “adorable” and always will, which won’t be so hot when you are 38 years old.
I believe my name is one of those that hasn’t aged well. “[name]Stacy[/name]”. No matter what, people will always see [name]Stacy[/name] as an air-headed cheerleader who doesn’t have a single thought in that pretty little head of hers. [name]Trust[/name] me, i know. When i talk to people and i say something half intellegent people either, a. Look at me weird… b. Wait for someone else to confirm what i’ve said… c. Ignore me all together… d. Argue with me.
I have thought about changing my name, but id hate to offend my mom, and it would be too confusing for my kiddo.
That actually isn’t true because names have history and meaning, and they originate from somewhere. A lot of ‘names’ being used today do not have any history, meaning and are simply just made up. My post before wasn’t to insult parents of [name]Raylan[/name]'s but it does not have a meaning or any history and therefore will not age very well because as Nameberry states it is a ‘modern invented name’.
I understand that a name doesn’t define a person but people have an idea, right or wrong, in their head about names and that’s just life. Like there are some names that just scream ‘naughty’. Although these days with all the kr8ive made up/child-ish/silly spellings/nicknames/boys names on girl’s a lot of people will assume things about that child’s parents.
I’m on the fence about this. My name is [name]Amber[/name] C@it, I always worry about how it’ll look on job applications when I’m older, and the kind of impression it gives people. And now I’m doing my exams and GCSE coursework, we have to put our full names on the paper and I am always scared of how it’ll look to the examiner. Sometimes I wish I was called something more substantial, like [name]Amber[/name] [name]Catherine[/name]. But I still quite like my name, I think I actually like the fact it’s not all solid and serious.
OK, I’m not so on the fence. I think that if you want to use a name you’re concerned won’t age well, you should team it up with a solid middle name. I remember a thread about [name]Lexie[/name] so I’ll use that as an example:
[name]Lexie[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name]
[name]Lexie[/name] [name]Katherine[/name]
[name]Lexie[/name] [name]Victoria[/name]
[name]Lexie[/name] [name]Evangeline[/name]
[name]Lexie[/name] [name]Olivia[/name]
[name]Lexie[/name] [name]Anneliese[/name]
[name]Lexie[/name] [name]Marianne[/name]
[name]Lexie[/name] [name]Susannah[/name]
[name]Lexie[/name] [name]Adelaide[/name]
A fun fn with a strong, serious mn can work wonders, I think.
I assumed names like [name]Allie[/name], [name]Ollie[/name], [name]Ella[/name] were all trendy names from todays time…until I realized that my great great grandparents named their girls [name]Allie[/name] [name]Ollie[/name] [name]Ella[/name] [name]Lilla[/name] and [name]Lola[/name], all names I previously couldn’t see as old.
I think any name ages well honestly. I mean you grow up with it and then it doesn’t matter. A [name]Lexie[/name] is a [name]Lexie[/name] whether she is 10 or 80. My fiance’ was the same with [name]Luna[/name]. He thought it fit better on a little girl, but not an older woman, apparently a lot of berries thought [name]Luna[/name] aged fine, better than [name]Lunette[/name]. To me it did sound a little cutesy and weird to say Grandma [name]Luna[/name], but when you meet someone with that name who is old, you realize it works.
I think any name can age fine. I’m sure people are going to disagree, but there are people with those names so obviously it works.
On the [name]Stacy[/name] thing, I know two [name]Stacy[/name]'s, both were not cheer leaders and actually very tom boyish. I don’t think you can stereotype names. [name]Brittany[/name] was thought to be a slutty name by a lot of people, but the [name]Brittany[/name] I knew was very kind, caring and generous. She was the exact opposite. I never could imagine it being a slutty name.