# Got any good "old people" names? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 30, 2010, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860 "2010-04-30T13:59:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/41 "2010-04-30T17:01:13Z")
Lura is a good “old people’s name” that one runs across occasionally. Sometimes it’s a first name, more often I’ve seen it as a second name. My 105-yr old grandmother has Lura as a middle name, and her oldest daughter, my aunt, got it as a first name. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/42 "2010-04-30T17:01:29Z")
Ezra or Basil? MMmmm, spicy! ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/43 "2010-04-30T17:20:54Z")
Some good names here but I’ve always been partial to **Gunther**. I had a teacher once than named his basset **Lyndon**. Of course he also named one of his cats **Dammit**. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/44 "2010-04-30T17:54:26Z")
Hortence ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/45 "2010-04-30T17:56:19Z")
> [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](#): > > Hortence ::hijack for an old joke:: How do you make a Hortense? Don’t pay her. ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/46 "2010-04-30T18:03:40Z")
The neighbors had a pair of chesty bassetts when my daughter was little. The dogs’ names were John and Mike and, unbeknownst to me, the neighbors were in the habit of allowing her to take them for a stroll. One day she came home with her knees all skinned up and when I asked what had happened she answered, “John and Mike dragged me on the sidewalk.” That ruffled my mommy feathers. “Well! Where do John and Mike live? We’re going over there and having a talk with their mother.” So then. . . Such a waste of a good head of steam. And here’s a blue-collar name for a pickup truck ridin’ hound - LeRoy. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/47 "2010-04-30T18:05:00Z")
If I were naming a basset hound I’d go with either Milo or Otis. Or, as some wag (heh) above suggested, Fifi. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/48 "2010-04-30T18:41:08Z")
Hazel Mable Harris ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/49 "2010-04-30T18:50:57Z")
I think a lot of the people here aren’t aware of the resurgence in great-grandparent names for babies over the last decade. > [@phess](#): > > Clara > Sophie > Felix > Wilbur You’re aware that Sophia was the seventh-most-popular baby name in the US in 2008, right, with Sophie at #74? Clara’s only in the low 200’s, but it’s been climbing steadily in popularity for a decade, meaning that it’s probably only going to get more popular. Wilbur (like most boy’s W names that aren’t William or Wyatt) still seems safely ‘old.’ Other suggestions made here - Ruby was #113 and climbing in 2008. Hugo, Milo, and Felix are all pretty popular among the more urban, well-to-do population that tends to lead naming trends. Lydia’s #110 and climbing. Maybelle hasn’t ranked in the top 1000 names in the last decade, but -bell/-bella names are wildly popular right now, and the odds are probably good that it’ll catch on again. Violet has rocketed from #849 to #184 in a decade, which means it’ll probably keep climbing. Henry was last at #78, Oliver is #118, and both are rising fast. Isaac is #37 and climbing. Emma was the MOST POPULAR baby girl’s name in America in 2008. That’s after going through only the first fifteen or so posts, but my point is, be wary, and check out the babynamevoyager linked above, or the [Social Security Database](http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/). Why yes, I _am_ a name-nerd, why do you ask? ---
**Author:** ![kathmandu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kathmandu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kathmandu)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/50 "2010-04-30T18:55:19Z")
Cedric. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Medlo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hi\_Medlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Medlo)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/51 "2010-04-30T19:02:23Z")
My grandmothers were named Mildred and Dorcas. One of my great-grandmothers was Diverna. ---
**Author:** ![Jelly\_Roll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Jelly\_Roll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jelly_Roll)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/52 "2010-04-30T19:17:05Z")
Grandmothers: Barbara and Thelma Grandfathers: Cecil and Clarence Otto, Leo, Granelle and Jean are other family names. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/53 "2010-04-30T19:32:59Z")
Abijah T Bindersnatch ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/54 "2010-04-30T19:42:29Z")
Floyd or Vern. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/55 "2010-04-30T19:42:59Z")
My grandparents’ names: Violet Lenora Elton Orey Joseph Efflo Ruth Ellen ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/56 "2010-04-30T19:52:08Z")
Here are my contributions to the pool: Chauncey Claude Archibald Ignatius Cornelius Mehitabel Ermentrude Eugenia ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/57 "2010-04-30T21:13:20Z")
Amos Moses That’s better than my first. Either is fit for a basset hound. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/58 "2010-04-30T21:33:06Z")
Matilda ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/59 "2010-04-30T21:34:59Z")
Old people names? How about “Methuselah”? 🙂 Alternatively: Winthrop Esther ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-any-good-old-people-names/537860/60 "2010-04-30T21:56:05Z")
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